Enneagram Big Mind

I’d like to show a new spiritual and shadow work which I created by using the Enneagram and “Big Mind (Genpo Roushi proposed).”  Firstly, Big Mind practice is composed of the western psychologies (Jungian, Freudian, and Gestalt therapeutic dialogue) and eastern philosophies (especially, Zen philosophy).    As you know, we have a lot of different roles in us, for example, I as a controller, I as a judge, I as a helper, I as self.  The list goes on.  So, the purpose of the Big Mind is to clarify these roles in us, integrate them, and find true self.  I created a new type of Big Mind process (called “Enneagram Big Mind”).    I think this Enneagram Big Mind enhances the understanding of our unique type.  The process is the following.

Facilitator (F): “Who am I speaking to?”

Enthusiast (E): “Yes, you’re speaking to an enthusiast.”

F: “Thank you.  Please tell me about you.”

E: “Yeah, I’m an energetic person.  I really like doing something new.”
F: “OK. So, do you like yourself?”

E: “Of course, I love myself.  But, I suppose I sometimes bother Self.”

F: “Would you tell me more?”

E: “Well, as you may know, I’m an epicure, so my mind often is occupied with a lot of plans or ideas for the future.  Because of my busy mind, Self sometimes feel exhausted.”

F: “Thank you for sharing.  How does Self evaluate you?”

E: “I believe Self thinks highly of me.  Because, I am one of the important vitalities of Self.  Without me, Self may be bored in his life.  However, recently Self asks me to have a calm mind.”

F: “The advice may be good.  So, if you have a calm mind, how will Self change?  Do you think Self will be happy?”

E: “Yes, of course, Self will be happy if I have a tranquil mind.  Also, Self will be able to fully enjoy the present moment!”

F: “That sounds wonderful!  May I ask one more question?  How do you get a tranquil mind?”

E: “That’s a very good question.  Thank you for asking, but please tell me how to get it…that is my joke.  I believe that Zen meditation is one of the most beneficial ways to obtain a peaceful mind.  Thus, I practice it every day.”

F: “Thank you so much.  Next, I’d like to talk to your Self, bye enthusiast!”

Self (S): “Nice to meet you.  I am Self.”

F: “Nice to meet you, too.  Please tell me about you.  Also, what do you think of the enthusiast in you?”

S: “Well, it is difficult for me to describe me, but I am I-Amness.  I am not objectified…In a word, I am a seer.  Yeah, I really respect the enthusiast in me because he gives me powerful energy every day.  Please tell him so.”

F: “Sure, I’ll tell him so.  He will be happy to hear that.  Thanks.”

The above is a simple example of Enneagram Big Mind, but I think this practice will be very effective when I talk with every type in the Enneagram.  

How has your Ennea-type “appeared” in your personal and professional relationships? Is there a difference between the two?

 How has your Ennea-type “appeared” in your personal and professional relationships?  Is there a difference between the two?

Firstly, my Ennea-type has appeared a lot in my personal relationships.  As the result of the Enneagram test, type seven, three, and eight stand out.  Interestingly, type three, seven, and eight are categorized into the assertive group in terms of the Hornevian Group concept.  In a word, “The assertive types are ego-oriented and ego-expansive” (Riso & Hudson, 1999, p. 61).  As a consequence, the assertive characteristics have a strong influence on my relationships.  In the past as well as now, I sometimes or often come up with the following thoughts when I join an event or party “I am here!  This event (party) will be fun and exciting because I came here.  Something interesting will happen today.”  Of course, I don’t tell anyone about this in words, but my friends often give feedback that I radiate such an aura and energy that people understand my type.  I think that my verbal or nonverbal communication style based on my Ennea-type seems to affect my relationships with others.

Secondly, my Ennea-type used to appear in my professional relationships.  When I was a professional consultant, I tended to juggle several tasks at the same time.  In fact, I felt happy that I engaged in some projects simultaneously.  On the other hand, when I committed to only one project, I was unsatisfied with that situation.  Moreover, I was likely to get bored easily with the same kind of tasks, so I asked my managers to give me new types of tasks.  Although I sought new types of tasks, actually I was sometimes overwhelmed by a mountain of tasks in front of me.  On this point, Riso and Hudson (2003) point out that sevens “are natural multitaskers but can also get overextended and lack follow-through” (p. 196).  This sentence hits the nail on the head.  As the result, I lagged in my duties, so I gave my managers annoyance.  I regret that I didn’t know the characteristics of my type like that those days.  If I had learnt the Enneagram, I could have behaved differently in my company. 

