Coaching Enneagram Type 8
Tips for Working with the Challenger
Coaching Enneagram Type 8 clients, also known as “The Challenger”, can be both energizing and intense. These bold, passionate individuals bring a powerful presence into the coaching space, and they need an approach that’s just as direct as they are.
Whether you’re new to coaching Enneagram Type 8 clients or looking to refine your approach, this guide will give you three key insights, three common pitfalls to avoid, and three practical tools you can use right away to work with Type 8s more effectively.
3 Key Coaching Insights for Enneagram Type 8 Clients
1. Directness Builds Trust Faster Than Reassurance
Enneagram Type 8 clients respect honesty, even when it’s uncomfortable. They quickly notice when someone is holding back or sugarcoating the truth, which can cause them to disengage.
Being upfront, while still being respectful, shows them you can hold your ground and match their intensity.
2. Strength and Softness Can Coexist
One of the most transformative realizations for a Type 8 is that vulnerability isn’t weakness.
Many Eights have learned to protect themselves through power and control, but when they integrate openness and softness, their relationships deepen and their leadership strengthens.
3. Boundaries Are Mutual, Not One-Sided
Type 8 clients value boundaries as much in others as they do for themselves. If you let them dominate the conversation or set the pace without challenge, they may lose respect for the coaching relationship.
Modeling clear, mutual boundaries sets the tone for a more balanced partnership.
3 Common Coaching Pitfalls with Enneagram Type 8
1. Avoiding Challenge for Fear of Conflict
If you sidestep tough conversations to “keep the peace,” your Enneagram 8 client will sense it immediately. They may interpret this as a lack of confidence, which can weaken trust.
2. Overemphasizing Their Protective Side
While praising Eights for defending others is easy, this focus can unintentionally reinforce a protective pattern that keeps them from looking inward.
Help them explore their own needs, not just the needs of those they guard.
3. Letting Sessions Drift Without Action
Type 8 clients are action-oriented and results-driven.
While they may enjoy big-picture discussions, they thrive when coaching sessions end with clear, actionable steps. Without that structure, they may lose interest in the process.
3 Practical Coaching Tools for Enneagram Type 8
1. Reframe Strength to Include Openness
Ask, “Where might your strength be covering up something softer?”
This invites them to explore what’s beneath the surface without framing it as a loss of power.
2. Assign a Self-Focused Boundary Exercise
Encourage them to set one boundary this week that’s purely for their own benefit—not for the protection of others.
This builds the habit of prioritizing their own needs without feeling selfish.
3. Use Role Reversal to Explore Impact
Through visualization, journaling, or dialogue, have them step into someone else’s perspective to consider how others might experience their presence.
This expands their awareness without diluting their natural energy.
Quick Recap of Coaching Enneagram Type 8 Clients
Best approach:
Be direct, set clear boundaries, and provide actionable steps.Biggest challenges:
Managing their intensity, avoiding unnecessary conflict, and guiding them toward vulnerability.Opener for emotional work:
Build trust through consistency and directness, then explore where strength and openness can work together.
Final Thoughts
Enneagram Type 8 clients bring passion, drive, and leadership to the coaching relationship.
When you meet their directness with your own, maintain clear boundaries, and offer practical next steps, you create a safe environment for them to explore vulnerability without feeling exposed.
These tips are just a starting point. Each client’s journey is unique, and deeper layers, such as subtype and instinctual patterns, can further refine your coaching approach.
Want more ready-to-use tools for your Enneagram coaching sessions?
Download my free guide: 120 Enneagram Reflection Prompts to Use with Clients.
These prompts are designed to help you ask better questions, spark deeper conversations, and unlock new breakthroughs in your sessions.
