Boosting Team Engagement with the Enneagram
How engaged are you at work? Or, if you are a leader, how engaged is your team? Have you noticed recently that productivity is low and there is a lack of engagement? If so, you are not alone.
According to Gallup’s recent State of the Workplace report, a significant proportion of employees are not fully engaged in their work. Specifically, 85% of employees are either unengaged or actively disengaged. Various factors can influence team engagement, including leadership, workplace culture, recognition and rewards, opportunities for professional development, and the alignment of individual and organizational values.
One way to increase engagement? The Enneagram for teams. A personalized scientifically backed toolkit and framework to understand your team dynamics. No more theories or assumptions. Just pure data.
The Enneagram is a personality typology system that can be useful in understanding individual and team dynamics. When applied to teams, it can provide insights into team members' motivations, strengths, weaknesses, and communication styles.
As a certified Enneagram practitioner, I can offer a brief overview of how the Enneagram can be used to gain a shared perspective within teams:
Understanding Individual Types:
Each team member can identify their Enneagram type, which represents their core motivations, fears, and desires. Understanding these individual types helps team members recognize why their colleagues may react or behave in certain ways.
Communication and Conflict Resolution:
Team members can learn about the communication styles and potential areas of conflict associated with their Enneagram types. This understanding can help them adapt their communication to be more effective and approach conflicts with empathy and better solutions.
Identifying Team Dynamics:
The Enneagram can shed light on how the team as a whole operates. For instance, a team dominated by Type 1 individuals might be focused on perfectionism and high standards, while a team with a mix of Types 2 and 6 might prioritize support and loyalty.
Leveraging Strengths:
Teams can identify and leverage the strengths associated with each Enneagram type. For example, Type 3 individuals are often driven and goal-oriented, while Type 9 individuals are known for their peacemaking and harmonizing abilities. Teams can benefit from recognizing and utilizing these qualities.
Addressing Weaknesses:
By understanding the potential weaknesses and blind spots associated with their Enneagram types, team members can work together to mitigate these shortcomings and ensure the team functions more effectively.
Team Development and Growth:
The Enneagram can be used as a tool for team development and growth. Teams can engage in workshops, discussions, and exercises designed to promote self-awareness, empathy, and a better understanding of each team member's unique contributions.
The key is to use it as a tool to foster better communication, collaboration, and self-awareness within the team. During a recent team building workshop, I witnessed the impact of breaking down communication barriers between types. One participant shared, “In our company, we have many different people with different personalities and communication styles. Remembering that we are different and feel differently about our workspaces, feedback, and conflict resolution will help me to see things more objectively. I really felt like I benefited greatly by getting to know more about my team.”
If you feel like you are ready to amplify your team engagement and could benefit from a fun interactive Enneagram workshop, reach out here and book a call today.