[Traditional Enneagram] Explain instinctual variants to me!

[hjgbujhghg]

I am not sure whether my idea of enneagram stackings is correct. This is how I see it:

social - Being aware of hierarchy and structure of society and of the possibilities of different connections between people. Ability to understand and adapt to social norms and expectations, intuitive sense of what is appropriate/inappropriate in a given company. Being well ware of social manipulation and using such powers to confirm or protect your place in a society. Seeing relationships as important for social growth and development.

sexual - The ability to sense a connection between individuals and your own self. Being aware of the energy that flows between people and mastering this energy to create bounds and emotional responses. Need for this energy is to connect it someone or something else to the point of almost owning it . (the need for intimacy)

self perceiving - The need to protect yourself and your ego from possible danger and anxiety. Creating material safety and sufficiency, avoiding feeling at risk or on edge, where the self might face the pontentional dagner. Making sure all the resources for survival are always available.

Now...I think this might be very different for various enneagram types. I am a 4, so speaking from my perspective;
social 4 - would be aware of the hierarchy of the society, but be most likely feeling like going against it and would choose alternative groups of people who share its sense of being different or rebellious.

sexual 4 - would feel the need to connect, but in fear of losing its individualism would probably pull people away. Sx 4 would jump between the relationships, switch feelings of idealization and disappointment in the partner. Would look just for the ideal one while everything less than that would seem as a waste of time. Creating lasting bounds would therefore be more difficult for an sx 4 than other sx types.

self perceiving 4 - I can hardly see a 4 being really materially oriented. I can see the sp 4 to be in the greatest need to protect its ego and self image. I can imagine this type being especially protective of their own personal space. The most of all 4s aware of their differences from other people. Might surround itself witth emotional triggers, such as creating an emotional bound with things and places they'd deny to throw away if they are completly meaningless, or might fear to leave their safe space in a fear of losing the emotional connection.

So my question is... is this the right way of looking at the varaints or am I completely wrong?

 

[VagrantFarce]

I like how Mario Sikora describes them as Preserving, Transmitting and Navigating:

Enneagram Learning International Blog

Makes the behaviour fairly easy to spot when you think this way.

Preserving domain

General behaviors:

• Focus on nesting and nurturing; on conservation of the self, of one’s energy and of resources. Ensure the resources they need to survive (e.g. financial security: making sure they have enough money in the bank).
• “Self” preservation and maintenance: ensure that they are safe and secure; also preservation of objects, traditions, offspring and those from the inner circle that they hold dear (people in the nest).
• Home and family are critically important: focus on their “nest”, wanting things in their home to be ordered specifically, specially seeking comfort. They often have home-related hobbies, they collect and store memorabilia.
• Sensitive to physical comfort; compulsively paying attention to chairs, beds, clothing, temperature, food, health, warmth, etc.
• Sensitive to potential illness or threats to their health; they constantly monitor their well-being, noticing aches and pains.
• Focus on controlling their environment.
• Often the most introverted of the three subtypes because their focus automatically goes to their own well-being, inward. (“Subtypes” are the instinctual bias-related version of each Ennea-type.)
• Someone with a preserving Instinctual Bias will talk about their homes, their health, and their physical and financial security. They will constantly monitor their environment and focus on shaping it in ways that will increase their physical well-being.

Focus of Attention:

• Good organizational skills (nuts & bolts): structures, processes and procedures.
• Attention to details.
• Focus on process and procedures.
• Cautious and conservative; prefer traditions to risky experimentation.
• Ability to predict potential problems and pitfalls.
• Ability to play the Devil’s advocate who challenges new ideas.

Potential Vulnerabilities:

• Hold back, may neglect the “sizzle” (ability to stand out from the crowd, to promote oneself and achieve deserved recognition).
• Risk aversion, in order to maintain security.
• Poor career management—lack of self-promotion.
• May have poor networking abilities.

Leadership behaviors:

• Good at preserving the “nest”: ensuring their own security and the security of co-workers and subordinates they are responsible for.
• Good at playing Devil’s advocate and challenging ideas that may not be fully thought-through. However, can be risk-averse, resistant to change and new ways of doing things.
• Good at ensuring that administrative issues are in order and that procedures are being implemented and followed.
• Comfortable in organizations that need stability and order; they may struggle in a fast changing environment.
• May be too introverted: focus on tasks rather than interpersonal issues.
• May lack charisma; can seem detached rather than inspirational.

Expression of the Instincts:

• May neglect the leadership behaviors related to their third instinct (Transmitting domain): neglect the inspiration, the “selling” component of the leadership, failing to focus enough on marketing and sales or the selling of the vision.
• They are often ambivalent and conflicted about the needs addressed by the Navigating domain of instincts—they have some tolerance for the organizational politics but see it as a diversion; they may understand the value of
• “management by walking around” or talking with people to gauge the emotional temperature of the team but always find reasons to neglect doing so.

