February 14, 2022
Leadership and Enneagram Types 7-9

Here are the final three types E7-9, in the series of the enneagram and leadership styles. All types make fantastic leaders and while there are many strengths in each type, there are also growth paths to become even better, to integrate the strengths of other types into our own and to notice, accept and find ways to challenge those aspects of our leadership where we would like to adapt to be more successful in our leadership.

Starting with Type 7, ‘The Enthusiastic Visionary’ 
These spontaneous, optimistic, fun-loving people are a joy to be with. They appreciate and bring energy to everything, fascinated by new ideas, they are innovative and entrepreneurial.

Their strengths as leaders include their ability to see the big picture, their flexibility, desire to learn more and ability to make things happen while inspiring others as they lead.
Their growth includes, finishing what they start before boredom sets in, tempering their restlessness, following protocol and, slowing down to ’embrace the tedium’ while allowing others to catch up. 

Their high level of activity can be a real positive but can also create tension as others are obliged complete the activities started by them.

Type 8, ‘The Active Controller‘. These strong, decisive, magnetic people exude charisma, energy and a lust for life. They are dynamic, direct, authentic and courageous, symbolised by the lion.

Their strengths as leaders include their ability to take charge and demonstrate their self-assurance. They make things happen and have impact, they are determined, reliable, supportive and fiercely protective of others.

Their growth is to accept their own and others’ limitations, be less intense and more tolerant and self-aware, and to be more in touch with their vulnerable side. They also need to be less confrontational as they follow their desire to change the world and to challenge injustice.

And finally, Type 9, E9, ‘The Adaptive Peacemaker’. These unassuming, easy-going and accommodating people always try to keep the peace and avoid conflict wherever possible. They seek harmony and comfort and are archetypal lovely people.

As leaders, their strengths include an amicable sense of fairness, their desire to play down their own achievements by placing their colleagues/team members in the limelight, their ability to listen to and validate the views of others and their acceptance of mistakes, remaining positive and optimistic wherever possible.

Their growth pathways include an acceptance of their own brilliance and not to always deflect to the team, to move into action more quickly and be more dynamic, to share and sometimes exert their opinion rather than always listen to others and, to be more decisive.

If you’re curious to learn more about your type and how you show up as a leader, do get in touch.

June 4, 2021
Becoming an Enneagram practitioner – what I’ve learned about me

So, this was the week I officially became a certified practitioner in using the amazing self-assessment tool, The Enneagram.

To be awarded this status, one writes a case study on how they have used it with a client to bring about deeper self-awareness and to help lead them to a fundamental shift in the way they think, feel, and show up in the world, towards a place of authentic integration.

I have learned so much about type, subtype, motivations, fixations, vice, and virtues to name a few, of my client, but I have also learned a great deal about myself. Some of these are ‘typical’ patterns of behaviours of a type 1, a strict perfectionist, and some of it is just me. Here are just some examples….

Wanting to put the world to rights

My worldview acknowledges the imperfections of the world and how I can work towards improving it, myself, and others. I am motivated to make the world a better place always with a view on what’s right and what’s wrong. This of course leads to judgement both of me, my inner critic can be very loud, and of others. I am trying to use this in a positive way of creating change, becoming an active campaigner, and lobbying for causes I believe in.

Conscientious

I am supposedly a stickler for rules and standards, good and bad, correct, and incorrect and being conscientious around avoiding mistakes. Is this another fear of being judged? I am slowly but surely moving away from the language of ‘I should, I must, I ought to’.  Who knows what joy this may bring?

Fear of being criticised

This is the ‘vulnerability’ of a Type 1 – while I like to point out others’ imperfections, I’m really not that keen on someone pointing out mine. In fact, I dislike it intensely and will react defensively, possibly with anger. Reading this for the first time made me angry. Enough said.

Zealous

My subtype is actually a counter-type to usual Type 1’s in that I prefer to reform others than myself. I see the potential for things to be better and reshape people around me to help make those happen. I can hold my hands up to this, yet I don’t feel I get off too lightly myself in how I want to ‘better’ me. I’m learning to stop creating unrealistic expectations both for myself and others. I’m some way away from serenity but at least it now exists in my thinking.

