“A leader is like a shepherd. He stays behind the flock, letting the most nimble go out ahead, whereupon the others follow, not realizing that all along they are being directed from behind.”
~ Nelson Mandela
Leadership | Communication | Emotional Intelligence
“A genuine leader
is not a searcher
for consensus,
but a molder
of consensus.”
~ Martin Luther King Jr
The Enneagram is a breakthrough and compassionate approach for leadership development, emotional intelligence and communication skills.
The Enneagram describes nine basic worldviews, nine personality types and nine different leadership styles. Each of these styles has its own natural gifts and strengths, but also blind spots and challenges. The Narrative Enneagram encourages guided self-discovery to identify your style or Enneagram type. It’s not used to categorize or limit people. On the contrary, it’s used to promote a deep level of self-awareness and self-empowerment.
Through introspection, the Enneagram helps us to build on our strengths and overcome personal challenges and it cultivates an understanding for the intentions and behaviour of others. When individuals understand the way they think, act and feel under a variety of circumstances, it will positively impact the way they engage with those around them and increase their productivity.
The Enneagram exposes our unconscious assumptions, closely held opinions, inclinations and expectations. Unlike other assessments, which describe or predict behavior, the Enneagram reveals the core motivations that drive behaviour.
All 9 types have different strategies to filter information. Each of the types has their own way of expressing their ideas. The Enneagram shows us how to minimize the distortions we create. It teaches us the language of all 9 types which can lead to more productive and conflict free communication in the workplace.
Why use The Enneagram in business?
There are many advantages in working with the Enneagram in business. Firstly, it highlights how you and your colleagues feel, and process information. It also highlights that no matter how open minded we are, we all have habits in the way we think and this prevents us from seeing other points of view.
The goal here for leaders or team members is to understand the strengths and challenges of their own point of view. This will increase their own capacity to see multiple perceptions and perspectives. When you know your Enneagram type, you can respond to a colleague’s best intentions, and perhaps not become entangled in his behavior. Leaders and team members can benefit from knowing how their leadership style comes across to others. They may learn how to effectively influence and support the different types of people they are leading and working with.
The Enneagram helps us understand:
- the focus of attention and avoidance of each of the 9 types
- the nine different ways in dealing with conflict
- the speaking style and how different types of people give and receive feedback
- motivation and decision making strategies
- the challenges that each of the 9 styles might face
- unique strengths and gifts that each Enneagram type brings to the workplace
“Effective leadership depends on self awareness and self management. The Enneagram works by increasing emotional intelligence, the single most important element for the success of teams and work groups. This requires a willingness to look inside oneself, to listen to feedback, and to respond to the needs of each situation.”
Peter O’Hanrahan
2-Day Workshop: Self Awareness with the Enneagram
During this workshop, we look at the nine Enneagram types and how they show up in the workplace. Each type has its own natural gifts, limitations, and blind spots, and its own distinctive ways of thinking, feeling, and doing. Participants will become aware of their leadership style, diversity in personality and how their style can have an effect on their team members.
The best way to learn the Enneagram is to see the types in action. Attendees will be encouraged to participate by way of the narrative. This program opens up the conversation about different styles at work and participants are invited to discover their own type by way of inquiry.
In this workshop you will learn about the:
- 9 Enneagram types
- 3 Centers of intelligence
- Habit of emotions
- Focus of attention and avoidance of each type
- Leadership derailers and leadership strengths
- Signs of growth and suggestions for professional development
This workshop is ideal for team building. The process is generally moving, surprising, and invite new ways of relating to self, colleagues and team members.
Coaching with the Enneagram
What is coaching?
Coaching is a method of achieving set goals. Coaching is a forward thinking, positive, proactive approach to help you get from where you are to where you want to be. The coach does not teach and say how to achieve success, but asks questions through which the client himself finds the solution to his own tasks. Through this dialogue, the coach helps the client to correctly set a goal, find the best way to achieve it and reveal hidden inner potential in a person.
Why coaching?
Coaching supports a person at every level in becoming who they want to be. Numerous clients report that coaching positively impacted their careers as well as their lives by helping them to:
- Increase clarity and focus in taking action and achieving goals
- Become more self-reliant and increase greater responsibility and accountability
- Improve communication skills and gain more confidence
- Work more easily and productively with others
- Gain more job and life satisfaction
- Contribute more effectively to the team and the organization
“Coaching is unlocking a person’s potential to maximize their own performance.
It is helping them to learn rather than teaching them.”
~ Timothy Gallwey
How does coaching work?
The interaction between coach and his client is called a coaching session. This can be done in person or via Skype. During the session, the coach use questioning techniques to facilitate the client’s own thought processes in order to identify solutions and actions, rather than taking a directive approach.
Coaching facilitates the exploration of needs, motivations, desires, skills and thought processes to assist the individual in making real,
lasting change. The coach supports the client in setting appropriate goals and methods of assessing progress in relation to these goals.
Coaching maintain unconditional positive regard for the client, which means that the coach is at all times non-judgemental and supportive of the client, their views, aspirations and lifestyle.
Coaching invites the client to develop personal competencies and not unhealthy dependencies on the coaching relationship. The coach need not be an expert in their clients’ field of work.