Enneagram at Work

In this episode of Enneagram at Work, we continue the 9 Types Overview Series with a focused look at Type 5: Striving to Feel Detached, as described in the Awareness to Action framework.

We'll’ll explore how Type 5s bring clarity, analysis, and innovation to the workplace, and how their need for independence, energy conservation, and mastery can shape communication and collaboration on a team.

Whether you are a Type 5 or work closely with deep thinkers who prefer a bit more space and autonomy, this episode offers practical ways to support their strengths and growth in real-world work environments.

What You’ll Learn When You Listen In:

• The core motivation behind Type 5’s drive to feel detached
• How Type 5s process information and determine when they’re “ready”
• Why they avoid emotional pressure and interruptions
• The strengths they bring to teams: expertise, curiosity, and clear analysis
• Overused strengths that become withdrawal or over-observing
• The role of The Strategist as a leader
• How instinctual biases create different expressions of Type 5
• Growth practices through their arrows to Type 8 and Type 7
• How to give feedback in a way that feels respectful and empowering

Try This at Work: Experiments

• If you’re a Type 5: Share ideas sooner, perfection isn’t required to be valuable. Connect even when you’d prefer to retreat.
• If you work with a Type 5: Give advance notice before asking for input. Respect their need for boundaries and solo focus time.

For Teams & Leaders

Type 5s bring wisdom and vision that help teams make smarter decisions and avoid risks others overlook. They are steady under pressure and masterful at breaking down complex information.

But when energy feels scarce or expectations feel intrusive, they may retreat into their minds, leaving teammates unsure how to engage.
Teams thrive when they invite Type 5s in without demanding too much too fast.

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In the spirit of Thanksgiving, this episode is a celebration of the people you work with; the ones who keep projects moving, solve problems behind the scenes, strengthen relationships, and hold your team together in ways that often go unnoticed.

Instead of focusing on potential friction points or growth edges, we’re taking a moment to appreciate the strengths each Enneagram type brings to a team and why your workplace is better because of them. Whether you lead people, work closely with a diverse group, or simply want to feel more grounded in gratitude, this episode gives you language to recognize and celebrate the nine unique ways people contribute.

What You’ll Hear for Each Type:

Type 1 – Striving to Feel Perfect:
Integrity, follow-through, and the commitment to doing things right.

Type 2 – Striving to Feel Connected:
Empathy, support, and the ability to make people feel seen.

Type 3 – Striving to Feel Outstanding:
Drive, momentum, and the energy that inspires others into action.

Type 4 – Striving to Feel Unique:
Creativity, emotional depth, and the ability to bring meaning into the work.

Type 5 – Striving to Feel Detached:
Calm clarity, expertise, and thoughtful problem-solving.

Type 6 – Striving to Feel Secure:
Group cohesion, preparedness, and forward-thinking protection for the team.

Type 7 – Striving to Feel Excited:
Optimism, adaptability, and the ability to bring possibility into any conversation.

Type 8 – Striving to Feel Powerful:
Passion, advocacy, and the willingness to speak the truth plainly.

Type 9 – Striving to Feel at Peace:
Stability, inclusion, and a grounding presence that keeps teams connected.

A Thanksgiving Invitation:

Take one moment this week to share appreciation with someone on your team, whether you know their type or not. Name one strength you see in them. The smallest acknowledgment can change someone’s entire experience at work.

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In this episode of Enneagram at Work, we're continuing the 9 Types Overview Series with a deep dive into Enneagram Type 4: Striving to Feel Unique, often called The Individualist or, in the Awareness to Action framework, The Visionary.

This episode explores how Type 4s bring creativity, emotional depth, and originality into the workplace, and how their search for meaning and authenticity shapes their leadership, communication, and team dynamics. You’ll learn how this type adds emotional depth and richness to teams, where they can get stuck, and how to better collaborate with people driven by purpose and identity.

What You’ll Learn:

• The core motivation or "root logic" behind Type 4’s drive to feel unique
• Why Type 4s are often the emotional and creative heartbeat of a team
• How strengths like depth, empathy, and originality can become overused
• How Type 4s approach work, purpose, and self-expression
• How the 3 instinctual biases create different expressions of Type 4 energy
• Growth practices using their arrows to Type 1 and Type 2
• How to give and receive feedback in a way that feels safe and meaningful

Try This at Work:

• If you’re a Type 4: Practice grounding your ideas in structure. Ask, “What’s the smallest step I can take today?”
• If you work with a Type 4: Invite their perspective. Ask what something means to them, not just what they think about it.

