By Mary Ann & Ron Janke
Last month, the Preacher of the Week, Rev. Magrey deVega, in his Faith for Living teaching, provided important insights into the Lakeside Community Building Practice to “Create Harmony & Respect Differences.”
Using the Enneagram Test, he explained that there were nine primary personality styles with each style expressing itself in nine distinctive ways, such as that style’s ideal, defense mechanism and hot buttons. Moreover, each personality style can draw on one or more of the expressions of three or four other styles.
The result is that using just these nine styles and categories, hundreds of distinct personality styles exist. Consequently, the personalities of people who come to Lakeside are the greatest measure of diversity.
DeVega noted that these different personalities are aspects of God’s personality and are a gift from God. Each provides a particular orientation to the needs of society, and each provides something society needs. Each sees the world, or Lakeside, as being a better place if there were only especially more of one of the following: love, efficiency, beauty, joy, peace, goodness, wisdom, order or power.
Each seeks improvement through that particular ideal that represents their personality. DeVega taught us that each personality style had its own defense mechanisms, hot buttons and avoidance practices. He counseled that we can relate better to others if we recognize what upsets them.
For example, Reformers’ ideal is perfection and righteousness and get upset when something is done inaccurately. Helpers are driven by love, and they avoid feeling unneeded and need to hear “thank you.” Peacemakers avoid conflict, and anger makes them upset. Loyalists seek order and rule-following and are troubled by disobedience and carelessness. Power Players interestingly tend to seek out other Power Players to confront and not being listened to upsets them.
Understanding the orientation of these different personality styles can help us to value the differing contributions of fellow Lakesiders and to encourage their efforts. It can also help us to avoid pushing the hot buttons of others and to exhibit grace when our hot button is pushed by expressions or circumstances.
To learn more about Enneagram visit enneagramtest.net.
