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Unlocking the Power of Type to Lead and Succeed

This is a summary of the book “The Enneagram at Work” — By Jim McPartlin with Anna Akbari, in which the author reveals how applying the Enneagram – an emotional intelligence metric – can elevate leadership in the modern workplace.

The term "emotional intelligence" has become a corporate buzzword in recent years. However, success has always been related to interpersonal relationships; in order to achieve where you want to go, you must connect emotionally with others.

There are some people who appear to have an instinctive ability to connect and lead. However, most of us lack the discipline, time, and self-awareness necessary to lead and inspire others.

The Enneagram is a centuries-old framework that can help you better understand others, stimulate self-discovery, and serve as a road map to realizing your greatest potential.

This summary does not guarantee an immediate solution to life's difficulties. They do, however, provide insights and exercises that you may utilize to better not only as a leader but also as a human being.

The Enneagram isn’t a brand-new idea. It initially arose 2,500 years ago and has long been associated with mystical and religious rituals such as Sufism and Christianity. The enigmatic model was updated with current psychological concepts in the twentieth century, and it quickly became popular.

What was formerly seen as "woo-woo" by some is now considered standard practice. The Enneagram is frequently utilized to help people deal with professional problems and marriage issues. Companies such as Chanel, Geico, and Best Buy have incorporated the Enneagram into their corporate cultures to improve employee performance and interpersonal dynamics.

Knowing your assets and blind spots – both in terms of yourself and your coworkers – is crucial as a leader. Knowing what makes you and others around you tick, and what makes them stall, is an unseen superpower that can enhance trust, morale, production, and profit.

The Enneagram serves as a starting point for developing such awareness. It's a geometric model of the human psyche that shows how people think about and navigate the world. It will not, however, attempt to help you. In reality, the underlying message of the Enneagram is that you're perfect just the way you are.

Being, however, is not the same as knowing. While the Enneagram won't try to change your core, it will disclose your behavioural patterns and show you how to build on your strengths while letting go of those that don't.

Change, on the other hand, will not be easy. If you're like the majority of individuals, you're probably quite devoted to your habits. Even when they're hurting you, they're comfy and familiar. As a result, attempting to break free from them is tough.

You may face internal and external resistance as you attempt to remove old habits and behaviours and uncover your genuine core. You will grow and evolve if you have a thorough awareness of who you are, what inspires you, and how you interact with your peers.

Self-acceptance is crucial — admitting that this is where I am and committing to this is what I'm aiming for. Patience is also a must-have skill. You'll have a higher chance of attaining the behavioural metamorphosis you're aiming for if you take things slowly and are honest with yourself and those around you about your progress.

Let's get into the specifics of what the Enneagram is now that you have a rough idea of what it can do.

The word Enneagram is derived from the Greek words ennea, which means "nine," and gram, which means "written." Nine personality types are evenly arranged around a circle, joined by a nine-pointed star. These worldviews aren't intended to confine anyone. Instead, each is linked to certain patterns of behaviour that can be used to gain insight into your own and others' inner workings.

The Strict Perfectionist is the first Enneagram personality type; it is made up of people who are driven by what needs to be done. Perfectionists have high ethical standards and can be harsh on themselves as well as others. The Considerate Helper is the second type. Helpers are willing to put their own needs aside in order to help others, believing that this will earn them love and affection.

The Competitive Achiever is the third kind, someone who puts professional achievement ahead of sentiments and prioritizes goals and prestige. The fourth personality type is Intense Creative. These people want to be noticed; they're emotional, seek deep personal connections, and gravitate toward dramatic circumstances.

The Quiet Specialists are ranked fifth. They value logic and thinking above all else, and they can be emotionally disconnected. Specialists thrive in calm situations where they can process the demands of the outside world. The sixth kind, Loyal Skeptics, are worriers who distrust their own – and others' – power and are always prepared for the worst-case situation.

The Enthusiastic Visionaries come next. Their fear of commitment causes them to perceive life as a string of unlimited possibilities, making them charming, optimistic, and adventurous. The eighth personality type is the Boss, who enjoys being in charge. Bosses who are assertive and direct admire skilled mental or physical sparring but fail to notice others' feelings.

The Adaptive Peacemaker, the ninth and final kind, is a natural diplomat who can see both sides of a situation. Decision-making is tough for peacemakers because each alternative has advantages and disadvantages. It's also difficult to say no. It's easier to go with the flow than to design their own path.

It's possible that your personality type isn't immediately apparent. People are complicated; we're frequently a mix of this and that. But take a moment to consider quietly. You'll find your genuine essence by asking yourself which description resonates with you the most. The opportunities for advancement are limitless from here.

Author Jim McPartlin’s life used to be ruled by crazy, enormous anxieties. It aided him in his career since he was always ready for the worst. But he was anxious in whatever he did. Then, one day in 1993, he went to an Enneagram seminar. "Holy shit!" cried McPartlin when the presenter reached Type Six, the Loyal Skeptic. Without knowing him at all, she was summarising his life and personality.

