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You're listening to the Enneagram at Work Podcast, a show about understanding people at work, including yourself. I'm your host, Sarah Wallace, and I'm looking forward to diving into this week's episode with you. Well, welcome back to another episode here on the Enneagram at Work Podcast. I am your host, Sarah Wallace, and we are wrapping up our, I think it's been seven-week series now on the instinctual biases. And last week we went through the rundown of what makes a navigating teammate a navigating teammate. What are the those, what are those qualities? What are the categories? And as a refresher, there are three categories that make up the navigating uh teammate who is really focused. They just have a natural tendency to focus, to pay attention to group dynamics, so orienting to the group. And uh they will tend to focus on trust and building reciprocity. Um, they will focus on power and influence dynamics, and then they tend to focus on status and um identity uh pieces. Uh and then they will kind of have this push-pull of wanting to be accepted, but also managing their reputation. And so we dive, we dove into more of those details. So if you haven't listened to that one already, that would be a great place to start just to lay the foundation. And then in this week's episode, we are overlaying the nine types with the navigating instinctual bias. And so we've done this for each of the types, and uh pulling in the instinctual bias can sometimes help those who are really struggling in the typing process to better understand um, oh, you know, I think I really am a type three, for example, but maybe I don't look like the textbook three because I have this preserving um instinctual bias going on. And so I'm gonna look very different than a transmitting three or a navigating three. So um and and and last week too, I'm I've been trying to do this and I don't think I said it last week. Um, but our navigators are also known as the social subtype in other Enneagram literature. And this can be a little misleading sometimes as well. We've kind of talked about how some of the names or how each of the names um can be kind of tricky and why the awareness to action um group has has renamed these. Um, but the social or the navigator isn't necessarily uh you know a straight exchange. Sometimes the that social instinct that you'll hear about in other Enneagram areas um implies that they really are social, they you know, social butterflies, and that's really not the case with our navigators. Um, they can be, but what is more accurate is that they are just really attuned to the social dynamics. So they may not be the ones talking, they may not, you know, be the ones uh that people are listening to and paying attention to, and uh they may be, uh, but more likely they're going to be the ones tuning into those things that we talked about last week when it comes to those three categories. Who has the power in this group? Who has the influence? Um, what information do I need? And so really processing a lot of that in their heads. And so um, I wish I would have said that last week, but I'm gonna say it now, and I guess better, better late than never. Um, hopefully, if somebody is identifying with the uh instinctual bias uh as a navigator, they'll they'll also catch this one. So with that, let's start to pair these up. I think we've started with we've started with the type one. I think last week, I think we started with a type five or six, um, or not last week, but for the transmitter, the last instinctual bias. So I'm gonna start from the type nine and go backwards today. Um, and so when we pair the navigating instinctual bias with a type nine, that theme, you can kind of think of it as peaceful navigating. Our nines at the end of the day are striving to feel at peace. So peaceful navigating, they're gonna find peace and harmony in the uh navigating. And last week too, I had said, gosh, you hear a lot of three show up in the navigating descriptions. I also always see a lot of nine show up as well when it comes to building consensus, um, making sure everybody's been heard, uh, letting everybody, giving everybody a chance to be seen, be heard, um, which nines tend to tend that'll show up for them. So in this case, you know, you have a navigating nine that this is gonna look a lot like that textbook nine, uh, because you have such similar energies overlapping each other. And so our peaceful navigators, um, they tend to merge with others. Um, they may kind of wrestle with a loss of identity or their own purpose because of that merging so much with the people on their team, the people in that group, um, they tend to be very likable. Uh, they are, you know, have great interpersonal skills, they tend to be very engaging, they are engaged, uh, they're able to read and react to the tone of the group with excellent instincts. And so um, you know, the the motive behind that is going to be a little bit different. And they're they're really attuned to those group dynamics because, right, they want to maintain that peace. And so if I know how this person's feeling over here and I know this piece of information, or I see how they fit into the pecking order, I can kind of kind of help navigate and and manage all of this so that we can maintain the peace. Uh, at work, a typical challenge for our