006: Melissa Greene, The Velvet Hammer (Enneagram 8)
Enneagram Eights (The Challengers) are hard driving, tough, decisive, innovative, and resourceful people who make things happen. They’re larger than life presence and boundless energy instills confidence in others, and people follow them. As long as they’re a man, that is.
Our culture reveres male Eights. People admire men who “kick ass and take names.” Sadly, we all know the word folks use to describe a woman who takes charge, stands up for what she believes, refuses to take crap from people and gets the job done. I don’t need to spell it out for you, right? All to say, female Eights are arguably the most misunderstood and unfairly treated number on the Enneagram.
On today’s episode of Typology, I talk with pastor, activist, musical artist, and Enneagram Eight, Melissa Greene. Affectionately called the ‘The Velvet Hammer’ by her friends and fans, Melissa is true to her type. In our conversation, Melissa shares her challenging but often humorous journey as a female Eight who grew up and still lives in the American South--a culture in which women are expected to be sweet and genteel...not made of steel.
You can find more of Melissa’s current work through Hope Curator for Timothy’s Gift (http://timothysgift.com/) hich curates concert tours with other artists designed to entertain and uplift those in maximum security prisons. Melissa is also the Cofounder of Imaginarium (www.imaginarium.life)—a fresh expression of a spiritual community in Nashville.
“Enneagram Eight women have it pretty tough in evangelical culture, often being told, ‘It’s too bad you aren’t a boy.’”