ESTP 6w7 Characters

What happens when a classic Western cowboy embodies the thrill-seeking, fiercely loyal energy of an ESTP 6w7? In The Big Country, Steve Leech (Charlton Heston) serves as a compelling case study of the MBTI ESTP personality paired with a counter-phobic Enneagram 6. Through grit, action, and inner conflict, Leech reflects the bravado and moral tension often found in this combination. Whether you’re a writer looking to better understand personality archetypes or a fan of MBTI analysis in classic film, this profile digs deep into what drives him.

Now… on to the good stuff!

A Cowboy of Action: Extraverted Sensing

Leech is the embodiment of a “real man” by the standards of his time. He is a skilled cowboy, doesn’t hesitate to throw a punch, will fight for his honor, looks down on a man who won’t stand up for himself, and is quick to respond to dangerous situations. He faces down guns without fear, runs steers off from a watering hole (even if he doesn’t feel good about it), rides into a dangerous situation with his boss, tries to get James to fight, and winds up in a brawl that lasts for hours, since neither man wants to admit defeat. His boss has to stop him from attacking Hannassay, when the man storms into their party, calls the major a crook and a liar, and invites him to shoot him in the back. He grabs Pat and kisses her once, despite her trying to get away, just to prove a point.

Logic vs Loyalty: Introverted Thinking

When his boss wants to storm the Hannassay place, Leech brings up logical points to refute him: they will lose too many men on a gamble, even if they make it through the canyon, and since there’s been no gunshots, there’s a chance McKay made it through alive and will come out with Julie. He initially tells one of his men to think less and just do what he’s told, but then reconsiders his own position and refuses to go along with the major, when he realizes the man doesn’t care how many of his men get killed in his endless feud with the neighbors.

Extraverted Feeling in the Rough West

Leech has some empathy even from their enemies; he asks the major if the men should shoot up Hannassay’s water tower, since there isn’t much to spare in a dry spell; that seems to cross a line with him, and he feels guilt at running off their cattle after another man calls his attention to it being immoral. It pierces him when Buck calls him a “boot licker,” because he realizes it’s true about himself, that he loyally does whatever the major asks, without questioning it, resulting in inhumane behaviors. Unlike McKay, he cares a great deal about what others think about him and wants to prove his bravado to them by always having an audience for his manly activities.

Short-Term Thinking: Inferior Intuition

Leech does not share his thoughts for the future, or even what he intends to do; we can assume he hopes to marry Pat, the major’s daughter, and head up the ranch one day. But his only means of proving himself to them are with immediate actions rather than long-term scheming.

Tough and Loyal: Leech as a Counter-Phobic Enneagram 6w7

Leech is best known for his loyalty to the major, who raised him from childhood and to whom he feels he owes his life. His loyalty is so fiercely known that when he and his men drive off a neighboring family from a watering hole, his enemy Buck tells him that now he can go home and “lick the major’s boots.” This causes Leech to reconsider, and he later asserts himself against his boss on moral terms (he doesn’t see the point of risking so many lives on a fool’s errand), but winds up following him into battle, anyway. At least now he does it on his own initiative, rather than out of a sense of dutiful obedience. He loves Pat, but stands aside, hoping she will notice him with his manly displays of bravado. Counter-phobic male 6s often try to act like 8s to impress others and gain respect from their peers, and he does this a lot… challenging McKay by wanting to put him on Old Thunder the bucking bronco, calling him a liar and demanding he fight, and finally, gaining respect for him when he does fight and Leech can’t beat him. The two of them fight for hours until they both call it quits.

7 Wing: Humor, Camaraderie, and a Cowboy’s Charm

Leech is an outgoing, social man who has an assertive tendency to put himself forward when the situation requires it. He doesn’t hesitate to cut in on McKay dancing with Pat, or to defend his boss when Hannassey interrupts their party. Part of his sense of humor involves putting his boys up to tricks, getting new hands up on horses they can’t control, and other techniques that amuse him. Leech doesn’t deal with too much self-doubt, and he really does think he’s good enough for the bosses’ daughter.

A Tough Cowboy With a Big Heart

Steve Leech is a textbook ESTP 6w7: charismatic, aggressive, loyal to a fault, and deeply reactive when threatened. He thrives on action and dominance but remains emotionally tethered to the approval of others—especially those he respects, like Major Terrill. His bravado masks deep insecurity, and his fear of losing status or being abandoned fuels much of his antagonism. Steve isn’t a villain in the classic sense; he’s a man caught between bravado and vulnerability, desperate to prove himself in a world where might makes right. That tension makes him both tragic and memorable.