Page 45 - Using the Enneagram System to Identify and Grow Your Leadership Strengths and Achieve Maximum Success

24 What Type of Leader Are You?

More Information to Help You
Determine Your Enneagram Style

Enneagram Centers of Intelligence
Each Enneagram style is rooted in one of three Centers of Intelli-
gence: the Head Center, the Heart Center, or the Body Center. The
idea of these centers, which stems from a long Eastern philosoph-
ical tradition, refers to the ways in which we typically react to events
and process information. While we all have heads, hearts, and bod-
ies, our personality is organized around one of these three centers
or modalities. Each center contains three of the nine Enneagram
styles, with one of the three styles being the core style of that cen-
ter and the other two styles being variations on the core style.

HEAD CENTER STYLES: THREE PERSONALITY STYLES ORGANIZED
AROUND REACTIONS TO FEAR The Head Center contains Ennea-
gram Styles Five, Six, and Seven (see Figure 1.2). These three men-
tal styles share a tendency to engage first in elaborate analysis as a
reaction to their common emotion, fear. Fives respond to fear by
withdrawing, retreating into their minds in order to understand.
Sixes react by anticipating worst-case scenarios and devising plans
to prevent what could go wrong. Counterphobic Sixes may not
be aware of feeling fearful because they run headlong into risky
situations as a way of assuring themselves that they are not afraid.
Sevens take a different route, quickly moving from fear into pleas-
urable possibilities. Although
most Sevens do not appear to FIGURE 1.2 Head Center
be fearful, they are actually run-
ning from fear and pain—an
avoidance reaction. Enneagram
Style Six is the core style of the
three Head Center styles, with
Styles Five and Seven being
variations of Enneagram Style
Six.