Tricia and I continue our conversation about the Enneagram with the author of The Road Back to You, Ian Morgan Cron. In this episode, he shares highlights of Enneagram numbers 6 through 9, what motivates them, and what it’s like to work with them.
Here’s what you need to know about each of these types.
Type 6 - The Loyalists
These people are committed, practical and loyal. They can be, at times, the wittiest number on the Enneagram. They are motivated by a need to feel safe, secure and supported in what feels to them like a chaotic, unpredictable world.
Type 7 - The Enthusiasts
These people are the ‘joy bombs’ of the Enneagram. They’re fun, spontaneous and adventurous. They’re motivated by a need to be happy and to plan stimulating experiences in service to avoid difficult, painful feelings.
Type 8 - The Challengers
These people are commanding, intense, confrontational and sometimes domineering. They are motivated by a need to be strong and to assert control and strength over others in the environment to avoid revealing weakness or vulnerability.
Type 9 - The Peacemakers
These people are pleasant, laid back, accommodating, go with the flow and don’t rock the boat. They’re motivated by a need to keep the peace, to merge with other people or groups and to avoid conflict at all costs.
Here are some takeaways:
1. Every Enneagram number is capable of being a healthy, good leader.
Sometimes, certain people only associate specific numbers with leadership. But that’s wrong.
For example, because nines are quieter and laid back, they may not receive as much consideration for leadership positions. But some of the world’s best leaders, including some of America’s best presidents, were nines.
The truth is, any number that is healthy and self-aware has the potential to be a very good leader.
2. Hire based on character, not Enneagram number.
Look at someone’s ethics and hard skills before even considering their Enneagram number. Those are the most important things.
Once that’s in place, you can look at the number and see how they fit with the rest of the team. But that’s completely secondary to everything else. And never hire a number just based on a need for that point of view. You might want to bring in a contractor or consultant to provide that perspective instead.
Don’t feel like you have to hire certain numbers. This is also industry dependent on which numbers work to weave in best with the rest of your team.
3. People who are healthy within their number are emotionally intelligent.
These types of people make the best leaders. Not only are they emotionally intelligent, but they are also fully self-aware.
They realize that their perspective isn’t the only perspective, and it’s okay and normal to hold another view.
They understand the needs and benefits of seeking out other points of view, and they approach conversations keeping the other person’s opinion in mind.
Learn how to recognize each type and identify the value they bring to the table in this resource, How to Lead and Work by Enneagram Type.
In this guide, Ian Morgan Cron gives an insightful look into how each of the nine Enneagram types naturally leads and works.