You have likely identified your 2021 goals and have created the strategic plans to back them up. As we near the end of Q1, have you made the progress you need to achieve your goals? Is your team working well together? What they may be missing is the Emotional Intelligence to make the strategies work. We all know what it’s like to sit through a painful team meeting filled with tension, conflict, and apathy; but what if you could create a culture on your team that sets you up for collaboration, synergy and success?
When we think about strategy and success, we usually focus on the behaviors and tasks we know are necessary to accomplish what we are after. We turn to personality tests to help us understand who to use and how to utilize them for maximum output. However, real change in people and in an organization happens when a leader looks past the behavior and begins to identify why someone thinks, feels, and behaves the way they do. When you can identify the internal motivations driving behavior, you can leverage potential and minimize the impact of blind spots. This is why many leaders are turning to the Enneagram Personality Framework as a tool to drive personal growth on their teams.
The Enneagram Growth Process involves three steps that maximize synergy on teams so they can stay focused on their strategies instead of getting distracted by unnecessary tension and conflict. The first step is self-awareness. When each individual understands their Enneagram type and the internal motivations that drive their best habits (and the ones they want to change) they can begin to take responsibility for their personal and professional growth. You can’t change what you can’t see, and the Enneagram helps you see yourself with incredible clarity. The second step is self-management. After paying attention to how your internal motivations affect your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, you are ready to begin creating a personal growth strategy that sets you up to leverage your best strengths and take ownership of your potential vulnerabilities and blind spots. This is the kind of plan that works so well, everyone around you notices the results. The third step is social awareness. There are 9 Enneagram Types, and each type has a unique way of seeing the world. A team works best when they exhibit personal ownership, understanding and compassion for personality differences.
If you’ve been wondering why different employees respond differently to feedback, or why some lean into healthy conflict and others withdraw, or why you can’t lead with a one-size-fits-all approach, the Enneagram can fill in the blanks and provide a clear path forward. If you’re ready to lean into the Enneagram to learn more about yourself and your team, the best next step is to read “The 9 Types of Leadership” by Beatrice Chestnut or to grab a complimentary consultation call with a Certified Enneagram Coach. Either way, the Enneagram can help transform your team from the inside out so that you can hit your 2021 goals without getting slowed down by unnecessary tension and conflict.
Karissa Harrison is a Certified Enneagram Coach and Consultant who helps leaders create a plan for personal growth that works so well, everyone around them notices the results. For more information, please visit www.karissaharrison.com or call 760-855-6905.