Enneagram 8 personality type individuals are the ones who possess self-confidence, have the strength of character, and tend to be assertive. They are the ones who always protect their close friends, loved ones, and all those who are in need. Enneagram type 8 relationships & compatibility flourish because of mutual trust, respect, and protection. If you are not sure of your personality type, take the most popular enneagram test, the Riso-Hudson Enneagram type indicator for the same.
Eights carry the motivational desire to remain strong even under adverse circumstances. They love possessing a good sense of control, adopting a straightforward approach, and being impactful. People look at them as someone with mental strength, having the ability to show intense care for others, and being easily approachable.
The following article will mention how enneagram eight personality types maintain their relationships with others. It will also state how compatible these people are with other enneagram types.
Enneagram 8 Relationships & Compatibility
Enneagram type 8 relationships & compatibility refer to how these individuals undertake their roles and responsibilities during life. It specifies how they can maintain their relationships with others, makes much-needed adjustments, and allows them to flourish.
Whenever Enneagram 8 personality type people are in relationships, they focus on understanding the importance of loyalty and independence. These people show complete dedication toward all those they love and offer protection from all kinds of harm. They love being with someone who challenges them to be their ultimate self. A perfect match for this individual will be someone who does not fail to express their needs regarding their love and life.
While playing the role of a friend, an Enneagram 8 person feels a sense of compulsion to remain independent at all costs. They yearn for friendships with those who respect their independence and are trustworthy. Eights look to avoid being vulnerable at any point in their life. Still, they require friendships where they can feel a sense of comfort. It is also necessary for them to feel safe while discussing their vulnerabilities with their friends.
When Eights play their roles as parents, they are leaders in the true sense of the term. They remain firm, making their children learn how to take personal responsibility. These parents also want their children to show accountability. Type Eight parents also want their children to know that they will always support them in all their endeavors.
An Enneagram 8 parent always encourages their children to stay tough while facing challenges. They take a relentless approach to pursuing their dreams. These parents even portray their courage, passion, self-confidence, and leadership abilities to build their children’s lives. Eights ensure their children enroll in self-defense classes to avoid being vulnerable.
Now, the time has come to discuss how Enneagram Eights maintain their relationships in different capacities as romantic partners, friends, and parents.
Enneagram 8 as a Romantic Partner
When Enneagram 8s are in love, even though they may not come as someone who openly expresses their emotions, still, they will fall in intense love with their partners in romantic relationships.
This person will remain fully committed to fulfilling their companion’s needs and demands. They will do everything possible to make things work out in their favor and win the other person’s heart. A type 8 person will care and work hard to make their partner feel good about themselves.
Type 8 will always support their partner, help solve all kinds of problems, and boost their morale when it is tough to get things going. Despite being with their partner, this enneagram person is also good at giving them sufficient space whenever required to help them gather their thoughts.
An ideal partner for the Challenger will be someone who can easily stand up to their standard but does not control their instincts.
Eights give immense value to in-depth conversations that can raise some spark inside their minds. These interactions with their partners will always help to keep their interest levels high. An enneagram eight needs a partner who can help them while expressing their emotions and sharing feelings.
As Challenger finds it tough to talk about their feelings with others. It happens to be one of their potential trouble spots or issues in their personality. They want someone with patience and understanding. Then their partners want them to know how eights care intensely and have different ways of communicating it to others.
Enneagram 8 as a Friend
When someone with an Enneagram 8 personality type is your friend, you must prove yourself to be a trustworthy individual. Only then will the type eight person develop the desired level of comfort to open up to them.
It is necessary for people who want to be friends with this individual to realize that they can sometimes become arrogant. They can raise their intensity level in no time. It happens if anyone tries to mess with their enneagram eight friend’s independence.
If the individual with the enneagram eight personality type is angry, as a friend, one must not lose their temper. It is important to give them sufficient space. Moreover, they must let them gather their thoughts. They should not forget to check with their enneagram eight friends if they hurt them earlier.
There is another important factor that a person who looks forward to strengthening their friendship must know. They must remain firm while dealing with challenges.
Enneagram Eights hates communicating with those who cannot focus on the point straight away but tend to beat around the bush. They even hate if any of their friends tend to show passive-aggression with them.
For friendships with enneagram eights to thrive, people must genuinely mean what they say. Enneagram Type Eight will also like to connect with people of similar intensities.
Enneagram 8 as a Parent
An Enneagram 8 individual as a parent always stays put in whatever they decide to do for their children. These parents make sure to let their children take complete responsibility for their lives.
Type Eight parents must take accountability for their actions. They have the natural ability to impose discipline in their children’s lives. Enneagram Eight parents will always offer support and encouragement to lift their children’s morale whenever they are down and out.
Still, they make sure to let their children know the reality of life. While doing so, they help them understand that life is all about the survival of the fittest. Hence, they must prepare themselves to be independent. They should also overcome all kinds of challenges, and finally achieve the desired level of success.
Enneagram Eights have the natural ability to maintain discipline in their lives. Even then, they tend to ignore weak or vulnerable areas in their personality. It turns out to be a significant issue when they are in the role of parenting and need to provide their children with some emotional assistance.
They must make an extra effort to address their emotional vulnerabilities. It is because they are not emotionally expressive. Due to their inability, they start treating sensitivity among children as a sign of weakness. Hence, an enneagram eight parent can easily ignore this issue among their youngsters and let them take care of it.
