Category: Enneagram at Work

It is that time of the week where we explore how each Type shows up as a manager in your office.

So far, we have covered how the heart-centered triad – Type 2, Type 3 and Type 4 – are like; as well as the the body-centered triad managers – Type 8 managers and Type 9

We round off our look at the body-centered triad with our focus on the detail-oriented and very meticulous Type 1 managers.

Type 1 Traits In A Managerial Nutshell

Type 1 managers look at how they can teach their team to do things ‘the right way’ – which often means that a system that consistently produces high quality work due to their high standards and meticulousness.

Their ability to set things in place allows them to create checks and balances in the company. These checks and balances allows the 1s see where they are needed to teach those who may need to be taught how to do better, as they always know who is accountable and responsible for which part of the process.

Becoming The Best Manager As A Type 1

In order for a Type 1 to upgrade their managerial skills, they would have to learn to be:

Less harsh with themselves and their team.

The inner critic of the 1s psyche is what pushes them to do better and constantly reform the processes. This is good because the 1s would then push their teams to often do better and be better at what they do.

However, when mistakes happen, the inner critic immediately ‘tells off’ the 1 for making ‘such silly mistakes’. The 1s then go on a downward spiral where they keep scolding themselves for the mistakes and because of all that latent frustration at their mistakes, it spills outwards to their team in the form of them micromanaging.

The 1s need to realise that mistakes can be a stepping stone towards growth in themselves and their team. If they are able to let go of their own critical voice and high standards, see how beautiful mistakes can be in their learning process, and be more gentle with themselves, they would then make very good mentors to their team and in turn, would have a less intense managerial style as a team leader.

More embracing of having fun while working

The 1s sometimes delve too much into what others ought to, should, must do and miss the fact that working in a team can be a fun, social thing as well. So, if a Type 1 manager wants to be more effective in building a positive team culture, they may actually want to learn to inject some fun and spontaneity in their very structured work processes. For example, after the team has brought a major project to fruition, the 1s may not want to jump straight into an after action review and instead, tell the team they are going out for a team lunch to celebrate.

When 1s can do this, they may find themselves less rigid in managing their teams; and yet their team may be less uptight and in turn make less mistakes in the long run.

An Encouragement to our Type 1 Managers

Making a mistake is a stepping stone towards your personal growth and it happens to the best of us. You can be a good teacher and yet still be nurturing by being less harsh and judgmental on yourself and your team when mistakes do happen. You are good enough where you are and you are perfect in the stage of life you are in now.

Learning to love the strengths and weaknesses in yourself is vital in learning to be patient with yourself. This will make you the best manager you can be – one who is patient, caring for others in your team and yet a good mentor who is able to teach others when they have lost their way.

This ends our piece on our Type 1 managers. We hope that when you do see your Type 1 manager being too harsh on themselves, take a breather with them by asking out to go out for drinks with you after the work day has ended or even ask them to go for a game of laser tag, just to help them decompress and learn that life can be fun as well.

————-

Interested in growing to be the best manager you can be? Then, come join us for our Enneagram Level 1 courses today. Contact us (link to: https://theenneagramacademy.com/#contact) to find out when our next course dates are and also, you can also use your SkillsFuture Credits to offset your course fees as well. Just ask us how!

Let’s continue our exploration into how each Type shows up as a manager in your office. In the first few weeks, we have already covered how the heart-centered triad – Type 2, Type 3 and Type 4 – are like. Last week, we started delving into the body-centered triad with our focus on the Type 8 managers.

This week, we turn the spotlight on the zen-like and accommodating Type 9 managers.

Type 9 Traits In A Managerial Nutshell

The 9s are relational creatures and even in a role of authority, they subscribe to the “everything will work out if we all just get along” mentality. This makes very good at building a positive work culture and in building a strong team spirit. Their gift in being able to see multiple perspectives and points of views allows them to be effective mediators in the workplace. They do this with such grace and ease that everyone usually leaves their office feeling affirmed and accepted for who they are.

