How To Use Enneagram For Team Building

The enneagram is an interesting tool that was developed over 2,000 years ago by Italian philosopher and psychologist Fausto Giorelli. It’s now very popularly known as the 9-fold archetype or number theory of personality.

Many people have studied the enneagram and applied it in different ways – some to understand their own personalities better, others to help individuals develop healthier relationships with other people.

In this article we will talk about how the enneagram can be used as a tool to promote team building. We’ll also look at some applications of the enneagram in business and why you may want to consider using it for your workplace.

Team building is an excellent use of the enneagram because it helps us understand our peers and colleagues more deeply. This makes work easier because we are aware of each person’s strengths and weaknesses, what motivates them, etc.

The enneagram can also help identify who on a team has leadership potential. And since team harmony and productivity depend on trust, being able to identify key stakeholders is important.

Making sense of which parts of the organization belong in which group is another way the enneagram aids teamwork. In fact, there are several theories around why certain groups are more effective than others depending on which part of the organizational chart they occupy.

The nine enneagram types

People are constantly changing, evolving, developing. We develop as we grow and learn from others.

In fact, learning new skills is one of the biggest drivers in our lives. We’re always seeking out knowledge and experience so that we can improve ourselves and help other people achieve their goals.

This process of constant growth helps us feel good about ourselves. It gives us confidence and self-esteem.

It also makes us happier. A recent study found that happiness increases as we gain knowledge and understanding of life.

So if you want to be happy, start by reading and studying books and topics that increase your knowledge base. You could try taking some courses or enrolling in college or vocational training programs.

But beyond education, there’s another area that many experts think can boost your overall well-being — team building.

Finding your enneagram type

The first step in using this tool effectively is figuring out what type of person you are! There are nine different types, or enneagrams, that describe how people organize relationships and self-identify. You determine which one applies to you by taking a simple test.

The test was created back in 1930 when author Otto Kernberg developed the theory behind these types. Since then, psychologists have studied these types to see if they make sense and can help identify personality traits and behaviors.

Kernberg’s theory states that we develop our interpersonal relationships according to our own inner conflicts. These internal struggles influence who we are outside the bedroom (or office)!

Your enneangtype determines the number and nature of your close relationships as well as whether you consider yourself more like someone else or not. It also has an effect on how you perceive other people and what you expect from them.

How to use the enneagram in team building

The enneagram is a tool that was created to understand human personality types. While it was originally designed to be used as an individualized understanding of yourself, there are many ways to apply this knowledge towards helping others achieve their goals.

The enneagram has nine distinct personalities or “types” which describe how people relate to other people and things. These types were developed by Carl Jung over 80 years ago, and since then they have become one of the most well-known psychological concepts around.

Jung identified these types and gave them names; each type gets its own unique description. However, you don’t need to know what any of those descriptions mean to reap the benefits of the enneagram.

What you can do while working with individuals of different types is recognize the type of relationship each person has with you and your colleagues. This will help you better manage interpersonal relationships, identify potential conflict, and promote teamwork.

One-on-one enneagram assessments

The most common way to use the enneagram as a tool is through individual, one-to-one assessment sessions. This can be done via phone or in person depending on what type of session you want to have.

Individuals usually focus on their personal enneaogram types to better understand themselves and why they feel some feelings and behaviors are repeated.

This helps them to identify any underlying causes that may need addressing, and also gives them more insight into who they are as individuals.

There are several companies that offer this service, but none seem to specialize only in the enneagram. Some cover other personality test styles like Myers Briggs which share similarities with the enneagram.

However, if you choose to pursue this route, make sure you get quality tests from an accredited source to ensure reliability.

Group enneagram assessments

The second way to use the enneagram with colleagues or groups is through group enneagram assessments. This can be done either as an individual assessment or as a team assessment.

Group enneagram assessments are usually conducted by having all members of the group read a questionnaire about the enneagram, before comparing notes and discussing what types each person was found to be.

This is very helpful in identifying who in the group shares similar traits, and also helps identify differences in leadership styles between people. For example, someone may find themselves mostly in type eight personality space, while another may spend most of their time in type one.

These individuals will want different things from the organization, which can sometimes create tension.

Enneagram training

Recent developments in enneagram theory have led to many different types of introductions to this personality type system. Some focus more on whether you are an introverted or extroverted person, while others look at which number your personal ennea-type is.

Other studies focus more on how each individual ennea-type relates to other types, and what that means for relationships and teamwork.

All these theories are interesting, but none take into account one key factor: how each type interacts with others.

That’s why there are some introduction courses that combine all aspects of the enneatype theory into a single course. These courses aim to give you insights not only about yourself, but also about the people around you.

Team building is an excellent way to use the strengths of everyone involved to achieve a common goal. By learning more about each other’s personalities, you can create effective groups and work environments. That’s why most companies offer such classes.

Enneagram coaching

Developing our individual personalities is an integral part of leading a successful life. What kind of leader you are comes down to who you are, what you believe in, and how you relate to people. Your personality affects your leadership style, whether it’s motivating others or taking charge yourself.

Your personal enneagem (the nine traits that make up your unique personality) can help motivate others by understanding their weaknesses and finding ways to appeal to them. It also helps you identify your strengths so you can emphasize those while encouraging others to develop their weaker qualities.

When was the last time you changed something about your lifestyle because you wanted to see some results? A few weeks ago, when you decided to give up sugar. Or maybe you gave up alcohol a year ago, and now you notice its effects in your behavior.

Making changes like these takes motivation, but once you have that momentum going, everything else falls into place. In this case, changing your diet and drink habits creates a sense of reward, which gives you more motivation to keep coming back.

Coaching with the enneagram can be just as powerful. Rather than telling someone they are not motivated enough, or trying to get them to feel certain things, we look at why they may feel the way they do. This can go much deeper than “they are not supportive of me” or “he/she does not respect my decisions.

Enneagram mentor-mentee relationships

The most effective use of the enneagram in team building is as a mentor-mentee relationship. A mentor-mentee pair works together to motivate, inspire, and challenge each other to achieve their goals. This can be for personal or professional growth, or both.

Mentors help you grow through inspiration and education. They may also teach you new skills by talking about how they have adapted what they know to better themselves.

A mentoring relationship should be two people that trust each other and believe in each other’s potential. It is not only about helping your fellow person succeed, but it is also about succeeding yourself when necessary.

There are many types of mentorships, such as career coaches who work with professionals at every stage of their careers, educational consultants who coach students on studying and test taking strategies, and motivational speakers who talk about self improvement and leadership.

Here are some tips to start looking for a good enneagram mentor-mentee pair.