navigating type nines is establishing their own identity, establishing their own agenda. So they the thing that they'll have to watch out for is that just kind of overly merging with the goals, agenda, identity of the group, and really check in and make sure, hey, am I okay with this? Is this is this the the direction I want to go? Is this the thing that I want to do? Um, even if it means maybe going against the group, which can be, which can be difficult, but making sure you're you're checking in um as a navigating nine with that. Their leadership style tends to be creating a lot of harmony, really focused on inclusion and consensus building, which nines in general are known for. And so you overlap the navigating uh interest and consensus building, you you got a really inclusive, really uh consensus building leader right here. Uh sometimes this type of nine may be confused with a three, maybe an eight, um, maybe a two. So if you're struggling between any of those and a type nine, um dig into these instinctual biases a bit. Our type eight, striving to feel powerful. So we have powerful navigating here. These are not your typical eights. So we talked last time, the that transmitting eight, you got that transmitting energy, you let overlay it with an eight. That is the the eight we tend to think about. Uh, these eights tend to be able to uh maybe be a little bit more supportive in a group setting, uh, maybe be a little bit better about consensus building. They're absolutely still eights, though. They're just maybe a little bit more attuned um than what we might think as our stereotypical eight uh might be in the and they're they're good at it. They can see that they're gonna be a little bit more politically and organizationally strategic, although sometimes that might come across as manipulative, or maybe they are you know being a little manipulative. Whereas I think uh maybe the transmitting eight isn't gonna pay attention to the political landscape as much and just kind of bust in and say what they need to say, do what they need to do, ask for forgiveness later type of thing. Whereas these navigators, these type eight navigators are gonna be a little bit more strategic in that area. Now, a word challenge that our uh navigator or eight navigators might have is staying engaged when there's not really a battle to fight. So when something, you know, big, when there's not a big challenge or something to overcome, uh, it might be hard to stay engaged. Their leadership style is very inspiring, very supportive. Um, although sometimes maybe too focused on their own agenda. So we got a little bit of eight there, um, but then also very, very supportive. Uh, there may be some confusion uh between the type nine sometimes and maybe the type five for this duo. Our type sevens are striving to feel excited. So we have excited navigating, um, similar to that of an eight. This is going to be your atypical seven, what might be known as the counter type here. Uh, they're generally not as talkative as other sevens. Uh that navigating piece will restrain them from what we might see as like that that social butterfly, very talkative, very extremely outgoing. Um, when you mix that seven energy, kind of, I don't want to say dilute, but but it is that navigating part is a little bit more of that pull back. I want to make sure that people don't think I talk too much, right? We got that inner conflict going that we talked about. Um, I want to be accepted, but I also want to manage my reputation and my image. So I'm not gonna talk too much. I don't want to overshare something that might be embarrassing. Um, they're very conscious of the way that they're perceived. And even more than other sevens, um, this type can tend to put up a false face. Um, and they may end up having a secret life because of that. You know, sevens in general don't love being super vulnerable. Um, so you have that a little bit, and then you have this kind of image concern. And so they may just be thinking, okay, this is who I need to be in this moment. Um, maybe some of that three kind of chameleon tendencies that we'll read about uh may be showing up in here, which is why sometimes there can be some confusion between our navigating sevens and a three. Um, also, they can be confused with a two. You might also be confused uh as a nine, maybe a six here. Uh a work challenge for our navigating sevens is boredom. It's like, gosh, if similar to the A, it's like if there's not a challenge in front of me, it's gonna be hard for me to stay engaged. It's like if there's not something exciting, if there's not a new idea, a new initiative, something new, whatever it is, um, it's gonna be hard for me not to be bored. Their leadership style tends to be very inspiring, supportive, uh, but maybe a little bit fickle. And this is kind of like I think all sevens have this a little bit, but it's like, hey, you know, I'm here to inspire, you know, share the vision. Um, let's get excited, let's let's build this enthusiasm enthusiasm around our goals and ideas. Um, you know, but I I want you to, you know, I don't want to have to be responsible for, you know, the the details. They're gonna have a little bit more laissez-faire approach to that. Um, and I think that's that's probably true for a lot of sevens, uh, but but definitely here we talked about the common mistypings for those sevens. Our