Enneagram op het Werk

Note: Dit artikel schreef ik voor een Engelse krant op st Maarten waar ik een tijd heb gewoond. Ik heb het hier vast in het Engels geplaatst omdat ik het een aardig algemeen artikel vind over het Enneagram. Vertaling volgt.

The Enneagram at Work

People always ask me: the Enneagram, that is about finding out one’s personality type, right?
Yes, that is part of what the Enneagram offers us. It shows us what kind of personality we have and it also provides information about the types of other people. When you know someone’s personality style, you can accurately predict how they will act and interact with other people. More important, you will understand why they do what they do, their unconscious motivation. You may discover that someone’s behavior that you always took personally never was personal; they were just acting blindly out of the limits of their world view.
 

Software…

One of the many interesting things about the Enneagram is that it clearly shows us what the most important drive is for all types. Fives, for example, are focused on privacy and on finding out why things are the way they are. Fours want to be unique and are focused on what’s missing while Sixes are focused on security and safety. Ones are always busy with improvement and perfection, Twos are focused on the wants and needs of other people and want to be appreciated for that. Threes want to be valued for what they do and want to be the best, etc
A person who is always focused on security and safety is extra alert on potential danger and is always wondering if he can trust others. Twos on the other hand are always busy ‘sorting out’ what others need.  All types are always busy trying to get their focus ‘met’. This is what we, human beings, are really doing all the time without being aware of this. It is like a program is running but we are not aware of the software we use.
The Enneagram tells us about this software and provides detailed information on how this software is responsible for our behavior and our ways of interacting with each other. When people get that, when they start to understand their ‘software’, then all of a sudden things fall into place and they suddenly get more insights in their communication, in their behavior and in current and past relationships. It can help us avoid conflicts at work and can explain why we work well with some people and have trouble with others.

Let’s have a closer look at Three’s and One’s software:

Type Three, the Achiever, the Performer, goes for success. Threes want to be appreciated for what they do. They are very competitive and goal-oriented. Threes have a high energy, are busy, efficient, good promoters, self-confident. Are chiefly concerned with success and achievement and avoid any sense of failure. Winning is extremely important to them and you will understand that their focus is to be the best. They can be very status-conscious and aware of the image they create. They can become very impatient and angry when they are slowed down by others and they hate loosing.

Type One, the Reformer, the Perfectionist

Ones believe that being strict with themselves (and eventually becoming “perfect”) will justify them in their own eyes and in the eyes of others. But by attempting to create their own brand of perfection, they often create their own personal hell. Instead of agreeing with the statement in Genesis that God saw what He had created, “and it was good,” Ones intensely feel that “It wasn’t—there obviously have been some mistakes here!”….  They have a constant need to remake their environment. Healthy Ones are wise, reasonable, truthful, and idealistic. Gandhi was one of them.

Ones and Threes as colleagues at work:

As Threes are goal-oriented, fast, efficient, they just finish the job, while Ones, being more detail-oriented, do the job perfectly. While Threes have a high production, they can handle several projects at a time, the work of the Ones normally takes more time as they’re going for perfect results. Quantity and quality? Threes do not take sideways; they choose whatever works and are willing to learn on the job. If it is necessary they will improvise; the ‘show must go on’. Details can wait. These procedures can really drive Ones crazy…

One of the most difficult things for human beings is to understand what impact our behavior has on others. The psychological model of the Enneagram can help us to get a better view on how we affect each other and hands us ‘awareness’ to find other ways to improve communication. It’s hard working, though, never a quick fix, but it is worthwhile!
The Enneagram….., pass by, there is so much more to share.

Wilt u reageren of meer weten over het Enneagram? Of hebt u een andere vraag?
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