The Fear Driving You

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I posted my own results below this article. “9 – 6”

The Nine Fears That Drive Your Behavior

As a leader it is important to know your strengths and your soft spots. As a result of this many large companies us various personality assessment tools to discover specific things about their employees. Basically – what makes them tick.

There are a few points of view whether the use of such tools are a good thing or bad thing. To go down that rat hole take a peek at my post from last year.

If the below diagram looks familiar then you may already know about Enneagram Personality assessment tests. I did not cover this in that post – but have gotten a few requests to address this test. 

In one of the courses I teach I make reference to Enneagrams as a way of determining how your typical behavior is driven by one or more of these nine fears.

I have include my own results at the bottom as a reference for you. I encourage that you take your own quick test to better see where you may land. I doubt there will be any revelations as you likely know enough about yourself to see the results as no surprise.

The value and power in doing this assessment on yourself is that you can begin to look out for certain behaviors you may typically exhibit which may be getting in the way of your advancement or success in your career or relationships.

When I coach clients on how to build courage and overcome certain fears, it usually the fear that is stopping them. In the case of the Enneagram you can see the other side of the fear coin. The fear that’s driving you. The actions you take are often linked to the fears you harbor within.

 

In the Enneagram system of personality, the nine fundamental fears are:

1. Fear of being evil

This is the fear of being bad, corrupt, or imbalanced. Characters dominated by this fear try to avoid being condemned. They want to be correct and consistent, able to justify themselves and their actions. They can be highly critical of others, and self-righteous.

This character type is The Reformer.

2. Fear of being unloved

These characters want most of all to be loved. To achieve this, they give love to others, expecting others to give love back. But no other type is as giving as they are. These generous characters may be disappointed by what they get in return. At times they may be manipulative and vindictive.

This character type is The Helper.

3. Fear of being worthless

Characters dominated by this fear want to be worthwhile and valuable. They crave attention and are eager to impress. Desperate to distinguish themselves, they strive for admiration and acclaim. They fear failure and humiliation, and can be deceitful, hostile, and even psychopathic.

This character type is The Achiever.

4. Fear of being insignificant

These characters fear losing their identity. They want to be themselves, and protect their feelings. They put their emotional needs first. They yearn to express themselves with beauty, to find ideal love, and to live out their fantasies. But they are vulnerable to self-indulgence, self-destruction, and emotional breakdown.

This character type is The Individualist.

5. Fear of being incompetent

These characters work hard to master a system of knowledge or a set of skills. They are keen investigators and conceptualizers. Intellectual and detached, they can be reclusive, eccentric, and even schizophrenic.

This character type is The Investigator.

6. Fear of being without support

These characters crave a sense of security, and they fear losing guidance. They often find support and guidance within an organization. They seek the approval of others. Slow to trust, they may test those around them, and they can be paranoid.

This character type is The Loyalist.

7. Fear of being deprived

These characters have a great appetite for life, and are greedy for new experiences. The most extroverted type, they are escape artists who fear being trapped by their inner pain. They may have mood swings and mania.

This character type is The Enthusiast.

8. Fear of being controlled

These characters are highly independent and self-confident. They are natural born leaders, but can also be bossy and domineering. Self-driven and enterprising, they deny their own emotional needs. They can be ruthless, vengeful, and sociopathic.

This character type is The Challenger.

9. Fear of separation

These characters strive to avoid loss and fragmentation. Desiring peace and harmony, they make excellent communicators and mediators. They dissociate from conflict, and possibly from themselves. They may be numb or even catatonic.

This character type is The Peacemaker.

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