Transmitting domain

General Behaviors:

• Natural drive to be desirable, to attract the attention, to make people notice them. “Signaling” behavior: sending signals around them like a sort of “broadcasting” that tells others “look at me”.
• Generally extraverted and charming, self-confident and ambitious. People are drawn to their charisma and energy.
• Focus on their appearance, dressing for attention, acting seductively. They focus more on their looks and appearance than the other subtypes, they wear more jewelry.
• Seek intense relationships, inducing others to be open to what they have to offer.
• Want to leave a legacy, to transmit a part of themselves to the next generation (this is the ultimate goal of seeking connections).
• The Transmitting subtypes will talk about themselves—their accomplishments, their relationships, and their activities; they will also often talk about preserving issues. They will draw attention to themselves through their appearance, their charm, and their possessions.

Focus of Attention:

• Good at the sizzle: presentation/promotion of self and products, good in sales.
• Often charismatic and extroverted.
• Able to inspire others around a common cause.
• Able to influence others at the individual or group level.
• Able to focus attention on a person on a short but intense moment, finding just the right thing to say and making the person feel like he or she is the only person in the room.

Potential Vulnerabilities:

• Risk of dominating conversations and relationships.
• May turn the focus on himself or herself after the initial charm and flattery, and keep it there.
• Often not attuned to the subtle interpersonal dynamics. May neglect group dynamics, social cohesion and mores.
• May have poor awareness of how they are truly perceived by others.
• May not be a good listener: better message “transmitter” than “receiver”.
• Often need coaching on making space for others.

Leadership behaviors:

• Often charismatic and bold.
• Good at articulating a goal or vision and moving others toward it, seducing some and driving others as necessary.
• Intuitively understand the mind of the market and the customer; persuasive seller of the products, company or dream.
• Good at building relationships with customers, channel partners and strategic allies.
• Highly competitive (alpha male or female of the group).
• Good at the start-up phase of a business, when the workforce needs an inspiring vision to rally around.
• May place too much focus on themselves, their accomplishments and their desirable qualities. May neglect career development of subordinates.
• Self-focus may put own interests before company/employees.

Expression of Instincts:

• May neglect the leadership duties supported by the Navigating domain. They have little time for gossip or organizational politics beyond what it takes to advance their agenda. Their social interactions are usually transactional and have a definite purpose—to charm and sell their ideas when necessary—but they are not usually great listeners and quickly grow weary of social small talk.
• They are conflicted in the Preserving domain—they want to accumulate the resources necessary to fill their goals and they want to be comfortable and pampered, but they can be reckless—aiming to acquire the whole pie rather than only the amount they need—and forget to be appropriately conservative when conservatism is called for.

Navigating domain

General behaviors:

• Attuned to navigate, or orient to, the group and the hierarchy. Need to understand how the group works and how to be accepted into it (where do I fit? How do I compare to others?)[1].
• Heightened sensitivity to stimuli associated with social relationship. Being “around” people (the “idea” of people) is more important than actually engaging with others.
• Focus on exchange of information, insights about people and gossip; observing people to reach a deep understanding of the group dynamics, social status, mores and standards.
• Naturally sociable, but also somewhat guarded: revealing enough to be accepted but not so much that they will be rejected.
• Focus on the group’s perception of them, reputation and status to make sure they remain a part of the social security network.
• Focus on trust and reciprocity, by keeping track of who acts reciprocally and who doesn’t.
• In a sense, the Navigating domain is the most judgmental of the three in that they have strong opinions about the ways that others should behave in relationship to the group, and they are generally the most concerned with or dogmatic about “social issues”: politics, activism, etc.
• The Navigating subtype will talk about other people—who is doing what with whom and why. They will compare and contrast people, passing judgment on others behaviors and choices.

Focus of Attention:

• Good at social networking and interpersonal dynamics (like to be around people and to know more about them).
• Good at building collaborative relationships with others.
• Attuned to organizational politics.

Potential Vulnerabilities:

• Often too interested in gossip and the political intrigue of the organization.
• Often too focused on comparing themselves to others.
• May have poor attention to details.
• Generally uninterested in process and procedures.
• May need guidance on how to promote themselves.

Leadership behaviors:

• Naturally drawn to issues related to group dynamics and interpersonal communication.
• Track group cohesion and status changes.
• Attuned to organizational politics, intuitively knowing which levers to pull in order to move projects around obstacles.
• Ability to instinctively read the pulse of the group, build the consensus, and know who needs to be pushed, who need to be nurtured, and who the influencers are.
• Good at the “forming” stage of team dynamics[2], where the group is finding its identity and ways of working together.
• Good at big picture and strategic thinking.
• Can be too focused on the political dynamics of the group, spending more time on the politics than on the organization’s ultimate business goal.
• May have poor administrative capabilities.
• Less comfortable in difficult individual interaction and personnel decisions (e.g. addressing underperformance, firing, reprimanding).

Expression of the Instincts:

• May neglect those activities addressed by their tertiary instinct domain (the Preserving domain). They may fail to appropriately value or follow process, overlook threats to the company’s competitive position, and ignore details that could be the signs of bigger problems.
• They are often conflicted in the leadership areas of the Transmitting domain. They want to shine, but are hesitant to draw too much attention to their gifts; they may want to drive a vision, but worry too much about the political impacts of doing so.

 

[hjgbujhghg]

I like how Mario Sikora describes them as Preserving, Transmitting and Navigating:

Enneagram Learning International Blog

Makes the behaviour fairly easy to spot when you think this way.

thank you for this post