For Teams & Leaders:

Type 4s bring heart, storytelling, and emotional intelligence to teams. They help organizations connect to purpose, humanity, and meaning. But they can also feel misunderstood, left out, or undervalued if their emotional world isn’t acknowledged.

Teams that work well with Type 4s make room for both performance and meaning, honoring feelings without letting them derail progress.

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

In this episode of Enneagram at Work, we continue the 9 Types Overview Series with a fast-paced, insightful look at Enneagram Type 3: Striving to Feel Outstanding, often known as The Achiever or, in the Awareness to Action model, The Pacesetter.

We’ll explore how Type 3s bring drive, confidence, and high performance to the workplace, and how their desire to succeed and be seen as capable influences their leadership style, communication, and relationships at work.

Pulling from real client examples and team dynamics from recent workshops, we'll look at what helps Type 3s thrive, what derails them, and how teams can support the “go-getters” who keep everyone moving forward.

What You’ll Learn When You Tune In:

• The core motivation behind Type 3’s drive to feel outstanding
• Why Type 3s are often seen as natural leaders and high performers
• How their strengths - drive, focus, adaptability - become blindspots when overused
• Key characteristics of the Pacesetter Leadership Style
• What energizes vs. drains Type 3s at work
• How instinctual biases (Preserving, Navigating, and Transmitting) create three distinct flavors of Type 3
• Growth practices using their arrows to Type 6 and Type 9
• How to give feedback in ways that build trust, not defensiveness

Try This at Work: Quick Experiments

• If you’re a Type 3: Track how you showed up, not just what you achieved. Practice slowing down long enough to rest, reflect, and reconnect with your own values.
• If you work with a Type 3: Acknowledge accomplishments and effort. Set clear, meaningful goals. Invite authenticity by asking how they’re doing behind the successes.

For Teams & Leaders

Type 3s bring momentum, optimism, and ambition to the workplace. They raise the bar, inspire confidence, and help teams deliver results. But they also carry the weight of constant expectation, both from others and themselves.

Teams that work well with Type 3s create space for connection, authenticity, and rest, not just performance. A healthy Type 3 doesn’t just do great work; they model sustainable success and motivate others to grow with them.

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

In this episode of Enneagram at Work, I continue the 9 Types Overview Series with a deep dive into Type 2: Striving to Feel Connected, also known as The Coach in the Awareness to Action framework.

We'll explore together how Type 2s build trust, foster belonging, and strengthen relationships at work, and how those same strengths can sometimes lead to burnout or blurred boundaries. 

Whether you lead with this type or work closely with someone who does, this episode will help you recognize the impact of connection-driven leadership and find the balance between giving and grounding.

I also share how the three instinctual biases (Preserving, Navigating, and Transmitting) shape how Type 2s express their feeling need for connection, from behind-the-scenes nurturers to charismatic connectors.

What You’ll Learn When You Listen

• The core motivation behind Type 2’s drive to feel connected.
• How this type’s strengths, empathy, generosity, and intuition, help teams thrive.
• The overused strengths that can create stress, exhaustion, or resentment.
• The leadership style of The Coach and how Type 2s inspire loyalty and growth.
• How to give (and receive) feedback in a way that builds trust with a Type 2.
• How instinctual biases create three distinct expressions of Type 2 energy.
• Growth insights from their arrows to Type 8 and Type 4, learning to assert boundaries and honor their own emotions.

Try This at Work

• If you’re a Type 2: Before saying yes to help, pause and ask, “Is this mine to carry?” Practice receiving appreciation without deflection.
• If you work with a Type 2: Acknowledge their efforts often and clearly. Don’t assume they’re fine just because they’re the ones helping everyone else.

For Teams & Leaders

Type 2s bring warmth, empathy, and emotional intelligence to every workplace — qualities that make collaboration feel human. But they can struggle when their giving goes unreciprocated. Teams thrive when Type 2s are encouraged to express needs, receive support, and celebrate connection as a shared responsibility.

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

In this episode, we're kicking off a 9 Types Overview Series, taking it back to the basics with a fresh look at Type 1: Striving to Feel Perfect. 

