Enneagram at Work

The short answer...no. 

But what will change is your expression of your type aka your behavior. 

If you want to learn more about this question, tune into this week's episode! 

Enneagram MBA Resources + Links:

• Learn more about the 3-part Dream Team Momentum program: enneagrammba.com/enneagram-team-workshops
• Run your own Enneagram Workshop: enneagrammba.com/enneagram-workshop-kit
• Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahlynnwallace/
• Take the 2-question Enneagram quiz: enneagrammba.com/blog/enneagramtest
• Work with Sarah - workshops, speaking, and team facilitation: enneagrammba.com/enneagram-speaker

Have a request for a future episode? Drop a text here!

What You'll Hear in This Episode

Type 5s have done the analysis; they're not reactive, and when they say something, it's because they actually mean it. There's no noise, no filler, no performance. But the same striving to feel detached and self-sufficient that makes Fives so precise can also make feedback land as robotic, delayed, or so carefully constructed that the person on the other end isn't sure whether they're being evaluated or actually talked to.

We walk through three things to do and three things to avoid when giving feedback as a Type 5, including a specific phrase you can try that frames the feedback as information rather than judgment, which is exactly how a Five experiences it internally anyway.

3 Things to DO as a Type 5 When Giving Feedback

1. Let your precision work for you. Fives give some of the most specific, well-observed feedback of any type, you notice things other people miss, and you can articulate them clearly. That's genuinely valuable. Lead with the observation rather than the conclusion, and let the other person follow your thinking. That approach is more collaborative than it might feel from the inside.
2. Say it sooner than feels comfortable. Fives tend to process internally until the feedback is fully formed, which often means it arrives later than it should. A half-formed observation shared in the moment is more useful than a perfectly constructed one delivered three weeks after it would have made a difference. Done is better than perfect here.
3. Add one human sentence. You don't need to over-explain or get emotional. That's not who you are, and it doesn't need to be. But one sentence that signals you're invested in the person, not just the performance, changes the entire tone of the conversation. Something small and genuine goes further than you'd expect.

3 Things to AVOID as a Type 5 When Giving Feedback

1. Delivering feedback like a report. Fives can present feedback so analytically ..."here's what I observed, here's what it means, here's what should change..." that it lands as clinical rather than caring. The data is right. The delivery just needs one degree more warmth to make it land the way you actually intend it to.
2. Waiting until you have the complete picture. Fives are thorough and genuinely uncomfortable speaking until they're certain. But feedback delayed until every variable is accounted for is often feedback that arrives too late to actually change anything. The other person needed it two weeks ago, so give them the useful version now.
3. Skipping the follow-up. Fives give the feedback and consider the matter handled. But the other person often needs a check-in afterward, not to relitigate what was said, just to know the relationship is intact and that you're still in their corner. A brief "how are you sitting with what we talked about?" matters more than it might seem from where you're standing.

A Phrase to Try:

"I want to share something I've been observing. I think it's useful and I think you'll want to know it."

After listening:

If this resonated, share it with a Type 5 on your team or the manager who leads one. 

Want type-specific prompts for feedback conversations across all nine types? The Manager's Prompt Pack has you covered. Grab it at enneagrammba.com/resources.

Interested in bringing this kind of practical Enneagram insight to your whole team? We'd love to talk about a workshop or retreat. Reach out at enneagrammba.com.

Have a request for a future episode? Drop a text here!

 🗓️ Book a Guided Enneagram Workshop for your team retreat at work:
https://www.enneagrammba.com/enneagram-team-workshops

Have a request for a future episode? Drop a text here!

In this episode, I sit down with Dina Smith, a licensed therapist, clinical director, and certified Enneagram coach based in Florida, to talk through the coworker chemistry between the Enneagram Type 3 (Striving to Feel Outstanding) and Type 9 (Striving to Feel at Peace).