He grew as a person and as a leader as a result of that experience. It made him realise how much about himself he couldn’t express and reinforced the need for self-awareness, which is one of the most undervalued components of leadership.

Self-awareness was once dismissed as flimsy self-help material. However, in today's job, it's just as important as technical ability. Confidence and inventiveness are also linked to being able to perceive oneself clearly, according to research. We strengthen relationships, perform better, and lead more effectively, resulting in more lucrative businesses.

Self-awareness entails not allowing your patterns to run on autopilot, but rather viewing your mind as a muscle that you can control and focus. And, just like any muscle, the mind can be strengthened by training and focusing on it - through meditation.

At first, McPartlin, like his kind, was a sceptic of meditation. But he discovered that it is effective. Here's how to get started: Just take a deep breath. Pay attention to your breath wherever you are. Physically and intellectually, how do you feel? Then, for ten breaths, concentrate on something — it could be as insignificant as a speck of carpet fuzz. It's important to notice it without being judgmental and to embrace any ideas or sensations that occur. Is it possible to simply accept their existence? Now consider what you'd like to do next.

The first of McPartlin's five Enneagram-inspired leadership principles is self-awareness or knowing thyself. The second thing to do is to be curious. You can include personal growth into your daily routine by beginning each day with the goal of learning something new and ending with a reflection on what you've learned.

The third rule is to keep your promises. This is what you mean when you say you're going to do something. This demonstrates your dependability and trustworthiness, as well as the fact that you don't place yourself above your team. Remember that keeping promises entails knowing when to say no.

Next, carefully select your team. You can bring together people who compliment you once you understand yourself and how you work. Last but not least, pay attention. Practice being present, whether you're in a meeting or making a sandwich – the meditation exercise you learned will help. You might be shocked at how much more productive and respected you become.

A triangle exists within the Enneagram circle of worldviews. The three centres of intelligence are represented by this triangle: reasoning (brain), action (gut), and emotion (heart) (heart). This triangle gives rise to all nine personality types. Those with personality types in the action triangle trust their instincts, whereas those with personality types in the logic triad have a more aware perception of the world. Emotional people see the world through their emotions.

Although you may identify the brain with reasoning, we also have action and emotion "brains" that are just as powerful. Our head brain makes us observant and creative when it's functioning at its best; our gut-brain makes us feel alive and grounded when it's functioning at its best, and our heart-brain makes us authentic and receptive when it's functioning at its finest.

At a ceremony honouring Julia Child's 90th birthday, McPartlin met her. That night, he noticed her laughing and conversing with visitors while holding a martini in one hand and her walker in the other. She appeared to be in complete harmony with him. This balance appeared to have pervaded her entire existence. In her kitchen operations (activity), her unending curiosity (thinking), and her love of a good meal, all three centres of intelligence were balanced (emotion).

We're not all Julia Childs yet, and most of us still have work to do to reach balance. Each Enneagram type corresponds to a specific intellectual centre. To find yours, consider the following questions: What role do these three personality traits have in my life? Which one do I find myself leaning toward the most? Which of these do I frequently overlook?

The first step toward core activation – being able to operate consciously and access your highest self – is learning to balance your three centres of intellect. This can be accomplished through McPartlin's "The Pause" exercise.

Stop whatever you're doing and tune in to your intelligence centres. Consider the following question: "What do I think?" What am I thinking? What options do I have? If you're alone, ask these questions while touching your temples, heart, and belly; if you're not, visualize these gestures. Which of the centres is the most active? Which ones have the least amount of expression? Take a deep breath and lean into the centre of your body that has been ignored.

Pausing throughout your day – especially during stressful periods – will help you cut through your autopilot responses and rebalance yourself, in addition to regular meditation practice.

Critiquing other people. Most individuals don't love it, with the exception of Type Three (Competitive Achiever) or Type Eight (The Boss). But, as you've probably discovered, giving and receiving feedback is an inevitable aspect of life, especially for leaders.

A four-step feedback approach can assist you in activating your core and making providing and receiving feedback less intimidating. Instead of having a subconscious, emotional outburst, you can use it to ground yourself and respond objectively to any situation.

First, pay attention to the behaviour you want to change. "John, I observed you were late today," you should say as if it were raining: "John, I noticed you were late today."

Second, you must interpret. It's critical to give people the benefit of the doubt in any situation, but especially as a leader: "John, I noticed you were late today. Is it possible that it's because the subway was late?"

The feeling is the third step. We all have different ways of dealing with worry, but we strive to be as direct as possible while remaining sensitive to the other person. "I noticed you were late today, John." Perhaps it's because the subway was running late. I, on the other hand, am dissatisfied."

Fourth, there is a requirement. That is, tell the other person what you require while maintaining a neutral tone of voice: "John, I noticed you were late today. Perhaps it's because the subway was running late. I, on the other hand, am dissatisfied. I'm curious as to what it will take for you to arrive on time."

Being able to provide and receive mentorship, which is a more involved form of feedback, is also linked to effective leadership. Mentoring, according to McPartlin, is the most honourable thing a leader can do. Why? It strengthens your core while also reaping positive karma, ensuring organizational cohesion, and bringing satisfaction. You must concentrate on and hone your own three centres of intellect when mentoring another individual.

