The Enneagram is a psychological model based on the existence of nine basic motivations that drive us and that each individual is driven by one of those. The Enneagram is a great tool for providing insight into your own patterns and those of others.
The nine different patterns we refer to as the types or the styles of the Enneagram.
We’re talking about deep emotional needs and not choices. Depending on which Enneagram style you have, there’s a tendency that you’ll approach your everyday life from a certain approach or pattern. This pattern may benefit your or work against your depending on what you’re trying to achieve.
Since coaching has the most profound effect if we work in the deep emotional layers, knowing your Enneagram style can be very helpful. This is why it’s quite normal if I ask you to do an Enneagram test before our actual work begins. Now, whether it’s a correct assessment or not will be determined in a conversation we’ll be having. We’re complex beings after all.
Type One has a great desire to do everything not just right, but perfect. This means that they typically work really hard because they want to control all the details – both the important and the unimportant. They can be very principled and live by “Work before pleasure”. This means that they can have a hard time having fun and saying “nevermind”. And they typically set very high standards for themselves.
Type Two is very motivated to ensure good relationships. They often show this by helping others – even if others may not need it – or deserve it. They are really good at knowing how the “group” is doing and they often see it unconsciously as their job to ensure the well-being of others. And that means they may not be very good at setting boundaries for themselves or of prioritizing themselves and their own needs.
The Three is highly motivated by success – doing well and meeting goals and meeting expectations. They often measure their success according to what others think is right and can be less good at paying attention to whether it’s the right thing for them. They are generally hard-working people, and they tend to completely forget themselves or define what success is for themselves.
The Four is in an eternal quest for the unique and the authentic, and you will never see them come up with average solutions. They are typically relatively controlled by their own feelings and tend to attach emotions to things, relationships, events, and anything else. They are good at accommodating both pleasure and pain and quite enjoy having both in their lives. They may spend more time and energy than what is good for them on comparing what others have and what they don’t. have.
Type Five is typically motivated by knowledge and objectivity. They rarely come up with allegations but often with points that they know to be factually correct. They are typically introvert and are masters of seeing things completely objectively. This means that they are good analysts, but can have difficulties dealing with emotions – because they’re not objective phenomena. However, when Fives feel safe and private they can be quite loving and full of emotions.
Type Six has a strong focus on finding the best and safest solution. Even if that means checking everything several times. They are loyal and hardworking people who thrive with working within a specified framework and they tend to focus on what is best for “the group”. The big challenge for the Six is that they are all too well able to see things from all sides. This means that they can have difficulty making decisions.
Type Seven is motivated by “something happening” – that new energy is added to the situation. They are typically future-oriented and the opportunities that lie there. They are great in brainstorms and churning ideas and they are also good at starting up new adventures. They are not always so good at closing current ones. Just like Type Six, they can have difficulty in making choices, but with the Seven it’s because they’re afraid of missing out. All opt-ins are also opt-outs.
Type Eight is motivated by control and influence. This means that they tend to take control and are not afraid to take the possible conflicts that can go with it. Eights are hardworking and good at making things happen – usually based on a gut instinct of what is right. The Eight tends to protect and fight for those who are “within the camp” and show great warmth and care for the weak, those treated unfairly and the near and dear.
Type Nine is the born diplomat. They are motivated by peace, tranquillity and harmony, and they are very good at negotiating solutions that benefit everybody. They are usually optimistic and accommodating people, in part because they prefer to avoid conflicts. They generally get along with everybody and if they do find it difficult to take stand, they are often industrious people – probably because they have a great need to be part of the group.
Don’t you recognize yourself in any of the types of the Enneagram?
Would you like som help to determine your type?
Then give me a call – I’m used to asking the questions that narrow down the options in the Enneagram.
We tend to determine our psychological profile from behaviour and that doesn’t work in the Enneagram. Here it’s about a deep-seated motivation. And we will find what drives you.
I am proud to be an Accredited Professional with the International Enneagram Association.
This means that I work to a certain set of standards and uphold ethics when I work with the Enneagram.
If you’re curious about the Enneagram, I can only recommend that you work with an accredited professional to make sure that you work within ethical boundaries.
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