The Independent Stance of the Enneagram
Jun 03, 2025
Do others find you assertive? A natural leader, someone who's always getting things done or having lots of ideas?
If so, you may be in the assertive or independent stance of the Enneagram.
The Independent Stance
This stance is made up of types 3,7, and 8 (the yellow triangle above).
This stance is called independent because they will do whatever it takes to get what they want, regardless of what others want.
They do this by moving against others (compared to the withdrawing stance, which moves away from people, or the dependent stance, which moves toward people).
This doesn't mean that all of these people are nasty, pushy people - not at all! They simply have a forward-moving energy. When healthy, this energy can be quite contagious, invigorating, and inspiring to others.
These independent types move against others for different reasons:
Type 3 moves against whoever and whatever is getting in the way of their goals. They are focused on looking good.
Type 7 moves against anything unhappy or negative so they can stay in a positive space.
Type 8 moves against whatever is getting in their way of moving forward because they value autonomy and control.
These types may find it challenging to express their emotions or feel deeply, which can be frustrating to those around them.
Type 3 can struggle to connect with their emotions and the emotions of others.
Type 7 can fall into a habit of reframing negative situations to avoid challenging emotions.
Type 8 can bulldoze over others without considering their feelings, and may find it hard to be vulnerable.
Slowing down and getting in touch with the heart (and being ok with the full spectrum of emotions) is the work for these types.
Know someone who leads with this energy? Inviting them to s l o w d o w n can be helpful. Inviting being the key word - we don't ever want to insist or push. "What are your thoughts on taking a beat before we do XYZ?" can be helpful; once you create this space, there is room to share emotions and feelings on both sides (which that "independent" person may not even be consciously aware of).
Click here to learn about the Withdrawing Stance and here to learn about the Responsive Stance.
PS - If you are looking to find your Type, I invite you to schedule a Typing Interview with me! Learn more here.
Sandy Swanson is a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC), a Professional Certified Coach with the International Coach Federation (PCC), and an ADAPT Certified Functional Health Coach (A-CFHC). Click the button below to learn more about the services she offers.
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