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Beatrice Chestnut

The Complete Enneagram: 27 Paths to Greater Self-Knowledge

While Sixes and Eights are alike in some general ways, phobic Sixes can look quite different from Eights and counterphobic Sixes can look a lot like Eights. Both Eights and counterphobic Sixes can appear strong and intimidating to others, and both styles tend to move toward threatening or difficult situations “fearlessly,” to deal with the problem head-on. However, Eights truly have little or no fear, while counterphobic Sixes act against threats to quell a deeper and ongoing sense of fear that is not always experienced consciously in the moment (but represents the “fight” part of “fight or flight”). Eights and all Sixes tend to rebel against authority. And Sixes and Eights can both be protective of others they care about. Eights tend to protect the weak and vulnerable, and Sixes are frequently drawn to supporting underdogs or underdog causes. In addition, Sixes and Eights can both be very hardworking and practical, though Eights are more prone to over-working, wanting to move big things forward quickly, and Sixes can be more cautious and careful and can get slowed down by overanalysis and endless questioning of what they are doing.

Eights also differ from Sixes in some clear ways, with Eights’ style contrasting even more obviously with the style of phobic Sixes. Eights feels relatively little fear and vulnerability, as the Eights’ approach to life is based on a denial of vulnerability and an overcompensatory confidence in their power and strength. Phobic Sixes on the other hand, feel fearful and thus vulnerable much of the time, and so they anxiously stay vigilant for threats and other dangers. Eights do not engage in self-doubt very often, while Sixes continually doubt themselves. Sixes tend to overthink and can become paralyzed by overanalysis and thus fail to act. Eights tend to act quickly without thinking. Because Eights like to move things forward quickly, they get impatient if others slow their forward progress, while Sixes tend to procrastinate and slow themselves down based on fears that there will be some sort of bad outcome or another. Sixes are slow to trust others and they inspect people carefully to look for hidden agendas and ulterior motives, while Eights generally trust people who appear competent until their trust is broken. Eights can directly confront a conflictual situation, as can counterphobic Sixes, while the phobic Six would rather avoid conflict, but can engage in it if necessary or provoked.

The Enneagram Institute

Misidentifications

Sixes and Eights are aggressive, although only the Eight is an entirely aggressive personality. Sixes react both to their fears and to other people and constantly oscillate from one state to another, from Level to Level. They are ambivalent and passive-aggressive, evasive, and contradictory. In contrast, Eights have solid egos and formidable wills; they keep pushing others until they get them what they want. There is little softness in Eights and even less tendency to comply with the wishes of anyone else. They have no desire to be liked or to ingratiate themselves with others. Rather than look to others for protection, Eights offer protection (patronage) in return for hard work and loyalty.

As different as these two types are, they are nevertheless similar at Level 6–but only at this Level. At this stage both Sixes (The Authoritarian Rebel) and in Eights (The Confrontational Adversary) show similar aggressive traits–belligerence, defiance, a willingness to intimidate others, a quick and threatening temper, the threat of violence, hatred of others, and so forth. However, Eights arrive at this stage as a result of constantly escalating their pressure on others to get what they want until they have become highly confrontational and combative. Sixes arrive at their state from a very different route–in reaction to their vacillation and dependency. Sixes become aggressive because they do not want to be pushed around anymore; Eights become aggressive to push others even more.

The essential difference is that Sixes eventually will yield and their defenses will crumble if enough pressure is applied to them, whereas opposition to Eights only encourages them to remain defiant and to meet their adversary with renewed aggression.

Both types at this Level can be dangerous; ironically, Sixes are probably more dangerous at this stage than Eights since they are anxious and may strike out at someone impulsively or irrationally. On the other hand, average Eights are more rational: they take the odds of success into account at every move. If and when they finally do become violent, however, Eights are more dangerous than Sixes because they are more ruthless, and the momentum of their inflated egos makes them feel that they can and must press onward until their enemies are utterly destroyed. Eights eventually become megalomaniacs (and may be destroyed after they have destroyed others). By contrast, unhealthy Sixes eventually become self-defeating (and may be destroyed by their own fear). Compare G. Gordon Liddy and Mike Tyson (Sixes) with Henry Kissinger and Muhammad Ali (Eights) to understand more about the similarities and differences between these types.