Understanding Enneagram Type 6 (The Loyalist) and its MBTI Connections
The Enneagram is a personality typing system that seeks to understand the underlying motivations and fears that drive human behavior. It is based on nine distinct personality types, each with its unique strengths and weaknesses. Type 6, also known as The Loyalist, is one of these nine types and is characterized by its primary motivation to feel secure and supported in their decisions.
Individuals with Type 6 tendencies are often characterized by their tendency to seek protection and guidance from others. They value loyalty and commitment in their relationships and will go to great lengths to protect those they care about. At the same time, they can be anxious and prone to self-doubt, particularly when they feel uncertain about a decision or situation. This tendency towards anxiety can cause them to be hesitant and indecisive, particularly in situations that feel out of their control.
Core Motivations of the Loyalist
To truly understand the Type 6, we must look at their core drivers:
- Core Desire: To have security, support, and guidance.
- Core Fear: Being without support, guidance, or security; being abandoned, alone, or unable to cope.
- Driving Motivation: To find a sense of safety, to build trustworthy alliances, and to scan the environment for potential threats or worst-case scenarios to prepare for them.
The 6's Dilemma: Phobic vs. Counter-Phobic
A crucial concept for Type 6 is their approach to fear. This manifests in two primary ways:
- Phobic 6: When feeling anxious, the phobic response is to seek out a strong authority, system, or belief to provide security. They are more outwardly hesitant, dutiful, and cautious, seeking to build strong alliances and follow the rules to stay safe.
- Counter-Phobic 6: The counter-phobic response is to run towards the fear to conquer it. They appear rebellious, challenging, and tough, often defying authority and taking risks to prove they are not afraid. It's a way of saying, "I will not let my fear control me."
Many Type 6s oscillate between these two poles depending on the situation.
Understanding the Wings: 6w5 and 6w7
The wings add significant nuance to the Type 6 personality.
The 6w5: The Defender
The 6w5 blends the Loyalist's search for security with the intellectual, reclusive, and analytical nature of the Type 5 (The Investigator). This creates a more introverted, cautious, and independent 6. They seek security by gathering knowledge, understanding systems, and solving problems in their minds. They are less trusting of people and more trusting of data and logic. Hermione Granger from Harry Potter is a classic example, using her vast knowledge and adherence to rules as a shield against a chaotic world.
The 6w7: The Buddy
The 6w7 combines the 6's loyalty with the 7's (The Enthusiast's) desire for fun, stimulation, and experience. This creates a more extraverted, sociable, and lighthearted 6. They seek security by building a strong network of friends and allies. They are often torn between their need for safety (6) and their fear of missing out (7). They use humor and charm to disarm potential threats and bond with others, making them the quintessential "buddy" who is both fun and dependable.
Enneagram 6 and MBTI: The Search for Security
While the Enneagram explores why you do things (motivation), the MBTI framework explores how you process the world (cognition). The Type 6 is most strongly correlated with the Sensing-Judging (SJ) temperament, as these types are innately driven to create stability, structure, and security in their lives. This is a central theme in the MBTI Guide book.
- ISFJ & ISTJ: These are the most common types for Enneagram 6. Their dominant Introverted Sensing (Si) is a function that catalogs past experiences to create a stable, predictable, and secure future. This aligns perfectly with the 6's core desire.
- ESFJ & ESTJ: These Extraverted SJ types are also very common 6s. They find security by managing their external environment, building strong communities (ESFJ), and upholding efficient systems (ESTJ).
- Other Possibilities: Type 6 is the most common Enneagram type, so it can be found across many MBTI types, including feeling types like the INFP who fears not having a secure sense of identity or values.
Strengths and Challenges for Type 6
Strengths:
- Loyal and Dependable: They are the bedrock of any family, company, or friend group.
- Prepared: Their "worst-case scenario" thinking makes them excellent troubleshooters and planners.
- Responsible and Hardworking: They take their commitments seriously.
- Courageous: Especially when defending something or someone they believe in, their loyalty overcomes their fear.
Challenges:
- Anxiety and Worry: Can become overwhelmed by scanning for what might go wrong.
- Indecisiveness: May struggle with self-doubt, endlessly seeking external reassurance.
- Suspicion: Can be overly skeptical of others' motives, struggling to trust.
- Rigidity: A heavy reliance on rules or authority (or rebelling against them) can make them inflexible.
Conclusion: The Path to Trust
For the Enneagram Type 6, the path to growth is about developing faith and learning to trust their own inner authority. It's about finding the quiet voice of intuition amidst the noise of anxiety and realizing they possess the courage and wisdom they've been seeking from the outside world. When they learn to trust themselves, they become a grounded, courageous, and truly supportive presence for everyone around them.
To learn more about how different personality frameworks can be leveraged for personal and professional growth, explore The MBTI Advantage book series, which delves into practical applications for all types.
