Ross Edwards BSc DipBSoMWhat is the Enneagram 1w2 personality type? What are its key traits, strengths, weaknesses and fears? We’ll answer these questions in this article.
This is one of the 18 Enneagram Wing Types, which don’t exhibit traits of just one profile, but are blends of two adjacent types. This particular wing profile is curious, as we’ll see.
What is the Enneagram 1w2?
First, let’s clarify what the Enneagram 1w2 is. It means an Enneagram 1 with a 2 Wing. It helps if you understand the 9 Enneagram Profiles in some depth.
If you have a 1w2 personality type, it means you’re predominantly an Enneagram 1, but exhibit some traits from the adjacent profile, number 2. You might also be a pure 1, or a 1w9.
If you want an approximation of what a 1w2 looks like, take the core 1 and 2 traits and blend them together, with 1 dominating. If you know somebody who is primarily a 1 but has significant traits of 2, they might well be a 1w2.
The folks at personalitydata.org found that 30.9% of Enneagram 1s exhibit a 2 wing: a significant amount. 63.9% are pure 1s, while the other wing type, 1w9, makes up the remaining 5.3%.
A Curious Blend of 1 and 2, Body and Heart
The 1w2 maintains the core attributes of 1 (The Perfectionist or The Reformer), so is driven to make positive change and influence the world, but is softened by the supplementary attributes of 2 (The Giver or The Helper), like empathy and care for others.
This is a curious combination because 1 is a Body Type (along with 8 and 9), while 2 is a Heart Type (along with 3 and 4). This means that 1w2 is predominantly Body and partly Heart. No other Enneagram profile is like this. Only one other, 2w1, resembles this combination.
This means that when compared to a pure 1, who wants to change the world, a 1w2 is warmer and has greater interpersonal skills. It’ll be careful not to step on others toes when it’s out trying to change the world, and the 2 influence means it directs its efforts to hands-on social change and helping the less fortunate.
The Core Traits of the Enneagram 1w2
The 1w2 is variously referred to as the Lawyer, the Activist and the Advocate. Its greatest desire is to help others, and above all it fears being unhelpful.
It’s principled, humane, and has a strong moral compass. It has an active, extroverted personality and is empathetic with the needy and less fortunate. It’s outspoken when it comes to issues related to justice and fairness. The 1w2 takes a stand for others and sacrifices for them, finding solutions to their problems.
Like all personality types, this one has its weaknesses. Since it fears making unethical choices, is attuned to the evil in the world, and doesn’t want to feed that evil, it can become oversensitive, self-righteous, critical and depressive.
This type chooses careers where it can work with people and exercise interpersonal skills. Common professions include doctors, nurses, politicians and social workers.
Join thousands of listeners and readers worldwide today.
