Enneagram Type Six - The Loyalist

Area of Avoidance: Feeling anxious about risk, danger and trusting self.

Core Positive Attribute: Vigilance

Often Attracted to…

• Strongly supportive groups.

• Security, stability.

• Clear guidelines.

• Safety first - lack of risk.

• Trustworthy people.

• Group cohesion.

• Guided decision-making.

Often Avoids…

• Being without support or guidance from external reference points.

• Lack of security and clarity.

• Doubt and uncertainty.

• High-risk situations.

• Untrustworthy people.

• Too much responsibility and people who expect too much.

• Independent decision-making.

High Integration – characteristic behaviours

• Courageous in responding to sources of fear with curiosity and working through them rather than reacting.

• Able to trust in one’s own competence and decision-making.

• Able to take appropriate action in spite of feelings of anxiety.

• Builds trust-based relationships.

• Generally functions well in a team.

• Remains loyal to trusted people and causes.

• Able to take calculated risks.

• Able to imagine possible positive outcomes as well as the risks involved.

Low Integration – characteristic behaviours

• Self-doubt relating to own competence and decision-making.

• Anxious or fearful.

• Expecting the worst to happen and planning for it.

• Pessimistic and negative.

• Very cautious.

• Reacting, when the source of fear emerges, by either attacking it aggressively (counter-phobic reaction) or withdrawing and moving away from it (phobic reaction).

• Blaming others rather than taking responsibility.

• Wanting others to take responsibility for decision-making.

Typical development needs

• Learn to build self-trust.

• Learn to imagine positive outcomes, not just the negative.

• Learn to take calculated risks.

  
  

By Colin Adam