Enneagram and the Value of Being a “Helper” Leader

This week I had the privilege of attending an all-day workshop with the UXD (User Experience Design) leadership team I work with. We learned about our Enneagram types in a session that was brilliantly facilitated by Todd Zaki Warfel (beaming Type 8 as he is) where he created a safe space for sharing personal emotions and stories openly.

Enneagram…what?

I had never heard of Enneagram before and was, I admit, a little dubious about yet another personality typing framework (I’ve done, I think, all the others and found them interesting, but not particularly helpful).

I grew more and more surprised throughout the day as the insights began hitting closer and closer to home until, by the end of the day, I wished that everyone in my life knew their type and perhaps had it stamped on their forehead to make it easier to know how to communicate with them.

You can learn more about Enneagram from many sources, but The Enneagram Institute is as good a place as any to start.

What I learned about myself

I’m a Type 2: The Helper or Supportive Advisor, which wasn’t a surprise to me and probably is no surprise to those who know me.

I am empathetic, great at intuiting and meeting others’ needs, always willing to help out, sentimental, friendly, and generous. I can be a little bit too self-sacrificing and not focus enough on my own needs… something that both my…