Enneagram Type 1s are rule-bound and detail-oriented people who like to do thing right and with high standards. They give importance to common values and live in line with certain principles.

Type 1 – The Perfectionist

Focuses on what is right or wrong.

1. Overview

Enneagram Type 1s are rule-bound and detail-oriented people who like to do thing right and with high standards. They give importance to common values and live in line with certain principles. They are perceived by around them as responsible and meticulous people who avoid making mistake.

Type 1s are often advocates of justice, go after what they think is right, and take care to make rational and balanced choices (Reynolds, Waters, & Phifer-ritchie, 2007).

2. Strengths

Type 1s are typically organized and disciplined people. Ethical behaviors and social values are some of the key concepts for them. They are the people who are sought and needed during the establishment of an order because they have developer and organizer characteristics. Perfectionists, who like to act in a planned way, pay attention to details and work to do their job in the most correct way (Riso & Hudson, 2000).

3. Weaknesses

Type 1s may ignore the core of the subject in some cases since they care about norms strongly. They also may have difficulty in making comments due to their rigidity in the evaluation criteria and be late to take action. Their efforts to achieve perfect work outputs may cause them to delay some other works. Their pursuit of perfection can cause to realize others around them mistakes quickly and that’s way they may criticize them as irresponsible and unserious. Their critical attitude is the same for themselves. They tend to criticize themselves frequently, but they don’t want to be criticized by other (Riso & Hudson, 2000).

4. Values and Motivations

Type 1s live with the desire to improve every aspect of their lives and work to achieve this goal by aiming that their actions be consistent with their values and principles. The concepts of responsibility, honesty, fairness, and loyalty are the basic value components of Perfectionists (Grahart, 2018).

The main motivations of Type 1s are to behave in line with their ideals (Enneagram Institute). Being a part of a volunteer work, finding the right solutions to problems, and maintaining their own personal development also motivates the Perfectionists.

5. At Work

Type 1s who have planned and coherent value systems tend to be successful when they are able to organize their workplace, and especially when they have the autonomy to change existing processes (Riso & Hudson, 1999).

Type 1s feel good when they are consulted on how to get a job done, when their co-workers value ethical action and fairness, and when their advice is listened to and applied (Baron & Wagele, 1994).

References

Baron, R., & Wagele, E. (1994). The Enneagram Made Easy. New York: HarperCollins Publishers.

Enneagram Institute. (2022, 12 05). Retrieved from https://www.enneagraminstitute.com/type-1

Grahart, O. (2018). Enneagram: The Secret Way to Find Your Personality Type and Strengthen Relationships to Achieve Spiritual Growth and Self-Discovery (Bonus: A Test on How to Find Your Personality Type).

Reynolds, S., Waters, J. K., & Phifer-ritchie, R. (2007). The Everything Enneagram Book: Identify Your Type, Gain Insight Into Your Personality and Find Success in Life, Love, and Business. Simon and Schuster.

Riso, D. R., & Hudson, R. (1999). The Wisdom of the Enneagram: The Complete Guide to Psychological and Spiritual Growth for the Nine Personality Types.

Riso, D. R., & Hudson, R. (2000). Understanding the enneagram: The practical guide to personality types. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.