About the Enneagram
Everyone sees reality differently; it’s hard getting on the same page.
Wouldn’t it be helpful to understand why people do what they do?
What Is The Enneagram & Why Will It Help You?
In a workplace environment, it’s vital to have a shared language that helps you understand your unique team culture, communication styles, how team members experience change, and what each person needs to “win” to contribute their very best to the organization’s goals.
The Enneagram is a powerful tool for personal awareness and growth, and is helpful when used to understand intimate and business relationships. There are nine Enneagram types each representing different strategies for relating to yourself, others and the world.
Each of the nine types has a different pattern of thinking, feeling, and acting that arises from a deeper inner motivation or worldview. In many ways, you could say the Enneagram is a way of talking about your particular and unique personality and goes far beyond what other personality assessments can offer.
It is common to find a little of yourself in all nine of the types, although one of them should stand out as being a close description to yourself.
Imagine the power, creativity, and insight you could harness
in your leadership and your team when working with the Enneagram.
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It’s better to respond than to react. But it’s hard.
The Enneagram explains why people are more apt to react from fear than respond from a clear, calm mind and heart. It’s a tool that gives people healthy new ways of relating to themselves and others.
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Grounded leaders are better leaders.
It’s the same for teams too. The Enneagram is a tool that helps people really understand themselves, particularly how they can work with stress that arises in their lives.
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We all have a super-power.
It’s important to understand what our true and innate contributions are in this life. The Enneagram helps explain why we have the strengths we do, and helps us grow into these gifts in meaningful ways. Discover the power within yourself & team!
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We all have an achilles heel holding us back.
Being human means you have strengths and weaknesses - virtues and vices. The Enneagram has the most in-depth way of describing how these vices came to be, how they show up in your life, and what we can do to manage these realities in the wisest way possible.
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Your energy follows where your attention goes.
The Enneagram helps us become aware of our habits of attention, and gives us a pathway for working with these habitual patterns that tend to sabotage our success.
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Pair self-awareness with self-compassion.
Perhaps the greatest contribution The Enneagram can make for you and your team is the practice-based approach to adopting new habits in the container of self-compassion. This isn’t “woo-woo”. This is exactly the posture that healthy leaders and teams employ.
Companies who work with The Enneagram
“A 2011 study covering 72 companies, including Best Buy, Daimler-Mitsubishi, Toyota and Avon, found that using the Enneagram led to better communication and collaboration, rising sales and increase in employee engagement."
CNN Business
FAQs
How do I find out my own Enneagram type?
The conversation around taking Enneagram tests can get a bit controversial. Certain personality types (or #’s on the Enneagram) will take multiple tests, albeit for different reasons. If you’re one of those people …. step away from the test!
In my opinion, the best way to narrow down and discover your type is to take the time to read up on the descriptions offered from a number of reputable sources.
There’s a free PDF (found at the bottom of the page) to get you started below.
There’s no rush to land on your type - just increasing self-awareness as you learn about all the nine types, narrowing them down as you uncover which numbers resonate with you the most. You may need to try a few on for size before you really land.
But…if you are going to take a test, here are two I recommend.
The RHETI: this is an online test offered from the Enneagram Institute and is a paid test that takes about 45-50 minutes to complete. It narrows down the likelihood of you typing for each number and gives you a comprehensive report at the end to continue your learning. This is the assessment I recommend for group facilitation settings.
The Essential Enneagram Test: this is another option that takes a slightly different approach and has been scientifically validated by Stanford researchers. You can take the online test, or purchase the book (which should be on your shelf!) - both will give you lots to work with once you’ve completed the test.
What books should I be reading about the Enneagram?
Great question! Subscribe to receive occasional updates from Christa and get a book list that includes resources for the beginner and seasoned alike.
Now what? What’s my next step?
Your journey with the Enneagram is a part of your larger self-exploration. As you read and learn about the nine types, take time to narrow down which ones resonate with you the most. Take a test if you’d like (just once!).
Then, consider working with Christa, either in a one-on-one coaching relationship, participating in a workshop, or in a team facilitation where you’ll be able to use this information to support your success at work.