9s do not believe that you need to be aggressive and loud to get things done and they show the way by using very warm and congenial tones, even when they are giving instructions and tasks to their team. The aura of calmness the 9s bring as managers allows their team members to feel safe in opening up to them about their work struggles, as they know the Type 9 manager will be right there beside them fighting the good fight.

Becoming The Best Manager As A Type 9  

In order for a Type 9 to upgrade their managerial skills, they would have to learn to be:

More assertive in leading the team.

The Type 9 manager always wants to be fair to their team but as a leader, they often avoid the difficult task of asserting themselves to deal with low performing team members because they do not want to ruin the work relationship.

The 9s would have to learn that engaging in the smaller conflicts – such as calling out the stragglers in the team and dealing with them – would enable them to avoid the bigger conflict of having others in the team being unhappy and leaving anyway. This would help them build a stronger team in the long run.

More comfortable in showing what they are capable of.

9s hate the limelight and their tendency to shy away from it causes them to not show the strengths and abilities that they bring to the table. 9s need to know the difference between showcasing and showing off.

A show off is very much an empty vessel making noise over their very meagre achievements. Showcasing is when the 9s, as managers, allows themselves to show their team what a person who is not only passionateabout what they do, but is sure of the gifts they bring to the table as well. It may even give their team members something to aspire to – to become like them.

An Encouragement to our Type 9 Managers

Your voice and opinions matter. Keeping the peace in the team means that sometimes, it is necessary to engage in conflicts so as to keep the peace within the team in the long run. Learning to assert yourself is good because it then gives you a deeper insight into who you are and greater clarity as to what you bring to the table. When you use your voice to make a stand for yourself and your team, that is when you become the leader you have always wanted to be.

That is your Type 9 manager for you. Always be sure to assure your Type 9 managers that you are willing to fight alongside them and that you would appreciate them, even when they need to give you constructive feedback to grow better as a contributing member in their team.

————-

Ever wanted to learn to be more confident of who you are? Contact us (link to: https://theenneagramacademy.com/#contact) and enroll in our Enneagram Level 1 course today!  Find out how you can also use your SkillsFuture Credits to offset your course fees as well!

Another Wednesday has come and gone! It is that time of the week where we explore how each Type shows up as a manager in your office. We have gone through what a Type 2, Type 3 and Type 4 manager is like.

This week, we focus on the authoritative and decisive Type 8 managers.

Type 8 Traits In A Managerial Nutshell

8s embody authority which makes them natural choices for a leadership role, which gives them the control of the office hierarchy. Type 8s are natural protectors and if you are in their team and gets bullied by someone else, you can be sure that your Type 8 manager will be first on the scene fighting for you in the name of justice.

Type 8s demand honesty from their team, especially if they have made a mistake. They also don’t like too much context given to them when being presented with work problems. They would prefer their team to present the problem first, solutions second and context when needed. They love it when their team mates are decisive and to the point as that also signals to them that everyone are competent enough to take control of their tasks and have no need for the Type 8 manager’s intervention.

Becoming The Best Manager As A Type 8

In order for a Type 8 to upgrade their managerial skills, they would have to learn to be:

More responsive and less reactive.

When mistakes happen, Type 8 managers can be very quick to jump to conclusions and ‘execute’ the person first before actually finding out why the mistake happened in the first place. This is where the 8s need to slow down and go deeper into finding out the facts first before deciding to judge them as being incompetent, or worse, kick them out of the team.

If 8s are able to also grow in their child-like faith to see that everyone is doing their best, then they will be able to see the best in their team and not be so quick to throw them out for the tiniest infractions.

More nurturing and supportive.

We often say in our workshops that 8s, like everyone else on the Enneagram, have a strong message to give to the people around them. 8s need to learn to cushion their message to make it less abrasive and more palatable, so that it can have a wider reach and impact.

8s also then need to look at their team and use their power and assertiveness to be more nurturing and supportive. If they are able to do this, then the 8s can teach their team to be more assertive for themselves and to fight their own battles, instead of relying heavily on them. In the long run, they would find that their teams would be more productive as they feel more motivated, validated and more secure with a strong leader like the 8 at the helm.

