About the Enneagram

Teams always seem to struggle with trust and communication. The reality is we often assume that others think, act and feel the same way that we do. The Enneagram is a roadmap into how others on our team view the world, what questions they ask first, what vital questions aren’t being considered and why two people may behave the same way but for fundamentally different reasons.

When we are kids, things don’t always go as planned, and we need to make sense of the world. Our Enneagram type (the number), explains the unexplainable. For example, Type 8s learn very quickly that the only way for things to be “OK” and safe, is if they are strong and in control. At work, this can make 8s strong, decisive leaders that often overpower others. In reality, 8s welcome push-back and challenging conversations, when team members can understand this dynamic, it leads to more productive conversations with less hurt feelings.

And … we are all more than a single number. Our types are flavored by evolutionary instincts (self-preservation, one-to-one, social). Our thoughts, feelings and actions are guided by our centers of expression. The Enneagram also looks at the order and time spent in our acting, thinking and feeling.

At Tandemly, we start by looking at the individual (intrapersonal), then move to one-to-one relationship (interpersonal) and ultimately to the team dynamic.