Whether you’re brand new to the Enneagram or returning to deepen your understanding, this quick overview offers both clarity and real-world examples of how Type 1s lead, communicate, and collaborate at work.

You'll also hear how different instinctual biases (Preserving, Navigating, and Transmitting) influence the way Type 1s express their “perfection-striving” energy.

Inside You’ll Learn

• The core motivation behind Type 1’s drive to feel perfect and how it shows up in daily work and leadership.
• Common strengths: organization, fairness, high standards, and accountability.
• Overused strengths that can lead to micromanagement or burnout.
• How Type 1 leaders (known as “The Administrator” in the Awareness to Action framework) model integrity and inspire excellence.
• How to give and receive feedback effectively with Type 1s.
• The differences between Preserving, Navigating, and Transmitting Ones, and why they can look so different on the surface.
• Growth practices: what Type 1s can learn from their arrows to Type 7 and Type 4, bringing in more celebration, creativity, and emotional awareness.

Try This at Work

• If you’re a Type 1: Before giving feedback, start by naming what’s working well. Train your eye to notice strengths as much as errors.
• If you work with a Type 1: When sharing a new idea, explain the structure, process, and steps behind it—they’ll appreciate the thoughtfulness and clarity.

For Teams & Leaders

Type 1 energy brings structure, order, and excellence to teams, but also needs balance, celebration, and empathy to thrive. If your team is heavy in Type 1 leadership, consider how you can bring in more lightness, spontaneity, and creativity to sustain motivation.

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

Before we dive in: Most of our work at Enneagram MBA is rooted in the Awareness to Action model developed by Mario Sikora and team. But from time to time, we like to explore other Enneagram approaches and insights that come up in the workplace and coaching conversations. This is one of those episodes, so you may hear some differences from the ATA model we typically use.

In this week’s episode, D and I wrap up our three-part conversation on the Enneagram’s movement strategies: the compliant, assertive, and withdrawn ways we move through the world. These patterns influence how we lead, collaborate, and connect under stress and in safety, whether we lean toward others for belonging, push against for control, or pull away for clarity.

Together, we explore how each movement shows up at work, what it looks like in meetings, and how it impacts team relationships. You’ll hear us break down:

• The core logic of each strategy: If I align, I’m safe. If I take charge, I’m safe. If I retreat, I’m safe.
• What leadership strengths each brings, from empathy and reliability to bold vision and deep insight.
• The blind spots that can trip us up, like over-pleasing, control, or disconnection.
• How to apply this awareness in real life, using self-checks and reflection prompts to flex between all three strategies instead of staying stuck in one.

We also talk about the power of awareness in managing our instincts when “life gets loud,” how to communicate what you need before others misread it, and even how a “pineapple” code word or LED light system can help you hit pause before you hit conflict.

If you’ve ever wondered why some coworkers want to talk everything out while others disappear to think, or why your team clashes when deadlines hit, this episode can help you see those dynamics with more clarity, compassion, and choice.

Key Takeaways

• Each movement strategy serves a purpose. Compliant types seek connection, assertives create motion, and withdrawns bring meaning. We need all three for healthy collaboration.
• Awareness creates choice. Once you know your instinctive movement (toward, against, or away), you can flex as needed.
• Communicate your coping strategy. “I’m taking a day to think” can go a long way toward preventing misunderstandings.
• Reflection practice: Think of a recent workplace conflict. How did you move...toward, against, or away? What might a different movement have looked like?

Listener Challenge

Reflect on your go-to strategy this week.

• Where do you naturally thrive: connection, courage, or clarity?
• Which situations call for the opposite?
• How can you intentionally lead with one of the others when the moment calls for it?

Resources & Next Steps

• Bring this to your team: We’re already booking year-end closers and 2026 kickoffs. Explore workshop options at EnneagramMBA.com and invite us in to blend theory with your team’s real dynamics.
• Say hello / suggest a topic: enneagrammba.com/contact... I’d love to hear your 4/5/9 stories or questions for a follow-up on trust and the Enneagram.
• Book D as a speaker for your conference event: Check out potential topics here.
• Book Sarah as a speaker for your conference event: Check out details here.

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

Ever worked on a team where everyone genuinely gets along? Where collaboration, kindness, and support come naturally, yet honest, direct conversations can be harder to come by?