An Encouragement to our Type 8 Managers

Being vulnerable takes more strength than you think. So take a chance and show the emotions and vulnerability with your team, so that they can see you for who you are and not just the position you embody.

You do not need to shoulder everything and to protect everyone. Sometimes, allowing people to take care of you and stand up for you allows them to find the strength they did not think they had. Thank you for being the strong, decisive one in the office. However, know that you are worth being taken care of  and to be seen too.

So that is a Type 8 manager in a nutshell. In closing, here are some tips for you when dealing with them – be honest, direct and to the point when working with an 8. Say things as is, don’t worry, they can take it.

————-

Want to learn how you can use your strengths to optimise your team? Come for our Enneagram Level 1 courses today! Contact us (link to: https://theenneagramacademy.com/#contact) to find out how you can also use your SkillsFuture Credits to offset your course fees and when our next course dates are!

Welcome to our ongoing series where we explore how each Type shows up as a manager in your office. In the past two weeks, we have shown you what a Type 2 and a Type 3 manager is like.

This week, we turn to the naturally empathetic and creative Type 4s.

Type 4 Traits In A Managerial Nutshell

4s are natural empaths. Their sensitivity to the emotions of the environment they are in allows them to effectively use their words to inspire and motivate their team, especially when team spirit is at its lowest point.

As managers, their creativity is an asset to any organisation and can allow them to lead their team to their objectives where the situation may seem like it is all about to crumble. It is their commitment to diving in deep into the project and putting their whole energy and self into it that allows them to shine as they lead their teams out of the tunnel and into the light of arriving at the project’s objectives.

Becoming The Best Manager As A Type 4

In order for a Type 4 to upgrade their managerial skills, they would have to learn to:

Not let their heart dictate their productivity at work.

When the heart of the 4 is not in its right emotional state, it would cause them to withdraw from the work they need to complete, in order to process the hurts in their hearts. The 4 would then become unproductive which would then slow down their team’s momentum. 4s would need to learn to ‘cut off’ their emotions at that time to do what is required at work first in order for them to be better managers for their team members, and not let the team’s productivity bear the brunt of their hurts and their inner pain.

They would also become better at doing them when they come up with routines to help them self-regulate their emotions and to also develop a disciplined boundary to help them discern the appropriate time for them to express their emotions and when not to.

Be thankful for the team they have.

The 4’s sense of longing for the ‘missing’ may cause them to constantly compare the efforts of the team’s work to the often unrealistic expectations they have in their heads. This may then lead the 4 to be impossible to please. The growth for the 4 as a manager here is for them to be contented and be thankful for the team they have. This way, they can have the best team they want to have, if they are committed in nurturing and supporting the team to grow with them leading the way.

An Encouragement to our Type 4 Managers

You are good enough and you have beautiful gifts to share with your team as a manager. Knowing how you can use your sensitivity and emotional depth, in its most appropriate form, is what makes you unique and original. Being a manager does not mean you deny your emotions; but having the ability to focus on the work at hand despite the emotional storms in your heart, will allow you greater freedom to be yourself AND yet still contribute productively to your team and your company. Thank you for being you.

We hope this allows you a greater insight in what your Type 4 manager is like. Listen to what they have to say by being fully present as they speak and do not interrupt them as they are doing that. Thank them and appreciate them for the managers they are. This will go a long way in helping them feel seen and heard.

————-

Want to learn how you can channel your emotions to optimise productivity in your team? The journey begins with you by coming for our Enneagram Level 1 courses today! Contact us (link to: https://relationshipstudio.sg/contact/) to find out how you can also use your SkillsFuture Credits to offset your course fees and when our next course dates are!

Let’s continue our series where we explore how each Type shows up as a manager in your office.

Last week, we focused on the Type 2 manager.

This week, we focus on the fast paced, high achieving Type 3s!