For me, there is no specific difference between the personal and professional relationships.  The first reason is that I’m not good at behaving differently in personal and professional relationships.  I tend to stick to my belief that I try to be the way I am.  Therefore, I won’t change my personality coercively.  Perhaps, this belief may also be influenced by my Ennea type.

Enneagram Self-Reflection:Reflect upon one specific situation or circumstance in your life and explore if/how having knowledge of the Type you identify with provides you with new insight and self-awareness. Will you respond differently with this knowledge?

Reflect upon one specific situation or circumstance in your life and explore if/how having knowledge of the Type you identify with provides you with new insight and self-awareness.  Will you respond differently with this knowledge?

Having rich knowledge of my type provides me with new insight and self-awareness a lot, especially about working with others more smoothly and effectively.  Actually, when I was in the business field for two years, I realized how difficult it is to work with different types of people.  In those days, I didn’t have typological knowledge at all, so it was laborious for me to understand and respect others’ types and differences. 

However, if I work with someone now, I will be able to recognize his or her type correctly and to respect his or her unique characteristics by utilizing the knowledge of the Enneagram.  The examples of my new insight as for working with each type are below.  If I work with type one, I may be careful of my behavioral patterns like chops and changes.  In other words, I can notice that I tend to act flexibly and accept new ideas without thinking deeply.  Type one people whose characteristics are right-wrong thinkers may not follow me, because they may regard my behavior as capricious and ambiguous.   As a result, I need to consider the above characteristic when I work with type one. 

Regarding the relationship with type two, if I work with a type two, I need to pay attention to the following points.  As described above, sevens are likely to work on a number of things simultaneously.  If I were a manager and my subordinate were a type two, the following situation would happen.  The important characteristics of a type two are to be very dedicated to others and to work for others very hard.  In that sense, if I ask the subordinate to work on a job, he or she will tackle it devotedly. 

However, what will happen if my direction is scattered, and I ask him or her to do one job after another?  I suppose that he or she will work hard for me because his or her positive trait is dedication to helping people.  In that situation, he or she may be bewildered by a ton of jobs like rain falling from the sky.  The above examples demonstrated only the relationship between me and a type one and two, but I’ll be careful of the other types when I work with someone. 

 Therefore, I think that I’ll be able to build a good relationship with others and work with others very well by virtue of the Enneagram, as Riso and Hudson (2003) point out that “when personality type is properly understood, communication becomes exponentially more effective because people begin to recognize and make the most of human diversity” (p. 6).  Needless to say, the Enneagram enriches my relationship with others and my life itself.  

Enneagram Self-Reflection:What traits of your Ennea-type do you not identify with?

What traits of your Ennea-type do you not identify with?

Now, I think that I’m going to a healthy type seven thanks to meditation and the effort to enjoy the present moment, so I don’t identify with an unhealthy and average seven’s traits so much.  Under stress, type seven tends to go to average type one.  Sevens are likely to come up with a lot of ideas and plans, so they tend to move from one activity to another very quickly.  As a result, Sevens sometimes may not accomplish their initial plans or goals, so they feel frustrated with themselves.  In such situations, “they begin to behave like average Ones-pulling in the reins on themselves and trying to get more organized and self-controlled” (Riso & Hudson, 2003, p. 150).  Sevens who go to average Ones are likely to criticize their own unique ideas without putting them into practice.  Furthermore, they cannot stand the feeling of dissatisfaction with others and external environment.  Therefore, they regard that everything doesn’t meet their expectations, and then they become perfectionists and begin to criticize not only themselves but also others.  In my recent life, I can’t see the above traits, so I seem not to identify with seven’s traits under stress (unhealthy: level 7 to 9).

