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DEFENSEMECHANISMS GUARDIANS OFTHE EGOSTRUCTUREthe Enneagram in business Mini-Book©2021 The Enneagram in Businessby Ginger Lapid-Bogda PhD

Did you know that the primary defense mechanism foreach Enneagram type serves as a crucial guardian of thetype-based ego structure? Essentially, the primarydefense mechanism for each type ensures that eachtype’s passion and fixation continue operating in amutually self-reinforcing way, helping maintain eachtype’s ego ideal. The primary defense mechanism alsominimizes any outside interference that might cause adisruption in the ego structure.

More specifically, the type-based fixation and passionform a continuous loop that helps generate and sustainthe type-based ego structure. But what happens insideus when this loop contradicts the type-based ego idealor idealized sense of self? When this contradiction ordissonance occurs, anxiety sets in, partly because theego does not like or know how to integrate thiscontradiction. Enter the type-based defense mechanism.The primary defense mechanism for each Enneagramtype then colludes with the type-based passion to lessenthe dissonance created. This mini-book describes exactly how the primarydefense mechanism for each Enneagram type functionsas a guardian of the type-based ego structure. Ascontext, here are more details about the meaning of egoideal, fixations and passions, and defense mechanisms.

Ego ideal is how a person wants to be perceived by selfand others, an idealized self that seeks to becontinuously reinforced. In a sense, the ego ideal is theaspirational self, whereas the ego structure includes farmore than only ego-ideal, with additional elements suchas the type-based fixations, passions, false reality,worldview, deepest longings and more.Fixations and passions are the ongoing states offunctioning (mental and emotional respectively) thatcontinuously play and replay in our Mental Center andour Emotional Center, thus fueling our emotionalresponse patterns. The specific fixations and passionsthat go with each type create a self-reinforcing loop thatbecomes a core element of each type’s ego structure. Defense mechanisms are unconscious psychologicalstrategies we use to deal with uncomfortable, difficultand anxiety producing situations.

These mechanisms to reduce a person’s fear, sadness,and/or anger and to also maintain his or her self-conceptand ego structure, appearing primarily when a person iseither avoiding something or experiencing a threat ofsome sort. Although individuals of all Enneagram typesuse a variety of defense mechanisms at different times,there is one specific defense mechanism that is moststrongly associated with each type.Defense mechanisms serve a protective function, so it isneither realistic nor even desirable to try to removethem completely. Lessening them and relaxing them,however, can be beneficial in reducing our egostructure’s hold on our development andtransformation, both psychologically and spiritually.Special note: the ego-ideal names and basic descriptions arefrom the work of Jerry Wagner PhD.

ONES’ Ego-Ideal | The Good Person |always moraland responsible; never bad or mediocreONES’ Fixation | Resentment | Continuously payingattention to flaws so that nothing ever seems goodenoughONES’ Passion | Anger | Feelings of chronicdissatisfaction with how thing areTYPE ONE

ONES' Primary Defense Mechanism |Reaction FormationReaction formation is a defense mechanism by whichOnes try to reduce or eliminate anxiety caused by theirown thoughts, feelings, or behaviors that they considerunacceptable; they do this by responding in a mannerthat is the exact opposite of their real responses.Because the One’s active inner judge dictates what isacceptable based on social mores, contextualexpectations, and moral principles, reaction formationbecomes a defensive strategy when Ones have whatthey deem as “unacceptable” reactions. While their most typical unacceptable reaction is anger,reaction formation can also occur when One’sexperience extreme sadness or fear. Reaction formationis unconscious and automatic. Although sometimesOnes may know that this behavior is the opposite of thereal truth, this realization happens after the fact ratherthan when reaction formation is occurring. In addition, ifOnes do acknowledge that they’ve behaved in a waydiametrically opposed to their true feelings, thoughts,and desires, reaction formation also functions to keepthem from feeling embarrassed or engaging in negativeself-judgments about having done so.Reaction formation examplesA subtle example often seen in Ones is when they dislikesomeone, yet are especially nice and polite to thisperson. A more blatant example – one that is not

exclusive to Enneagram style Ones – is an individual whocrusades against corporate corruption, only to bediscovered later as having embezzled money from theorganization.How reaction formation serves as a guardian ofthe Type One ego structureThe type One ego-structure needs to maintain itsidealized self of being the good person who never makesmistakes and is more perfect than others. To this end,the One’s fixation of resentment constantly has themnoticing flaws and mistakes so that these can becorrected, which then generates their passion, feelings ofanger about these errors which is their fuel to takeaction. Their anger then fuels more resentment and sothe loop continues and the ego is in full operation. But the loop also works in reverse, where feelings ofanger swirl, which activates resentful thoughts thatnothing is ever good enough. Again, the One egostructure is in full throttle. But wait! The Ones’ ego ideal is that of a very goodperson who is polite and well-mannered. In their view,people who are polite do not get angry. However, Onesare a double anger type; anger is both their emotionalpassion and the central emotion of the Body Centerfrom which Ones are formed. Here is where reactionformation supports the one’s ego ideal and egostructure. When Ones are very angry and they can’tcontrol it as they normally do, reaction formation allowsthem to both not experience their anger and to not even