Dina identifies as a Three, and she's got a front-row seat to the Three-Nine dynamic both at home (her husband is a Nine) and at work with her own team, so I couldn't think of a better person to unpack this pairing with. We started with a quick refresher on each type, including the common Three/One and Three/Nine mistyping confusion, before digging into the good stuff: how a Three's pace-setting energy and a Nine's steady, consensus-building presence can actually complement each other beautifully when both are healthy, the trust-building friction that shows up around communication and follow-through, and what each type can borrow from the other's growth path.

Dina also shared a genuinely great personal story about her Nine husband seeing something she, a therapist, completely missed with their daughter, plus what it looks like for a Three to actually rest.

If you're a Three working with or leading a Nine (or vice versa), this episode will help you name the dynamic you're probably already living.

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Connect with Dina on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dinasmithenneagramconsulting/

Learn more about Dina's coaching and therapy services: https://www.enneagramtherapywithdina.com/

Enneagram MBA Resources + Links:

• Learn more about the 3-part Dream Team Momentum program: enneagrammba.com/enneagram-team-workshops
• Run your own Enneagram Workshop: enneagrammba.com/enneagram-workshop-kit
• Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahlynnwallace/
• Take the 2-question Enneagram quiz: enneagrammba.com/blog/enneagramtest
• Work with Sarah - workshops, speaking, and team facilitation: enneagrammba.com/enneagram-speaker

Have a request for a future episode? Drop a text here!

What You'll Hear in This Episode

Type 6s usually think through every angle before they say a word; they care deeply about fairness, and their loyalty to the people around them means the feedback is coming from a real place. But the same striving to feel certain and secure that makes Sixes so thorough can also turn a feedback conversation into something that gets overthought, over-qualified, or quietly avoided because the Six isn't quite sure how it's going to land.

We walk through three things to do and three things to avoid when giving feedback as a Type 6, including a specific phrase you can try that signals loyalty first and makes the hard part easier to say.

3 Things to DO as a Type 6 When Giving Feedback

1. Trust the preparation you've already done. Sixes rarely go into a feedback conversation underprepared.  You've thought about it carefully, you've considered their perspective, and you know what you want to say. Trust that work. You are more ready than you feel in the moment.
2. Lead with the relationship. Sixes are deeply loyal, and that loyalty is visible to the people around them. Let the other person feel it before the feedback lands. A genuine "I'm telling you this because I'm in your corner" goes a long way, and coming from a Six, it's completely true.
3. Be specific and concrete. You've already done the analysis. Now, bring it into the room with you. Specific observations tied to real moments are far harder to dismiss than general impressions, and they give the other person something they can actually work with rather than something they can talk themselves out of.

3 Things to AVOID as a Type 6 When Giving Feedback

1. Over-qualifying until the message gets buried. Sixes can hedge so carefully, covering every angle, acknowledging every exception, making sure nothing sounds too absolute, that the actual feedback gets lost somewhere in the caveats. Say the thing, then trust the other person to hold it.
2. Waiting until you're absolutely certain before saying anything. Certainty is not a prerequisite for a useful feedback conversation. If you're waiting until you have ironclad evidence and the perfect moment lined up, that moment will keep not arriving. Good enough and timely beats perfect and late every single time.
3. Letting the anticipated reaction run the show. Sixes are wired to scan for what could go wrong, including in interpersonal conversations. If you've already mentally rehearsed them getting defensive, shutting down, or pushing back, that anxiety can start shaping how you deliver the feedback before anything has actually happened. Bring yourself back to what's real, not what's possible.

After listening:

If this resonated, share it with a Type 6 on your team or the manager who leads one. 

Want type-specific prompts for feedback conversations across all nine types? The Manager's Prompt Pack has you covered. Grab it at enneagrammba.com/resources.

Interested in bringing this kind of practical Enneagram insight to your whole team? We'd love to talk about a workshop or retreat. Reach out at enneagrammba.com.

Have a request for a future episode? Drop a text here!

I love when I get to learn from fellow Enneagram coaches and hear about their real-world experiences and fresh takes.

