According to the Enneagram, a Type Six is sometimes known as The Loyalist or The Protector. Motivated by a desire to be safe, The Protector seeks to gain security and avoid risk.
In a PLC, the Type Six functions as a risk-management assessor. Sixes seek to keep the team, their students, and themselves safe. Sometimes they create safety through organization, precision, and preparation. Other times they create safety by anticipating potential pitfalls and struggles for the team or students.
Type Six's worst case scenario would be a team without an agenda, curriculum map, pacing guide, assessment, data sheet, deadlines...
Essentially, Sixes really like having a plan.
For a Type Six to thrive, dedicate time to creating (and organizing) the needed documents for efficiency on your team. The Six may even want to take the lead in organizing your documents, sharing deadline reminders, and clarifying next steps. As the protector, a Type Six views consistency and clarity as safety, and they want all of their team members to be safe (and meet said deadlines!)
When teams can use consistent curriculum and assessments, then they can proactively anticipate questions or tasks where students will need additional scaffolding. Build in time for this anticipating struggles conversation, and watch your Protector light up to share potential scenarios and misconceptions.
A Type Six at their best may be a well-liked, cornerstone member of a team. They can form lifelong friendships and bonds, and when they believe in a cause or vision, they are all-in. Sixes thrive in predictable systems and may really struggle and disconnect when faced with an onslaught of never-ending change. It's not that a Six cannot handle change, but rather, they feel pain and insecurity in lack of preparedness. Because Sixes spend time thinking of various, potentially negative outcomes--it is a great comfort to know that someone (or a team) is there to have their back regardless.
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