give off cues that they are, in fact, very angry. This allowstheir ego ideal and ego structure to remain unchallengedby having to examine their deeply-held anger and rage.How to lessen reaction formationAlthough all defense mechanisms tend to be automaticand unconscious, reaction formation is one of the mostdifficult ones to be conscious of and intercept in real-time. In the case of reaction formation, someone elsecan be helpful to point this out such as a friend, a coachor a family member. However, this person would need tobe gentle and clear so as to not cause Ones to feelcriticized or confused.For Ones themselves to become more aware of reactionformation when it is occurring rather than after the fact,experiment with breathing in a different way. Onesnormally breathe in a more constricted breathingpattern, controlling the breath so as to breathe correctly.But this way isn’t relaxed breathing; more relaxed andless forced breathing helps Ones become more attunedto their feelings. Because reaction formation is a way ofavoiding feelings, being more in touch with feelingsmakes reaction formation more difficult. In addition, Ones often bypass their Heart Center whenthey breathe, and many emotions have access points inthe heart, the Emotional Center. Notice how the breathmay be bypassing the heart and going directly to the gut.Ones should focus on their heart as they breathe, andallow their breath to flow through this area as it movestoward the rest of their body.

TYPE TWOTWOS’ Ego Ideal | The Loving Person | Alwaysthoughtful and generous; never selfish or insensitiveTWOS’ Fixation | Flattery | Mental activity focused onhow to gain acceptance through giving compliments orother forms of attentionTWOS’ Passion | Pride | Inflated or deflated self-esteem based on doing for other people and thesubsequent positive or negative reactions of others

TWOS' Primary Defense Mechanism | RepressionRepression is a defense mechanism by which individualshide information about themselves from themselves –for example, feelings, desires, wishes, aversions, fears,and needs – that are too difficult to acknowledgeconsciously. However, the repressed information doesn’tdisappear entirely; instead, expression of the represseddata is controlled or held down, but it continues toinfluence the individual’s behavior. For example, Twos may feel anxious and needreassurance, but they may be only minimally aware ofthis. Instead of exploring these feelings or seekingcomfort, the Two may reassure another person whoappears or they imagine to be in distress.It is in the area of feelings where Twos most oftenrepress. Although almost all Twos repress feelings in thefour primary emotional groupings – mad, glad, sad andafraid – many Twos repress anger more strongly thanfear or sadness, while other Twos may repress fear morethan anger or sorrow. It just depends on a variety offactors such as upbringing, current environment,subtype, and use of arrow lines.Repression examplesA subtle example of repression in Twos includes beinganxious about an event, activity or relationship andacknowledging some concern without recognizing justhow deeply anxious or fearful they truly feel. A moreblatant example involves Twos who are deeply angry at

another person or a situation, but only experience theiranger as frustration or annoyance. What happens withrepression is that the repressed information can only getheld down for so long and then there is an explosion.The explosion is an over-expression of the emotion,furious for anger, panic for fear or deeply humiliated forsorrow.How repression serves as a guardian of the TypeTwo ego structureThe type Two ego structure needs to maintain itsidealized self of being the loving person who is neverselfish and always thoughtful, generous and kind toothers. To this end, the Twos’ fixation of flattery worksvery well. The type Two ego structure needs to maintain itsidealized self of being the loving person who is neverselfish and always thoughtful, generous and kind toothers. To this end, the Twos’ fixation of flattery worksvery well. Constantly focusing on the other person byasking questions, giving them full attention, offeringcompliments, and making the other person feel like theyare very, very important, Twos make friends andinfluence people, all the while maintaining their ego idealas a thoughtful and unselfish person. Their flattery thenfuels the Twos’ pride, their self-esteem heightened by theaffirmation from others that typically results from suchflattery. As a result, the loop between flattery and pridecontinues and the ego is in full operation. But the loop

also works in reverse, where feelings of pride inflate ordeflate based on the other person’s reaction, then theTwo fixation of flattery re-activates, with ideas andsubsequent actions that make the other person feel veryimportant. Again, the Two ego structure is in full throttle.How well this works! The Twos’ ego ideal is that of a veryloving person solely focused on you and not themselves;repression as a defense mechanism helps accomplishthis. A non-angry, non-fearful and not particularly sadperson can focus on you without their own feelingsinterfering. This very same person appears very lovingand kind, with little of their own emotional leakage. ForTwos, not being deeply in touch with their own feelingsalso helps them to not access and identify their ownneeds. Thus, Twos can make it all about you and notabout them.The above functions rather smoothly, that is, until theexplosion that occurs. These momentous occasions arenot regular occurrences, but when they do happen, thedam of repression breaks wide open releasing a storm ofrepressed emotions.The kind and loving person focused on you evaporates,causing others to be stunned and the Two to feel avariety of emotions: relief, shame, and guilt. At this point,the Twos’ ego ideal receives a major challenge to theirloving personhood. Once the Two calms down andassesses the situation – and this can take some time –the defense mechanism of repression reasserts itself,