As for average levels of type seven, Sevens often think that they have a strong responsibility to entertain others and to fill their environment with positive and exciting energy.  In consequence, the sense of responsibility sometimes makes them withdraw from others and to be isolated, like Fives.  In fact, at such times, they don’t want to be connected with others, and they try to restore their energy by being alone (Riso & Hudson, 2003).  The above traits are the characteristics of average type seven, so they sometimes appear in me.  However, as I consider more details, average levels are categorized into three levels.  I noticed that two of the three characteristics seldom appeared in me.  Specifically, the first is that

Sevens worry that they will be bored or frustrated and that painful feelings will arise, so they try to keep themselves excited and occupied.  They pump up the energy around them by talking, joking around, and pursuing new adventures, but they are often distracted and unfocused. (Riso & Hudson, 1999, p. 270)

I don’t identify with the trait (average level 5) in daily life as type seven.  In addition, the second (average level 6) is that

Sevens are afraid that there will not be enough of whatever they believe they need, so they become impatient, seeking instant gratification.  They can be very demanding but are seldom satisfied when their demands are met.  Jaded and wasteful, they are cavalier about their habits, denying guilt. (Riso & Hudson, 1999, p. 270)

Thanks to the concept of nine levels of development, I understand that I don’t have the characteristics of level 5 and 6 of type seven.  Furthermore, I also found that I didn’t identify with level 1 in healthy type seven.  Level 1 is the most desirable state, and the trait is the following

Sevens let go of the belief that they require specific objects and experiences to feel fulfilled, so they are able to fully assimilate their experiences and be nourished by them.  They also paradoxically achieve their Basic Desire-to be satisfied and content, to have their needs fulfilled-and they become appreciative, ecstatic, and deeply grateful.　 (Riso & Hudson, 1999, p. 270)

After reading the above trait, I noticed that I didn’t and couldn’t let go of my belief that I seek materials and experiences to satisfy my feelings.  For me, a sense of gratitude for everything around me is missing.  In other words, I don’t fully cultivate spiritual aspects to feel a profound sense of gratitude for materials, people, nature, and the universe itself.  Therefore, I don’t see the characteristic of level 1 which is some kind of high spiritual dimension.  By virtue of this question, I figured out that my levels of development ranges from level 2 to level 4.    

Enneagram Self-Reflection:What patterns of behavior are you now aware of that you weren’t previously aware of?

 What patterns of behavior are you now aware of that you weren’t previously aware of?

Now, I’m aware of my dominant emotional patterns as type seven.  Riso and Hudson (2003) point out that “Sevens have anxiety about their inner world.  There are feelings of pain, loss, deprivation, and the general anxiety that Sevens would like to avoid as much as possible” (p. 70).  In fact, I tended to lock away anxious feelings, and I tried to forget them by doing other activities without facing the root of the problem.  However, as I learn the Enneagram, I can grasp my thinking and behavioral patterns as type seven, so I become able to cope with my anxious feelings very well.  To tell you the truth, I sometimes feel worried about my future, for instance, my career and my life.  If I had been my old self before studying the Enneagram, I couldn’t have faced the insecure feeling in an appropriate way.  Perhaps, I would have avoided the negative feelings by engaging in other activities, but now I courageously face the anxious feelings by virtue of the wisdom of the Enneagram.  The Enneagram made me notice my behavioral patterns and that I was likely to avoid negative feelings. 

Moreover, one of my weaknesses as type seven is that I always think of my future, and my mind is always busy.  My usual inner conversations are like this “What is the most exciting job in my future?”, “What should I do next?”, “What do I do next?” etc. Considering these inner conversations, I can understand that I often focus on my future things, the word “next” and focus on interesting activities, the word “do”.  The more I think too much about the future, the more difficult it is for me to enjoy the present moment.  Here, I have to keep in mind that the key factor of transformation is being present (Riso & Hudson, 2003) and “real transformation only takes place when we are living in real time, which is another way of saying when we are present, fully existing in the now” (Maitri, 2000, p. 226).  In order to be here and now, I practice meditation every day, and I try to fully enjoy the present moment.

Although the above characteristics which I was not aware of are negative, I found some positive patterns as type seven.  When I was young, I regarded self-actualization as attaining something for me.  For example, I almost always thought “What is possible to accomplish for myself?”  In a word, my enjoyment in my life arose from the motivation to do something for “me.”  However, this idea is gradually changing from day to day.  I notice that my self-actualization is related to others.  In other words, my self-actualization is not attaining something for “me” but accomplishing something for “others.”  Actually, I take great pleasure from the words “Thank you!” from others.  When I was a consultant in Japan, the words “Thank you so much.” from my clients or my managers brought me real happiness, and that was my breath of life.  Riso and Hudson (1999) demonstrate that “They know that their primary enjoyment of life comes from contributing something to the world” (p. 283).  I really would like to contribute something to people around me, our societies, and our world beyond my ego.  Doing something for others, societies, and the world is a great satisfaction in my life.  

