Podcast - Episode 0193 - Enneagram Leadership (Part 2)

In this episode, Joel and Antonia continue their discussion with Dr. Beatrice Chestnut about Enneagram leadership.

In this podcast you’ll find:

• Part 1 of this series
• The 9 Types of Leadership: Mastering the Art of People in the 21st Century Workplace
• The more you understand yourself, default patterns, reactions, focus points and the differences of others, the easier it is to work with others.
• Manage yourself and your responses.
• Be more flexible and have more empathy for others.
• Every combination has ways they may get along well or cause friction.
• If you know yourself and you know where they’re coming from you can have a better understanding of what is needed to work together better.
• We can come in with biases against or for other types.
• Enneagram is a constant reminder to stop stereotyping and instead go within.
• Be aware of yourself and what you may be bringing into the situation or projecting onto someone else.
• Use the Enneagram to ask, “What is it about me that is creating the situation?”
• Enneagram 6 may poke holes in ideas too soon due to their tendency to be the devil’s advocate.
• There is a section in each chapter for what each type can do to be easier to work with.
• From the book, Type 6: “Not everyone needs as much time and space to question and plan proposals… It will help 6s to clarify intentions when they push back or question other’s work.”
• Types 8 & 3 tend to gravitate toward leadership roles.
• If you come to the table recognizing yours is not the only perspective you can get along with everybody.
• If most people have 8s and 3s bosses, is there anything they can do to navigate that space?
• The book contains tips to help each of us get along with other types.
• From the book, how to get along with 3s: “
  • Be competent and get things done.
  • If you don’t do your job timely or correctly, be accountable for your mistakes.
  • 3s like to be left alone when working.
  • Be mindful of 3s preferred pace.
  • They move really fast. Don’t waste their time.
  • They are sensitive to long meetings or drawn out conversations.
  • Communicate with them in bullet points.
  • Relationships will be secondary to work.
  • Don’t expect them to want to deal with your feelings.
  • Communicate your feelings in a way that is not emotional.
  • 3s avoid failure at all costs. It is their kryptonite.
  • Recognize their achievements.
• Antonia (Enneagram 3): “I’ve had to recognize that honoring people’s emotions and keeping morale high is not my strong suit. I also appreciate it when the team has my back, even when I fail.”
• Sometimes we can overcorrect.
• From the book, how to get along with 8s:
  • Make sure and tell them the truth.
  • Be honest.
  • Don’t hide things or undermine their authority.
  • Don’t beat around the bush.
  • Be brief, direct, and to the point.
  • Don’t waste their time.
  • They respect independent workers.
  • Support them in taking action.
  • Don’t slow them down or interrupt them.
  • Support their forward momentum.
  • Ask them to pause before they work, which will be of service to them.
  • Try not to be afraid of conflict with them.
  • They respect people who aren’t afraid to meet them assertively.
• Use the 8 in your life as an exercise to develop your conflict muscles.
• “Every organization is a shadow of its leader.”
• Leaders have weighted presence in the company and will develop the company to mirror their preferred communication strategy.
• Sometimes that is true – and sometimes it isn’t.
• Leaders will unconsciously hire someone of their type.
• Their blind spots can become blind spots of the organization.
• As a leader, ask yourself what your blind spots may be. See them and create a path for growth based upon them.
• Underlying principle:
  • Know thyself.
  • Understand yourself.
  • Put out effort to do some personal self-awareness work.
  • The more you know yourself, the more you will be able to understand your strengths, weaknesses, and projections.
  • Also modeling self-awareness and self-responsibility for others is huge in a leadership situation.
  • Own your mistakes.
  • Apologize, and people will trust you more.
• Grab yourself a copy of Beatrice’s book – The 9 Types of Leadership: Mastering the Art of People in the 21st Century Workplace
• Enneagram Roadmap