thus enabling Twos to keep their own feelings moresubliminal and focus once again on you.How to lessen repressionRepression is one of the easier defense mechanisms tolessen and relax, but the question is whether or not aTwo really wants to do this. Of course, this can be said ofall Enneagram types in relation to lessening theirdefense mechanisms, yet it is especially true for Twos.The very kind and likable Two, or as Twos like to think ofthemselves as being, may suddenly not be so likable! It isa choice between freedom and likeability.The practice for Twos, and it does take practice anddiscipline, has two steps. First, Twos need to askthemselves on a very regular basis how they are feelingand to spend some time with this. Regular means threetimes daily. Some time means at least 10 minutes eachtime this is carried out, not 10 minutes each day in total.What can assist in this inquiry is to remember that thereare four feeling groups: mad, sad, glad and afraid. Twosneed to ask themselves these questions: "What am Ifeeling angry about? What am I feeling sad about? Whatam I feeling happy about? What am I feeling fearfulabout?"Once Twos are more familiar with what they actually feeland the depth to which they feel different emotions,instead of repressing their feelings, they can practicestarting to share their feelings with other people. Thismay be gradual at first, but the more Twos express, theless they repress. And the less they repress, the morethey express.

TYPE THREETHREES’ Ego Ideal | The Effective Person | Alwaysprofessional and competent; never idle or inadequateTHREES’ Fixation | Vanity | Strategic thinking abouthow to create an idealized image based on being orappearing to be successfulTHREES’ Passion | Deceit | Feeling they must doeverything possible to appear confident and successful,hiding parts of themselves that do not conform to thisimage

THREES' Primary Defense Mechanism |IdentificationIdentification is a psychological defense mechanism inwhich a person unconsciously incorporates attributesand characteristics of another person into his or her ownsense of self. Identification is a way of bolstering one’sself-esteem by forming an imaginary or real alliance withan admired person, then taking on that person’scharacteristics. When Threes model their own behaviorafter someone else or the idea they have of someone,they are usually not aware they are doing so. For thisreason, it becomes complicated for them to untanglewho they really are from this internalized image.In particular, Threes identify most with images ofindividuals who are admired in the Three’s desired socialcontext, and the person/image with which Threesidentify can change as their context changes, as well aschange over time. In addition to identifying with people,whether real, famous, historical or even fictional, Threesalso identify with what they do or with their roles as avehicle to generate the admiration they want fromothers.Identification examplesA Three feels quite nervous before making apresentation at a big meeting. Rather than reveal thisoutwardly in any way, the Three maintains a convincinglyself-confident manner, appearing to be both composedand self-assured. Although some Threes may be awarethat they are feeling anxious and covering this over,

others may be totally convinced that they are just fineeven when this is not the case. In this situation, theThree has an internalized image of what a successfulpresenter looks like and acts like, and he or she thenplays this role. Examples of Three behavior that stem from identificationinclude: being hypersensitive to criticism of what they do(their work product, hobbies, and behavior) as if it is apersonal criticism of them because they think “I am whatI do”; becoming very different people to various groups(“shapeshifting”) to fit the image of that group as a way to“fit in”; joining clubs, forming friendships, or seekingmemberships to organizations and institutions becausethese have prestige that then transfers, in their minds, tothem; overworking and going into hyperdrive forexcessive periods of times with a relentless fervor due toover-identifying with a particular activity or being active ingeneral; and not being completely truthful – for example,deleting information in which they might look bad or notshowing emotions that might tarnish their sense of selfas being like an admired person or an idealized role.How identification serves as a guardian of the TypeThree ego structureThe type Three ego structure needs to maintain itsidealized self of being the effective person who is alwaysconfident and effective, the “can-do” person who seekssuccess and avoids failure. To this end, the Threesfixation of vanity operates smoothly. Having a specificimage of how to be and how to act – and believing this

internalized image is actually their true self – reinforcesthe Three’s image of being so very capable. The passionof deceit removes or minimizes data – feelings, thoughts,and real experiences – that do not conform to andconfirm the image. And when this fixation-passion loopgets disturbed in some way, the Threes’ defensemechanism of identification becomes even more active:find new individuals to identify with, internalize andemulate; ramp up the activities which they use to definethemselves; accentuate and intensify the roles that theybelieve are actually themselves or add new roles if thecurrent ones do not suffice. In turn, the fixation of vanitythen intensifies, as does the passion of deceit.How to lessen identificationAsk "Who am I?"For Threes, this question is about who they really are, inaddition to or at a deeper level, than a listing of roles,functions and activities in which they engage. Threes canfeel proud of their accomplishments and also recognizethat who they are is more than that, deeper than that.Threes can try completing this sentence multiple times: “Iam….” Explore personal qualities – for example, kind,insightful, encouraging – and things they love – forexample, a lover of animals, a person who enjoys goodfood. There are no right or wrong answers. There aresimply answers. Threes can do the above activity daily,even writing down their answers.