Enneagram Self-Reflection: What insights have you gained about how your Ennea-type operates in your life? Having this insight, will you do anything differently?

What insights have you gained about how your Ennea-type operates in your life?  Having this insight, will you do anything differently?

I have gained a lot of insights about how my Ennea-type (seven) operates in my life after studying the Enneagram.  Firstly, as Palmer (1995) proposes, Sevens are likely to be occupied with a lot of ideas or thoughts, and they tend to focus on future plans.  To tell you the truth, I think that I’m always busy in my mind, so I sometimes can’t focus on the issues at hand.  Now, I understand that I have to concentrate on challenges facing me by virtue of the wisdom of the Enneagram.  Especially, as for my spiritual practice, the wisdom of the Enneagram is so helpful.  As mentioned about my zen meditation practice on the above question, I could not stand sitting for only a few minutes when I was at the beginning of practicing the zen meditation.  That was because a dozen thoughts crowded my mind.  A lot of thoughts disturbed my inner peace, so I gave up practicing the meditation soon then I used to tackle other things.  “If the mind becomes fascinated with the delights of outer life, then spiritual work deteriorates to pleasant planning and gluttony for life experience” (Palmer, 1995, p. 175).  That was the trap which I fell into very much.  However, fortunately, since I recognized the fact, I have restored tranquility, serenity, and peace of mind in my life by continuing zen meditation every day even if the meditation time is short.

Secondly, the wisdom of the Enneagram provided me with the opportunity to find my shadow pattern and to practice a shadow work.  Wilber (2007) explains that shadow work is one of the most important practices in order to develop ourselves.  In my view, the Enneagram is compatible with shadow work.  When I notice that the basic fear, basic desire, superego message, and wake-up call for type seven appear, that’s a good chance to practice a shadow work for me.  For instance, Sevens don’t want others to control the circumstance, but if I feel uncomfortable with the situation that others control me, I’ll be able to find my unique shadow pattern.  Then, I’ll transform my shadow into the power to develop my personal growth.  That is the one of the useful insights in the Enneagram for me.

Thirdly, the Enneagram showed me the nine levels of each type.  The concept was insightful for me.  The first reason is that I can recognize at which levels my center of gravity is by using this concept.  By noticing my current states of levels, I can understand whether I am at healthy levels or not.  If I fall into an unhealthy level, and I can notice that, I may be able to shift the level into an average or healthy level.  The second reason is related to “Integral Theory” which Ken Wilber proposed.  Now, I study it in Integral Psychology program at John F. Kennedy University, but the concept of nine levels of types is similar to the idea of “States of Consciousness” (Wilber, 2006, p. 71).  In a word, states of consciousness indicate the temporary, unsteady, and changeable states of human consciousness.  Like states of consciousness, nine levels of types move up and down in a single day (Riso & Hudson, 1999).  The concept of nine levels of types enhanced my understanding of Integral Theory, too.

Lastly, the path of integration and dis-integration about type seven gave me the hint to transform me.  Regarding the dis-integration of type seven, I could understand the cause for Sevens to go to type one when Sevens are under stressful conditions.  In other words, if I attempt to educate others like average Ones, I’ll be able to notice that I’ll go in the wrong direction, say, I’ll fall into dis-integration.  On the other hand, the integration for Sevens is going to type five.  If Sevens are able to cultivate a calm mind and concentrate on the tasks at hand, they will demonstrate their powerful potentials.  In that sense, the concept of integration and dis-integration suggests the possibility of my personal growth.

Enneagram Self-Reflection:What was your first reaction or response when you identified your Ennea-type(s)? Why do you think you had this reaction - does it correlate to qualities of your type?

What was your first reaction or response when you identified your Ennea-type(s)?  Why do you think you had this reaction - does it correlate to qualities of your type?

