ENFJ Enneagram

The different Enneagram types have a significant impact on how ENFJs express their personalities. This is known as the ENFJ enneagram.

I. The overview of ENFJ enneagram

It is critical to remember that the MBTI and the Enneagram are two distinct systems that explain two distinct aspects of our thought processes and behavioral tendencies. The MBTI, for the most part, attempts to explain information orientation and communication through cognitive functions, whereas the Enneagram attempts to explain the underlying dynamics that motivate us toward our desires and away from our fears. 

To put it bluntly, Enneagram guides us toward our wants and needs, whereas MBTI equips us with the tools to orient and communicate those wants and needs, both to ourselves and to others.

However, there are some strong correlations between the MBTI and the Enneagram, which has resulted in some unfortunate stereotypes and misunderstandings that may alienate many people who read about either system. 

To put it another way, we try to explain too much of our desires through MBTI and too much of our expression and communication style through the Enneagram, based on what I call the MBTI Enneagram overlap. If you have a not-so-common MBTI and Enneagram pairing, you may feel that neither system adequately describes you, because these two tests place far too much emphasis on the stereotypes that high correlations imply.

When we look at one‟s personality type and the nine possible enneagram types that could pair with it, we have a great opportunity to better understand ourselves!

Not sure what your personality type is? Take the official MBTI here.

The different Enneagram types have a significant impact on how ENFJs express their personalities. Each Enneagram type produces a unique type of ENFJ. This is due to the fact that each Enneagram type influences how the ENFJ uses their Fe.

When we combine these factors, the result is something far more comprehensive than the simple factor of "caring about people," which is a misnomer based on a misunderstanding of the definition of the word "extroversion." 

To distinguish between social attitude and mental perspective, Jung's definition is spelled 'extraversion.' Fe is defined much more broadly and literally as "feeling-based reasoning oriented outwardly." As a result, our Enneagram type has a strong influence on how we express our Fe. 

While the MBTI type indicates our perspectives, the Enneagram reveals our motivations. For ENFJs, this means that our Enneagram type will flavor the focus of our Fe because our motivations influence our outward feelings.

People with the ENFJ enneagram strive to keep their inner peace as well as the peace and harmony of their surroundings.

They are curious about all types of people and may be able to relate to people of all personality types.

Instead, for greater privacy, personal time will be spent only with those who are equally sensitive and share their values.

Occurrence frequency of ENFJ enneagram:

• Most common: Type 2 (42%);

• Usual: Type 3, Type 4 and Type 9;

• Rare: Type 1, Type 6, Type 7 and Type 8;

• Impossible: Type 5.

II. The ENFJ Enneagram with 9 Types

1. ENFJ enneagram Type 1 

Fe manifests most strongly in this type as a sense of right and wrong, of how things should be. We see Fe's desire to control the user's environment and apply ideological truth more than Fe's desire to care about others in this type. The ENFJ enneagram type 1 is commonly 1w2.

2. ENFJ enneagram Type 2  

This is the most popular type for ENFJs, so it's no surprise that Fe manifests as concern and care for others. (Type 2 with one wing: 13%; Type 2 with three wings: 87% )

Because this combination is so common, Enneagram Type 2 sensibilities are included in many standard descriptions of ENFJs. If you are an Enneagram type other than ENFJ, this will explain why some of the ENFJ description isn't quite accurate for you.

The majority of ENFJ respondents identified 2 as their Enneagram type. Given that the type 2 ENFJ enneagram is highly correlated with the ENFJ's dominant function extroverted feeling, it's no surprise that the majority of them identified their Enneagram type as such.

Type 2 ENFJs are outgoing, sociable, and friendly people. They are usually very involved in charity work or other helping professions and are very active members of their community.

As intuitive-auxiliary types, the ENFJ will seek to help those around them not only in a practical sense, but also on a deep emotional level. They will make an effort to get others to open up to them about their vulnerabilities and struggles in order to assist them in sorting through their complex emotional problems.

The type 2 ENFJ enneagram believes that they are only worthy insofar as they are helpful to others. They are constantly shifting from feelings of worthlessness to feelings of love, verification, and recognition. In nature, they are most similar to their sensing cousin-type, the ESFJ.