type sixes are striving to feel secure. And our theme here is secure navigating. So this type tends to be very sociable, uh, very focused on loyalty to the group, very focused on issues of integrity and people's motivations. And they're gonna have this interesting combination of charm, but also suspicion. And then at work, some challenges they might face or a challenge they might face is focusing on the relationship more so than the task at hand. And um this is a, you know, for for several types, this is a balance that can so easily get out of balance. And it's like, gosh, you're you're putting so much focus on task and you're forgetting about the human element. You know, sometimes our ones uh or fives may be guilty of that, or our preserving sixes may be guilty of that. Um and then other times, you know, it's hey, we we really need to put uh, or it's hey, you're putting too much focus on the relationship, and we need to make sure that we're focused on the task and getting things done. Uh, type twos will sometimes struggle with with putting relationships over tasks. Um, our and here are navigating sixes may also struggle with that. So I think this is uh a challenge that a lot of us kind of teeter between. Uh, you know, we may be on different ends of it, but it but it is kind of a just constantly paying attention and being intentional with that that right blend of task oriented oriented and and being people-oriented, uh, getting things done, but also taking into consideration that we're people and that we're not robots. And so, you know, different situations, different people, that that will be a just a delicate blend. Um, and then sometimes uh they may be mistyped as a two, maybe a seven as well. And then in leadership, their style tends to be inclusive teachers and mentors. Our type five is striving to feel detached. When you blend in the navigating energy, you have detached navigating. And so these fives have a conflict because they do want to be part of a team and a part of them wants to be connected to others, and then that five part in them wants to be detached and go it alone and not have to rely on anybody and not have anybody slow them down. So it's an interesting push-pull. And this would probably be another one of those, not your typical textbook type fives are gonna look a little different. Um, they may see themselves as the person behind the curtain, pulling the levers and making things happen, manipulating the situations. Um and this kind of makes sense because fives are really focused on data collection, analysis, uh, you know, getting the information. Um, and part of the navigating energy is to collect information. So it's maybe more this type, maybe more collecting information about teen dynamics, about what's going on with somebody, about, you know, maybe office of awesome, awesome, office gossip is is in here, but as a some data points. Um, and so they're gonna be collecting all this information, but rather than maybe data from a research, it's information, data from what they're noticing uh from the organizational uh relationships, group, team dynamics. Uh, a work challenge is going to be engaging in conflict. And so, you know, uh fives, you know, don't typically want to be pulled into that. Navigating fives even less want to be pulled into that, um, having to face that leadership style uh is is what may be known as the chess player, uh, where they're kind of just using all this information that they know about people and situations to manipulate the situation, to kind of put put people where they they need to be put as far as role clarity goes or situationally what needs to happen. And so it's this chess player kind of moving pawns around the board is gonna be their leadership style. Um common mistyping here may be a nine. So if you're like, am I a five, am I a nine? Um, it's gonna be worth kind of diving in more to this navigator energy. And it's am I a five? Am I a navigating five, or am I, you know, uh a type nine here? Um type fours are striving to feel unique. So we have unique navigating in this one. They express themselves through statements that they might make about society. Um, these types can really uh see themselves as outcasts because you have this four who already kind of wants to and sometimes feels different. And then you kind of overlay this group piece, and so it's they're comparing themselves kind of with the group, and it's like in in relation to the group, I'm the outsider here, I'm the outcast. Um, they tend to be curious and and have a wide range of interests, and they're excellent. I think in general, fours are really empathetic and in tune with others, um kind of picking up on those, but more so than any other, um, we have our navigating fours, being really good at reading social cues, um, picking up on that, where maybe some of the others are gonna be more in tune with their own feelings rather than than others or the group feelings. And so uh these fours just tend to be a little bit more attuned to that. A work challenge here may be becoming bored with mundane and repetitive tasks, a little bit like our sevens, uh, which is why these types are navigating fours may be mistyped as a seven, maybe as a nine as well. Um, and then their leadership style is around leading the group and creating a vision to move the group towards type three is striving to feel