TYPE FOURFOURS’ Ego-Ideal | The Original Person |Alwayscreative and authentic; never ordinary or boringFOURS Fixation | Melancholy | Continuously thinkingabout what is missing, accompanied by thoughts ofbeing disconnected from othersFOURS’ Passion | Envy | Consciously or unconsciouslycomparing self to others, with accompanying feelings ofdeficiency, superiority, or both

FOURS’ Primary Defense Mechanism | IntrojectionIntrojection is a counterintuitive defense mechanism.Instead of repelling critical information and negativeexperiences that can cause a person anxiety or pain,individuals introject the information – that is, they fullyabsorb, internalize, and incorporate these data into theirsense of self.Fritz Perls, the father of Gestalt Therapy, refers to thisphenomenon as swallowing something whole withoutbeing able to differentiate between information that istrue from information that is untrue. Fours introjectnegative information – and repel positive data – aboutthemselves as a way of coping with painful informationand neutralizing external threats. They prefer to dealwith self-inflicted damage rather than having to respondto criticism or rejection from others.Introjection examplesFours engage in introjection on an ongoing basis,unconsciously seeking clues that someone is upset withthem or that they are deficient in some way. The defensemechanism is triggered most strongly when they feelanxious about impending negative feedback or whenthey become close to others and then worry about beingrejected. With a lack of clear boundaries to differentiatewhat to internalize and what to not take seriously,combined with their tendency to absorb negative databut reject positive information, most Fours continuouslydefend against not feeling good enough.

Ironically, Fours don’t realize that the very defensemechanism they use to fend off negative informationactually creates their reservoir of negative self-perception. Examples of the Four’s defense mechanismof introjection include the following: being highlysensitive to the possible negative reactions of others;having an intense desire to be fully understood; needingto express themselves at length; feeling deeply hurtwhen they believe others do not grasp what they aresaying or empathize with their feelings; overidentifyingwith what they feel and believing that they are theirfeelings, rather than understanding that feelings aresomething they have; and tending to blame other peoplerather than themselves when someone is upset withthem or they feel anxious, thus transporting the hurt andresponsibility to someone else.How introjection serves as a guardian of the TypeFour ego structureThe type Four ego structure needs to maintain itsidealized self of being the original person who is special,sensitive, intuitive and authentic and never out-of-touch,unreal or boring. To this end, the Fours’ fixation ofmelancholy and passion of envy work hand-in hand-tomaintain their ego ideal of being original in every way,unlike any other individual. A person such as Four whofeels a continuous ache in their heart from continuouslycomparing oneself to others and sustains a melancholicmind by focusing on what is lacking in themselves ortheir lives can easily sustain their sense of being special, unique and different. Fours often enjoy feeling that theyare deeper and more sensitive human beings than therest of us. That makes them special.

But what happens if and when Fours begin to feeloptimistic or when they experience themselves asordinary or even boring in some way. Here’s when theirdefense mechanism of introjection comes to their aid.With a reservoir of negative information aboutthemselves – the by-product of their continuousintrojection of real or perceived information aboutthemselves – they can re-adjust their inner lives to re-experiencing themselves as finely and uniquely tuned tothe emotional ups and downs of life, to being a personso deep in feeling that others seem superficial and out oftouch by contrast. And back they are to their dynamic ofenvy ¬ feeling better than or not-as good-as andmelancholy, their fixation and passion once againoperating in a mutually reinforcing, synchronized loop. How to lessen introjectionCreate effective filters for negativity coming from theoutside.Simply put, Fours tend to absorb and internalize negativeinformation about themselves – perceived or actualinformation – from the outside without sorting whether itis true or useful. This creates an abundance of internalnegative self-data. With positive information, Foursdeflect it so it does not get internally processed. The keyis to set up effective filters for both negative and positiveinformation coming from the outside. Fours can getcreative here: dimmer switches, uniquely decoratedscreens, imaginary guardians that know what to let inand what to not, just as examples. Setting up effectivefilters can change everything!

TYPE FIVEFIVES’ Ego Ideal | The Wise Person | Alwaysknowledgeable and autonomous; never emotional ortransparentFIVES’ Fixation | Stinginess | A scarcity paradigmleading to an insatiable thirst for knowing, a reluctance toshare and to strategizing about how to control one’senvironmentFIVES’ Passion | Avarice | An intense desire to guardeverything related to oneself, combined with automaticdetachment from feelings

FIVES’ Primary Defense Mechanism | IsolationIsolation occurs in Fives as a way for them to avoidfeeling overwhelmed, drained or energetically empty anddepleted. Fives isolate themselves by retreating into theirminds, cutting themselves off from their feelings, andcompartmentalizing – that is, isolating each part ofthemselves from the whole or the related parts. Forexample, Fives separate their thoughts from theirfeelings and/or feelings from behaviors, as well asseparating their personal and work lives.Fives may also isolate themselves from other people andseparate their relationships so that their friends nevermeet one another; in fact, some Fives even have secretlives.Isolation examplesFives demonstrate subtle and blatant forms of isolationon a regular basis. Examples of a Five’s isolation includethe following: responding to either very negative orhighly positive coaching data in a totally impassivemanner; being neutral or emotionally vacant aboutsomething that would normally upset someone; refusingto discuss topics that they admit to having some feelingsabout; and seeming far more remote or removed thannormal. Here is a very specific and common example of a Five’sdefense mechanism of isolation operates. Anotherperson wants to discuss an important issue with a Five,and the issue involves emotional content. Instead of

