This month we’ve used the Enneagram to support our exploration into communication, conflict, working with teams and leadership.
At the heart of this exploration, whether you know what your core type is or not, we are dealing with two main things:
- Awareness – which needs to be developed.
- Coping mechanisms – especially in times of stress.
As our awareness develops, we can then choose how we’d like to engage.
I love coaching and working with the Enneagram because it helps develop self-awareness but it is never to box or stereotype you as a human being. The invitation, as always, is to take the information and get curious!!
David Peterson, Head Coach at Google, likes to use the term DMOC or Default Mindset Of Curiosity. A mindset that is open to learning will already be a great starting point in terms of growth.
I’ve unpacked each number in detail so please have a look at my Instagram page here for more information if you are interested in your particular core type.
Top Tips For Each Enneagram Type when it comes to Communication, Conflict, Teams and Leadership:
What I’d like to unpack in this month’s blog post are some lessons I’ve learnt along the way, especially within the corporate space.
Communication, conflict, teams and leadership all form part of an overall working eco-system. When I use the term ‘eco-system’ it means that these things are all connected and a chink in the chain will have a knock-on effect, be it healthy or unhealthy. We’d ideally like to invite a space of healthy engagement as this allows for constructive connection and growth for everyone involved.
You might think of conflict as being unhealthy, but actually, a conflict of opinion or conflict of process can be just the starting point a team needs to break an unhealthy cycle. This is where awareness is so vital. Each individual, who forms part of a larger team, needs to have a good understanding of themselves, especially in times of stress, to handle people and situations productively.
Teams should actively set up stressful learning situations within a safe environment to practice their communication, handling of conflict and working within the team in order to prepare for the unexpected. The reason for this is because when a stressful situation arises and we have not activated our ‘muscle’ of self-awareness, we automatically resort to flight, fight or freeze when our system gets hijacked by whatever coping mechanisms we have in place. This is when we usually look back and think, “I could have handled that better.”
Creating a container of trust for the team will be a great starting point to understand how to engage with one another, how to approach a team member when conflict arises, and how to contribute as an active member of the team where leadership attributes can shine through. Talk to your team members to understand what this container might look like as each team will have different needs.
As teams return to the office, or continue working from home, now is the time to actively engage, support one another and explore aspects that will help or hinder team dynamics moving forward.
Not sure where to start? Hire a coach to help mediate and facilitate the conversation.