Distinguishing E1 From The Head Center

E1 and Compliant - Aggressive - What does that mean?

Enneagram 1 is compliant - aggressive. In short this means the E1 follows the given set of practices of how things are done (compliant to a set of principles), and sticks to the right way to do things. They go after what they want, aggressively. They are do-ers. To accomplish this they need to suppress feelings, self-effacement and other soft heart issues and therefore do not respond much to image/shame concerns, and have lack of feeling-based intelligence. This is an inversion of the Enneagram 3, the aggressive-compliant.

Compliant Action

When describing the E1 as compliant action, this means they act in a strict, set way. There is little to no give for any other way to go about something, and almost no adaptability to circumstances (the level of this resistance-to-adapt is dependent on the level of retentiveness of the particular E1).

This does not mean they necessarily behave socially appropriately, lawfully, civilly, or any other high and mighty 'good' way. The E1 sets his/her own principles. This set of principles may coincide with societal principles, but it also may not. The salient feature is the 'written in stone' quality of the principles. Another way to look at this is that E1s are rote. This makes them, especially in the most fixated state, one of the most consistent personality types. To push an analogy, "Like the train that always runs on time, you can set your watch by him."
Or like no alarms and no surprises please.

They find the best way, in their mind, to do something and thereafter it becomes their standard automatic way. This is why 1s are defined as being rigid. No deviating from course for them.

"For example, the 1 is the compliant-aggressive, whereas the 3 is the aggressive-compliant, which is often difficult to distinguish." [1]
Same combination, yet plays out in a different manner. The 3 adapts, aggressively going about their goal, rather than going about their goal in a by-the-manual-only manner. Threes will be smooth and change course in pursuit of their goal.

E1 - not adaptive, can have tunnel vision



Blocked Thinking

The thinking center is the non-action center. It is about deliberation, options, second thoughts, permutations, what-ifs, etc. It is the center of creativity in the mind. The mind and head space is the great unknown. 1s do not want to dwell there, in my estimation. But, mostly, it runs counter to their need to do and be in control, not only of themselves (retentiveness), but also of the outside world. Thus, there is a repression of deliberation in favour of whatever needs to get done.

The Enneagram 1 has a line of connection to the head center at point 7. It's my observation that most 1s have a demonizing, negative tension to this point, as it counters their basic typology, taking into account MBTI and other typologies. They do not tend to have the natural inclination or natural talent to synthesise great amounts of disparate data, lack divergent thinking ability, and are generally not given to creative and inventive thinking. There are obviously those who do create and are Enneagram 1s. I would contend they are the minority and have a rare personality combination. E1s generally tend to gravitate toward technical, administrative, managerial, banking, accounting, auditing, the more administrative side legal professions or record keeping type jobs, like transcriptionist, archivists, laboratory work for the more scientific ones, certain skilled trades/crafts or guild occupations for the more sensory detailed ones.

The thinking of 1s can get trapped in routine; specifically, in doing things over and over to the point of compulsive repetition in a self indulgent and subsuming of thinking manner. This can look incredibly-like anxiety, which I believe it is a form of anxiety. However, rather than being fear based, in my estimation, it is a channeling of an angry neurotic response to the frustrated critical ego needing to prove itself right/competent.



Aggressive Emotion

Enneagram 1 is connected to the heart center at Enneagram point 4. So, you have a person who in rote fashion goes aggressively after what they want, in order to do/accomplish tasks in the most perfect/best way possible, to them. There is a distortion that happens in which the E1 believes he/she is the only One who knows the way to do a task flawlessly. Emotional reactions occur when they come into contact with being less than perfect, the possibility of making a mistake, or they perceive someone else as not doing things the right way and wrath occurs.

This wrath is an emotional volcano that erupts, mostly due to the tense connection to self effacement, feeling center and emotional intelligence in general. Emotions are sublimated into the drive to do. The way it shows up in an Enneagram 1 is by way of the connection to 4 and envy.

Enneagram 4 takes up an envious role of uniqueness to spite the feeling of rejection and get fascinated by beauty; beauty in the ugliness. In this sense there is an anger - envy/hate line from 1 to 4, when the 1 feels.

