In the understanding of personality types, the Enneagram stands out as a unique tool, offering deep insights into human behavior and motivations. Particularly for coaches and therapists, understanding the nuances of the Enneagram can be instrumental in guiding clients towards self-awareness and growth.
Today, we delve into the world of the Compliant types – Types One, Two, and Six – and explore how their duty-bound nature impacts their behavior, especially in social contexts and interpersonal relationships.
The Origins of Compliance in the Enneagram: The Hornevian Group
The concept of Withdrawal, Compliance, and Assertive types was originally discovered and classified by psychologist Karen Horney. She studied the direction in which people move relative to others around them (Later referred to as Hornevian Groups.).
Enneagram teachers later recognized the link between Horney’s work and the Enneagram Personality types. This categorization offers an additional layer to the Three Centers of Intelligence (Head, Heart, Body) in understanding these types.
The Essence of Compliant Types: Duty and Service
At their core, the Compliant types are bound by a strong sense of duty and obligation as identified in Riso & Hudson’s “Wisdom of the Enneagram.”
Whether driven by internal standards, the needs of others, or the need to feel safe, these individuals are often caught in a cycle of relentless service and responsibility.
This drive stems from their deep-rooted belief systems and coping strategies, which, while initially serving a purpose, can lead to overwhelm and a neglect of their own needs.
These internalized standard that guides their actions and interactions. They are typically:
- Vigilant and Dutiful: They are constantly aware of their responsibilities, often placing them above their own desires or needs.
- Service-Oriented: Their actions are often driven by a desire to serve or care for others.
- Prone to Overwhelm and Exhaustion: Due to their relentless pursuit of fulfilling duties and fixing problems, they can often overextend themselves.
- Feeling Unappreciated: Despite their efforts, they might feel that their work and dedication go unnoticed.
The Specifics of Each Type
Type One: The Reformer (Body-Type)
- Type Ones are driven by a desire to live the right way, improve themselves and their surroundings, and avoid fault and blame.
- Under stress, they tend to withdraw into a space of critical self-evaluation, often driven by the fear of making a mistake.
- Their compliance is rooted in the need to be ethical and correct.
Key Coping Strategy: Type Ones cope by trying to maintain control over their environment and themselves, believing that this will prevent chaos and maintain their integrity.
Type Two: The Helper (Heart-Type)
- Type Twos seek love and appreciation and often express this by helping others.
- Their compliance comes from a desire to be liked and to meet others’ needs, sometimes at the expense of their own.
- In stressful situations, Twos might withdraw emotionally, feeling unloved or unappreciated, despite their efforts to connect and care for others.
Key Coping Strategy: Twos manage stress by moving closer to others, believing that building connections and being indispensable will secure the love and appreciation they crave.
Type Six: The Loyalist (Head-Type)
- Type Sixes are driven by the need for security.
- They comply by adhering to systems, beliefs, or authority figures they trust.
- Under stress, their mind becomes a hub of anxiety and skepticism, leading them to withdraw into a state of heightened vigilance and self-preservation.
Key Coping Strategy: Sixes respond to stress by seeking certainty and security, either by aligning with authority and structures or by rebelling against them to assert their independence.
The Role of Coaches and Therapists
Understanding these nuances is crucial for coaches and therapists. It’s not just about recognizing the traits but also about appreciating the underlying fears and desires that drive these behaviors.
Here are some ways to assist clients belonging to these types:
- Empathize with Their Struggle: Acknowledge the effort and dedication they put into fulfilling their perceived duties.
- Encourage Self-Care: Help them see the importance of balancing their responsibilities with personal needs.
- Challenge Their Inner Critic: Especially for Type Ones and Sixes, who may be harsh on themselves.
- Foster Self-Appreciation: Remind Type Twos of their worth beyond their service to others.
- Teach Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques: To help them quieten their often overactive minds.
Understanding is the key to being present
For coaches and therapists, the Enneagram offers a rich tapestry of understanding human behavior.
The Compliant types, with their unique motivations and stress responses, require a sensitive and informed approach. By helping these individuals recognize and balance their inner sense of duty with their personal needs, we can guide them towards a more fulfilling and less stressful way of living.
Remember, it’s about nurturing a harmonious relationship between their duties and desires, leading to a healthier, more balanced life.
- However, this often leads to a neglect of their own needs and a sense of being unappreciated, causing them to withdraw emotionally, even if they continue to be physically present.
Key Coping Strategy: Twos manage stress by moving closer to others, believing that building connections and being indispensable will secure the love and appreciation they crave.
Type Six: The Loyalist (Head-Type)
Type Sixes, from the head triad, are driven by the need for security and certainty.
- They are constantly on the lookout for potential threats and can become overly vigilant.
- When overwhelmed, Sixes may withdraw into a state of heightened anxiety and skepticism, doubting both themselves and others.
- Their withdrawal is a defense mechanism against the perceived dangers of the world, often leading them to seek safety in rules and structures.
Key Coping Strategy: Sixes respond to stress by seeking certainty and security, either by aligning with authority and structures or by rebelling against them to assert their independence.
The Impact of Compliancy in Interpersonal Dynamics
For coaches and therapists, it’s crucial to recognize how these compliant types navigate stress and interpersonal relationships.
Their habitual patterns of coping, while initially protective, can lead to a cycle of exhaustion, unmet needs, and feelings of being undervalued.
Understanding these dynamics is key to helping clients break free from these patterns and find a balance between their responsibilities and personal well-being.
Coaching Approaches
For Type Ones:
- Encourage self-compassion and acceptance of imperfection.
- Help them recognize the cost of their internal criticism and explore ways to soften their self-judgment.
For Type Twos:
- Assist in building self-awareness around their motivations for helping others.
- Encourage them to identify and prioritize their own needs, and to seek relationships where they feel valued for who they are, not just for what they do.
For Type Sixes:
- Work on developing trust in their own judgment and reducing reliance on external structures for security.
- Help them to confront their anxieties and explore the roots of their fears.
For coaches and therapists, understanding the unique struggles and coping strategies of the Compliant Enneagram types is essential.
By guiding these individuals towards self-awareness and healthier coping mechanisms, we can help them find a more balanced and fulfilling way of engaging with the world around them.
Do you recognize this behavior in your clients or perhaps yourself?
Reach out if you would like to chat and explore this blog in more detail with me.