In this episode, I had the opportunity to sit down with Lee Fields and Seth "Creek" Creekmore, co-founders of Analog Enneagram, to discuss the coworker chemistry between the Enneagram Type 1 (Striving to Feel Perfect) and Type 4 (Striving to Feel Unique).

Lee is a certified Enneagram coach and teacher who serves as VP of the IEA Southeast chapter and on faculty with Awareness to Action. Creek is a coach, musician, and podcast producer behind Fathoms, the Awareness to Action Podcast, and the IEA's podcast. Together they bring serious depth to this framework, and honestly, this was one of the most thoughtful, insight-packed conversations I've had on the show.

Lee represented the One, Creek represented the Four, and what unfolded was a refreshing, honest, funny, and real-life look at how these two types show up in working relationships and on teams; from the quiet trust-building in the beginning of a One-Four dynamic, to the friction points around identity and rigidity, to the surprising gifts each type brings when they're working well together.

If you work with a One or a Four, lead one, or are one yourself, this episode will give you language for dynamics you've probably felt but never quite named.

Connect with Lee & Creek:
🔗 analoguenneague.com
📸 @analogenneague on Instagram

Learn from them on other podcasts:

🎙️ Awareness to Action Podcast

🎙️ Thinking Well & Why

🎙️ Fathoms | An Enneagram Podcast

Enneagram MBA Resources + Links:

• Learn more about the 3-part Dream Team Momentum program: enneagrammba.com/enneagram-team-workshops
• Run your own Enneagram Workshop: enneagrammba.com/enneagram-workshop-kit
• Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahlynnwallace/
• Take the 2-question Enneagram quiz: enneagrammba.com/blog/enneagramtest
• Work with Sarah - workshops, speaking, and team facilitation: enneagrammba.com/enneagram-speaker

Have a request for a future episode? Drop a text here!

What You'll Hear in This Episode

Type 8s are probably the most naturally comfortable type when it comes to giving feedback. They're direct, they don't dance around it, and they genuinely mean it as investment, not attack. That directness is a real asset in a world where most feedback conversations stay so soft the message never actually lands. But the same striving to feel strong that makes Eights so decisive can also make feedback hit harder than intended and leave the other person too rattled to hear what was actually said.

We walk through three things to do and three things to avoid when giving feedback as a Type 8, including a specific phrase you can try that keeps the directness intact while making sure the other person knows you're in their corner.

3 Things to DO as a Type 8 When Giving Feedback

1. Own your directness, it's actually a gift. Most people spend so much energy softening and qualifying that the message gets completely lost. You don't do that, and that matters. Keep it. Just pair it with enough warmth that the other person knows you're coming alongside them, not coming after them.
2. Name the investment behind the feedback. Eights give feedback because they believe in people and want them to rise to it, but that part often goes unsaid. Say it out loud. "I'm telling you this because I think you can handle it and I want to see you succeed" changes the entire context of everything that comes after it.
3. Stay in the room after you say it. Eights can deliver feedback and move on before the other person has had a chance to process. Leave space. The conversation isn't over when you've said your piece it's over when they've actually had a chance to respond.

3 Things to AVOID as a Type 8 When Giving Feedback

1. Leading with intensity before trust is established. Your directness lands very differently depending on the relationship. With someone who knows you, it reads as straight-talking and genuine respect. With someone who doesn't, it can read as aggression even when you mean it as a compliment. Read the relationship before you read the feedback.
2. Confusing bluntness with completeness. Saying the hard thing clearly is the beginning of a feedback conversation, not the whole thing. Make sure you're also saying what good looks like going forward, not just what missed the mark. The other person needs both.
3. Shutting down when they push back. Eights can read defensiveness or emotion as weakness or resistance and disengage. But sometimes the pushback is just processing. Stay curious instead of closing off. The conversation that happens after the initial reaction is often the most important one.

A Phrase to Try:

"I'm going to be straight with you because I respect you and because I think you can actually do something with this."

