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Manage-Wise
Discover your leadership style
 The
Enneagram, which dates from at least 2,000 years ago and has its roots in Asia
and the Middle East, derives its name from the Greek words ennea (“nine”)
and gram (“something written or drawn)”. The term refers to the nine
points, or numbers, of the Enneagram system seen in the Enneagram symbol. (This
ancient system offers profound insights into the different ways in which people
think, feel, and behave, since the nine different Enneagram styles represent
distinct worldviews, with related patterns of thinking, feeling, and taking
action. Even more important, each Enneagram style is connected to a specific
high-impact development path. Thus, the accurate identification of your Enneagram
style is important if you want to grow and develop as a leader and as person.
Although each of us has only one position or number on the Enneagram and our
style remains the same throughout our lifetime, our Enneagram style-based characteristics
may soften or become more pronounced as we grow and develop. In addition, there
are four other Enneagram styles that my also contribute traits to our personality.
These four additional Enneagram styles, explained later in this chapter, do
not change our core style; they merely add to our complexity as a person and
can provide us with useful development opportunities.
How to determine your Enneagram style
Although there are several helpful Enneagram tests currently available, none
of them will determine your Enneagram style with absolute certainty. Ultimately,
you must rely on your own self-assessment to identify your Enneagram style.
While you know yourself best, including what motivates you and drives your actions,
you may be so used to thinking, feeling, or behaving in certain ways that you
may not even notice some of your Enneagram style can take you on a self-reflective
journey that can be invaluable to your growth as a leader.
Having to identify your Enneagram style yourself will not only help you in learning
the Enneagram system, but also help you become more introspective and objective
about yourself.
In this chapter, you will first gain information about each Enneagram style
that includes the following:
- A graphic image and style description
- The core focus associated with the style
- The common labels used for the style
- The style’s four basic issues
- Leadership paradigms for each style, along with
related strengths and areas for development
- Questions to ask yourself to assess whether this
is your style
After you understand the nine Enneagram styles in more depth and begin to identify
your Enneagram style, additional information about the Enneagram system will
be provided.
The nine Enneagram style
As you read through the nine Enneagram style descriptions that follow, keep
this question in the back of your mind: Which of the Enneagram styles most accurately
describes me?
Ones
Ones seek a perfect world and work diligently to improve both themselves and
everyone and everything around them.
- Core focus: What is right or wrong, correct
or incorrect?
- Common labels: Perfectionist, reformer, crusader,
moralist
Basic issues for Ones
Perfectionism Ones continuously compare what is to what should be. They appreciate
something that is exceptionally well done—for example, a play, a symphony,
a book, a project, or anything else that exemplifies quality to them. Ones hold
both themselves and others accountable for acting responsibly and for measuring
up to their high standards.
A Right Way Ones believe that every problem has a correct solution; they are
quick to react to a situation by offering what they believe is the right approach
or the right answer. Even when Ones do understand that the correct answer is
rarely black and white, they will still assert that there is one “right”
way by saying, “Nothing is ever black and white. It is almost always gray.”
- Resentment: Because being responsible is an overarching
value for Ones, they usually approach their work with diligence, demonstrating
qualities such as follow-through, timeliness, and attention to detail. When
others do not display these same characteristics, Ones often feel resentful
and think, Why do I work so hard, when others seem to get away with a less
than stellar performance?
Resentment can build up in Ones, and they tend to express it through flares
of anger that often take others by surprise. Most Ones need to feel righteous
or justified in their outrage in order to express the deep-seated anger
that frequently lies below the surface.
- Judgment and self-improvement: Ones have a highly
active inner critic that can be relentless, telling then what they have done
wrong, what they should have said, and how they ought to have behaved. The
self-recriminating inner voice, which is usually “on” 85 percent
or more of the time, has a purpose: to keep Ones from making mistakes. This
internal judge also assesses what has gone well and what can be done for self-improvement.
Ones also tend to be judgmental of others, expressing this through explicit
verbal criticism and body language. Even One who do not appear to be critical
may, in fact, simply be keeping their thoughts to themselves. For example,
when a One was asked why she did not seem to be overtly critical of others,
she responded, “Oh, but you should hear what’s going on inside
my head!” The One’s judgement of others may also be positive—for
example, Ones can be thrilled when they observe excellence in someone’s
thinking process, behavior, or work product.
Leadership paradigm and related characteristics
Areas of strength
- Leads by example
- Strives for quality
- Pursues perfection
- Organized
- Consistent
- Perceptive
- Honest
- Practical
Areas for development
- Reactive
- Overly critical
- Defensive when criticized
- Often unaware of deep anger
- Detail-focused
- Controlling
- Opinionated
- Impatient
Question to ask yourself to determine whether you might be an Enneagram style
one:
Do I have a voice or message in my head, like a tape recorder, that continually
judges me and other people in terms of what has been done wrong, what has been
done well, and what needs to be improved?
Do the four basic issues—perfectionism, a right way, resentment, and judgment
and self-improvement—apply to me?
Excerpt from ‘What type of leader are you?’ by
Ginger Lapid-Bogda. Reproduced with permission © 2007, Tata McGraw-Hill
Publishing Company Limited. Price: Rs 295. Vishwanath_Ghanekar@mcgraw-hill.com
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