Procrastination

In my striving for perfectionism, my case study took hours, possibly days, longer than was perhaps necessary. I found it really difficult to sit and write it, even parts of it, until I was absolutely sure I knew it was going to be the best I could do. I became quite judgemental, self-critical, and pedantic, driven by a sense that it was not good enough. And then, I spent even longer deliberating on whether to send it in once complete. Here lies my keenest area for growth; accepting and challenging myself to ‘what’s good enough’ and allowing myself to embrace ambiguity and imperfection in myself and the world around me.

The above is just another stage in my learning. There is so much depth to the Enneagram, it’s hard to know where to begin (or is that just a Type 1 talking?). Beginning is the step I would highly recommend though as I remain fascinated by it 6 months on and hope to be for many years to come.

It can be misunderstood by some as ‘another box to put people into’. It’s not. It’s a way of understanding why we do what we do, what drives us, our core motivations, and what we can do to better ourselves. Everyone wants to do that right? This is the gift that keeps giving in more ways than one.

April 4, 2019
Lessons leaders wish they had learned earlier…

As a leadership coach, I am frequently reminded that leadership is often learned ‘on the job’. No-one prepares you for; the countless decisions you need to make every day, the challenge of time, managing the external and internal pressures, bringing out the best in all, to name but a few.

While looking back to the early days of their leadership, I often hear leaders say, “if only I had said/done this earlier”, “if only I had been clear about this”, “if only I hadn’t said yes”. It’s always about lessons they wished they had learned earlier, the preparation for leadership.

There are repeating themes from most leaders I coach and while the following is not a complete list, it’s a start.

  • Know and set out your core values from day 1

Leaders often feel they have been slow in being explicit about what’s important to them. They are often hesitant at being too forthright with this as they believe it’s right to ‘know’ the organisation, its people and its history. Yet none of this knowledge effects what we believe in. If our values are truth, equality, social justice, compassion, ambition for example, what difference would that knowledge make? From the moment we set out our values, people begin to understand us and we can begin to make decisions based on these. We start from a transparent place not from one where there is curiosity or suspicion about our motives.

  • Accept that a life balance won’t always exist

There is little point expecting this to be the case when every day brings new unforeseen challenges. Our best laid plans for our evening ahead can be scuppered by 7.30am that morning. If we accept that we can avoid disappointing ourselves or others. What we must do instead is ensure we find pay back. If that evening activity was lost to us, how do we recompense later that week. How can we remove something from our priorities that just isn’t that urgent? Or better still, how can we delegate to others….

  • Be confident about delegating

Some leaders see delegation as a form of weakness, offloading because they can’t cope. For some, only they can do the job well enough. Others are able to delegate to the point of abdication.

I ask my clients to remember when they were entrusted to carry out something by their leader. Then, how did this make them feel, what did they learn, how did they grow, what responsibility went with it? Words repeated back at me were; trusted, empowered, privileged,excited. Perhaps it’s time to flip the term delegate into something much more positive; entrust, empower, develop, invest.

  • It’s okay to take time to make decisions, providing…

…you make them.

The most frustrating thing for those awaiting decisions is not necessarily the outcome but the knowing it will take place and when. As leaders become more experienced they are able to make quick decisions especially on recurring issues, and especially when they are clearly values based. The difficult ones may need longer to accomplish.

Rather than ruminate over the pros and cons of the decision in the first instance, focus on the information you will need to know to make it, who do you need to speak to, what do you need to read, what advice do you seek? And then, set a deadline for when you are able to do this. Communicate this deadline to offset any frustration for those who wait.

  • How we lead other leaders

Setting out expectations for how we want our leaders to lead is something to consider before day 1. Bad habits are difficult to break so ensuring this is clear and explicit and, more crucially, modelled from the off.  Picture the best leader you had…what was it about their leadership that inspired you, how did they model leadership, how did they bring out the best in you?

  • It’s okay to make mistakes

Of course it is. If you are committed to perfection, it’s not going to work. We learn and grow from mistakes and if we model failure, we allow others to do so too. We give them space and confidence to take risks and if it doesn’t work ask ourselves the question, what would we do differently next time? Most organisations expect their people to take risks and make mistakes – if they were ‘perfect’ on appointment, how will they develop in the organisation?

While it would be wonderful to have thought through all these, we must acknowledge that we too are not ‘fully formed’ leaders when we step into our new role. And, like our teams, we will mistakes and learn from them. We then find the courage and determination to reset, to draw a line in the sand and put our lessons learned into practice.

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