9 Enneagram Types for Web Designers

“The Enneagram is an archetypal framework that offers a powerful roadmap to personal awareness. The 9 styles represent the different lenses through which we tend to view the world, and that guide how we think, feel and act.” –Jessica Uys

I have a special treat for you today! I invited Enneagram specialist Jessica Uys to give us the lowdown on web designers and their Enneagram work style. I discovered my type more than 12 years ago (I’m a Nine through and through) and it was such an eye opener and quite life-changing. There are many personality typing systems out there, like Myers Briggs for instance, but I have found the Enneagram to be the one I relate to the most.

For a quick free Enneagream test click here.

Exploring your Web Designer style through the lens of the Enneagram

The Enneagram is a powerful roadmap for personal and professional growth. When learning about ourselves through the lens of our type, we gain useful insight into our core motivation and unique way of seeing the world. This can help us see where we might be using more of our strengths or where we might be tripping ourselves up.

Which type do you resonate with? Here’s a short overview of the 9 types and how each might be showing up for web designers.

Type 1: The Strict Perfectionist

1s have a very clear sense of right and wrong. They are incredibly disciplined, have strong ethics and work with high levels of integrity. Because of this, they’re likely to hold themselves to impossible standards of perfection. They could stay up all night fine-tuning their design, making it just that much better. And of course, tomorrow they’re likely to find even more that can be improved. They’ll never really feel like it’s done perfectly, so they need to be aware of the extent to which they exhaust themselves in the process. As experts in their field, they may also have a tendency to discount other people’s views, believing that their way is the correct way. This could lead to some tricky client situations, for example interpreting feedback from their clients as criticism, or being unwilling to bend the rules a little to suit the needs of the brief.

1s will deliver their best work when they combine their high integrity and desire to do things right with a light-hearted approach that lets them have fun while they’re doing it.

1’s, we love that you have such high standards but you’re being so hard on yourself and this project needs to get finished. Now’s the time to laser-focus only on what truly matters. You’re still knocking it out the park.

Type 2: The Considerate Helper

2s are strongly relationship-focused, their primary concern being the extent to which the needs of others are being met. Because of this, they’re likely to place their client’s needs above their own and may struggle putting firm boundaries in place. So the client changes their mind and requires yet another rework? No problem, our 2s won’t let you down. The client asks for more than you were contracted to do? It’s okay, you weren’t busy anyway. With their natural ability to take care of others, they can find themselves over-giving and over-delivering as a way of feeling liked or relied on. The downside is that their own needs go ignored and they may even find themselves walking away from long-term partnerships, finally done with not being appreciated.

2s will deliver their best work when they combine their gift of empathy and client relationships with their ability to stand firmly in their own personal power.

2s, we love how well you care for your clients but if you want to build a sustainable business you don’t end up resenting, remember your own needs and create better boundaries around them.

Type 3: The Competitive Achiever

3s are all about goals, productivity and getting the job done smartly. They’re usually very driven and want to feel accomplished and successful at everything they do. Because of this, they may find themselves constantly in a space of “doing”, rather than sitting back and thinking about what they want for their business, both strategically and emotionally. After all, a successful person is a busy person. If the goal is to deliver 2 sites a month, they might just go for 5. And because they want to succeed, they may also have a tendency to move quickly in the direction of whatever’s hot right now, without first considering how this aligns with their bigger goals.

3s will deliver their best work when they combine their gift of delivering high-impact work with their ability to build authentic relationships at the same time.

3s, we love how determined you are to make this business a success, but this is a marathon, not a sprint. Slow down to think about what you really want, rather than what your competition is doing.

Type 4: The Intense Creative

4s are known for their creative, intuitive and authentic view of the world. As designers, they’re likely to do a superb job of tuning into the meaning behind their client’s website so they can present a true and nuanced depiction. They place high value on uniqueness so will work hard to produce work that isn’t run-of-the-mill and may even want to put their own signature on it, too. Because they’re so driven by depth, beauty and meaning, they may find themselves struggling to take on jobs that feel too superficial, or that feel in conflict with their personal values. And, because they rely so much on their feelings, they may find themselves waiting for inspiration to strike, before moving forward on a client project.

4s will deliver their best work when they’re able to combine their natural need for alignment and meaning with a pragmatic approach to getting the job done.

4s, we admire your creativity and desire to bring beauty into all you do, but don’t wait forever for the ‘right’ inspiration to strike. Sometimes you just have to go ahead and work with your client to get the job done.