engaging in a discussion that requires him or her to feelanything, the Five becomes entirely intellectual,disconnecting from the feelings to such a degree that heor she is not only unaware of having any feelings but alsoexperiences no real empathy for the other person. Inother words, the Five completely cuts off from the otherperson, but more importantly, completely cuts off fromhim- or herself.How isolation serves as a guardian of the Type Fiveego structureThe type Five ego structure needs to maintain itsidealized self of being the wise person who is observant,complex, private and autonomous, but nevertransparent, emotional or dependent in any way.Unlike some of the other defense mechanisms for othertypes, where defense mechanisms ignite when the egoideal of that type is threatened, the Five’s defensemechanism of isolation works continuously to reinforcethe Five fixation of stinginess and passion of avarice.Stinginess and avarice are both ways to continuehoarding, keeping things to themselves and forthemselves. The wise person, the Fives’ ego-ideal, issomeone who keeps and retains resources, informationbeing just one important resource, to retrieve for lateruse as needed. Isolating ideas from other ideas,information about one item in a file folder in their mindsseparated from other items, allows their ego ideal tomaintain itself, ably served by both their fixation andpassion!

How to lessen isolationFives need to allow themselves to both offer and acceptresources from others, however small. Theirindependence and autonomy are admirable and useful,yet these qualities can also cause them to be lessresourced than they need to be and less connected toother people. Fives can learn to do this, howevercounter-intuitive it may feel, and they can do it in smallsteps. To make an offer to others, one idea is to simplyoffer a little more time listening to a person than theywould normally do. To accept a resource from anotherperson – for example, asking someone for an idea orreferral, accepting an offer from someone for some extratime so they can share some of their thoughts – areimportant first steps. Fives may choose to start small sothey can gradually expand this practice if they want to.

TYPE SIXSIXES’ Ego Ideal | The Loyal Person | Always reliableand consistent; never untrustworthy or difficultSIXES’ Fixation | Cowardice | Thoughts of doubt andworry that cause the continuous creation of anticipatoryor worst-case scenariosSIXES’ Passion | Fear | Feelings of anxiety, deepconcern, and panic that the worst will occur, that otherscannot be trusted, and that they are not capable ofmeeting the challenges that arise

SIXES’ Primary Defense Mechanism | ProjectionProjection is a psychological defense mechanism inwhich individuals unconsciously attribute their ownunacceptable, unwanted, or disowned thoughts,emotions, motivations, attributes, and/or behaviors toothers. While the projection may be positive, negative, orneutral, it occurs because the individuals who areprojecting perceive the projected attributes as difficult toacknowledge or threatening to believe about themselves.Because Sixes make these attributions unconsciously,they imagine that they are true, although at a deeperlevel they are not entirely certain about this. AlthoughSixes use projection as a way to create some certaintyand thus reduce their anxiety in ambiguous, uncertain,or potentially dangerous situations, these projections –particularly if they are negative in nature – ironically raisethe Six’s anxiety level. In addition, when Sixes projecteither something negative or positive that is untrue, theycreate a false reality without knowing they are doing so.Projection examplesA Six feels frightened by a coworker, although there is noconcrete data to support this idea. The Six believes thatthis person wants to compete with him or her for adesired promotion and is planning ways to underminethe Six in order to gain the new job. The Six begins toplan and strategize how to undercut the coworker,justifying his or her actions by believing they are

necessary in order to prevent the coworker from causingharm. Although Sixes project on an ongoing basis, they projectmost often and most intensely when they are anxious.The more anxiety they feel, the more difficult it becomesfor Sixes to differentiate between a projection and aninsight – that is, something that is true. Examples of Six’snegative projections include: blaming someone orsomething else for a failure, attributing malevolentmotives to another individual, and assuming somethingnegative is going to occur when this has not yethappened. Sixes also engage in positive projections thatare manifestations of their hopes and desires – forexample, imagining that a leader is extraordinarilybenevolent or can perform Herculean feats, believingthat someone they like has no flaws, and assuminganother person is highly intelligent while incorrectlycriticizing their own intellect.How projection serves as a guardian of the Type Sixego structureThe type Six ego structure needs to maintain its idealizedself of being the loyal person who is loyal to friends,family, teams and organizations, sometimes at almost allcosts. No harm, they think, will come to those who areloyal. They want to count on others – even though theyfear they cannot – and want others to be able to counton them – even though Sixes can be relationally volatilewhen their passion of fear gets ignited. This fear existsmore palpably in the self-preservation and social