Type 3 Traits In A Managerial Nutshell

The 3s are natural resource managers. They are able to see the strengths and weaknesses of the team they are leading, come up with cost-benefit analysis quickly (so quick that you wouldn’t notice), and fit them in the way that optimises productivity as they race towards the objectives they have in front of them.

As managers, their ‘can-do’ spirit is so infectious that even the person who doubts themselves the most gets swept up by the 3s battle cry of “Come on team! Let’s do this!” as they lead their team onwards and upwards.

Becoming The Best Manager As A Type 3

In order for a Type 3 to upgrade their managerial skills, they would have to slow down to:

Look at their processes.

The 3s operate at a very fast pace and this often creates holes in their path towards achieving their goals, as they may overlook certain important processes. This would inevitably cause the 3s to slow down even more, as they would have to spend more time to mend the holes in their processes that may cause them to fail in their quest to achieve the objective in front of them.

Check-in with their team members.

If 3s want their team to remain strong in the long run, they may have to do the uncomfortable task of checking in with their members to ask how they are, and not to talk about work. However, if they are able to make that emotional investment in their team, they may find that because the team feels validated, respected and appreciated for who they are, they would in turn work harder for the Type 3 manager.

An Encouragement to our Type 3 Managers

You are loved for who you are and not what you do. It is okay for you to lean on the members on your team and not take everything for yourself. Allow yourself rest by staying in the moment and celebrating each small success you have achieved each week. Connecting to your heart, though uncomfortable, is always a good self-check on what you are feeling, so that your own doubts and fears do not creep into the decisions you make for the team and your organisation. You are exactly where you need to be, so have faith in your own natural abilities and go impact the world in a way that only you can.

There you have it; Type 3s as managers in the workplace. Help them see that they are appreciated for who they are by sending them words of affirmation on how well they are doing. Small acts of encouragement will help them appreciate themselves more.

————-

Do you know who you are as a manager? Do you want to learn more about your strengths as a manager? Then contact us (link to: https://theenneagramacademy.com/#contact) to find out how you can also use your SkillsFuture Credits to offset your course fees, when our next course dates are and how we can help you uncover the hidden gems in YOU!

Brand new site and brand new series on all things corporate!

In this series for the next 9 weeks, we explore how each Type shows up as a manager in your office. We kickoff this series by focusing on the Type 2s.

Type 2 Traits In A Managerial Nutshell

The 2s are natural nurturers. They see themselves as the ones who will nurture their team members’ talents to help them become the best they can in their jobs.

As managers, they give ample support to those who are struggling by sitting down with them to help them figure out a new role; or empower those whom they feel need for a positive push to help them be more confident in their abilities.

Becoming The Best Manager As A Type 2

Learn to set boundaries

As people-pleasers, 2s may tend to overpromise and take on too many projects at a time. This would eventually pull their team down as they would have to bear the heavy load placed upon their shoulders by the Type 2 manager. When they set the boundaries by asking “Is this a project I need to help?”, they lessen the hold of the people-pleasing side of them as they do not feel compelled to define their worth by the help they give.

Learn to take a rest

As 2s are others-focused, they tend to not notice when their own energy tank is running low as they often neglect their own needs. When that happens, 2s may cope by lashing out at their team for not ‘being helpful’ enough or burn out to the point where they may be sick for weeks. If the 2s do not learn how to take care of themselves and rest, they may find that they may have be a burden on their team, rather than helping them.

An Encouragement to our Type 2 Managers

You are more than the help and support you give to your team. Always remember that your worth as a manager comes from the gifts you bring to the table, and not from the validation you get from your team or higher ups. Taking care of yourself allows you to help more people in the long run; so please rest when you know you need it. Thank you for everything you are doing and will do for the people around you.

We hope you enjoyed this deep dive into what Type 2s are like as managers. If you working with one, brighten up their day by thanking them for being them. A small act of appreciation goes a long way for them.

————-

Would you like to uncover your managerial style and motivations? Come to our Enneagram Level 1 courses today and let us help you! Contact us (link to: https://relationshipstudio.sg/contact/) to find out how you can also use your SkillsFuture Credits to offset your course fees and when our next course dates are!