Enneagram 8 Compatibility with Other Enneagram Types
We have so far discussed in detail how an Enneagram 8 personality type individual meets various commitments in their personal lives for maintaining relationships.
The following enneagram compatibility chart would give us a better picture of the behavioral adjustments that crop up within Type 8s while forging relationships with other Enneagram types.
Let us now check out the details of this enneagram compatibility chart below –
| Enneagram Types | When Paired with 8 |
| Enneagram 1 | When an Enneagram 8 personality type individual gets into a relationship with Enneagram 1, they make for an energetic pair. They tend to show great hospitality and remain focused on their family. On the one hand, Enneagram 8 would help their Enneagram 1 partner experience passion and enjoyment in life.On the other hand, the Type 1 person will help their Type 8 counterpart realize the importance of showing respect and controlling their emotions. |
| Enneagram 2 | The relationship between Enneagram 8 and Enneagram 2 thrives on passion and high energy. They desire to have fun and express their compassion for fulfilling the needs of people around them. The Enneagram Type 8 individual helps their Type 2 partner acquire power and resistance, hence using them to good effect in life.On the other hand, the Type Two person makes their Type 8 counterpart learn the quality of being gentle. They play a significant role in softening their partner’s rough edges. Thus, they help them to become compassionate. |
| Enneagram 3 | If an Enneagram Type 8 individual is in a relationship with an Enneagram Type 3 person, it will create a lively, influential, and intense bond within themselves. Both partners are assertive and passionate. They never prevent themselves from pursuing whatever they want. The individual with an Enneagram 8 offers support and encouragement to let their Enneagram 3 partner fulfill their goals and objectives. Simultaneously, the Enneagram 3 person will always ensure that their Enneagram 8 counterpart feels mentally strong and gains respect from others. |
| Enneagram 4 | When an Enneagram Type 8 person builds a relationship with an Enneagram Type 4 individual, this couple expresses their extreme desire to protect people around them apart from their values and the relationship. The Enneagram 8 personality type brings to the relationship their ability to satisfy their Enneagram 4 partner’s craving for strength, practicality, and protection. While the Enneagram 4 personality type helps their Enneagram 8 counterpart experience the beauty of sensitivity and emotional vulnerability. |
| Enneagram 5 | An Enneagram Type 8 individual builds a relationship with an Enneagram Type 5 individual based on independence, assurance, and loyalty. These three aspects play crucial roles in making their partnership grow. The Enneagram 8 person helps their Enneagram 5 partner stay more in tune with their power and gut instinct. Thus, it allows them to fulfill their practical requirements. On the other hand, the Enneagram 5 individual assists their Enneagram 8 counterpart in becoming more watchful of the impact they create on others. They even make them realize the importance of slowing down their pace. Only then can they meet life’s requirements. |
| Enneagram 6 | The personality type pairing of Enneagram 8 and Enneagram 6 thrives on clear-cut communication and intense loyalty toward one another. These create a deep level of security as there is no need to spend time wondering what the other person is thinking. While on the one hand, the Type 8 person provides their Type 6 partner with clarity. They give them the ability to maintain transparency and make thoughtful decisions in their life. On the other hand, the Type 6 individual offers warmth and kindness to their Type 8 counterpart. Hence, they care for them and make them feel accepted. |
| Enneagram 7 | If Enneagram 8 pairs up with Enneagram 7 in a relationship, there will be intensity and dynamism. Both these individuals are assertive and tend to reject others’ suggestions vehemently. The Type 8 individual allows their Type 7 partner to remain rooted in reality. They make them pay close attention to practical aspects of life and concentrate on something that truly matters. On the other hand, the Type 7 person helps their Type 8 counterpart lighten things up and relax. It allows them to have loads of fun in life. |
| Enneagram 8 | When Enneagram 8s are in a relationship, they make for an energetic, passionate, compelling, and protective relationship. Even though both these individuals carry strong willpower, they create regions of safety for each other. Thus, they can relax and stay at ease. Their straightforward nature gives great comfort to both these individuals. They allow them to express feelings toward one another and display vulnerability without hesitation. These individuals will always engage themselves to adopt a lighter approach than an Enneagram 8 would do with others. |
| Enneagram 9 | The relationship between Enneagram 8 and Enneagram 9 thrives on devotion, eagerness, and dynamism. These individuals prioritize justice. They also value trust, respect, and fairness in their relationship. On the one hand, the Enneagram 8 person helps their Enneagram 9 partner realize their inner potential. They allow type nine to use their values to good effect and make them stand up for their right. Simultaneously, the Enneagram 9 personality type individual also helps their Enneagram 8 counterpart learn the art of withdrawing themselves from the limelight. Thus, they can relax and stay at ease. |
Final Words
We have discussed different ways through which an Enneagram 8 personality type individual undertakes their responsibilities and maintains them by playing the roles of a romantic partner, friend, and parent. These people are confident, strong, and always willing to assert themselves into doing what they feel is right and getting whatever they want in life.
These features come to light even while maintaining their relationships with others. Eights enjoy being with those romantic partners and friends who respect their independence, live up to their standards, and do not interfere with their style of living.
There is also a compatibility chart that we have compiled to give you an idea about the kinds of relationships Enneagram Type 8s share with all other Enneagram personality types. Generally, the trend is that Type Eight pairs well with Type Nine, while they are least compatible with Type Four. Hence, this chart can help Enneagram Eight understand how other types function.
