Enneagrams, What They Are and How They Will Help You Succeed

Have you heard about the Enneagram? This is a theory that was modernised by Bolivian philosopher Oscar Ichazo back in the 1960s and is now used by therapists to help people better understand themselves!

We’ve been getting into this here at Banana Life and we think it may be beneficial for you in both your work and personal life to understand it as well. Read on for a little introduction summary about Enneagrams and how they can help.

What are Enneagrams?

Enneagrams base themselves on the theory that there are nine types of people, each with a different core belief. Our core identity, essentially. There is a series of logical patterns of behaviour related to each type encompassing strengths and weaknesses, our worldview and what inspires and limits us.

The nine Enneagram types

1. The Reformer
2. The Helper
3. The Achiever
4. The Individualist
5. The Investigator
6. The Loyalist
7. The Enthusiast
8. The Challenger
9. The Peacemaker

How can all of this help you?

Breaking down each type and finding out which you are requires a book instead of this small blog, so we’ll leave that to you. Let’s think about why it is, in fact, helpful for you to dive into this stuff though…

Many other personality typing models are heavily biased towards the “what” and the “how.” The Enneagram, however, focuses on what motivates you and why you engage with things in your unique way. 

This makes Enneagrams a pathway to greater self-awareness of your personality and your key motivations. This will also help you understand what mental spaces you hide in when stressed or what your coping mechanisms may be and why. Enneagrams can help you identify strengths and opportunities for growth as well.

Essentially Enneagrams can help you figure out why certain things trigger you, understand reactions to different dynamics or emotions, and why they occur. Understanding our reactive behaviours in stress gives us a choice. There is no more fight or flight; instead, you can understand patterns, practice self-compassion, and approach life with conscious choices. Cool, right!

The plug

So that’s some pretty deep stuff right? How could we possibly swing that back to the many reasons why you should undergo some virtual team building at Banana Life? Well, our activities are all centred around a better understanding of how you and your team work as individuals and together, so if you want to put your Enneagrams research into practice, we have the perfect place for it. Get in contact to see if you think we will be a good fit for your team. We’re betting we will be!