"They want perfection in all areas of their life and can be demanding taskmasters in the pursuit of such, as all the many wrecks are strewn out in front of them. They have high standards for both themselves and others and let themselves down when they feel partially responsible for something that falls short of their own standards."

In my estimation, "the standards", whatever they may consist of, to whatever particular E1, and this can vary, are not the salient feature, since they can be arbitrary, and this is what the E1 misses when fixated and unconscious; their own subjectivity. The standards are the excuse, a chosen 'procedural that was not adhered to' for the underlying rage that the 1 feels.

In my observation, the E1 character does not in truth care that much about the outcome being perfect, since perfect implies a Godly kind of unattainable by human hands beauty. They want it to be Right. And right to an E1 means right ACTION. Not Perfect Outcome.

This is where envy comes into play. It is possible to have a masterpiece, a beautiful work of art, or other achievement, purely by folly, by a gift, by fluke, by inspiration, by divine intervention, if you will, by playing and messing around and just coming up with it. Sometimes perfection is just born of inspiration. An E1 connection to 4 absolutely hates this idea. They despise and envy the very notion that messy nature can create beauty and that is what causes their rage. To an E1, you must work in this way:


Insert Tab 'A' into Slot 'B'

Do not deviate.

[1] Karen Horney and the Enneagram by Katherine Chernick-Fauvre

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Comparing E1 to the Head Types

E5 is withdrawn - withdrawn

This is the archetypal recluse from life. Enneagram 5 is the person who takes a lifetime to write a genius level new theory or an opus or someone who might be the family or local historian who devotes their entire life to studying, documenting a history, or an in depth scientific or sociological study. Jane Goodall is a good example of E5 in action. Enneagram fives can be idiosyncratic and odd given their feelings of otherness from the world, and almost complete retraction into head space. Therefore, a more studious, E1 can superficially resemble type 5, particularly 5w6 which tends toward a methodical style. However the methodical style, belies the double head ability to stay with and excel at intricate trains of thought. Thinking is over-expressed and honed as a skill. In my estimations 5w6 is the type most found pursuits as abstract thought, such as philosophies, metaphysics, studying by intricate observation, such as zoological analysis, medical, archeological, investigating in detail such as genetic research specialists.

As for the agency and drives of E5 and E1, they have not much in common. E5 has long range details-oriented patience with thinking. E1 is impatient and subsumes thinking into a mechanical operation, whereby the procedural doing, the action is the pay-off.


E5 is blocked action. E1 is in the action center.


E5 is resigned thought and emotion. They are the non-lively types of the enneagram, as far as outward expression, with the exception of their area of thinking focus. Everything is inside in the world of a 5. They might create or write brilliant other-worldly stories, come up with brilliant and/or creative or solutions or theories, but in person they are removed to the inside in their own world, hidden like a turtle in it's shell. Absolutely not like the expression of a 1 who must go outwardly against. Resignation is about giving up, handing in your letter to say you have had enough from the place/world/wherever. There is inordinate fear of being able to cope. Thus thought and feelings are kept locked up.

E5 is the over-thinker. E1 doesn't think that much. They want a simple solution.


E7 is aggressive -withdrawn

There are 1s that can superficially look like a 7, particularly, I would say, E1 with a higher social instinct and 1w2s. In my estimation you will find these often as self employed business owners, entrepreneurs and other types of bosses. They tend take charge. Either that, or they insist on taking over or refuse to oblige and take part, since that would entail loss of control for the E1. An E1 instinctively objects to being lead by someone else. This messes with their need for control and having to follow their own procedure. On the high side, this can account for the E1s, who have compassion and are integrated, to have an inspiring ability to stand firm as conscientious objectors in to injustice. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is an example of such.

They can seem very people-oriented. However, for many of this people are a means to an end. An integrated E1 who has broken through to the feeling self effacement center, would more truthfully humanitarian. For the average E1, interpersonal control is the norm. As managers they can be highly skilled at getting what they want from employees or clients. E1s with more adaptability than the average 1, can manipulate by understanding people's drives and using that as a tool. They can be charming and gregarious and all this can make them look like a possible 7. However, if you look at the gears driving them, there is something quite different.