Type 5: The Quiet Specialist

5s are analytical thinkers, enamored with knowledge and information. As designers they’re in their element working in a quiet, private and boundaried way, headphones on and notifications off. Because they’re so fascinated with their field, they’re often interested in the tech or process side of the job and can spend hours in their research cave, digging a little deeper, learning a little more. Focused on logic, facts and figures, 5s might underestimate the importance of building personal connections with their clients and the emotional aspect of how people respond to their work. In keeping to themselves, they may even find their client relationships a little awkward. Wanting to be experts in their craft, they can easily slip into analysis paralysis, over-researching new territories before even starting the task.

5s will deliver their best work when they’re able to combine their thoughtful, informed approach with the ability to trust their gut response and take faster action.

5s, we have huge respect for your expertise, but you really don’t have to feel pressured to have all the answers. By giving yourself permission to not know and to move forward anyway, you may be surprised at what opens up.

Type 6: The Loyal Skeptic

6s are natural scenario planners who like to look at things from multiple angles. Because they’re hardwired to anticipate how things will or won’t work out, they have a deep need to understand. Their clients may think they’re being difficult, overly challenging or even pessimistic, but they’re thinking about the risks and outcomes the rest of us wouldn’t. By getting clear on what’s needed and what’s realistically possible, they then feel solid enough to get on and deliver the job really well. 6s can be quite skeptical until they know they can trust, so might find themselves being a little tentative in the way they go about co-working and relating. Their curious minds can also mean endless options (this template, or that one? This colour or that one?) which could delay them from taking action. After all, there are always alternative ways to solve this.

6s will deliver their best work when they combine their desire for clear instructions with a confidence in their own ability to do the job well.

6s, we really value your enquiring mind and love that you’re able to think of the things we don’t. But you’re causing yourself endless worry and holding yourself up in the process. Now’s the time for trust.

Type 7: The Enthusiastic Visionary

7s are optimistic, fast-paced and future-oriented. Because of this, they’re likely to share a whirlwind of new ideas, rapidly moving to the world of possibility and taking their clients along with their energy. They’re quick to conceptualise exciting new options, using vision boards or Pinterest to express their big thoughts, and feeling frustrated when others don’t share their dreams. As quickly as their spirits rise, so can they fizzle out. 7s tend to lose interest after the initial thrill has worn off, finding it difficult to follow through on the more tedious aspects of getting the job done. After all, there are more interesting in things to come – new clients to meet! New websites to create! They might find themselves working on too many things at once, side-tracked by intriguing new interests or business opportunities and overpromising what they can deliver to their clients. Their view: why would you limit your options when there’s so much variety and fun to be had?

7s will deliver their best work when they combine their natural enthusiasm and visionary gifts with the discipline of routine and structure.

7s, we love your natural optimism and visions but you’re spreading yourself too thin. Freedom doesn’t always mean new options and fresh ideas. There’s power in simplifying and staying the course.

Type 8: The Active Controller

8s are strong, assertive and in control. They’re action-takers, moving swiftly and directly to get things done, often at an intensity others find intimidating. They’re good at seeing the big picture, their gut leading them to know the right direction, and then boom! They make it happen! They’ll likely find drive in even the most challenging of situations and are comfortable standing their ground and having tough conversations. Because they have a natural aura of authority, they can sometimes move too quickly for their clients and have to be mindful of taking them along in their decision-making. Their natural strength can feel a little overwhelming for some and their no-nonsense direct manner may mean their clients aren’t always aware of just how much they care and just how loyal they truly are.

8s will do their best work when they combine their ability to take quick and direct action with the space to pause and ponder and to lean into a deeper empathy for others.

8s, we admire how strong and gutsy you are but you don’t have to do it all alone. You’re surrounded by people who’re willing to step in and offer support, if you’d just be willing to let go of the reigns for a bit.

Type 9: The Adaptive Peacemaker

9s are collaborative, easy-going and focused on keeping the peace. Because they’re so supportive, relatable and easy to be around, they’re a pleasure to work with and they give us the sense that everything’s going to be okay. Even with that crazy deadline! Not wanting to inconvenience or burden others, they seldom show their stress on the surface, choosing an “it’s fine” approach rather than causing disruption. This can mean 9s end up saying yes to projects they’d rather say no to or taking on too much work, all the while wishing they’d stayed out of it in the first place. In their desire to not rock the boat, 9s can end up keeping quiet about challenges or problems with the project or client relationship, bottling their own inner needs and hiding their brewing anger. After all, it’s easier to just go with the flow.

9s will do their best work when they combine their collaborative, easy-going nature with their ability to intuit the way forward and then drive to make it happen.

9s, we love how easy you are to work with, but you’re losing your voice in the process. Sharing your thoughts now will save a lot of difficulty down the track instead of creating the conflict you’re trying to avoid.

9 Enneagram Types for Web Designers