Golden Nuggets from “The 9 Types of Leadership” | by Niraj Kumar | Dec, 2021

The author discusses these 9 personality types and goes into detail about how each of these types has three distinct characteristics: self-preservation, social, and one-to-one. The whole number of Enneagram subtypes presently stands at 27.

Enneagram Type 1 — The Perfectionist

• Core Desire: To be correct / to be nice
• Core Fear: Being wrong / being bad
• Wounding Message: “It’s not ok to commit mistakes.”
• Center of Intelligence: Instinctual Center, body — gut feeling
• Description: Type 1 — Perfectionists are fair, committed, self-disciplined, mindful, and high moral when at their best and living positively. When 1’s are in unhealthy levels, pushed, or not at their best they can be critical, rigid, judgmental, angry, and stubborn.

Enneagram Type 2 — The Helper

• Core Desire: To be liked / to be desired
• Core Fear: Being not liked/being not desirable
• Wounding Message: “It’s not ok to have your own needs.”
• Center of Intelligence: Emotional Center, heart
• Description: Type 2 — The Helpers are magnanimous, warm, inviting, liberal, intuitive, and giving when at their best and living positively. When 2’s are in unhealthy levels, pushed, or not at their best they can be prideful, sacrificial, insecure, possessive, complimenting, and demanding.

Enneagram Type 3 — The Achiever

• Core Desire: To be valuable / to be admired
• Core Fear: Not being valuable / not being admired/failing
• Wounding Message: “It’s not ok to have your feelings or identity”
• Center of Intelligence: Emotional Center, heart
• Description: Type 3 — The Achievers are confident, productive, enthusiastic, hard-working, and idealistic when at their best and living positively. When 3’s are in unhealthy levels, pushed, or not at their best they can be inauthentic, workaholics, self-promoting, anxious, validation seekers, and unsuccessful.

Enneagram Type 4 — The Individualist

• Core Desire: To be original / to be unique
• Core Fear: Not having an identity / having no significance
• Wounding Message: “It’s not ok to be too much (or too little)”
• Center of Intelligence: Emotional Center, heart
• Description: Type 4 — Individualists are bona fide, inventive, expressive, reflective, and compassionate when at their best and living positively. When 4’s are in unhealthy levels, pushed, or not at their best they can be touchy, adamant, sensitive, withdrawn, and depressed.

Enneagram Type 5 — The Observer

• Core Desire: To be capable / to be competent
• Core Fear: Being incapable / being incompetent
• Wounding Message: “It’s not ok to be comfortable in the world”
• Center of Intelligence: Intellectual Center, head
• Description: Type 5 — The Observers are attentive, objective, smart, autonomous, and calm when at their best and living at healthy levels. When 5’s are at unhealthy levels, stressed, or not at their best they can be withdrawing, pompous, negative, uninterested, and distant.

Enneagram Type 6 — The Loyalist

• Core Desire: To be secure / to be supported
• Core Fear: Being without support / being without guidance / insecurity
• Wounding Message: “It’s not ok to trust yourself.”
• Center of Intelligence: Intellectual Center, head
• Description: Type 6 —The Loyalists are steadfast, witty, committed, prepared, mindful, trouble-shooters, and supportive when at their best and living at healthy levels. When 6’s are in unhealthy levels, stressed, or not at their best they can be anxious, inflexible, paranoid, critical, and hyper-vigilant.

Enneagram Type 7 — The Enthusiast

• Core Desire: To be secure / to be supported
• Core Fear: Being without support / being without guidance / insecurity
• Wounding Message: “It’s not ok to trust yourself.”
• Center of Intelligence: Intellectual Center, head
• Description: Type 7 —The Enthusiasts are bold, creative, eager, spontaneous, and positive when at their best and living at healthy levels. When 7’s are in unhealthy levels, stressed, or not at their best they can be disoriented, shallow, anxious, rash, escapist, and self-absorbed.

Enneagram Type 8 — The Challenger

• Core Desire: To be independent / to protect themselves
• Core Fear: Being controlled / being harmed
• Wounding Message: “It’s not ok to be vulnerable.”
• Center of Intelligence: Instinctual Center, body — gut feeling
• Description: Type 8 — The Challengers are defensive, enthusiastic, definitive, faithful, strong, and direct when at their best and living at healthy levels. When 8’s are in unhealthy levels, stressed, or not at their best they can be harsh, manipulative, controlling, scary, defiant, and confrontational.

Enneagram Type 9 — The Peacekeeper

• Core Desire: To be at peace / to be harmonious
• Core Fear: separation / loss of conflict / conflict
• Wounding Message: “It’s not ok to assert yourself.”
• Center of Intelligence: Instinctual Center, body — gut feeling
• Description: Type 9 — The Peacekeepers are pleasant, open-minded, hopeful, nonjudgmental, supportive, and tranquil when at their best and living at healthy levels. When 9’s are in unhealthy levels, stressed, or not at their best they can be conflict-avoidant, hesitant, unassertive, passive-aggressive, adamant, and insecure.

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Thank you!

Niraj — A technology aficionado and a knowledge seeker…