Type 6
The Loyal Skeptic
SIXES are looking for certainty and when they don’t have it, they work hard to prepare for all conceivable possibilities. Their contrarian minds vet out ideas by first pointing out what is wrong or bad about the idea in order to create a plan of what needs to be addressed to make the idea succeed. Sixes are loyal, responsible, tribe-oriented people working to secure and maintain predictability and group cohesion. When they overdo their striving for certainty they get stuck in analysis paralysis and avoid all risks. They fear that relaxing their vigilance will cost them security, and it keeps them from just going with the flow.
Key Strengths: Hard working, loyal, caring for their tribe, detailed (particularly with information), witty, scanning for and remembering micro-data that might be useful later
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SIXES Communication Style: Ask lots of questions, verbally process, opinionated but self-doubting at the same time, negative, projecting
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SIXES Like Others To Communicate With: clear expectations, details, and honesty, offering the SIX constructive critical feedback along with the positive.
How They Engage The World: Scanning for threats, weak spots, inconsistencies, and what could go wrong in order to get ahead of it and create certainty for themselves and the people whom they are loyal to.
Blind Spot: Negativity. Sixes want to look at all possible negative outcomes before considering positive. They don’t feel safe until doing so. They are blind to their skeptical questioning and playing devil’s advocate coming across as negative or unsupportive when to them it seems like they are helping vet out how successful the idea might be. They complain about things to see if others resonate or disagree with them in order to see where everyone stands.
Other Common Snares: Analysis paralysis, overvaluing authorities while undervaluing their own knowing, not remembering their past success, over-planning, sabotaging their own advancement( which can be tied to the belief that no one likes people in authority)
Assumption: I can’t fully trust my own knowing so I need to build a loyal relationship with an external authority (boss, organization, group) to help me have certainty.
How Others Expereince Them: Loyal, thoughtful, team player, anxious, confrontational, complaining.
They Respect Coworkers Who Are: clear about expectations, take time to consider decisions, and who are confident, kind, and forthcoming with details.
What They Like At Work: predictability, details, being part of a team, security in their role, a strong authority figure that they trust
What Irritates Them: daily competition, being put on the spot (even to be honored), public ridicule, inconsistency, a change of plan without time to prepare
Self-Assigned Role On The Team: “I am the loyal teammate, always on the lookout for things that could disrupt certainty or threaten safety for us all.”
Want to learn more? Check out these additional resources on the type:
The Enneagram Institute: https://www.enneagraminstitute.com/type-6/
CP Enneagram: https://cpenneagram.com/enneagram-type-six
Still not sure?
If you have read through the types you were given in your typing session and are still not settled, please send me an email and I can offer some follow up questions and resources. jeannie@yourtruestyou.com