                          When I identified my Ennea-type as seven, my first reaction was as I expected.  In fact, since I was a university student, I have regarded myself as an enthusiastic man based on a lot of feedback which people around me gave.  In retrospect, I call to mind my behavior or attitudes in that I am a type seven. 

In fact, I always tended to keep my mind very busy.  As Riso and Hudson (1999) point out, “as long as they can keep their minds occupied, especially with projects and positive ideas for the future, they can, to some extent, keep anxiety and negative feelings out of their conscious awareness” (p. 263).  As the above sentence explains, I was usually occupied with positive ideas or interesting future plans in order to let go of my negative ideas and feelings.  Actually, I didn’t sometimes concentrate on what I had to do now because of my busy mind.  Therefore, I looked for the way to keep my mind calm then I was able to find zen meditation practice by chance.  After I started to practice zen meditation, I became able to keep my mind relaxed and serene little by little.  As Riso and Hudson (1999) recommend that Sevens practice meditation to feel the present moment, the meditation practice is so helpful for type seven, I think.  Thanks to zen meditation, now I can feel connected to the moment and enjoy fulfillment of everything around me.  In addition, zen meditation provides me not only a tranquil mind but also the opportunity to access true self.  Through zen meditation, I have been able to cultivate my spirituality and enjoy the present moment.  In regard to spiritual dimensions of type seven, Maitri (2000) comments that “The more we inquire into what it is that brings us joy through listening closely to our hearts, we will see that joy arises the more we are real and the more we face our truth, because this takes us one step closer to our depths (p. 239).  As a consequence, I noticed that my joy is not at the future but at the present.

Furthermore, my second highest score is type three and eight.  In other words, I’m not only an enthusiast but also an achiever and challenger.  I can recognize in myself that I have a strong desire to achieve something in my life, and I really like to challenge something, taking a risk.  That’s why I fully agreed with the result of the Enneagram test.  More specifically, as Palmer (1995) indicates “Threes are naturally competitive.  They like to stretch their limit, to play full out, to compete with the best” (p. 89), I was really competitive and sometimes cried when I missed some games when I was a kid.  Even now, I hate defeat, and I’m a truly emulous person.  Thus, I think that I have a strong factor of type three.

In addition to type three, type eight has an influence on my type.  Especially, I usually avoid and dislike for someone controlling me.  In fact, Eights tend not to “want to be controlled or allow others to have power over them” (Riso & Hudson, 1999, p. 289).  Also, I sometimes don’t like working under someone who exert his or her authority over me.  As discussed above, I totally agree with the idea that my personality type is comprised of type seven, three, and eight.

The Enneagram: Self-Reflection Type Four (Individualist, Romantic)

Type 1	Type 2	Type 3	Type 4	Type 5	Type 6	Type 7	Type 8	Type 9
13	19	21	12	12	4	30	21	12

The above is the result of my Enneagram test.  As the result indicates, type four has a comparatively average influence on me.  Honestly speaking, I have thought of myself as an individualist, so I was a little bit surprised that the test score of type four was not so much high.  The following is my self-reflection about type four appeared in my life.

Firstly, Riso and Hudson (1999) point out that “Fours maintain their identity by seeing themselves as fundamentally different from others” (p. 180).  Reading this sentence, I smiled unwillingly, because this sentence rang a familiar bell about my characteristics.  Actually, I used to think that I’m totally different from others, and others can’t understand me truly.   Moreover, I used to see or see myself still now as a unique, special, talented person.  However, Fours tend to see themselves not as outstanding but also as uniquely disadvantaged or flawed (Riso & Hudson, 1999).   Interestingly, I don’t see myself as so, because I’m type seven so I’m optimistic and don’t like acknowledge my negative parts.  This is a little bit my egocentric characteristics that I regard myself as a unique or notable man, but I understand that this trait is still in me. 

