The Smartest Enneagram Type: Complete Guide to Enneatypes IQ Profiles

Some Enneagram types are known for their intelligence, some for their charm, and some for their compassion. But does that mean that certain Enneagram types are more intelligent than others? Can we claim that there is such a thing as the smartest Enneagram Type?

The truth is, every Enneagram Type is smart in their own way. Intelligence is not just about IQ points but also about a special blend of wisdom, creativity, and logic.

So, if you are interested in what kind of intelligence each Enneagram type has, stay tuned!

How Intelligent Are Each of the Enneagram Types?

According to Enneagram theory, Enneagram types are divided into three groups, the so-called Enneagram triads, depending on what their center of intelligence is: heart, head, or gut. The heart triad has high emotional intelligence, the head triad is linked to intellectual ability, and the gut triad has high interpersonal and intrapersonal IQ.

Here’s a brief overview of this theory:

If you are not sure which Enneatype you are and how you fit in the table above, we recommend you take the Enneagram test.

Now, when we combine Enneagram and Gardner’s theory of intelligence, which recognizes nine different types of human intelligence, we get a pretty accurate portrait of the intelligence potential for each Enneatype.

So, let’s see what kind of intelligence is typical for each of the nine Enneagram types!

Enneagram Type 1 - The Power of Moral Guidance

Enneagram Type One, also known as the Perfectionist, is defined by their desire to change the world and always do the right thing. Ones have a highly developed sense of morality and responsibility, and they can be very idealistic in their pursuit of bettering humanity.

These individuals are objective and think in a very logical and structured manner. They pay attention to details and like to plan things in advance. Logical-mathematical intelligence is usually highly developed in Ones, as is interpersonal intelligence, which is why they are often recognized as one of the smartest Enneagram types.

Ones are wise, have a clear judgment, and think objectively in stressful situations, which also speaks in favor of highly developed intrapersonal intelligence. Rational and driven, they are on the mission of setting things right.

Since they are often concerned with issues related to the well-being of humankind, like ecological challenges, for instance, they may also have strong naturalistic intelligence.

Enneagram Type 2 - The Power of Empathy

Enneagram Type 2 has a strong intuition, and their emotional intelligence is exceptionally high. Because of this, they sometimes even give off the impression of being psychic, as they read other people’s emotions so well that it seems like they’re reading their minds. These individuals finish other people's sentences and offer solutions even before they express the problem.

Thanks to their high EQ, Twos make connections easily, can talk and establish positive relationships with people from all walks of life, and always know what to say to comfort or encourage others. And needless to say, they have exceptional interpersonal skills and are deeply empathetic.

As they understand emotions on such a profound level, other people readily turn to Twos for help, support, and advice with their problems. Moreover, Twos are also skilled at maintaining harmony in their environment, resolving conflicts, and keeping everyone happy.

Enneagram Type 3 - The Power of Effective Communication

Enneagram Type Three, also called the Achiever, is defined by their relentless drive to accomplish big things and earn recognition and admiration from others. Social approval, public image, and success are the most important things in their lives.

Because social approval means so much to them, their interpersonal intelligence is extremely highly developed. They know what to say, how to dress, and how to speak to impress, seduce, and convince other people that they are exceptionally successful.

For this reason, they are also great at sales and negotiation, as they easily read other people’s emotions and know how to manipulate them for their own goals. Their exceptional leadership skills also speak in favor of their interpersonal and emotional intelligence, as they often naturally emerge as leaders in groups.

These energetic individuals also have highly developed bodily-kinesthetic intelligence, which is why they often excel at sports. Their physical fitness, combined with their competitive spirit, make them great at many sports.

Enneagram Type 4 - The Power of Introspection

Enneagram Type Four, or the Individualist, has extremely developed intrapersonal intelligence. Their most distinct trait is their willingness to dive into their inner world of feelings, explore the depths of their subconscious, and come out with valuable psychological insights.

As a result, Fours are also uniquely empathetic. They have an incredible understanding of other people’s psychological struggles and inner conflicts. However, they are not as skilled in using this understanding to make connections with other people, like Twos, for instance.

People who identify as Fours tend to be inwardly focused and curious about the human psyche and the boundaries of creativity. However, they can be less concerned with honing their interpersonal communication skills.

This may partly be because they often have unique artistic talents and are, therefore, more motivated to make connections with their inner resources than with other people. This also means they often have highly developed musical and/or visual-spatial intelligence.

