Every human being contains a mix of some great qualities and drawbacks in their personality. The strengths & weaknesses of enneagram 8 points toward all those conflicting features that make them unique among all other enneagram types. Do you wish to know your enneagram type? Then, take the most popular enneagram test, the Riso-Hudson Enneagram Type Indicator. This personality test would help reveal the perfect result.
Enneagram 8 personality types are those who possess a high level of energy, willpower, and intensity. They show their toughness and immense strength of character for overcoming even some of the stringent challenges.
These people love getting into confrontations with others. Eights must build on their strong points and overcome their drawbacks. It can help them make full use of their potential.
In this post, we will discuss the strengths & weaknesses of enneagram 8 to make sure that you get a better understanding.
Strengths & Weaknesses of Enneagram 8
The strengths & weaknesses of enneagram 8 refer to the good qualities and blind spots that play their roles in making up this personality type.
People with enneagram 8 personality types carry natural confidence and aura for fulfilling responsibilities. Their positivity remains at such a level that they simply cannot take a no for an answer from anyone around them. They have the natural ability to lead and make others follow their instructions for the fulfillment of goals. These people express their opinions in an honest and straightforward manner.
An enneagram type 8 personality is a challenger in the true sense of the term. They carry great ability toward inspiring strength and patience among others. These people have the potential to push themselves through all kinds of hurdles.
Now, the all-or-nothing approach of eights often seems quite intimidating to others. Another weakness that exists among these individuals is they find it extremely hard for them to accept they are wrong.
It is now time to discuss the various kinds of strengths and weaknesses of enneagram 8 to make things clear about this personality type. They will help reveal newer perspectives for others to understand them better –
5 Strengths of Enneagram 8
The Enneagram model comprises nine different personality types. Each type has its specific set of strengths and weaknesses. They tend to appear mostly under those scenarios where all these individuals have to handle favorable or unfavorable situations.
The positive qualities and blind spots which lie inside the personality of an Enneagram 8 also crop up far more prominently when they need to tackle individuals from various cultures across a wide range of professional networks.
Enneagram type 8s always desire to lead their lives independently. They resist being indebted to others. These people love being self-sufficient in all respects of life. Eights do not bother about social conventions and devise their unique way of conducting themselves in front of society.
Apart from this, they even defy all shame, fear, and worries about the results of all their actions. Even though they remain aware of what people opine about them, still, they do not let those opinions divert their attention from the goal they set for themselves.
The strengths of the enneagram 8 personality type individual are as follows –
1. Carries the Ability to Express Themselves Under All Situations
It is not always convenient for individuals to express their viewpoints across different situations in their lives. The situation is different for Enneagram 8s. These people have the innate potential to inspire and lead others on the right path. They can act with promptness and in a decisive manner.
Therefore, they can easily manage to express their ideas and opinions under different circumstances. This, their straightforward approach and not hiding stuff from others can assist them in tackling tricky situations of life in the most effective manner.
2. Lead People to Their Glory
Enneagram 8 personality type people possess the innate ability to lead. They can thrive under challenging scenarios and become assertive in carrying out leadership roles. These individuals have a great level of confidence, tend to be resourceful, and are completely fearless in their approach toward life.
It is commonly found that eights often lead others to perform their tasks and responsibilities, thereby resulting in success. Their effective way to lead others toward success can help them get the best out of themselves and maximize their talent as individuals.
3. Offer Protection to Others and Defend Themselves
People with Enneagram 8 personality types always try to defend their stance and protect several other individuals from any sort of justice. They will go to any extent to defend themselves against all odds. Hence, eights stay safe under different circumstances.
These people have the great ability to back those whom people do not treat with much importance. One can always expect enneagram type 8 people to protect those they feel will have problems in saving themselves from this cruel world. Eights tend to defend themselves by avoiding any vulnerability and weaknesses.
4. Makes Decisions Using Their Logic
An enneagram 8 person enjoys taking concrete action and moving forward to fulfill their objectives in life. They can do so due to their decisive approach and for having the ability to remain upfront. These people never hide their true personalities. As they love taking challenges, Eights put up brave faces no matter what happens in their course of life.
They are not those who will get swayed away by emotions. Challengers will always use logic to think through situations and then come up with their opinions for guiding others toward their desired objectives.
The ideal thing that an enneagram 8 does is that they do the same without making compromises on their freedom and independence. It is applicable even in those situations when they must advise others about how they must conduct themselves in order to tackle certain situations.
5. Direct Their Energy Toward Productive Activities
Enneagram 8s are energetic in their approach. They know how to use their energy toward taking those responsibilities that will help them fulfill their personal and professional goals. It also enables them to get the best out of people working under them and lead those individuals toward progress.
This does not let them get bogged down in any situation. Their spirits are always high, which makes these eights make decisions on impulse and face challenges.
5 Weaknesses of Enneagram 8
In the previous segment, we talked of the strengths that an enneagram 8 possesses in its personality. Now, it is quite evident that human beings are not perfect individuals. Hence, there are bound to be some blind spots or weaknesses present within them as well.
They act as obstacles in their path to success. Therefore, it is important to recognize their weaknesses, work on them and convert all of those into strengths. Doing so can help them achieve their goals and thus lead meaningful lives. Let us now discuss the weaknesses that exist inside this personality.
1. Intimidates People in the First Instance
Enneagram type 8 personality individuals look extremely intimidating. Therefore, all those people who are meeting them for the first time can easily get scared of them. They might think twice before saying something in the fear of getting an unfavorable reaction from their end.
Apart from this, these people have the natural tendency to look for power and control for leading others toward success in life. They can push through the toughest of situations and make people mentally strong to overcome all kinds of challenges with flying colors. Enneagram 8s would get rid of all hurdles which try to stem their flow of moving ahead in their quest for meeting life’s objectives.
