One of the elements about the Enneagram that makes it different than other typologies is the principles behind working with Centers of Intelligence. The three centers of intelligence are the head, heart, and body. Each Enneagram type uses all three centers but approaches the world from one center more than the other two. Where people often get in trouble is when they over-privilege or overuse one of those centers or even perhaps put down other centers, acting out of balance rather than consciously drawing on all three centers, especially in terms of how they work best and in the right situations, using the right center and the right function for the right purposes.

Today, Enneagram expert Beatrice Chestnut and I introduce the Centers of Intelligence and talk about ways we can learn to bring them into balance.

Beatrice has taught at Northwestern University and was trained in group facilitation at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business. She served as President of the International Enneagram Association from 2006-2007 and teaches workshops on the Enneagram internationally, focusing on using it as a tool for leadership development and personal transformation.