subtype Six and less observably in the one-to-one Sixwho moves to action quickly at the onset of fear.The passion of fear, for all Sixes, sets off the fixation ofcowardice with its multitude of anticipatory scenarios.With the interplay between fear and cowardice, howdoes the loyal person maintain their idealized self as aloyal person, one who is consistent, reliable and availablefor the tribe? Here is where projection supports theeffort. First, projection is used to generate anticipatoryscenarios. Without projecting or imagining the futureand what could happen, there could be no futurescenario creation. These projected scenarios then fuelthe fear.But projection works in another way to hold the egoideal in place. Sixes project goodness and other positiveattributes onto other people and organizations – a friendis trustworthy, an organization does good things, avendor did an effective job – sometimes beyond what isobjectively true.Projecting in this overly positive way enables Sixes tomaintain their loyalty to the person, cause or system andto, therefore, maintain their sense of self as the loyalperson, and a loyal person in the Sixes’ view, is a goodperson. But once this “other” falls from grace, which canhappen hard and fast once it occurs, Sixes then perceivethis “other” as bad, also using projection to createuntested negative assumptions or inferences. At thispoint, Sixes do not believe they need to be loyal, as to doso would be foolish. As a result, they do not perceive this

counter-reaction as disloyalty, but as a disappointingreality. Thus, they can maintain their sense of self as aloyal person.How to lessen projectionLearn how to trust intuition more.Because Sixes have a continuously operating antennathey are likely quite insightful and even intuitive. At thesame time, what they are picking up may actually beinside them, a projection of their own thoughts,concerns, feelings and more. How do they know thedifference between a true intuition and a projection? Anintuition has no emotion of any kind associated with it.Projections are laden with many emotions. So, if whatthe Six is thinking is emotion-free, it is likely an intuitionand they can trust it. If their thought is fraught withemotion, it is likely to be a projection of their own innerstate. If their thought has some emotion but not intenseones, it is likely both an intuition and a projection. In thiscase, they can sort out what part is the projection andthen explore these thoughts and feelings by askingthemselves: "In what ways are these thoughts andfeelings actually inside me?" What remains after this self-exploration is most likely intuition.

TYPE SEVENSEVENS' Ego Ideal | The Joyful Person | Alwaysoptimistic and enthusiastic; never trapped or pessimisticSEVENS’ Fixation | Planning | The mental processthrough which the mind goes into continuous “hyper-gear” by moving in rapid succession from one thing toanotherSEVENS’ Passion | Gluttony | The insatiable,unrelenting thirst for new stimulation of all kinds: food,people, experience, ideas and excitement

SEVENS’ Primary Defense Mechanism |RationalizationRationalization is the defense mechanism by whichSevens explain unacceptable thoughts, feelings, andbehaviors in a way that entirely avoids or obscures theirtrue motivations, intentions, or the effects of thebehavior. They also use rationalization to ease the painand discomfort of others.When Sevens rationalize, they use positive reframing,justifying their behavior by explaining it in highly positiveterms as a way to avoid difficulties, sadness, guilt, andanxiety, as well as to avoid taking personal responsibilityfor what has occurred. In fact, they reframe sofrequently, they do not perceive it as a rationalization.Instead, they perceive this as the way they always think.Rationalization (reframing) examplesSevens reframe primarily when they feel or anticipatefeeling distressed. They reframe so easily that this can bean asset when they generate new ways of doing things orengage in creative problem-solving. In these positiveinstances, Sevens may take an issue such as animpending reorganization about which people areanxious and say, “Yes, but the reorganization alsoprovides us with the opportunity to re-examine how wedo things and to create enormous improvements.”However, when Sevens rationalize their ownunacceptable behavior, it becomes a problem both forthem and for the organization. Examples of this includeexcusing their lateness in delivering quality work on time– e.g., by stating that there were three new ideas in the

work that would have not been there had it beendelivered on time – or by explaining a verbal outburst ata meeting by saying “Yes, but I saved others who felt thesame way from having to say anything.” Sevens may alsouse reframing in a way – in their own minds – to helpothers through difficult situations. For example, if aperson’s dog has died, a Seven might say this: “I’m sosorry to hear about your dog. I’ve been thinking thatbecause you travel so much, you might want to considergetting a cat. They require much less maintenance.”Many Sevens would perceive this as support andrealistic, not a reframe.How rationalization (reframing) serves as aguardian of the Type Seven ego structureThe type Seven ego structure needs to maintain itsidealized self of being the joyful person who is alwaysupbeat, energetic, fun to be around, optimistic, light-hearted, and often the liveliest person in the room.Never a downer, Sevens think that being serious for toolong is not a good thing and that being unhappy oranything other than joyful and perpetually optimisticdoesn’t compute with their idealized self.However, Sevens are human like the rest of us and doexperience difficulties and a variety of emotions such asanger, sorrow, and anxiety, as well as joy. However, thefirst three emotions do not align with the person whobelieves it is their job to fill themselves with positivity andspread joy to the world. What happens when Sevensstart to feel anguish, experience something that they

