Have you ever wondered what makes the people in your life tick? Or maybe you are more interested in learning about yourself. One easy way to get better insight to ourselves and others is to use personality measurement tools. One of these tools is the Enneagram. 

What is the Enneagram?

The Enneagram is a model of the human psyche developed by Claudio Naranjo and expanded greatly upon by Oscar Ichazo. According to the Enneagram, everyone has a primary type that drives their behavior as well as a wing (a number adjacent to our primary number) which describes our subtype. The 9 types fall into 3 different “centers” or “triads”, the Heart/Feeling, the Head/Thinking, and the Gut/Instinctive. 

Each type has a basic desire and a basic fear that drives their behavior. By knowing this, it can impact how we respond to ourselves and each other.

The Enneagram is currently considered pseudoscience, meaning there is no scientific evidence that it is an accurate or reliable tool of personality measurement, so we recommend using this tool for insight.

The Enneagram Types

1 – Perfectionist/Reformer

Basic desire/goal: to be good, have integrity, achieve balance

Basic fear: being corrupt, evil, or defective

Key motivations: to be right, striving for improvement, remain consistent with ideals

2 – Helper

Basic desire/goal: to be loved

Basic fear: being unwanted or unworthy

Key motivations: to be needed or appreciated, to express their feelings

3 – Achiever

Basic desire/goal: to feel valuable

Basic fear: Being worthless

Key motivations: to be admired and impressive, to be affirmed

4 – Individualist/Romantic

Basic desire/goal: to discover their identity

Basic fear: to have no significance

Key motivations: to express themselves and be unique, protect their self-image

5 – Investigator/Observer

Basic desire/goal: to be capable or competent

Basic fear: to be helpless or useless

Key motivations: have everything figured out, gaining new skills

6 – Loyalist/Skeptic

Basic desire/goal: to have security

Basic fear: loss of stability

Key motivations: reassurance, combat insecurity

7 – Enthusiast

Basic desire/goal: to have their needs met

Basic fear: being deprived

Key motivations: maintaining freedom, avoid missing out

8 – Challenger

Basic desire/goal: to protect themselves

Basic fear: being harmed

Key motivations: self-reliance, remaining in control

9 – Peacemaker

Basic desire/goal: inner stability

Basic fear: loss

Key motivations: creating harmony, avoiding conflict

Want to Know More?

If this has piqued your curiosity, consider taking a free Enneagram test online. We also have a training available that goes more in depth about the types, wings, triads, and how to use this tool in clinical work or with employees. Julia also provides trainings on the Enneagram to teams so if you are interested, you can email her here.