Secondly, I found the difference between type four and seven in respect to self-recognition.  Riso and Hudson (1999) demonstrate that “Fours typically have problems with a negative self-image and chronically low self-esteem.  They attempt to compensate for this by cultivating a Fantasy Self-an idealized self-image that is built up primarily in their imaginations” (p. 181).  Obviously, Sevens have the exact opposite characteristics about self-recognition.  In other words, Sevens are likely to have a positive self-image and always have a high self-esteem.  It is true that this characteristic helped me a lot.  When I tackled something difficult, I could overcome them by virtue of my positive self-image and high self-esteem.  In fact, I usually say to myself like this “I can do it.  Because I am ‘Yohei (my name).’ If I can’t do that, who can do that?”  This self-talk is like an important sentence written in a famous self-help book.  However, I have one thing that I have keep in mind.  Certainly, my positive self-image and high self-esteem are helpful to accomplish something in my life, but as a matter of fact, I sometimes tend to overestimate myself.  As a result, there were some or a lot of failures in my life.  I don’t need to have a negative self-image and low self-esteem, but I rediscovered the fact that I often had too much confidence in myself. 

 Reference: The Wisdom of the Enneagram: The Complete Guide to Psychological and Spiritual Growth for the Nine Personality Types

Enneagram: Seven’s Leadership Style- Nine Levels (Personality Dynamics and Variations)

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

1 The Wisdom of the Enneagram: The Complete Guide to Psychological and Spiritual Growth for the Nine Personality Types

2 Discovering Your Personality Type: The Essential Introduction to the Enneagram, Revised and Expanded

3 The Enneagram in Love and Work: Understanding Your Intimate and Business Relationships

4 The Spiritual Dimension of the Enneagram: Nine Faces of the Soul

Enneagram: Seven’s Leadership Style-Subtypes

As Maitri (2001) demonstrates, “each of us has one instinct that is a more central preoccupation than the others are, which is referred to as our subtype” (p. 263).  This paper illustrates the characteristics of three subtypes in type seven: self-preservation, social, and sexual.  The first, as for the self-preservation subtypes of seven, Self-preservation Seven CEOs “try to assure their survival through banding together and taking care of others who they feel an affinity or connection with” (Maitri, 2001, p. 268).  In other words, they meet their survival needs building a friendly relationship with others.  For them, others are like their family.  In that sense, their leadership style may be called family style management which used to be a mainstream of Japanese business management.  The second, as to the social subtypes of seven, Maitri (2001) points out that these CEOs “are characterized by relinquishing their personal freedom and aspirations for social ideals.  They have a profound sense of obligation toward others and feel that they must sacrifice themselves to fulfill what they see as their responsibilities” (p. 272).  In a word, they have a strong sense of responsibility to others, companies, and their societies.  They may be able to form a cohesive team owing to their spirit of self-sacrifice.  The last, as for the sexual subtypes of seven, Maitri (2001) demonstrates that these CEOs “tend to merge with whatever ideas, plans, or people they come into contact with.  So they are easily influenced, especially by their partner or someone they are attracted to” (p. 276).  In other words, they are good at combining various ideas or opinions, and they can think and act very flexibly as the situation demands.  Moreover, they can see others’ positive aspects, and then they can integrate the aspects within them.  This characteristic enables CEOs to learn a lot from others, and this is beneficial for CEOs, because the modern business world demands business people lifelong learning.

Enneagram: Seven’s Leadership Style-Wings

I'd like to show a part of my paper about leadership style in the Enneagram below.

Next, Seven CEOs with a Six Wing are often called entertainers.  They have mainly two strengths and weaknesses.  The first strength of Seven CEOs with a Six Wing is that they are creative and joyful, and they can draw a positive outlook for their company.  Riso and Hudson (1999) point out the characteristic like this “They are often curious and creative, with an excellent sense of humor and a more positive outlook than the other subtype” (p. 266).  This type of CEOs may fit with entertainment companies or companies which drift into a period of stagnation, because the former companies need creative and humorous CEOs and the latter companies need optimistic CEOs who have positive outlooks and can take a positive action.  The second strength is that they “have quick minds, a cooperative spirit, and organizational abilities” (Riso & Hudson, 1999, p. 266).  They may be able to come up with various useful ideas or corporate strategies because of their intelligence and to work with subordinates smoothly and supportively in virtue of their cooperative spirit.  

However, there are mainly two weaknesses in Seven CEOs with a Six Wing.  The first weakness is that they sometimes can’t concentrate on one idea or one goal because of their busy mind when they are fall into average conditions of the type seven.  In other words, they always look for something new, and then they can’t attain their initial goal.  Therefore, this type of CEOs may need to think about what they should do now not to lose sight of the objective.  The second weakness is that they tend to seek strong experiences.  As a result, they sometimes are manic (Riso & Hudson, 1999), and they may not be able to control themselves because of their intense emotions.  However, as the top of companies, CEOs should have cool heads and objectify themselves in a calm manner.