perceive as limiting, get told “No,” or feel frustrated orsad? Their passion of gluttony, although always present,works harder to fill the thirst for positive and stimulatingexperiences. Simultaneously, the Sevens’ mental fixation,planning, while continuous in hyper-gear, goes evenmore so, conjuring more pleasurable possibilities andoptions. Normally, this would be enough to maintain theSeven idealized self, the joyful person, But when thispassion-fixation dynamic needs assistance to keep theidealized self, the person of joy, intact, reframing doesthe trick. Almost everything can be reframed, as needed,to make something a positive experience or at least, aneutral one.How to lessen rationalizationSevens benefit from grounding themselves from theirhead down to their feet. Being and feeling groundedhelps Sevens feel centered, whole and aligned. Sevenmay notice that their energy is so high, their feet may notbe on the ground! Literally, of course, their feet are onthe ground. But figuratively, they may not feel connectedto the earth. Instead of learning how to ground startingwith their feet, Sevens do better grounding starting atthe top of their heads and then moving their awarenessand energy down to their feet, making sure to not skipany part of their body as they move downward. They cando this visually through imagination or somaticallythrough their senses. Sevens can do this activity untilthey feel like they ‘get it,’ enjoy the process and thejourney, and then do this every day at least once a day.It’s short and fun, but also so beneficial.

TYPE EIGHTEIGHTS' Ego Ideal | The Powerful Person | Alwaysinvincible and forceful; never weak or cowardlyEIGHTS’ Fixation | Vengeance | Thinking aboutrebalancing wrongs through thoughts about anger,blame and intimidationEIGHTS’ Passion | Lust | Excessiveness in a variety offorms as a way to avoid and deny feelings of vulnerabilityand weakness

EIGHTS’ Primary Defense Mechanism | DenialDenial is a defense mechanism by which Eightsunconsciously negate something that makes them feelanxious by disavowing its very existence. These caninclude thoughts, feelings, wishes, sensations, needs, andother external factors that are unacceptable to the Eightfor some reason. Denial comes in a variety of forms. Aperson may deny the reality of the unpleasantinformation altogether, admit that something is true butdeny or minimize its seriousness, or admit that both theinformation and its severity are true but deny anypersonal responsibility for it. Eights exhibit denial on a regular basis, but they do somost blatantly when they feel anxious, vulnerable, sad, orintensely angry for long periods of time.Denial examplesEights may work 70 hours a week for four months in arow, eating highly unhealthy food and getting no physicalexercise while driving themselves to completeexhaustion, yet being unaware of their physical state untilthey are ready to collapse. Needing to believe in theirown invincibility, Eights do not acknowledge – even tothemselves – their personal, physical, and emotionallimitations. Other examples of denial include agreeing todo projects that they have no intention of doing well,violating or ignoring rules or directives regardless of theconsequences, and engaging in such behavior asoverindulging in food or drink while acting as though noharm will come to them. More blatant examples include

an Eight’s being quite sick but not telling anyone andgoing to work anyway, at great detriment to his or herown well-being; Eights’ spending far more money thanthey have on the assumption that more money will beavailable; and their feeling highly vulnerable but notadmitting this to themselves or anyone else andbecoming furious about something else instead.How denial serves as a guardian of the Type Eightego structureThe type Eight ego structure needs to maintain itsidealized self of being the powerful person, daunted bynothing and ready to take on the world at a moment’snotice. Nothing is too big for them to tackle, althoughsome things are too small to be bothered about. Thiscourageous and potent person, according to theiridealized view, needs to never feel weak or vulnerable inany way, much less show it.Of course, Eights can’t always handle everything,especially all by themselves, as they are often prone todo. In addition, Eights can be quite self-reflective andemotionally sensitive, even if they don’t show it to others.Self-reflection can lead to feelings of vulnerability, as wellas emotions such as sadness and anxiety. Anger doesnot usually create vulnerability in Eights; instead, theycharge forward into full powerful person mode.However, when Eights do feel vulnerable and theirpassion of lust and mental fixation of vengeance are notenough to dispel their anxieties and vulnerabilities,Eights need something more to help them feel strong

and not weak. Denial is the perfect solution. Essentially,whatever “it” is, ”it” didn’t happen! And when denial iscombined with increased vengeance and more lust - beit lust for work, exercise, food, spending money ingeneral or purchasing certain kinds of items, asexamples – Eights can usually maintain their ego ideal,powerful person self.How to lessen denialIt helps if Eights ground themselves from their headdown to their feet. Encourage Eights to becomephilosophical and ask themselves some challengingquestions: "Is vulnerability really weakness? Who have Iknown or observed who was able to be both very strongand show vulnerability? Is my reluctance to be vulnerableactually coming from a place of fear, and if so, what am Iafraid of?" These are hard questions, but the answerscan be illuminating. If reading or watching Ted Talks is apreferred learning method, author Brene´ Brown hasclear and useful books and talks on this very subject.

