Enneagram Type Eight - The Challenger

Area of Avoidance: Feeling vulnerable, weak and powerless.

Core Positive Attribute: Drive

Often Attracted to…

• Being in control.

• Protection of others less able to fend for themselves.

• Honesty, straightforwardness.

• Strength, power.

• Attack rather than defence.

• Hard work, action-orientation.

• Courage, heroism.

• Justice.

Often Avoids…

• Being harmed or controlled by others.

• Appearing weak or indecisive.

• People who appear weak, indecisive, or without courage.

• People who penetrate their protective armor.

• Fear, sadness, depression.

• Lack of hard work.

• Compromises, gray areas, and dishonesty.

• Injustice.

High Integration – characteristic behaviours

• Influences people rather than controls them.

• Open to influence from others.

• Uses power in service of others or of a cause.

• Able to display softer emotions, to be compassionate and empathetic.

• Empowers other people and supports them.

• Gets things done, completes tasks, leaves a legacy.

• Protective of those who can’t protect themselves.

Low Integration – characteristic behaviours

• Frequent displays of anger and aggression.

• Confrontational.

• Controlling, and often over-controlling and micro-managing of others.

• Invokes fear in people.

• Has a need to be in charge.

• Autocratic behaviour – “my way or the highway”.

• Punitive towards those who don’t comply with his or her demands.

• Sees the world as a battlefield – “you’re either on my side or against me”.

Typical development needs

• Learning to be comfortable with displaying own vulnerability.

• Learning to access and express softer emotions.

• Learning the difference between ‘control’ and ‘influence’ and how to apply them appropriately.

  
  

By Colin Adam