Lastly, regarding Seven CEOs with an Eight Wing, they are often called realists.  There are two strengths and weaknesses in Seven CEOs with an Eight Wing.  The first strength is that they can “think strategically and can rapidly organize their internal and external resources in pursuit of their desires” (Riso & Hudson, 1999, p. 266).  Considering that the modern business world is very competitive, CEOs come under pressure to put forward better corporate strategies.  In that sense, CEOs who have strategic minds may be skillful leaders in the modern business world.  In addition, as for the second strength, they are tough-minded and practical.  The modern business environment is not only competitive but also rapidly changeable.  In the situation, CEOs are required to think practically and behave consistently in order to accomplish the goal.  Thus, Seven CEOs with an Eight Wing may be regarded as invaluable leaders in those situations.

Although they can be great leaders, there are the following two weaknesses.  With respect to the first weakness, as Riso and Hudson (1999) point out, they “tend to be more workaholic than the other subtype, coming from the strong desire to accumulate possessions and experiences” (p. 266).  In the modern business world, the volume of CEOs’ work is increasing more and more.  Seven CEOs with an Eight Wing need to take care of themselves in order to avoid workaholism.  Moreover, the second weakness is that they are likely to focus on generating ideas rather than connect with others.  It is certainly important for CEOs to create new ideas to grow their companies more.  However, it is more important to collaborate closely with others in order to attain corporate goals.  For this reason, Seven CEOs with an Eight Wing may require attention not to focus on generating new ideas too much, but to build a good relationship with subordinates.

Reference

1 The Wisdom of the Enneagram: The Complete Guide to Psychological and Spiritual Growth for the Nine Personality Types

2 Discovering Your Personality Type: The Essential Introduction to the Enneagram, Revised and Expanded

3 The Enneagram in Love and Work: Understanding Your Intimate and Business 

Relationships

4 The Spiritual Dimension of the Enneagram: Nine Faces of the Soul

Enneagram Self-Reflection: Type Two (Helper, Giver)

Type 1	Type 2	Type 3	Type 4	Type 5	Type 6	Type 7	Type 8	Type 9
13	19	21	12	12	4	30	21	12

The above is my Enneagram test result.  As the result indicates, type two has a comparatively strong influence on me.  To tell you the truth, I was surprised by this result, because I didn’t think of me as a helper at all.  In that sense, the Enneagram test helped me to find hidden aspects in me. 

In retrospect, I was not merciful man for others when I was a kid.  Perhaps, type two didn’t affect me so much when I was young.  However, as I grew older, I became generous, helpful, and considerate little by little.  In other words, my egocentrism gradually decreased in accordance with my psychological growth, and I became able to put myself in others’ shoes.  In fact, I couldn’t only think about others, but also I couldn’t think about myself when I was a young boy, but I became able to objectify myself and to be kind to others.  As for this point, I think that type two in me has gradually appeared since I was around 15 years old.  I remember that I could have thought about others’ thoughts, emotions, and feelings since after junior high school. 

In addition, I tended to fear that I wasn’t loved by others.  This is a superego of type two.  About this point, Riso and Hudson (1999) point out that “In the average-to-unhealthy Levels, Twos present a false image of being completely generous and unselfish and of not wanting any kind of payoff for themselves, when in fact they can have enormous expectations and unacknowledged emotional needs” (p. 128).  Considering I sometimes did something extraordinary in order to receive love from others, I may have fallen into unhealthy type two. 

Although I may have had negative aspects of type two, I have manifested the healthy aspects of type two.  Regarding the strength of type two, Riso and Hudson (1999) indicate that “Twos are gifted with the extraordinary ability not simply to care about others but to actually do something meaningful for them” (p. 146).  I can come to be kind and helpful for both others and I.  In other words, I become able to maintain good balance between compassion for others and consideration for me.

Reference

1 The Wisdom of the Enneagram: The Complete Guide to Psychological and Spiritual Growth for the Nine Personality Types

2 The Enneagram in Love and Work: Understanding Your Intimate and Business Relationships