People with an Enneagram type Three personality tend to be ambitious, adaptable, and enthusiastic in their behavior. They are driven and love to set and accomplish goals. They tend to adjust their roles, actions, and expressions to every setting or people-group in order to best fit each environment.
What is Enneagram Type 8
(The Protector)?
People with an Enneagram type Eight personality tend to be self-confident, powerful, and assertive in their behavior. They love engaging in debates and are skilled at making difficult decisions. They are fiercely independent and hate being reliant on others.
Communication
How can Threes and Eights communicate effectively with each other?
Threes and Eights are both confident, passionate, and hard-working. Threes tend to be more success driven, desiring value and acceptance from others, while Eights tend to be independent, motivated by the need for personal autonomy.
Threes should be clear and logical when engaging with Eights.
Eights should be open-minded and direct when addressing Threes.
Resolving Conflict
How can Threes and Eights resolve conflict?
Threes and Eights should work through problems logically. Threes should be forward and honest with Eights by addressing their perspective calmly. Eights should listen openly to Threes, offering their own point of view in a composed, levelheaded way. The two personalities should work together to find a mutually beneficial solution.
Building Trust
How can Threes and Eights build trust?
Threes tend to trust Eights who are supportive of Threes’ goals and ambitions. Eights should help Threes feel safe and valued.
Eights usually trust Threes who are competent, hard-working, and consistent. Threes should be genuine and direct with Eights.
Threes are usually driven and charismatic, while Eights tend to be more outspoken and self-sufficient. Threes tend to bring efficiency and practical thinking to a workplace. Eights offer quick, logical decision making. Threes can help Eights recognize when to step down in a situation, while Eights can help support and advocate for Threes.
Dealing with Change
How can Threes and Eights deal with change?
Many Threes and Eights tend to enjoy the challenge of a new situation and will generally adapt quickly and easily. However, Eights may have difficulty if the change limits or restricts their personal freedoms.
Managing Stress
Threes and Eights need to seek to understand what brings stress to the other type and should try to avoid causing it when possible.
Threes are easily stressed by...
Stress from feeling as though they need to constantly entertain
Repetitive failure or difficulty solving a problem
Being perceived negatively
Working to reconcile their own emotions
Eights are easily stressed by...
Being controlled by or subordinate to others
Facing vulnerable or emotional situations
Others’ dishonesty or misdirected blame
Feeling out of control or helpless
Threes should avoid restricting Eights, while Eights should avoid being negative around Threes.
Encouraging and Motivating
Threes and Eights can encourage and motivate each other in their personal and professional lives.
Threes are motivated by...
Accomplishing what they set out to do
Feeling loved and accepted by others
Having new goals to achieve
Public-speaking or meeting new people
Eights are motivated by...
Taking charge and leading others
Feeling free, understood, and respected
Making decisions that help other people
Logical and practical ideas and solutions
Threes can motivate Eights by giving them freedom to make their own choices.
Eights can encourage Threes by encouraging and supporting them.
Enneagram Test
Complete the Enneagram test below to find your Enneagram type.
