Ep 8: The Enneagram: A Tool for Soulful Leadership and Business Growth
The Enneagram is more than just a personality assessment—it’s a powerful tool for growth and self-awareness that can profoundly impact your business.
In the recent episode of The Soulful CEO Path, leadership coach Urszula Lipsztajn shared insights on how entrepreneurs can use the Enneagram to enhance self-awareness, strengthen leadership, and create a business that aligns with their true essence.
Here’s how understanding your Enneagram type can help you build a more resilient, values-driven business.
Understanding the Enneagram: A Map of Transformation
At its core, the Enneagram is a map of transformation that identifies nine personality types, each with unique strengths, motivations, and potential blind spots. Urszula explained that the Enneagram isn’t just about labeling who we are; it’s a pathway back to our essence. This tool offers insights into our core fears, desires, and habitual patterns, helping us understand what drives our behavior.
For small business owners, understanding these motivations is invaluable. It enables us to see where we may be limiting ourselves, how we respond under stress, and how we interact with others, be it team members, clients, or collaborators. By working with the Enneagram, entrepreneurs can cultivate a level of self-awareness that supports better decision-making, leadership, and alignment with personal and business values.
The Advantages of Using the Enneagram in Business:
Enhance Self-Awareness for Better Decision-Making
Self-awareness is one of the most critical skills for any entrepreneur. When we understand our Enneagram type, we gain insights into our strengths and weaknesses, which allows us to make decisions that are in alignment with our true values. For example, a Type 2 (the Helper) might have a tendency to overextend themselves by over-giving. Recognizing this pattern allows them to set healthy boundaries, ultimately making them more effective in their work and preventing burnout.
For each type, the Enneagram provides a roadmap to identify and transform limiting behaviors, empowering business owners to make choices from a place of awareness rather than habit.Strengthen Leadership Skills by Addressing Blind Spots
The Enneagram also reveals our “shadow” aspects—the parts of ourselves we may struggle with or try to ignore. For entrepreneurs, these shadows can subtly impact how we lead and manage others. Urszula highlighted that a leader’s unaddressed blind spots can affect team dynamics and even lead to unintentional harm, such as setting unrealistic expectations or fostering a stressful work environment.
By identifying these blind spots, business owners can create a leadership style that is more empathetic and responsive. For instance, a Type 3 (the Achiever) may have a tendency to prioritize goals over relationships, which can affect team morale. Understanding this allows them to be more mindful, fostering a work environment where both performance and well-being are valued.Cultivate Compassionate Client Relationships
Knowing your Enneagram type can also enhance relationships with clients. If you’re aware of your tendencies and the motivations of others, it becomes easier to build rapport, empathize, and create genuine connections. For example, a Type 6 (the Loyalist) may struggle with taking risks but will excel in building strong, trusting client relationships due to their reliability and commitment.
When entrepreneurs approach client relationships with a nuanced understanding of personality, they can tailor their interactions in ways that resonate more deeply, which often leads to long-term client loyalty and trust.Create a Business Model That Reflects Your True Self
Urszula described the Enneagram as a tool to help entrepreneurs return to their essence. By understanding our core motivations and preferences, we can create business models that truly reflect who we are. A Type 7 (the Enthusiast), for example, may find fulfillment in having multiple projects or revenue streams, as they thrive on variety and spontaneity. Forcing them into a narrow business model could feel restrictive and unsustainable in the long term.
Rather than conforming to external expectations, the Enneagram allows business owners to design a path that aligns with their authentic desires, ultimately leading to a more fulfilling and sustainable business.Foster a Resilient, Values-Driven Mindset
Entrepreneurship can be a journey filled with highs and lows. The Enneagram provides a framework for building resilience by encouraging self-reflection and compassion. Knowing your type’s typical reactions under stress, for instance, can help you recognize when you’re operating from a reactive place rather than a grounded one. Urszula explained how this awareness supports a more balanced approach to challenges, helping entrepreneurs stay aligned with their values even during difficult times.
By fostering a resilient mindset, business owners can weather the storms of entrepreneurship with greater grace and flexibility.
How to Start Using the Enneagram in Your Business
If you’re new to the Enneagram, the first step is discovering your type. There are many online assessments like this one, but for a more comprehensive understanding, consider working with a certified Enneagram practitioner like Urszula, who can guide you through a deeper exploration of your type and its nuances.
Once you know your type, take time to reflect on the following questions:
How do my core fears and desires impact my decision-making?
In what ways might my Enneagram type influence my leadership style?
How can I align my business model with my authentic strengths and preferences?
For more on how the Enneagram can be a transformative tool for your business, listen to the full conversation with Urszula Lipsztajn on The Soulful CEO Path.
🎧 Listen to the full episode here:
Apple: Soulful CEO Path on Apple Podcasts
Spotify: Soulful CEO Path on Spotify
