Each enneagram type has their own unique struggles in the work environment.
The struggles of each enneagram type in the workplace.
She was a 9 on the enneagram. The sweetheart of the enneagram. She found herself doing split cafe shifts and after a while we found her joy decreasing, her irritation increasing and she was simply hating her job. Feeing muddled, befuddled and overwhelmed she began to procrastinate, became indecisive and found it hard to articulate what was going on.
We did the enneagram and realised she’s a 9 and loves routine, order and rhythm.
Split shifts simply weren’t helping her. They were draining her. She was a different girl on the days she opened the cafe. She could get everything set up, establish her own routine and rhythm. But when she had to step into someone else’s routine and rhythm with no time or room to establish she felt overwhelmed.
So you can guess what we did? We had her on opens allowing other personality types to jump in the middle of a split shift.
Once you begin to see how the enneagram operates in the work place you simply can’t unsee.
He was a 3 on the enneagram. Fast paced, multi tasked, big picture, goal oriented, hungry for success.
When we had team meetings which required swot analysis or a brainstorm he was able to think on his feet, articulate thoughts, and ideas, bring strategy and vision. Frustration would often surface as he felt he was the only voice. He felt alone, wanting team engagement and involvement but his reality was often silence.
Frustration and powerlessness are not pleasant experiences in the workplace.
Understanding his need for progress, for goals, for efficiency helped him understand his inner drive. Learning other types might need a week to process and then come back for the brainstorm or the collaborative think tank helped manage the frustration.
Each of the 9 personality types brings their own unique struggles into the work environment.
When those struggles aren’t understood in terms of the enneagram then often the problem is misdiagnosed and remains unaddressed.
Here is a snapshot of each enneagram types struggles in the workplace.
Want to know more?
Here are your Next Steps:
1. Get your Team to do the Enneagram
The iEQ9 is an Enneagram report that provides the most comprehensive and detailed report on the Enneagram I’ve seen anywhere. And as an avid student of the Enneagram, I don’t say that lightly.
That means that, even if you already know your type, the iEQ9 can give you a much greater depth of self-knowledge.
In my estimation, the iEQ9 is the most reliable Enneagram test available today. And, as far as I know, there’s no other report that gives you this much information and insight about your type all in one place.
Debrief with Individuals
When team members have their own iEQ9 report they will begin to understand:
their own unique patterns of thinking, feeling and actions
their blind spots
how they view the world and how this impacts them at work
their gifts
their challenges
Team Workshop
Spend a day with your team working through the enneagram.
Your team will be better able to understand:
each other’s communication style;
the conflict styles;
decision making styles;
strengths and weaknesses each type brings to the work environment.
Have you discovered the strengths of each enneagram type in the work place?
Head over and see the strengths each enneagram type brings.
