Typical Comments

"I like seeing success breed upon success."

"I've always been successful."

"I have a shelf full of empty trophies."

"I got pats on the back for doing well in school, and my parents made it clear what would be approved of."

Description

People who are Threes are often expansive go-getters. In organizations, they ensure high productivity. Formidable models for others, they are efficient and supremely goal-oriented; consequently, they tend to rise to the top in organizations, or to run their own companies.

What under-developed Threes personify for all of us is our image-making. They tend to self-promote, and can be perceived as showcasing themselves at the expense of others. Threes tend to look outward for their reflection in the eyes of others. Thus, their inner life can be lacking. Their driving force is vanity, which shows up as self-deception (e.g., convincing oneself that a failure to involve the team in a major business coup was not important because of the results achieved).

Development options include learning to collaborate instead of compete, clarifying their own values/developing internal criteria (vs. external validation), learning from failure, and accessing their feelings. A key development need is authenticity, speaking from the essential self and not through personality needs.

Case Description of a Three      Poems That Speak to Threes

Development Plan for a Three 

       Essay: "The Star Performer"       

Distinctions Among Enneagram Styles         All Nine Styles  

Much more in Out of the Box Coaching Book
(Click here for free preview of Three chapter)
 

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