Sevens want joy; the spark of inspiration of the light bulb over their head and always something to look forward to. When they don't get it, they feel robbed and sad. Ones want a paper full of check marks down the bottom line. When they don't get it, someone is going to pay!
E7 will aggressively go after their desires, that means full out in any means, and in many directions. They can multi-task and will try many options. There is a 'got to get my hands into everything' way to their drive. With E1 there is only one correct road. Compare that to the compliant action of E1 described above. Tab 'A' Slot 'B'.

E7 has blocked feeling while E1 Aggressive Emotion. This means that E7 is afraid of feelings and E1 uses emotion in a focused aggressive manner. Because E7 is often considered expressive and outgoing, this gets mistakenly translated as being emotional. The inspiring and uplifting drive of E7 is a thinking thing; not emotional. The only true emotion that drives the 'up' of E7 is fear or even more precisely dread. E7 is in fact avoidant of feelings and will block, run away and hide from them, as opposed to using them aggressively. The aggression of 7s when in stress, has a distinct, "Take your garbage and get the @^%@%% out!" quality to it. There is an acute vulnerability and dread of being hurt/harmed in all head types and the inner belief of not being able to survive it. E5s fear engulfment, therefore they often react to things like obligation, feeling they don't have the resources. E6 fears not knowing the answer, having support or something to lean on, again it's an inner sense of being without. E7 fear loss, deprivation (the robbing of hope). E7 is hopefully/hopelessly enchanted by the future. Facing demons and darkness is like being sentenced the Gulag. In comparison of emotions, E1 is like a classical epic complete with blood baths, whereas the emotional terrain of E7 is a lot more moody, in the sense of mood lighting. ie. Stuff (lots of stuff) is there, but let's not dwell."

E7 is thinking-aggressive, which takes the form of outwitting, outsmarting, outrunning, maneuvering, strategizing and sometimes cunning. E1s when it comes to aggression will clobber like a heathen with vitriolic emotional invective.

When blocked or stuck, the E7 will succumb to resignation (basically withdrawal), while the E1 will revert to compliant action, subsuming their energy into doing things the correct way again.



E6 is compliant - withdrawn

E6 is blocked thinking, meaning that E6 is stuck in thinking mode, almost as if in a holding, hovering pattern of a plane before landing. The pilot of the circling plane is waiting for word from the control tower on when and where he can land. Of course almost all landings do happen with when the judgment comes over the radio and there is a settling down. But, the decision wasn't made by the pilot. There was support and an authority to gently glide him to safety. For an E6 making that call, is fraught with dread. Whereas for an E1, 'this is what I make a judgment call on' is part of their set of procedures and second nature. To question it, invokes ridicule and wrath.

For E6 questioning invokes insecurity and the spectre of no certainty, which is the underlying worldview of an E6. While some behaviours of E1 can look like doubt and/or distrust, this comes from criticism and judgment, not a head center fear of uncertainty. The E1 is certain in it's blocked thinking pattern. The fear for E1 is mess, not potential harm.

When an E1 discounts other options as foolish, or wrong this is not from fearful worst case scenario possibility, although it can be described that way. The underlying drive for 1 is to be correct in procedure and that is where the perfectionism lies. For 6, the drive is to be "OK", fine, safe, within boundaries so they won't have to feel fear, threat or dread.

E1 has faith in their own judgment, but lacks faith in the rest of the world's judgment. E6 lacks faith in their own judgment and doubts their ability to find it or discern.

Both E1 and E6 have an external locus of control. The E1 deals with this by aggressively controlling their environment and having an ego image of "Perfect Judge", whereby they say, "This is right. That's not. Period. End of story." That way if anything goes wrong, it is because someone messed up, other than them. Sticking to a rigid and controlled standard procedure, actually fulfills this for the E1 as it leads to constricted life and less possibility of fouling their purity up. The need to fix and see things as flawed also goes to the E1 locus of control. But, they have a defense of being competent and not screwed up. Whereas E6 feels incapable. E6 moves away and withdraws in distrust, trying to figure out where they can find the answer, ultimate authority. Whilst E1 moves against, critically correcting in order to control the outside world.

