Beyond Personality Testing: In-Depth Organizational Assessment
Knowing your Enneagram type is just the beginning. Not only is the Enneagram system incredibly layered and nuanced but it can be applied to a wide variety work situations and scenarios to problem-solve current issues but also to look at what may be holding your team back from greater effectiveness.
Let's look at the Enneagram from two perspectives:
Individual Growth
There are many ways to apply the Enneagram for individual growth. There are obvious and documented ways to target frustrating or inefficient patterns using an individual's number. These are the issues, according to Freud, of the conscious mind - we can see them, identify them and work to shift them.
Each number has a core motivation, a basic fear and a basic desire. Applying the knowledge of these factors will immediately shift and develop your sense of self.
Going more in-depth, the Enneagram also outlines connections to other numbers around the circle. Each number is affected by the numbers on either side of it and the numbers connected by the inner lines. These connections create greater opportunities for growth and clear explanations for interpersonal relationships.
Here is where things get good. As you move further into self-development using the Enneagram, the less obvious patterns begin to show themselves. This is the level of instincts, the level of automatic and subconscious patterns that are keeping you stuck.
The most important thing to know about the Enneagram is that it has an entry point for anyone and a growth path for everyone. I am honoured to have studied with Beatrice Chestnut, PhD, who has devoted more time and study to the Enneagram than anyone alive and she continues to learn and discover new and more effective ways to apply the Enneagram to work and life.
Corporate Growth
Let's apply the iceberg model to the corporate structure. The majority of personality tests and team building strategies are designed to tackle the conscious and more obvious behaviours and issues found within the workplace.
What sets the Enneagram apart is it's system of layered analysis. Gathering data from a team's individual assessment provides a number of avenues to examine the balance or imbalance of your team from a deeper layer of understanding.
A team can be assessed based on their Enneagram Types, Centres of Intelligence (Decision-Making Tendencies), Harmonic Groups (Handling Conflict) and Hornevian Groups (Getting Needs Met) all at the same time. This doubles as a way to better understand interpersonal dynamics as well as a multidimensional examination of underlying and less tangible blocks to a team's success.
We are now looking at a high-level view of the entire organization. We are seeing all of the outward moving parts but more importantly, we are seeing the inside view of the less obvious, but no less frustrating, strains on the team.
Integration
The data provided in a team assessment is invaluable. It looks at every piece of the puzzle and gives you tools to create measurable change and success.
The Enneagram stands apart from conventional personality assessments, offering unparalleled depth in personal and professional development. It's not just another tool, but a comprehensive framework that uncovers hidden behavioural drivers and team dynamics.
This multifaceted approach provides a roadmap for transformative growth that other methodologies can't match. In today's complex business environment, understanding human intricacy is key to success. The Enneagram isn't just beneficial—it's essential for any team striving for true excellence and lasting impact. It's the difference between incremental improvement and profound, sustainable change.
Contact HERE to get started.
great read