If neither you nor your mentee has much experience with the Enneagram, do some research, take an online exam, or take a class together. You might not comprehend their Enneagram type at first, so don't put them in a box. Your mutual awareness of each other's personality types, on the other hand, will lay the groundwork for effective conversations, which will lead to a more real and fruitful working relationship.

Fear is something we all face in life, and for many people, public speaking is at the top of their list of fears. However, as a leader, you'll have to address an audience on a frequent basis, whether it's five people or 500. You may keep losing sleep over it. You might also use the Enneagram to overcome your phobias and effectively command a room.

Let's take a look at a Type One (Strict Perfectionist). Their main concern of public speaking is feeling inept, thus practice is a good tool to have before presenting a presentation. It's also beneficial for both the speaker and the audience to laugh with Type Ones. In fact, using humour to deal with difficult situations, enhance morale, and increase productivity is a terrific way to go.

Our concerns have a habit of taking on a larger sense of threat. Take a page from Harry Potter's "Riddikulus" spell, which turned the young wizards' greatest nightmares – like a big spider – into amusing shapes – like that spider on roller skates. First, figure out what you're afraid of. Then, until you've cracked a smile, turn your focus to the problem and gently mutter, "Riddikulus."

Another major concern is a failure. Let's equate getting fired or missing promotion to breaking your leg in a skiing accident. One requires a trip to the hospital, a cast, and time to recuperate. You beat yourself up, fall into denial, or lash out in wrath with the other. I'm not sure how that makes any sense.

When you fail, which is a subjective phrase in and of itself, rejuvenation should be your top goal. The ideal way to start this process is to use your three centres of intelligence: use your Heart Brain to practice compassion, your Head Brain to rationally consider what happened, and your Gut-Brain to go ahead.

McPartlin's life was forever changed — for the better – the day he was sacked from his job as a hotel general manager. He put in his earbuds, switched on the Hercules soundtrack, and stepped into his future as an Enneagram consultant after an initial moment of shock, melancholy, and rumination over a chocolate milkshake.

He vowed to break free from his own Type Six (Loyal Skeptic) tendencies by embracing the strengths of all Enneagram types in order to fail "well." How might a Type Three (Competitive Achiever) prepare for the week, for example? He'd build a to-do list for himself!

You can use the tools provided by each of the nine types. Even if it's only for a short while, trying on a different type can help you rise from the ashes and reposition yourself.

Conflict occurs on a daily basis, and it has the potential to derail even the most well-intentioned leaders. It could be caused by a variety of factors, including divergent value systems, different levels of competitiveness, and misaligned perceptions about the quality of a project. But what is the single most significant source of conflict? Miscommunication and misconceptions are caused by differences in pattern expression.

You must first understand how you manage yourself before attempting to mediate others. And it all starts with a cold, hard look at your own habits of behaviour.

George Rodrigue's Blue Dog series is a collection of paintings. Tiffany, his departed dog, is depicted in the photographs as she travels through space and time in search of her owner. The same dog appears in a smaller series, however, this time it is red instead of blue. This is when Tiffany is "being her bad self," according to Rodrigue.

Each of us, like Tiffany, has a good and terrible side. Different personality types deal with conflict in different ways instinctively, but regardless of the manner, each type has a higher and lower expression. A Type Four (Intense Creative), for example, will express their good self as self-aware and calm in a difficult circumstance; their bad self, on the other hand, will be irritated, theatrical, and withdrawn.

We all have an internal observer. Practising tuning into this unbiased set of eyes during a tight moment will help you recognize when you're falling into your negative self - and change course in real-time. This will help you deal with disagreement and develop your leadership skills.

The Enneagram may help collaborative teams bring out their best selves, just as it can help you express your best self. Learning to acknowledge another's point of view, express your own, and then work together to solve the problem is the key to effective, enjoyable teamwork.

Self-preservation – which implies a sense of security; sociability – wanting to belong within a group; and one-to-one requirements such as partner intimacy or intimate friendships – are three Enneagram subtypes or instincts that can help you get a more nuanced understanding of others' views. Each of us is automatically drawn to one of the three options.

Have you ever had an instant connection with someone? That's most likely due to the fact that your subconscious minds are in harmony. Then there are those with whom you simply do not get along. What is it about them that irritates you? What do you do to get them to react? You can make a concentrated effort to show you care about and value the Type Four's trigger points, for example, if you know they are feeling neglected or undervalued.

It's difficult to let go of your habits without knowing if the other person would do the same - and the learning and growing process might last a lifetime. It's worth the work, though, as with any excellent connection.

Here's some additional advice that you can put into practice:

You can't lead others effectively unless you've walked in their shoes. In the Florida summer heat, Jim McPartlin cleaned rooms and then outside toilets as a fresh hospitality school graduate. He went on to become a hotel manager after a few years, but he never forgot about that first encounter. In the end, you're never too senior or high-ranking to undertake the unappealing "dirty" task. Having a perspective like this – and acting on it – will help to create a team culture of mutual awareness, trust, and respect.

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