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The static enneagram

The enneagram is a remarkably powerful tool for analyzing all kinds of systems where contrasting concepts interact – like head and heart on the strategy board.

Identifying the two major contrasting concepts in the system is the first part of the enneagram analysis. The two contrasting concepts are placed side by side on the diagram – one on the left and one on the right.

In a complex system the concepts will interact in a variety of different ways.

At any given time, one may be significantly stronger than the other, dominating the system – or the two may be closely balanced.

If they are closely balanced, it may be that they are both acting strongly – and this ‘double action’ will have various consequences for the system as a whole. Or it may be that they are finely balanced because they have met in some kind of moderating neutral territory – a place of compromise or pragmatism or complementarity – and this will have a different set of consequences for the system as a whole.

Identifying this distinctive neutral territory – this moderating place – is the next part of the analysis. This place has a significant role of its own as a third element in the system – like the gut zone on the strategy board.

The three ‘elements’ of the system – two contrasting concepts and a distinctive neutral place – are now arranged as three zones in a circular diagram.

The outer circle of the diagram now represents the different ways in which the three elements of the system can interact.

Nine different patterns of interaction are now identified – and represented as nine points on the outer circle.

In some cases, one of the three elements in the system dominates, and the other two elements – if they are present at all – are closely balanced. This is represented here by the darker points on the outer circle.

In other cases, one of the three elements in the system still dominates, but the two remaining elements are not equally balanced. These cases are represented here by the lighter points on the outer circle.

For convenience only, the points are arbitrarily numbered, with the largest number at the top, like a clock face.

Taking an overview of the whole diagram, point NINE is understood as the central, neutral, moderating place – the essence of the third element in the system.

Points THREE and SIX are called ‘energy points’ or ‘shock points’ which energize the system. The ‘energy’ at point THREE is the essence of concept R, and the ‘energy’ at point SIX is the essence of concept L.

Down at the foot of the diagram, at FIVE and FOUR, the original contrasting concepts are both strong – and they interact strongly, without the moderating influence of the neutral territory at the top of the diagram. They may overlap or merge or ‘meet at the extremes’ – but one of the two always has ‘the upper hand,’ so at any given moment the interaction is represented by either point FOUR or point FIVE.

The THREE-SIX-NINE triangle now highlights the three interacting elements in the system – the ‘neutral place’ at the top of the diagram, and the original contrasting concepts at the two ‘energy points’ – suggesting possible links or moves between these three distinctive places.

This is the ‘triangle of simplicity,’ as each of the three points of the triangle represents the ‘simple essence’ of one element of the system.

Six more lines connect the six points where elements of the system are interacting with each other. This is the ‘hexagon of complexity’ – suggesting other potential links or moves within the system.

Four of these connecting lines go up and down the two sides of the diagram. They suggest changes of balance between the extreme of each concept at the foot of the diagram and the neutral place at the top of the diagram. They do not cross from one side to the other – from one concept to the other.

The other two lines cross the top of the diagram, suggesting links or moves from one concept to the other – something made possible only by way of the distinctive neutral territory at the top of the diagram.

We now have a graphical representation of the potential interactions between two contrasting concepts and a neutral place.

This ‘graphical representation’ can become ‘a picture worth a thousand words’ when analyzing systems where contrasting concepts interact.

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