The Enneagram: An Overture
In some circles, when the topic of the Enneagram comes up, people get all excited and start to rattle off numbers. With others, there’s a quizzical and skeptical look that emerges, and they might ask “Isn’t that a personality-cult-thing?” And still others respond with a blank look that tells me they have no idea what it is. So let’s give some basic info, dispel some myths, and start to build a common understanding.
Overview
Simply, the Enneagram is a model for understanding personality types. Sometimes people refer to assessments designed for this model as “the Enneagram” (e.g. “Have you taken the Enneagram?”), however, the word is really the name of the model and system, not any particular assessment.
In fact, it may be more accurate to say that the Enneagram is a figure or drawing that reflects personality types and their interrelationships.
The name, Enneagram, comes from the Greek words “ennea” meaning nine, and “grammos” meaning figure or drawing… a nine-pointed figure. It’s a diagram of a circle (reflecting wholeness) with 9 points on the outside, and lines which connect various points. As such, each point represents one of nine different personality styles and the lines signify the interrelationships among those types.
Open Source
Unlike other personality assessments and systems (eg. CliftonStrengths, MBTI, etc.), the Enneagram is “open source.” There is no one definitive source of explanation or description of this system, and no one person or organization that “owns” it. In a way, that’s good – it allows for creativity, different schools of thought, different emphases. However, this can also lead to confusion for those who want to learn more about it (or worse, lead to competition among proponents of those schools of thought). Some emphasize the Enneagram’s personal psychological underpinnings, others stress its spiritual meanings, and still others focus on its usefulness in organizational dynamics. I’ve been introduced to a few different interpretations of this model, and I find that each has value.
My Preferred Approach
I’ve done most of my study with a group known as Awareness to Action International, and I’ve found their approach to be helpful, accessible, and practical for my own life and when sharing it with others in a variety of settings. This model describes the Enneagram in plain language and focuses on how it can be helpful for growth. It’s practical (non-spiritual) approach makes it appropriate for a variety of settings. Another unique feature of this approach to the Enneagram is its focus on “instinctual domains” – an important and powerful aspect of the Enneagram not as heavily emphasized by others. The instinctual domains describe our tendencies to value and focus on certain aspects of life more than others. Becoming aware of our own bias in this area – as well as the preferences of others whom we live and work with – can help us navigate life and work and build more collaborative, healthier relationships.
Assessment
There are several assessments available to help people identify their Enneagram type. A quick Google search will reveal a wide variety, from free to paid. However, from my study with Awareness to Action, I’ve learned that even the best assessments can often be wrong, especially if the assessment doesn’t take the instinctual domains into account. (This was very true for me.) Very often, it takes time and deep self-awareness to uncover one’s true Ennea-type. Typing interviews with a skilled practitioner can also help. For those who are patient with a process of deepening self-knowledge, this is exciting stuff. For others, it can make the Enneagram seem “fuzzy” or mysterious, and it can seem less credible than personality models with quantitative scientific assessments.
Uses
Knowing my Ennea-type gives me insight about some of my patterns of behavior. It helps me become aware of patterns that had previously been non-conscious ways of thinking, feeling and behaving. That awareness provides an opportunity for me to examine those patterns and evaluate how well they serve me. The Enneagram can also help me identify blindspots that hinder my personal wellbeing, my relationships, and my professional effectiveness. Then, when I recognize a need for change and growth, the Enneagram becomes a tool that can help me to create new patterns.
Working with the Enneagram can also help me understand others better (spouse, family or friends, co-workers, etc.), which in turn helps me respond to others with more empathy and collaborate more effectively.
Abuses
OK, maybe “abuses” is a strong word, but the Enneagram is a powerful tool, and “with great power, comes great responsibility.” Having conversations with others who use this tool can be life-giving and enriching. They can also be frustrating. Asking someone you’ve only just met “What Enneagram type are you?” is probably not a great idea. (I know, it’s happened to me.) An Ennea-type is not just a number, and no two people are the same. We all want to be seen and known as unique individuals, not just put in a box or labeled with a number. Plus, a person’s type reveals a significant depth of information, so coming right out to ask type of someone you don’t yet know well is psychologically similar to asking that person to strip naked in front of you. Really, friends, it’s not a good icebreaker question.
As with any assessment, the most common misuses are stereotyping the type, and using type as a label. As mentioned above, there’s a lot to understand about each Ennea-type, and reading a couple of websites and taking a free quiz does not do justice to this body of work. Similarly, making mental assumptions about a person’s motives, behaviors, feelings or reactions based on their type does not do justice to that unique, creative, whole, resourceful person. We are more than our types!
Antidote
Luckily, there’s an antidote to those misuses and abuses: Curiosity. Get curious. Get curious about the model and learn more so that you’re aware of the depth, nuances and subtleties of different types. Get curious about the person in front of you, and instead of assuming their reactions or motivations, ask them from a stance of genuine interest and curiosity. “What’s that like for you?” Don’t assume that knowing a person’s type will help you really know that person better. Instead of asking about their type, ask them about what matters to them, what they value, what brings them joy, what makes their heart break. These are better questions, anyhow.
It's Only a Tool
At the end of the day, the Enneagram is a tool. Like any tool (think hammer, pliers, saw, wrench), it has it’s uses. In fact, it can be used in many ways and many settings, so it’s a fairly versatile and valuable tool. I use it because it can bring awareness to underlying values, motivations, or needs that strengths alone doesn’t address.
What’s most important for me is remembering that the desired outcome is different – and more important – than the tools I use to achieve it. “Using my hammer” is hardly ever my desired goal. “Hanging this picture frame” is closer. But “creating an inspiring office space” names an outcome with meaning and importance. I may find it helpful to use my hammer toward that desired outcome, but I keep my focus on that outcome, all while I am careful and judicious in my use of the tool. It’s the same with the Enneagram (or CliftonStrengths, or any other tool.) I don’t coach on the Enneagram. I coach individuals, or teams. I help them get confident about who they are and clear about what matters most so they can live with purpose and make the impact they’ve always wanted. We might carefully use the Enneagram while we do that, but it’s only a tool. What matters is what the tool helps us achieve.
Are you curious?
If you’re curious to learn more (whether you’re new to the Enneagram, or whether you have some background), then I invite you to join me on February 15, 2023 for a FREE one-hour introduction to this model. I’ll give more detail than I can include here and help you develop a working understanding of this powerful personality model. Hope to see you then!