Type 6, The Troubleshooter
<BR><BR>
Triad (Corner):     Head (thinking)
Core Issue:          Fear
Personality runs on:      Attachment
Values:       Emotional Reactivity
Style:    Compliant
Passion:    Fear   
Virtue:    Courage
<BR><BR>
<B>Description:</B> Sixes are the troubleshooters of the enneagram. As members of the thinking triad, they are the most out of touch with the quiet, higher thinking center and their own inner guidance. Their minds spin out of control, on future possibilities, usually imagining the worst.  As a result, they are anxious and wary of their surroundings. Physically, there can be a palpable anxiety to them, and many have a wide-eyed, surprised look.

Tom Condon, a leading enneagram teacher and NLP (neurolinguistic Programming therapist), and himself a Six, talks about how Sixes show themselves scary movies, and then add scary narration. “Sixes like to scare themselves.”

To calm themselves, sixes attach themselves to things outside themselves, that they think can give them security, such as groups, rules, authorities, and belief systems. They rely on these sources of security while at the same time remaining a bit distrustful of them. Sixes can be quite opinionated and defensive about their opinions. There is an ambivalence, a push-pull, to Sixes. They can be outwardly friendly and accomodating, while inwardly distrustful of you.

One of the gifts of the Six comes directly from their insecurities and abilities to dream up worst case scenarios. Sixes make excellent troubleshooters. While others may be surprised by disasters and not know how to respond, Sixes often have already worked the possible scenarios through in their own minds, and know exactly how to react. And in a crisis situation, it is good to have people who react immediately, instead of studying the problem for days. (Think about the government “response” to Hurrican Katrina.)

Sixes are often described as being either phobic (reacting in fear) or counterphobic (reacting against their fear). In reality, all sixes are on a continuum of phobia-counterphobia, with one style dominating more at different times in their lives. An example of counterphobic behavior would be to act against the fear of heights by going bungee jumping off a tall building.

Under stress, in addition to becoming more and more anxious, ambivalent, and attached to more and more outrageous belief systems. They can also become workaholic and image conscious, like average level Type 3.

At their best, Sixes connect with their own inner guidance and learn to trust themselves, instead of looking outside themselves for security. They gain a view of the big picture, learn to relax and feel positively supported by the universe, like a healthy 9.

<B>Examples of this type:</B> Ellen DeGeneres, Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, David Letterman, Jay Leno, Johnny Carson, Woody Allen, Malcolm X, Mel Gibson, Bruce Springsteen, Marilyn Monroe, fundamentalist belief systems.

<B>Exercises for Type 6: </B>Think about how you feel supported in life. In what ways have you looked outside yourself for support? What belief systems have made you feel secure? If you wish, write down your observations.

Now think about how you have disowned your own inner guidance by looking outside yourself for security. Have you missed opportunities for growth because of fear? Have you ignored your own hearts desires because of fear? In what ways have you reacted against your fears?

To access your own inner guidance, you must learn to distinguish between opinions and real guidance. Opinions need defending. Your own inner guidance comes from a quiet place, and will just feel right. You won’t feel the need to defend it; you will just know that it is right for you. To access your own inner guidance, you will need to learn to quiet your overactive mind, connect with your body and heart, and your higher thinking center.