The Benefits

Awareness is the key to change. If we are unaware of our automatic predictable behaviours and the effect of these behaviours on ourselves and others, how would we know what to change and why?

The Enneagram shows us where we get stuck, what our greatest fears are and why we rely on predictable behaviours in any situation. It points us to our particular personality ‘structure’, what drives us and what is our saving grace. As we use the Enneagram to see our automatic patterns of behaviour our awareness grows and we see how we get ourselves into difficulties in all areas of our lives. With this awareness we can begin to let go bit by bit of this tight structure which we believed kept us safe from hurt and pain (did it? Have you never been hurt?) and can lead to a greater understanding and compassion towards ourselves and others.

The Enneagram is not a static symbol but rather a dynamic flowing tool which teaches us how to grow and develop towards fulfilling our potential, using our inherent gifts and attributes leading us to a more engaged and lived life.

As we grow in understanding ourselves and our desires, drives and fears our presence grows. This takes time and practice. All our relationships can be profoundly transformed by this work.

One size fits all in not necessarily good practice in business. It can lead to misunderstandings, miscommunication and lack of trust. Using the Enneagram we get an understanding of our personality types and we can understand how different people need different management styles. When we take these differences into account we can begin to understand other’s motivations, problems solving styles, values and defences. The Enneagram helps to show us the underlying issues and the focus can then be moved from ‘problem bosses’ or ‘problem workers’ to the ‘problem behaviour’. This removes the negative labelling of people and allows managers and employees to communicate more clearly and break through barriers of all kinds. It can also bring focus to the capacities and strengths of each person leading to clearer communication, trust and minimise conflicts in the workplace.

The Enneagram helps everyone have a clearer idea of what they need to change or improve and can motivate them by having a positive healthy vision of their type and the high functioning person they can become.

Relationships are a huge part of our lives. From the moment we are born (and before) we are in relationship. Parents, siblings, friends, co – workers, romantic partners and children etc. Often I am asked about what personality Type would suit me best in a relationship ….. this is not necessarily the way to look at. Levels of development play a huge part in relationships. So it is hard to imagine a relationship working if one person (regardless of Type) is in the higher average to healthy levels while the other person is in the lower levels.

Understanding our Enneagram Type means we understand our drives, motivations fears and desires and understanding our partners Type means we understand where they are coming from. As we look at the symbol of the Enneagram we see that all nine points are contained within a circle. This indicates that we have all nine Types within us. So it is not a matter of knowing another Type from reading it in a book or learning it at a workshop. As we develop ourselves and grow in awareness our presence grows also. With presence we can become aware of how all the Types feel in me, not just my dominant Type. From this place we can have a real understanding of others motivations drives and fears. This can lead to great understanding and compassion and to truly great and beautiful relationships of every kind. We are no longer standing in our own position judging others for not doing things our way or being the person we want them to be but rather seeing them in their true light as they manage to move through their lives.