The following post is a part of my paper about the leadership style in the Enneagram. This post illustrates one of the important concepts in the Enneagram, nine levels.
Riso and Hudson (1999) propose the idea of nine levels of development, and nine levels of development are categorized into three concepts: healthy, average, and unhealthy. This chapter will demonstrate the behavioral patterns of Seven CEOs in each condition.
Firstly, when Seven CEOs are under stress and unhealthy conditions then they go to average type one. Although positive characteristics of Sevens CEOs are to have a great deal of curiosity and vitality, they may feel frustrated with themselves because of these characteristics. That is because they engage in a lot of activities at the same time, and also they want to accomplish all of them, but of course they can’t always attain all. In that situation, they can behave like an average type one. If they go to average type one, they may start to criticize their own creative and unique ideas without putting them into action. Furthermore, Riso and Hudson (2003) explain that “they cannot avoid feeling disappointment with people and many aspects of their environment” (pp. 150-151). That is to say, they not only criticize themselves but also others around them and the external environment. In order to cope with and recover the unhealthy condition, Riso and Hudson (1999) recommend the following practices, for example (a) taking a moment to breathe deeply and notice what is going on (b) trying to find the joy in daily life (c) practicing meditation. For Seven CEOs who tend to be busy minded and restless, focusing training like meditation and relaxing at the moment are powerful and beneficial practices in order to calm their mind and enjoy the moment.
Secondly, Seven CEOs often think that they have a responsibility to entertain others and to fill their companies with joy and excitement. However, they sometimes feel exhausted. As a result, they withdraw from others and become isolated like an average type five. In other words, they are likely to avoid contacting with others in order to keep their space and privacy. Regarding this point, Riso and Hudson (2003) point out that “At such times, Sevens make no effort to entertain or energize others. Like Fives, they retreat from contact and attempt to restore their energy” (p. 151).
Lastly, when Seven CEOs are swamped with a lot of everyday works, they may be like an average type one or average five as described above. However, as they are able to control themselves and relax at the moment, they can stop their busy mind and display their potentials. In that situation, Riso and Hudson (2003) demonstrate that “Their minds become quiet, clear, and focused, allowing Sevens to tap more deeply into their reserves of creativity and insight” (p.151). In other words, they go to healthy type five, and they can focus on one goal with strong power of concentration. Moreover, “They are able to prioritize not by imposing some arbitrary order on themselves but by following their true interests and staying with them” (p. 151). In the modern business world, prioritizing strategies and actions is one of the most important abilities for leaders. Thus, if Seven CEOs go to healthy type five, they can display their competence and capability as great leaders in the business world.
Reference
2 Discovering Your Personality Type: The Essential Introduction to the Enneagram, Revised and Expanded
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