Dear Kris,

(Make sure you have the Webinar this Thursday, April 21^st, at 7:00 pm CT in your calendar. This will be the Grand Finale of this free mini-course. I will be able to share much more detail in that event than I can share in these emails which are designed to provide a solid overview. Here is the Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/8256622565 . It will be an interactive event with opportunities for asking questions and having discussions. I also will give details on the upcoming Enneagram Leadership Mastermind Course starting the following week.)

In the Enneagram realm, explaining what Subtypes are is sort of the ‘wild, wild West.’ There are several theories that differ. The concept of Subtypes is relatively new. While Enneagram Types in their modern form have been taught and developed for close to sixty years, the concept of Subtypes has been generally taught for less than twenty years. Broadly accepted Enneagram concepts are crowd sourced in a way. People offer and promote specific theories and other Enneagram thought leaders consider it and offer their view. It evolves over time and usually a broad consensus eventually emerges.

I have studied the major theories regarding Subtypes for years. I believe one way of describing them makes the most sense, by far. I have tested it for several years, and it is holding up under the scrutiny. It also is growing in its acceptance among Enneagram devotee’s. This take on Subtypes and what causes them originated with Enneagram author and thought leader, Mario Sikora. I have spent almost a hundred hours discussing this topic with him. This Episode unfolds an overview of my take on Subtypes, after this extensive study and application.

There is a significant amount of variety within each of the nine Enneagram Types. One reason there is so much variety is due to the influence the Instinctual Domains all humans have. The concept of Subtypes helps explain the reason for so much variety within each Type. Each Enneagram Type has three Subtypes. These subtypes help explain the influence Instinctual Domain Biases have on what each of us value, what we pay attention to, and what we deem important.

Instinctual Domains and Instinctual Biases have a dramatic impact in your life. In my experience, from a relationship point of view, they often are more impactful than your Enneagram Type strategies, which tend to run sub-consciously or consciously. The challenge is that the Instinctual Domains run non-consciously. This means these drives and their impact usually happen without any conscious awareness. It seems to us that their influence is just ‘the way it is.’

However, different people have different Instinctual Bias Patterns, where they favor one Instinctual Domain over the other two. The Instinctual Domains are called Preserving, Navigating and Transmitting. Each of these Instinctual Domains are not a single instinct, but rather a grouping of adaptive instincts under that particular description. For each of us, one instinctual domain is dominant, another is secondary, and the third is tertiary.

Every day, these instinctual differences cause people to misunderstand each other in subtle but important ways. This can lead to disengagement or even conflict. There are three Instinctual Drive Patterns, and each one of us has adopted one of these patterns. Each of these patterns has its own collection of blind spots that come with the pattern.

Here are the three Instinctual Bias Patterns.

• Preserving/Navigating/Transmitting (PNT)
• Navigating/Transmitting/Preserving (NTP)
• Transmitting/Preserving/Navigating (TPN)

Here are the general traits of the Instinctual Drives.

• Preserving (P): Naturally drawn to the nuts and bolts. May neglect sizzle.
• Navigating (N): Naturally drawn to the landscape. May neglect the nuts & bolts.
• Transmitting (T): Naturally drawn to the sizzle. May neglect the landscape.

The Instinctual Drive Patterns often play a substantial role in helping to shape a culture, whether it be a relationship, family, team or organization. 

Preserving (P) focuses on “Nesting and Nurturing.” Preserving pays attention to:

• Security
• Well-being and resources
• Maintenance

Navigating (N) focuses on “Orienting to the group.” Navigating pays attention to:

• Trust and reciprocity
• Power/Influence dynamics
• Identity/Status

Transmitting (T) focuses on “Attracting and bonding.” Transmitting pays attention to:

• Asserting
• Broadcasting/Narrow-casting
• Impressing

These Instinctual Bias Patterns influence what we pay attention to, what we value, and what we deem important. Everyone adopts one of the three Instinctual Bias Patterns (PNT) (NTP) or (TPN). With each pattern, the first Instinct is dominant. The second Instinct gets some attention also, but often you are conflicted about your ability to successfully engage that Instinct’s particular focus, and the third instinct is usually ignored…you are basically indifferent to it.

In the upcoming Mastermind Course, we get into much greater detail on all of this. Because each pattern essentially runs in our non-consciousness, it is sometimes challenging to figure out which Instinctual Domain Bias Pattern is yours. The influence of each pattern on how your Enneagram Type displays itself is profound.

I have found that there is a way to determine your Instinctual Drive Pattern, and thus your Subtype, that is more accurate and easier to do than all the other options I have tried in determining your Subtype. The least accurate way to determine your Subtype, by far, is taking an online test purporting to tell you your Subtype.

I have a booklet that works well in helping you accurately determine your Subtype, which then indicates your specific Instinctual Drive Pattern. I will send you that booklet if you email me and request it.

Tomorrow morning, I will send you Episode 10, which focuses on how to use the Enneagram as a tool to create amazing authentic community and improve your key relationships.

Then, tomorrow--Thursday night--is the big night!  The Grand Finale Webinar will take place at 7:00 pm Central time. Details are at the beginning of this email. It will last around 90 minutes. I also will reveal the details of the upcoming Enneagram Leadership Mastermind Training. And, I have a huge announcement to make regarding that Training, that you won’t want to miss...whether you are planning on taking it or not.

Blessings,

Kris Kile

512-800-2446