The Enneagram is a model of personality that describes nine types, numbered one to nine, each built around a core motivation: what a person most wants and what they most want to avoid. The name comes from the Greek words for “nine” and “something drawn”, because the types are shown as nine points around a circle, joined by lines. It is mostly used for personal development and self-reflection rather than for recruitment.
If you are curious about how personality questionnaires work in general, you can try a free personality test in the style employers use.
The nine Enneagram types
The numbers are labels, not rankings. A Type 8 is not “more” than a Type 2. Names vary between books, so the ones below are common examples rather than official titles.
| Number | Common name | Core motivation | At their best, tends to be |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Reformer | To be good and to get things right | Principled, fair, conscientious |
| 2 | The Helper | To be loved and needed | Generous, warm, supportive |
| 3 | The Achiever | To be successful and valued | Driven, adaptable, effective |
| 4 | The Individualist | To be authentic and understood | Creative, expressive, sincere |
| 5 | The Investigator | To understand and be capable | Insightful, independent, focused |
| 6 | The Loyalist | To feel safe and supported | Committed, responsible, dependable |
| 7 | The Enthusiast | To be happy and free | Optimistic, versatile, energetic |
| 8 | The Challenger | To be strong and in control | Confident, decisive, protective |
| 9 | The Peacemaker | To have peace and harmony | Calm, accepting, good at bringing people together |
The focus on motivation is what makes the Enneagram different. Two people can behave in the same way for different reasons. A Type 1 and a Type 3 might both work late to finish a report, but the Type 1 does it because the work should be right, and the Type 3 because it should be impressive.
What the Enneagram numbers mean together
The nine types are often grouped into three sets of three, called centres or triads:
- Body or gut centre (8, 9 and 1): types who tend to react first through instinct, and who often have a complicated relationship with anger.
- Heart or feeling centre (2, 3 and 4): types whose focus tends to be on image, relationships and how they are seen.
- Head or thinking centre (5, 6 and 7): types who tend to think things through first, and who often have a complicated relationship with fear or uncertainty.
Wings
Your wing is one of the two numbers next to your type on the circle. It is thought to add some of its flavour to your main type. A Type 4 could have a 3 wing or a 5 wing, written as 4w3 or 4w5. A 4w3 tends to be more outgoing and ambitious, while a 4w5 tends to be more private and reflective.
The lines between the types
Inside the circle, lines join the numbers in two patterns. One runs 1, 4, 2, 8, 5, 7 and back to 1. The other is a triangle joining 3, 6 and 9. In most Enneagram books, these lines show how a type tends to shift when under stress and when growing. For example, a Type 1 under stress is often described as taking on some traits of Type 4, and a Type 1 in growth as taking on some of the lighter traits of Type 7.
What is the Enneagram test?
An Enneagram test is a questionnaire that asks about your motivations, fears and habits, then suggests which of the nine types fits you best. Many are free online, and they vary a lot in length and quality.
Because the types are about motives rather than behaviour, many Enneagram teachers suggest using a test only as a starting point. Read the descriptions of your top two or three results and ask which one explains why you do things, not only what you do.
How to work out your Enneagram type
Worked example. Sam’s test gives his top results as Type 5 and Type 6.
- He reads the core motivations. Type 5 is about understanding and being capable. Type 6 is about feeling safe and supported.
- He thinks about a real situation. Before a big presentation, he spends days researching. He asks himself why. He realises it is not because he fears things going wrong. It is because he wants to know the subject thoroughly before he speaks.
- He compares. That motive fits Type 5 better than Type 6.
- He checks the wings. He is also quite cautious and loyal to his team, which suggests a 6 wing. His working estimate is 5w6.
Where the Enneagram came from
The Enneagram in its modern form was developed in the second half of the 20th century and became widely known through popular books on personality. Some accounts link it to much older traditions, but those claims are debated. It has been studied much less than trait models such as the Big Five, so it is best treated as a tool for reflection rather than a scientific measure.
The Enneagram at work
Some coaches and teams use the Enneagram to talk about motivation, stress and communication. It is rarely used in recruitment. If an employer sets you a personality questionnaire as part of an application, it is much more likely to measure traits than Enneagram types.
For other models you may come across, read about the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and the DISC model. To get used to the format employers tend to use, take a practice personality test.