Enneagram Type 5 - The Power of Logic

Enneagram Type Five has a reputation for being one of the smartest Enneagram types because of their high logical and/or linguistic intelligence. People with this type of intelligence tend to do very well in traditional educational settings, as these environments and their associated curricula are optimized for their strengths.

Fives excel at solving logical puzzles, analyzing things, and understanding complex theoretical concepts. They can process large amounts of information and usually stay curious and open to learning new things throughout their entire lives. For this reason, they become unparalleled experts in their fields of expertise.

Characters like Sherlock Holmes and Dr. House, for instance, portray the kind of minds Fives typically have—investigative, deep, analytical, and methodical. In fact, there's nothing a Five can’t learn or understand, a puzzle they can’t crack, or a mystery they can’t explain.

Enneagram Type 6 - The Power of Planning

Enneagram Type Six also has highly developed logical intelligence and strong intuition. As a result of their anxiety, however, they are more likely to focus on the negative aspects of situations, making their intuition more of a problem rather than a guide to a more fulfilling life.

This combination of logic and this kind of intuition is exactly what earned Sixes a reputation as an amazing troubleshooter. There’s no one who can perform risk assessments, spot potential for major problems, and draft plans as elaborate as Sixes—they are practical and wise, leaving no detail unattended.

Though not too socially oriented, Sixes have a huge capacity for empathy, which means they have an excellent foundation for perfecting their social intelligence, too.

But as long as their insecurities take the best of them, they won’t be able to enjoy the whole range of their intellectual capacity. Therefore, it is essential that they work on their emotional intelligence above everything else.

Enneagram Type 7 - The Power of Creativity

Enneagram Type Seven has a reputation for being inventive and creative, which is usually linked to high visual-spatial intelligence. They are the jokers of the Enneagram, the Jacks of all trade, and masters of none. However, they will always shine the brightest when creativity is required.

Though better known for their sense of humor, adventurous spirit, and enthusiasm, Sevens are actually considered one of the smartest Enneagram types. They are often very smart and have many skills that allow them to succeed in a wide range of different fields, and their creativity is what gives them the biggest competitive advantage in every business.

Since Sevens often excel in areas like music, writing, and sports, it is reasonable to assume that they have exceptional intelligence in the musical, verbal, and kinesthetic realms as well.

Enneagram Type 8 - The Power of Self-Awareness

The confident, assertive Enneagram Type Eight is rational, decisive, and has highly developed interpersonal intelligence. They are charismatic and energetic and know exactly how to use their energy to attract other people and emerge as leaders.

As Eights are also one of the Enneatypes who often have a strong physique, it is not rare for them to be gifted in sports or possess some other skill related to kinesthetic intelligence.

In general, Eights are very competent and can have high logical-mathematical and verbal intelligence, too. When you see how they dominate heated discussions or how easily they make business plans by doing all the necessary calculations, it becomes obvious that these individuals use their intellect to their advantage with ease.

No matter how high their IQ is actually, Eights will surely know how to use what they have to get what they want. After all, they are aware of their strengths and weaknesses and handle them well.

Enneagram Type 9 - The Power of Emotional Intelligence

Enneagram Type Nine has superior emotional intelligence. For this reason, they are great at understanding the diverse perspectives and emotions of other people, mediating conflicts, and creating harmonious environments. They are great at fostering collaboration, which is humorously depicted in our Enneagram 9 memes compilation.

Similarly to Enneagram Type Two, Nines are also pretty much directed toward relationships with other people. For this reason, it is much easier to notice their interpersonal and intrapersonal IQ than some other specific skills and talents they have. For instance, Nines are fairly often artistically gifted—great singers, painters, writers, and artists in general.

It’s also interesting that these gentle giants are often talented in sports, meaning their bodily-kinesthetic intelligence can also be on a high level. That’s because they belong to the Enneagram body (gut) triad, together with Type Eight and Type One. According to the Enneagram theory, this means their center of intelligence is in their gut feeling and their body.

Key Takeaways

Now, if you expected a one-way answer to the question of which type is the smartest Enneagram type, you may feel we’ve left you empty-handed. But the truth is, there’s so much more to human intelligence than what any IQ theory can offer.

The only correct answer to the “which Enneagram is the most intelligent” question is that each Enneagram type can be intelligent in every possible way. So, if you run on a list that categorizes smartest to dumbest Enneagram or similar, just skip it.

Finally, let’s wrap it all up with some key insights:

• The Enneagram heart triad has high emotional intelligence.
• The Enneagram head triad is linked to general intellectual ability.
• The Enneagram gut triad has high interpersonal and intrapersonal IQ.