TYPE NINENINES' Ego Ideal | The Peaceful Person | Alwayseasygoing and accepting; never pushy or ambitiousNINES’ Fixation | Indolence | Mentally diffusingattention which leads to forgetting what is important andrefraining from stating opinions and positions, therebyminimizing tension and conflict within and with othersNINES’ Passion | Laziness | A lethargy in payingattention to inner feeling, thoughts, and needs, thusdisabling desired action

NINES’ Primary Defense Mechanism |NarcotizationNarcotization is a psychological defense mechanism inwhich Nines unconsciously numb themselves to avoidsomething that feels too large, complex, difficult, oruncomfortable to handle. Nines narcotize and distractthemselves by engaging in prolonged rhythmic activitiesthat are familiar, require very little attention, and providecomfort – for example, washing the dishes; working inthe garden; continuous pleasure reading of books by thesame author or within the same genre; going for a walkor a bike ride; engaging in frequent or extended casualconversations; or continuously changing channels on theTV. Nines also use daily routines such as morning orevening rituals to immunize themselves from being fullyaware, and they feel agitated, irritated, or disorientedwhen these repetitive activities become disrupted. MostNines engage in narcotizing activities on a regular basis,but they do this most often when they feel pressured,uncertain, angry, anxious about their capabilities to dosomething, discounted or overlooked, and more.Narcotization examplesA Nine has an urgent and complex work assignment thatneeds to be completed today, but instead of focusing onthis priority assignment, the Nine cleans up the office,files old expense reports, makes non-urgent phone calls,and works on some lower-priority work that is unrelatedto the project at hand and has no looming deadline. Itcan be difficult to determine if something or what isupsetting Nines when they engage in narcotizingbehavior, because even they may not know for certain.

However, when they engage in narcotizing behavior –especially when there is something else they should bedoing or something they need to say – it is a clearindication that they have deadened themselves withsomething distracting and soothing. Additional examplesof narcotization at work include the following: diffusingtheir attention by forgetting what they were discussing ornot remembering something that was clearly stated;talking about nonessential topics for prolonged periodsof time with people they feel comfortable with and like;displaying various forms of procrastination, such aschronic lateness for appointments, meetings, and task-related commitments; not completing requiredpaperwork on a timely basis; and bringing the same workhome night after night without ever completing it;following routines even more than normal and/or addingnew ones; and engaging in comforting activities forextended periods of time such as watching TV, spendingtime on the computer, taking walks many times per day,doing crossword puzzles for hours on end, and more.How narcotization serves as a guardian of the TypeNine ego structureThe type Nine ego structure needs to maintain itsidealized self of being the peaceful person, whereeverything is tranquil and copasetic, no one gets upset,differences are resolved in a respectful way, no one getsignored, and everyone is included. Any of the priorexamples generate tension and Nines, who are highlysensitive to tension more than most people, experiencetensions in their bodies – whether the tension has aninternal or external source. They dislike this experience

so intensely, that their fixation of indolence (mental diffusion), passion of laziness (inattention to their owninner and particular emotional experience, not laziness interms of being active) allow them to maintain the peace.Nines simply diffuse their attention – akin to spacing ornumbing out – and are inattentive to their internalfeelings and experiences, all to keep their idealizedposition as the peaceful person. As if the above is not enough, the Nines’ defensemechanism of narcotization also supports their beingdistracted from their own inner thoughts, feelings andsensation. They simply start doing non-essential orroutine things, narcotizing by cleaning the house, doingextensive internet searches, thoroughly washing thedishes, looking at and savoring their collections – books,purses, inanimate objects, shoes, etc.– and missionaccomplished. Peace is restored!How to lessen narcotizationEngage in a full-body scan.Nines don’t need an X-ray or an MRI, just awareness.Once a day, or more if desired, Nines can start any placein the body and ask, "What do I experience in my bodyhere?" Then move to another area of the body, close towhere they began and ask the same question. Continuethis process throughout the entire body. If there is noanswer to the question, Nines should just notice that andmove to another area, repeating the same question.Some people find it easier to start at their head andmove down. Others prefer to start at their feet and moveupward.

Choose whatever works best. Doing this daily supportsbody awareness and somatic intelligence. In addition, ithelps Nines get in touch with physical sensations andemotional feelings. In other words, it can help “wake youup.”

ABOUT THE ENNEAGRAM IN BUSINESSEstablished in 2004 by Ginger Lapid-Bogda PhD, The Enneagram inBusiness offers excellent quality, state-of the-art products and services.Our vision is to help elevate consciousness globally using theEnneagram integrated with other innovative approaches; our mission isto provide an abundance of Enneagram-based resources for use aroundthe world. These include the following:» Eight Enneagram books, including several best sellers» Full-color Enneagram training tools, both in hard copy and virtual formats» Global Enneagram certification programs for consultants, trainers, andcoaches» Premier leadership development and team development offerings» Training, coaching and consulting services, both virtual and in-person» A comprehensive, interactive online Enneagram Learning Portal (ELP)» A global network of over 70 top-quality Enneagram professionals(EIBN)ENNEAGRAM BOOKS by Ginger-Lapid-BogdaBringing Out the Best in Yourself at WorkWhat Type of Leader Are You?Bringing Out the Best in Everyone You CoachThe Enneagram Development GuideConsulting with the EnneagramThe Enneagram Coloring BookThe Art of TypingThe Art of the Enneagram (co-authored with Russell Tres Bogda)TheEnneagramInBusiness.com | EnneagramLearningPortal.com |info@TheEnneagramInBusiness.com | 510.570.2971