2. Tends to Disregard Others’ Opinions
People with enneagram 8 personality types always take a firm stand on any problem they require to address. We all know that they can make prompt decisions. Hence, they are perfectly suitable for making the right decisions at the right time.
This approach can also make a type eight person arrogant. They can feel that there is absolutely no need to consult others before making decisions. The habit of not consulting people and taking their ideas can create differences in their relationships.
3. They Do Not Obey Rules and Regulations
Enneagram 8s love to lead in their lives. These people enjoy directing others on what to do and guiding them toward adopting ways through which they can perform their responsibilities in the best possible manner. They are ready to offer their assistance and make others attain success.
Even though they have this quality, Eights face extreme difficulties in following rules and regulations. They always intend to follow their thought patterns and make appropriate decisions.
4. Show Their Authoritative Approach Even Under Inappropriate Situations
There are occasions when an Enneagram 8’s fascination to lead can cross permissible limits and hurt people’s feelings and sentiments. They can become the center of attraction in all those situations when the situation is not appropriate and does not require their interference.
It tends to upset others and make them suffer from an inferiority complex. People might start feeling as if enneagram 8s are all in all, whereas they are of no use. Their existence in this world has no purpose. All these thoughts create a negative image of an enneagram 8 inside their minds.
5. Enneagram 8s Make Their Territories
An Enneagram 8 leader may not like their subordinates working remotely. They do not like anyone staying confined to their world and not interacting with them for fulfilling responsibilities.
Due to this reason, these people might often invade others’ privacy presuming they have everything under their control. These people feel that it is their right to know whatever is happening in others’ lives.
Personality Growth Tips for Enneagram 8
It is natural for any individual to have strong points and some weak links in their personality. Therefore, there are strengths & weaknesses of Enneagram 8s as well. Ideally, these people must invest sufficient time and energy toward getting rid of their weak links for attaining growth and development.
Growth in one’s personality takes place only when a person focuses on doing those activities that take them toward overall development. They can attain the same by bringing about improvements in their talents and skills that are lying within them. It also makes them realize different ways that can help them become better individuals.
When an enneagram 8 undergoes the phase of growth in their personality, they tend to acquire the healthy traits of the enneagram 2 personality types. It denotes that they start showing warmth and affection toward others.
They give due importance by paying heed to people’s feelings and sentiments. There is readiness within these individuals to listen to others’ opinions and, if it seems feasible, can accept them and take appropriate actions.
It is time to discuss some tips that these people must abide by to grow and attain the desired level of development in their personalities. The following tips will even make them understand how they can improve their skills to achieve satisfaction and happiness.
1. Introspect the Feelings and Sentiments Before Making Any Decision
Enneagram 8 belongs to the body-based type. They have the natural habit of taking control of situations and playing the role of leadership. Their energy level is high and carries out all their responsibilities with great intensity. It is common for these people to act in an instinctive manner on whatever they feel is right and not bother about how others would feel.
This tendency of theirs can lead to impulsive decisions that they take without putting sufficient thought into them. Enneagram 8s, for growth, must resist reacting on impulse. They can take some time to think through their feelings, thoughts, and sentiments before going ahead to act. Doing so can make them avoid the occurrences of a lot of problems moving forward.
2. Treat Vulnerability as a Strength and Not a Weakness
People with enneagram eight personality types consider their vulnerable and raw emotions as things that pull them backward in their lives. They always feel that having these elements in their personality makes them weak. Unfortunately, the reality is not what they presume it to be.
Growth can occur only when they learn to identify the values in these aspects of their personality. When eights are vulnerable in their approach, they get to connect far more deeply with other individuals and go on to attain their higher selves.
3. Recognize the Limits Inside Their Personality
Eights, being energetic, have the habit of frequently pushing themselves toward their limits and being completely unaware they are doing so. This might easily cause them to unknowingly push other people to test their limits also. It can result in their relationships turning out to be a complete mess.
Therefore, enneagram 8 personalities must give more time and attention to their emotional and mental states. They should also allow themselves to get sufficient rest and come out of their problems whenever needed.
4. Put Effort to Give and Receive Love More Openly
Enneagram Eights manage to view others as those who are either with or against them. It can make things difficult for them to develop deep and genuine relationships.
Doubts start creeping within them regarding whether the love they are receiving has some hidden motive behind it. Thus, they also refrain from showing similar kinds of love and affection.
Things can significantly improve if an enneagram eight person gets rid of their inhibitions and remains open toward freely exchanging love between one another. They must make a conscious effort to give and receive love. They must understand that not everything in this life must be earned.
5. Allow Others to Take Charge Sometimes
An Enneagram 8 makes a great leader due to its commanding presence and straightforward approach. Still, there are occasions when these people must take a step back and allow a trusted person to pick up the gauntlet.
Eights must understand those moments when they can let others take control over the proceedings. They must have the confidence to give people the requisite freedom to make those decisions that are appropriate for making themselves happy in life.
This, in turn, will help an enneagram eight focus on carrying out some other responsibilities, to which they have not been paying attention all this while and help them attain growth.
Final Words
Despite having these strong attributes, eights also possess some weaknesses in their personality. Those weak links or blind spots act as obstacles, which drag them back whenever they try to move ahead in life.
Their most significant drawback is the feeling of being superior to others and hence, only they are capable of leading. They do not give importance to emotions and feelings.
These people can grow only if they understand that every human being has some qualities within them that they can implement to lead in life. Moreover, they should think, see things from others’ perspectives, and make decisions to attain the necessary growth and development in life.