outstanding. So we have outstanding navigating here. These are the most attuned to the expectations of the group. Who does this group expect me to be? I'm going to, you know, do what I need to do to show up as that person. So really understanding, okay, in this group, I need to be this person. Over here, I need to be this person. They tend to be the most image conscious of the three types of threes. Um, they work really hard to fit in in a way and to fit in. And then sometimes it's in a way that kind of, you know, allows them to be the superior person in the group. Uh so they want to fit in, but also I want to be, you know, outstanding and be noticed for being outstanding and all my success and accomplishments. Um, they they're generally pretty polished, um, but unlike maybe the transmitting threes, they're gonna dress in a conservative, maybe a little bit more conservative way, uh, but still want to be noticed, still want it to be seen as outstanding. Um at work, uh a common challenge for this type may be seeming insincere, could seem a little fake. I don't really know who this person is. And this makes sense, right? Because we have kind of a double dose of this reputation management, double dose of image consciousness, uh, double dose of you know, reading a room. And so it really is okay, I need to be this person. And and and for the navigating three, this can be kind of exhausting. Yes, maybe it comes natural to them, maybe they do it without thinking. Uh, but at some point it can be kind of confusing. Like, wait a minute. Who am I really? Um, and then on the receiving end of it, it can feel like, wait, who is this person? Like, I don't, they're just all these, you know, they show up in different ways and they, you know, try and make themselves, you know, always look successful, always look outstanding. And so it can come across as fake or insincere to others. Their leadership style tends to be really leaning on their network, leveraging their relationships, and then being the one to craft the message. So we're gonna spin, you know, threes kind of spin it anyway. And so uh this is a double dose of spinning the message, and this is a double dose of excellent networking. And so leveraging your connections, who do you know, who do who do you know that I might know? Um so they tend to be really excellent at that to get things done and their leadership. Um, maybe, I mean, this is pretty, pretty much a textbook three. So you're most likely gonna know, hey, yeah, yep, if you're if you're resonating with the textbook three here, this is it. But sometimes it may look like a two, sometimes it may look like a nine. All right. Our type twos are striving to feel connected. So we have connected navigating. Um, they are going to establish their identity through their network. So who are they connected with? And what does that say about them? They tend to be driven and socially ambitious. So this could also be a type three. And this is where if you are on the line between a two and a three, it's, you know, it's this, it's probably gonna be this navigating energy is most likely underneath that. Um, and so then it's just coming down as what's most important, striving to feel connected or striving to feel outstanding. And these twos want to feel outstanding and want to be connected and want to be needed based on, you know, socially, who do they know? Who are they connected with? Challenges at work might include playing favorites, kind of who's in the group, who's out of the group. I'm gonna give all my attention and my support and my resources to this person. I don't feel as connected with this other person, so I'm not gonna give them, you know, that connection, those resources, that support. And so it's that that idea of playing favorites. Leadership style, uh, they're gonna emphasize emphasize the importance of the group to the greater whole. So again, kind of just orientating their status to the group. Um, and then we talked about the common mistyping here, might be a three. Lastly, we have our type ones who are striving to feel perfect. Um, this is another one that's probably a little atypical. Um, they have two sides in conflict. You got the navigating side that wants to compromise, that tends to be a little bit more people-oriented, and then you have the type one side that um isn't typically as open to compromise and isn't typically as open to people. It's more focused on the task at hand. Um, so there that's a push-pull dynamic. Um, and then the thing that they're perfectionists about is more about their interactions, not so much the details. So, this is one where, you know, you you know, we read about being a clean freak and noticing all the typos and having perfect grammar. Um, this most likely isn't gonna be how how this one shows up. They're gonna maybe not even notice those things as much, or maybe they notice them, but it doesn't bother them as much. However, they want to make sure they get right their interactions that they have uh with the people at work. A challenge here is worrying about how others will perceive what they do, their actions, um, their interactions. Um, and so they will have a lot of their inner critic will probably be pretty harsh about, gosh, why did you say that? Or gosh, why did you, why did you do that? Um, their leadership style is going to be focused on the group's integrity. So not as much