In this short team map review, we'll unpack the group dynamics of a team heavy in Type 9s, 2s, and 4s, a mix that creates one of the most emotionally intelligent and people-focused teams you’ll find. They care deeply, collaborate well, and truly want everyone to feel valued.

But when keeping the peace becomes the top priority, clarity and direct communication can take a back seat. When you listen in, together we'll walk through why that can happen through the Enneagram lens, and how teams like this can pair care with candor to strengthen trust and communication without losing the warmth their team dynamic is known for.

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

Before we dive in: Most of our work at Enneagram MBA is rooted in the Awareness to Action model developed by Mario Sikora and team. But from time to time, we like to explore other Enneagram approaches and insights that come up in the workplace and coaching conversations. This is one of those episodes, so you may hear some differences from the ATA model we typically use.

Today’s conversation is such a special one, and honestly, a huge honor. I had the chance to sit down with two incredible leaders from a company you’ve probably heard of (and maybe even ordered from): ButcherBox.

In this episode, you’ll hear directly from Mike Salguero, founder and CEO, and Eliza Jackson, Chief People Officer, about how they’ve woven the Enneagram into the DNA of their 200-person organization. From onboarding to manager development, the Enneagram isn’t just a one-time workshop at ButcherBox; it’s part of their shared language and leadership culture.

We talk about:

• How Mike first discovered the Enneagram and why it resonated with him as a leader.
• The practical ways ButcherBox is integrating the framework into hiring, feedback, and team communication.
• What’s surprised them most about using the Enneagram company-wide.
• The connection between self-awareness, organizational trust, and scalable culture.

If you’ve ever wondered what it looks like when an entire company uses the Enneagram to build connection, accountability, and clarity at scale, this conversation is a must-listen.

Tune in to learn how the Enneagram is shaping leadership and culture at one of the most mission-driven consumer brands out there.

Learn more about ButcherBox and take advantage of their Fall sale ending 10/13: https://www.butcherbox.com/

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

Before we dive in: Most of our work at Enneagram MBA is rooted in the Awareness to Action model developed by Mario Sikora and team. But from time to time, we like to explore other Enneagram approaches and insights that come up in the workplace and coaching conversations. This is one of those episodes, so you may hear some differences from the ATA model we typically use.

In this episode, D and I wrap our stance series by exploring Types 4, 5, and 9, the so-called “withdrawn” types. We unpack what “withdrawing” actually looks like at work (hint: it can be deep engagement happening on the inside), how each type’s strengths show up on teams, and where friction tends to arise under pressure. We also share quick, practical “stretch” moves for each type and reframes that managers can use to turn perceived quiet into powerful contribution. 

What You’ll Learn

• What “withdrawn” actually means: the difference between internal engagement and disconnection, and how to tell which one you’re seeing.
• Type 4 (The Visionary): depth, authenticity, and storytelling superpowers, plus the pull toward what’s missing and how to re-ground in action.
• Type 5 (The Strategist): the “quiet genius” who protects limited energy, leads with data, and benefits from defining “enough information.”
• Type 9 (The Consensus-Builder): the calm bridge-builder who sees every side, along with the risk of fading out or numbing when things get intense.
• Adaptive vs. maladaptive (via Awareness to Action)
• Pairings & chemistry

Quick Stretch Practices (Try These This Week)

• For 4s: Notice when emotion is pulling you inward; name one next action to move your insight forward.
• For 5s: Decide “what’s enough” before you research; share work-in-progress to invite collaboration (even if it’s not perfect).
• For 9s: Speak before consensus—offer your “current take” and say you’re open to revising it.

Reflection Prompts

• When I’m overwhelmed, do I retreat into feelings (4), thoughts (5), or comfort/peace (9)?
• Where’s the line, for me or my teammate, between internal engagement and disconnection?
• What’s our re-entry plan after someone steps back to process (time box, next touchpoint, decision deadline)?

Resources & Next Steps

• Bring this to your team: We’re already booking year-end closers and 2026 kickoffs. Explore workshop options at EnneagramMBA.com and invite us in to blend theory with your team’s real dynamics.
• Say hello / suggest a topic: enneagrammba.com/contact... I’d love to hear your 4/5/9 stories or questions for a follow-up on trust and the Enneagram.
• Book D as a speaker for your conference event: Check out potential topics here.
• Book Sarah as a speaker for your conference event: Check out details here.

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