Enneagram and Change: Using Enneagram as a tool to adjust, transition, and (hopefully) flourish.
People who know me know that I’m not my best self when the seasons change. I’m not talking about weather changes- I love those. (Fall is my favorite). No, I’m talking about the life transitions that happen when spring moves to summer and summer moves to fall. Extra concerts, games, and awards ceremonies get piled onto an already full schedule. The special work that is connected to ending and beginning things has to be seen and done. Routines and expectations have to shift into a new normal.
In short, I struggle when I’m disrupted.
When I choose it, I actually can thrive in change. But when I feel hemmed in and without a choice? I get overwhelmed and drop balls. It’s hard for me to sort through what is most important. It takes a lot for me not just withdraw and give up. Or go to the other end of the spectrum, to not just muscle through with an intensity that shuts down my heart. But, with learning and practice, I am learning.
Our Enneagram Type interacts with change in a four key ways.
We don't have control, which means we tend to feel vulnerable.
Our defenses tend to move us towards the less-healthy characteristics of our Type.
Our flight instinct tends to trigger our fears.
Our fight instinct tends to increase the strength of our desires.
Change is inevitable, but struggling through it is not. We can use Enneagram as a tool for navigating change.
We can embrace vulnerability and engage in honest self-reflection.
We can find clarity about our less-healthy character traits, fears, and desires.
We can grow in compassion towards others' needs, which may differ from our own.
We can think about the strengths and challenges we bring to a change process.
How to use Enneagram as a Tool for navigating change.
Look at key desires and fears of each Enneagram Type. Most of the time, we are not in a bubble- we are working through change in the context of relationships. In the spirit of compassion, read each Type and put yourself in their shoes for a moment. How might understanding a little more about their inner world help you show up with an empathetic and collaborative spirit?
Then, focus on the questions of your own Type. How might embracing the vulnerability of looking at both a strength and a struggle help you move forward differently?
Type 1
What I Desire
To meet or exceed expectations.
To have integrity.
To be right and good.
What I Fear
Being accused, corrected, or blamed.
Failing, especially if it is public.
Something being wrong that I can't fix.
What I can consider when navigating change
How might my desire for improvement open me to changing processes in order to make things better?
How might my industriousness cause me to resent change that slows me down?
Type 2
What I Desire
To feel liked and appreciated.
To meet the needs of those around me.
To be essential to my team.
What I Fear
That I'm not "enough."
Saying no or advocating for myself.
Being rejected or unwanted.
What I can consider when navigating change
How might my humility naturally push me towards change for the sake of others?
How might my desire to be seen as a competent helper cause me to resist seeing ways change might be necessary?
Type 3
What I Desire
To appear confident and focused.
To accomplish my goals.
To be productive and avoid failure.
What I Fear
My own feelings.
Revealing parts of myself that don't match the image I've cultivated.
Underachieving or not being valuable.
What I can consider when navigating change
How might I be a natural motivator and source of inspiration when change is needed?
How might my desire to distinguish myself push me towards change that serves my self interest but might not be good for the team?
Type 4
What I Desire
To be seen and known.
To find and express meaning.
To forge deep and authentic connections.
What I Fear
Being misunderstood or dismissed.
That I don't really belong.
That there's something missing in me.
What I can consider when navigating change
How might my responsiveness to the feelings and needs of an environment help me flex into change with ease?
How might the energy it takes to manage my inner world hinder me from embracing change in my outer world?
Type 5
What I Desire
To be capable and competent.
To guard my energy and privacy.
To have the information and figure it out.
What I Fear
Needing to depend on others.
Not being able to understand or master the thing I need to do.
Running out of what I need.
What I can consider when navigating change
How might my inventive thinking help me perceive changes that need to be made?
How might my desire to understand hold me back from facing the unknowns of change?
Type 6
What I Desire
To be trustworthy and loyal.
To know where I stand with people.
To predict and prepare for what might go wrong.
What I Fear
The domino effects I can't see.
Unreliable authority figures or structures.
That I am or will be without support or guidance
What I can consider when navigating change
How might my strength in a crisis help my team walk through a change process that is messy?
How might my desire for rules and predictability hold me back from making changes that could hold risk and chaos?
Type 7
What I Desire
To be satisfied and happy.
To move quickly and energetically.
To have freedom and independence.
What I Fear
Being trapped or constrained.
Negative feelings and painful situations.
Missing out on new experiences and people.
What I can consider when navigating change
How might my celebration of change help those around me embrace innovation?
How might my fear of boredom cause me to move towards unnecessary change for the sake of shaking things up?
Type 8
What I Desire
To be self-reliant and strong.
To protect myself and those around me.
To work hard and fast to get things done.
What I Fear
Being controlled.
Myself or my people being betrayed.
That my inner tenderness will be revealed and taken advantage of.
What I can consider when navigating change
How might my energy to conquer challenges push me not to settle?
How might my desire to protect myself from vulnerability hold me back from change that holds personal risk?
Type 9
What I Desire
To have comfort and stability.
To find harmony with myself and others.
To be held in supportive relationships and environments.
What I Fear
Losing connections.
Getting started on big projects.
Being forced into assertiveness.
What I can consider when navigating change
How might my easygoing patience be steadying for a team walking through change?
How might my desire for calm cause me to settle instead of push for change?
When we are disrupted, if we breathe into spaciousness, and practice self-observation, we are empowered to respond instead of react.
It’s amazing how much that simple step can help us move forward with greater wholeness.
💛 Stephanie