This works well for Eights because it's honest, it's direct, and it does something the Eight's natural style sometimes skips: it signals that what's coming is meant to help, not challenge. It also sets a tone that makes the other person more likely to actually hear what follows rather than brace for impact.

After listening:

If this resonated, share it with a Type 7 on your team or the manager who leads one. 

Want type-specific prompts for feedback conversations across all nine types? The Manager's Prompt Pack has you covered. Grab it at enneagrammba.com/resources.

Interested in bringing this kind of practical Enneagram insight to your whole team? We'd love to talk about a workshop or retreat. Reach out at enneagrammba.com.

Have a request for a future episode? Drop a text here!

Have a request for a future episode? Drop a text here!

In this week's Coworker Compatibility episode, Demetrius "D" Parker from Trust Leadership Collective is bringing is real world experience to the coworker compatibility conversation between the Type 2 (striving to feel connected) and the Type 3 (striving to feel outstanding). 

When you tune in, you'll hear about:

• the strengths of this duo at work 
• potential friction points 
• communication styles of each 
• leadership vs. direct report dynamics of each 
• growth opportunities in the workplace

Resources + Links:

• Find out more about D's programs or book an Enneagram MBA experience with him: https://www.trustleadershipcollective.org/
• Learn more about the 3-part Dream Team Momentum program: enneagrammba.com/enneagram-team-workshops
• Run your own Enneagram Workshop: enneagrammba.com/enneagram-workshop-kit
• Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahlynnwallace/
• Take the 2-question Enneagram quiz: enneagrammba.com/blog/enneagramtest
• Work with Sarah - workshops, speaking, and team facilitation: enneagrammba.com/enneagram-speaker

Have a request for a future episode? Drop a text here!

What You'll Hear in This Episode

Type 7s are some of the most naturally energizing people in any workplace, and that energy is a genuine asset in feedback conversations. Sevens see potential quickly, frame things optimistically, and have a gift for making even hard conversations feel like they're going somewhere good. But the same striving to feel excited and satisfied that makes Sevens so fun to work with can also turn a feedback conversation into something that stays light when it needed to go deep,  or gets skipped altogether because it just didn't feel like the right moment.

We walk through three things to do and three things to avoid when giving feedback as a Type 7, including a specific phrase you can try that makes it easier to say the hard part without losing the warmth.

3 Things to DO as a Type 7 When Giving Feedback

1. Lead with genuine belief in their potential. You naturally see what someone is capable of; say that part out loud before you get into the substance. That context changes the entire emotional register of the conversation. It signals that what's coming is an investment, not a verdict.
2. Keep it forward-focused. This is where Sevens genuinely shine. Framing feedback around what's possible next, rather than dwelling on what went wrong — makes it easier to hear and easier to act on. That optimistic reframe isn't avoiding the issue; it's how you make the issue feel solvable.
3. Say the hard part plainly, even when it's uncomfortable. You don't need to dress it up or find the perfect angle to make it land. A direct, kind sentence is enough. Trust that the other person can handle honesty delivered with care.

3 Things to AVOID as a Type 7 When Giving Feedback

1. Skipping the hard part because it kills the energy. This is the big one for Sevens. If the conversation stays positive but the actual issue never gets named clearly, nothing changes, and the other person often walks away not realizing anything was wrong. The discomfort of saying the hard thing is far smaller than the cost of not saying it.
2. Rushing through it to get back to something more energizing. Feedback deserves the same presence you'd bring to a project you're genuinely excited about. The other person can tell when they're being moved through a conversation rather than actually heard. Slow down.
3. Letting a great reframe replace a clear next step. Sevens are gifted at making people feel better, but a pep talk and a feedback conversation are not the same thing. Make sure the other person leaves with something concrete to do, not just something good to feel.

After listening:

If this resonated, share it with a Type 7 on your team or the manager who leads one. 

