Enneagram type 6 — the loyalist

devil’s advocate, sceptic, guardian, rebel

conflicted between trust and distrust, type sixes essentially feel insecure, as though there is nothing quite steady enough to hold onto. at the core of the type six personality is a kind of fear or anxiety. this anxiety has a very deep source and can manifest in a variety of different styles, making type sixes somewhat difficult to describe and type.

what all type sixes have in common however, is the fear rooted at the center of their personality, which manifests in worrying, and restless imaginings of everything that might go wrong. this tendency makes type sixes gifted at trouble shooting, but also robs the type six of much needed peace of mind and tends to deprive the personality of spontaneity. the essential anxiety at the core of the type six fixation tends to permeate the personality with a sort of "defensive suspiciousness". type sixes don't trust easily, often ambivalent about others until the person has absolutely proven herself, at which point they are likely to respond with steadfast loyalty. the loyalty of the type six is something of a two-edged sword however, as type sixes are sometimes prone to stand by a friend, partner, job or cause even long after it is time to move on.

type sixes are generally looking for something or someone to believe in. this, combined with their general suspiciousness, gives rise to a complicated relationship to authority. the side of the type six which is looking for something to believe in, is often very susceptible to the temptation to turn authority over to an external source, whether it be in the form of an individual or a creed. but the type six's tendency towards distrust and suspicion works against any sort of faith in authority. thus, two opposite pulls exist side by side in the personality of a type six, and assume different proportions in different individuals, sometimes alternating within the same individual.

the truly confounding element when it comes to typing the type sixes is that there are two fundamentally different strategies that type sixes adopt for dealing with fear. some type sixes are basically phobic. phobic type sixes are generally compliant, affiliative, and cooperative. other type sixes adopt the opposite strategy of dealing with fear, and become counterphobic, essentially taking a defiant stand against whatever they find threatening. this is the type six who takes on authority or who adopts a daredevil attitude towards physical danger. counterphobic type sixes can be aggressive and, rather than looking for authorities, can adopt a rebellious or anti-authoritarian demeanor. counterphobic type sixes are often unaware of the fear that motivates their actions. in fact, type sixes in general tend to be blind to the extent of their own anxiety — because it is the constant backdrop to all their emotions, type sixes are frequently unaware of its existence, as they have nothing with which to contrast it.

basic propsition — you can assure life and certainty by avoiding harm (the phobic stance) or facing it (the counter-phobic stance) through vigilance, questioning, and either battling or escaping perceived hazards.

strengths — perceptive, sensitive, loyal, warm, witty, courageous, and strategic thinking.

challenges — anxious, hypervigilant, pessimistic, contrary, overactive imagination.

defense mechanism — projection — attributing inner concerns and fears to others and external situations.

type sixes use projection to avoid personal rejection and maintain a self-image of being loyal. to assure safety and justify loyalty, they project positive feelings onto a relationship or an external authority figure. to explain internal feelings of fear and distrust, sixes project negative feelings onto others, and then look for evidence to support these projections.

type 6 self-mastery indicators

awareness practice

observe your habit of mind or focus of attention — what could go “wrong,” worst-case scenarios and how to prevent them — with as little judgment as possible. ask yourself the following questions, while noticing your feelings and how your body responds:

• how do i become fearful, alarmed or anxious?
• how do i question and doubt in my internal dialogue?
• how do i magnify situations in my mind?
• how do i project my positive or negative feelings onto others?
• when has a fear of making a wrong decision held me back?

type 6 in business

the engaging, loyal type. likable, responsible, anxious, and suspicious. type sixes are diligent and reliable workers. they build alliances and partnerships that help orient their co-workers and get things done. they are able to assess the motivations and relative merits of others and scan the business environment for potential problems. they dislike taking risks and want consensus and predictability. they can be indecisive and have difficulty taking responsibility or action without group authority and can deteriorate into evasiveness and blaming others. at their best, type sixes are self-reliant, independent, and courageous, often calling a group back to its root values.

focal points for self-awareness and leadership

adapted from different sources including Ginger Lapid-Bogda, Don Riso & Russ Hudson