With E6 they have a childish external locus of control in that they fear they have no ability to do things all on their own, combined with an idealistic dream that the answer lies out there. There is authority to be found somewhere and this will, when found bestow knowing (safe from harm) on them and they will be fine. Thus, an E6 searches outside of themselves and do this by testing; testing reliance; testing consistency; testing resiliency; testing validity. This is how the skeptic goes about learning. E6 can be life-long students for this reason. Cowardly captures the essence of this fear, although it is a loaded word, accounting for, in my opinion, a fair amount of shame for people sharing what is really going on with the fear in 6. I would call it languishing, which almost, on the surface, sounds like the sloth of 9. Yet, ironically it does capture a certain element of E6, which nicely distinguishes it from the gut center . In my estimation, anyone would be hard pressed to find an E1 languishing away, for example, in the halls of academia once they get their professional papers and were on their way in the world. Although, you might well find more than a few E1 school principals.

Compliant thinking is a formatted style of thinking and in this way E6 can very much resemble E1. Both types being blocked thinkers, tend to be systematic, literal, step-by-step, paint-by-the-numbers thinkers, even when they are creative types. While either can be intuitive, neither relies upon intuition nor holds esteem for the inherent truth it holds. Neither 6 nor 1 go on hunches. E6 is instinctively skeptical of hunches. The exception to this is that, an E1 will be more likely to make an intuitive judgment call on face value about people. Generally these intuitive calls are based on a rudimentary amalgam of their principles combined with a perceptive use of control as a tool.

Both E6 and E1 like and have a natural affinity with systems and are drawn to them. E1 subsumes their need to control within systematic doing. E6 withdraws from doing in the world by immersing themselves in mind systems. E1s utilize systems to their expedient advantage. E6 uses systems to help navigate the scary world they feel ill equipped to handle.

The difference between E6 and E1 is like a child to a parent.

E1s will delegate drudge work and easily use people this way. E6 sees everyone and pretty much everything in the world as having equal value and importance. The difference is in the natural ability to prioritize, which E6 lacks and E1 has in spades.

E6 is a compliant systematic thinker, and therefore can be organized individuals, but generally they are not. They need and will rely on tools and devices to organize their life, such as agendas and apps, which they love. E1s will make a spreadsheet up for themselves, see from that what needs to be done #1, #2, #3 and down from there. #250 to #300 will be doled out to grunts and pawns to do with specific dictates on how to do it.


E6 is compliant emotion, whereas E1 is aggressive emotion

This means that E6 will express emotions in an accepted format way. Deviancy is what the 6 is running away from, so to deviate is not in their repertoire, generally speaking. Thus there will be some fear around feelings and emotions, especially if the 6 has experienced extremely frightening, threatening and unsafe scenarios with aggressive emotions.

Some 1s can use emotions to manipulate people or manage them. This could possibly be mistaken for 6 "counter-phobia" or testing, which is a misunderstanding of both counter-phobia as it pertains to E6 as well as testing.

Counter phobia is movement into action out of being stuck in fearful thinking. It is action-oriented. Counter phobia is doing something, Not thinking. Nor talking. Not writing. Not emotional expression.

E6s enquire and test in order to establish proof. E1s work from a place of already knowing what's perfect. They don't seek proof. They do in order to perfect.

This gives a slightly altered picture of the style and expression of the average E6 in relation to emotional expression and reactivity. In my estimation, the 'reaction' of E6 to stress of fear is inherently interior and takes place interior. It is a resignation and similar to the two other head types, a mental reaction to fear. There is no such thing as acting out in a "counter phobic" way. This idea which is often attributed to angry outbursts, passive aggression, and histrionics are all associated to other centers (the gut and heart). Thus, a characteristic of E6 is to be phobic in fixated state and counter phobic as they make attempts to find themselves in the world by taking action. The latter is healthy in nature as opposed to neurotic.

In summary, the primary agency of E1 is action-based, results oriented, using aggressive emotion to gain control of others and a repressed thinking function to subsume for control of themselves.


~ Written by Kate, 2013