Want type-specific prompts for feedback conversations across all nine types? The Manager's Prompt Pack has you covered. Grab it at enneagrammba.com/resources.

Interested in bringing this kind of practical Enneagram insight to your whole team? We'd love to talk about a workshop or retreat. Reach out at enneagrammba.com.

Have a request for a future episode? Drop a text here!

Check out this week's Coworker Compatibility episode between the Type 1 (striving to feel perfect) and the Type 8 (striving to feel powerful). 

When you tune in, you'll hear about:

• the strengths of this duo at work 
• potential friction points 
• communication styles of each 
• leadership vs. direct report dynamics of each 
• growth opportunities in the workplace

Resources + Links:

• Learn more about the 3-part Dream Team Momentum program: enneagrammba.com/enneagram-team-workshops
• Run your own Enneagram Workshop: enneagrammba.com/enneagram-workshop-kit
• Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahlynnwallace/
• Take the 2-question Enneagram quiz: enneagrammba.com/blog/enneagramtest
• Work with Sarah - workshops, speaking, and team facilitation: enneagrammba.com/enneagram-speaker

Have a request for a future episode? Drop a text here!

If you're an Enneagram Type 9, or you lead one, this episode is for you! We're breaking down the do's and don'ts of giving feedback as a Type 9: the Consensus-Builder. 

What You'll Hear in This Episode

Type 9s bring something genuinely valuable to feedback conversations: warmth, steadiness, and an ability to make people feel safe before things get hard. 

But the same striving to feel at peace that makes Nines so grounding to be around can also turn a feedback conversation into something that never quite happens... or happens so gently that the other person isn't sure anything was said.

We walk through three things to do and three things to avoid when giving feedback as a Type 9, including a specific phrase you can try that makes the conversation easier to start and harder to accidentally avoid.

3 Things to DO as a Type 9 When Giving Feedback

1. Let your warmth open the door, then walk through it. You are naturally good at creating emotional safety before a hard conversation. That's a real skill and is needed, so use it! Just make sure the warmth is the setup, not the whole conversation. The feedback still needs to come out the other side.
2. Schedule it and treat it like a commitment. Nines are excellent at finding reasons to wait...for a better moment, a calmer week, a version of the conversation that feels less disruptive. Decide in advance when the conversation is happening and hold that like any other meeting on your calendar. The right moment is rarely going to happen.
3. Translate your observations into specific, concrete language. You notice things other people miss like the shift in someone's energy, the dynamic that's been quietly off for weeks. Trust those instincts, and then put them into words the other person can actually work with. "In our last three project check-ins, I noticed you seemed disengaged" is actionable. "Something feels a little off lately" is easy to dismiss.

3 Things to AVOID as a Type 9 When Giving Feedback

1. Softening the message until it disappears. This is the big one. The feedback gets wrapped in so many qualifiers... "it's probably not a big deal," "I could be wrong about this," "I just wanted to mention..." that the other person walks away not entirely sure anything was said. You can be kind and be clear. Those two things are not in conflict.
2. Waiting until you're frustrated to finally say something. Nines can absorb a lot before they speak up, and by the time they do, there's often more accumulated emotion underneath than either person expected. The goal is to give feedback before it's urgent, not after it's overdue. Small and early is almost always better than big and late.
3. Letting their discomfort redirect the conversation. If the other person pushes back, gets defensive, or seems upset, the Nine's instinct is to backpedal, to reassure, soften, or quietly walk back what they just said. Notice the impulse and don't follow it. You can hold space for their reaction and hold your ground on what you came to say.

After listening:

If this resonated, share it with a Type 9 on your team or the manager who leads one. 

Want type-specific prompts for feedback conversations across all nine types? The Manager's Prompt Pack has you covered. Grab it at enneagrammba.com/resources.

Interested in bringing this kind of practical Enneagram insight to your whole team? We'd love to talk about a workshop or retreat. Reach out at enneagrammba.com.

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Have a request for a future episode? Drop a text here!