about them. I mean, that's this is still an area of focus for them, but it's really um, okay, how are we doing as a group? Are we are we making things better as a group? What can we do? What can we accomplish as a group? Uh sometimes they may look like a two, uh, they could look like a nine, they could look like a five. Um so if you are struggling between those, it's worth considering this navigating instinctual bias. And then really, again, when it comes to type, paying attention to what is the thing that you are, you know, motivated by the most, what's really driving those actions. Um so I find that, you know, the more that we we learn about this second piece of the Enneagram, it's really powerful in the beginning. And sometimes it can feel like a lot of information, but also it can really speed up the typing process. And then um introducing this to as kind of a part two or after people have understood the nine types can also be really helpful in just understanding, okay, what else is there for me to work on? And and because it does give some really specific guidance as to you are excellent at this, like keep doing this. Um, or this is where you know, you have some opportunity for growth, or these are some things you're probably just not good at. So maybe don't take this role or bring in some help, or um, you know, it's it's just you know, be aware this is gonna take a lot more energy for you. Um, and so I also love it. Anytime we can be specific and tangible, um, these instinctual biases really give us some understanding. Um, and then it just gives us it will never give us a complete picture, right? Um, but we have another layer. And so I think I said this in the very first um episode into the series is that our type is kind of like our height, and we have that understanding. So we said somebody's six foot five, you know, wow, we have a pretty good understanding. But if you know somebody's six foot five and they're, you know, 160 pounds versus 260 pounds, uh, that's very different. They look, they're gonna look very different. And so that's what this instinctual bias piece gives us is just another piece of data, give us some additional details, but by no means the complete picture. So, really, when you go through all of this, we do have the nine types. But when you introduce the three end seeks, there ends up being 27 Enneagram types when you add these in, which I think gives people um it reflects the complexity that we are as humans. And so I love having this additional description layer and prescriptive. We've talked about how the Enneagram can be descriptive, prescriptive, um, but it is no means predictive. And so that's where we want to watch out for, whether it's the type or whether it is the instinctual bias, making sure we're not making hiring decisions or you know, promotion decisions based on uh what what we what we see uh as someone's type. So with that, we have officially concluded our instinctual bias introduction series. Um, for those of you who are interested in learning more or wanting to know, hey, how can we apply this to our specific team? The the instinctual bias is a piece that we get into inside our full day workshops or can do as a part two after a group has already gone through an Enneagram introduction. Um, it's just it tends to be a lot to cover when we cover the information and do some exercises and discussion around it. So it works um great. We cover this uh usually in the afternoon uh of our full day workshop. So this is a topic you are interested in bringing in. Um as I have said uh in the last episode here at Enneagram MBA, all we do are team workshops. And so I would love to talk with you more about bringing the nine types, the three instinctual biases, understanding how to use them for growth to your team or organization. And you can learn more about those opportunities over at EnneagramMBA.com. Um, we do have opportunities experiences anywhere from two hours, half day, full day, or something we can customize. Uh, we do them virtually, we do them in person. So learn more about those there. And then um as a heads up, if you are interested in joining our first ever uh Enneagram group coaching experience, um, we have the best boss ever school that will be starting later this summer. Uh we're still working out some details on the back end. We do have some details and an opportunity to sign up for the wait list to get to be the first to know about those details and to to have an opportunity to save some money by joining the wait list. Uh, that link will be shared below, but you can learn more over at Enneagramba.com as well. Um, we're opening that up to our past and present clients. And then um we'll also be sharing some of those details with you here on the podcast as a listener. So stay tuned for that. If you want to make sure that you're in the loop, uh be sure to sign up for the wait list uh with our best boss ever school. So more to come on that. As always, thank you so much for being here. I'm looking forward to diving in some new topics as we close this one out. Um, if there are specific topics that you want to know more about, you can always send me a message over at enneagrammba.com forward slash contact. And uh with that, I uh appreciate you hanging out for this series. And we will be starting something new or getting into a new topic uh when you come back next week.