3. ENFJ enneagram Type 3 

Fe manifests as a sense of how things should be and the motivation to make them so. There is also a clear sense of where the individual should be socially, as well as an expectation of how others will react. ENFJs of type 3 are frequently 3w2 (Type 3 with a 2 wing: 56 percent; Type 3 with a 4 wing: 44 percent.)

A sizable proportion of ENFJs identified as type 3 on the Enneagram. Though this type is primarily associated with the cognitive function of extroverted thinking, it is entirely possible for an extroverted-feeling dominant type to internalize the values of their community in such a way that they adopt type 3 characteristics.

ENFJs with type 3 are highly organized, motivated, and goal-oriented. They are bright and charming, and they use their interpersonal skills to naturally rise to positions of leadership. These ENFJs will take special pride in being role models for others. They are likely to be well-known and well-respected members of their community.

At their core, type 3 ENFJs believe that they are only worthy insofar as they are successful in the eyes of others. They are constantly striving to shift from feelings of worthlessness to feelings of impressiveness and achievement. They are most similar to the ENTJ, their thinking-dominant cousin type.

This type is an outlier in this discussion because it does not appear to correlate strongly with just one (set) of cognitive functions. Instead, it appears to be related to both Ne and Ni, as well as Te and Fe. As a result, ENTJs, (male) ENFJs, and ENTPs appear to be commonly typed as Enneagram 3, despite the fact that ENTJs are far ahead of the rest. 

Not many introverts appear to correlate with Enneagram type 3, which may explain why so many descriptions of 3s emphasize their extroverted behavior. Enneagram 3 is motivated by a desire to be admired, which may cause both ENTJs and ENFJs to adapt their behavior and personality to fit the situation.

The ENTJ accomplishes this through learned behavior (Te-drive), whereas the ENFJ accomplishes this by "reading" the room and changing accordingly (Fe-drive). Separating ENFJ and ENTJ type 3 behavior can be difficult in some cases. 

This explains why, according to many Enneagram 3 descriptions, they frequently adapt their "presentation" of themselves based on the perceived audience. It may also explain why many ENFJs are described as "social chameleons," whereas ENTJs try to impress through memorized pick-up lines and interesting stories.

4. ENFJ enneagram Type 4 

Fe manifests as a self-centered sense of how things should be for the individual as well as their environment, emphasizing aesthetics, conventions, and their individual tastes. These ENFJs can be very elitist and have strong feelings about these issues. Type 4 ENFJs have a particularly strong Ni, which can lead to confusion with INFJs or INFPs.

5. ENFJ enneagram Type 5 

These ENFJs are quite rare, but when they manifest as type 5, these ENFJs are very concerned with what they know to be correct and incorrect, as well as their desire to be useful to the people they care about. Type 5 ENFJs frequently have a high Ti.

6. ENFJ enneagram Type 6 

These ENFJs demonstrate their Fe through a well-balanced mix of concern for others, social status, security, loyalty, ideology, and physical environment. This is a less common ENFJ Enneagram type, but it is the most balanced use of Fe, focusing on everything Fe is used for in a fairly even manner.

7. ENFJ enneagram Type 7 

Fe manifests itself as a whirlwind of concern for others fueled by a desire to have fun. ENFJs are the life and soul of the party. While other Type 7s can be very self-serving in their pursuit of fun, excitement, and happiness, ENFJ 7s use their Fe to ensure that everyone else is having a good time as well. ENFJ 7s are similar to lively 2s in some ways.

8. ENFJ enneagram Type 8 

Because of a need for justice in an unjust world, these ENFJs primarily manifest Fe's need for right and wrong and to control their environment. Fe's sense of how things should be includes self sufficiency, character strength, and independence, which may appear contradictory to Fe's standard definition. ENFJ 8s almost always have a high Se and are frequently 8w9s.

9. ENFJ enneagram Type 9 

Through Fe's sense of how things should be, Fe manifests as a desire for harmony in the environment. Things should be in order for an ENFJ 9. Right and wrong, caring for others, and environmental control are all important, but they pale in comparison to the need for harmony. ENFJ 9s are frequently 9w1s.