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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. Welcome to another episode here on the Enneagram at Work Podcast. I am your host, Sarah Wallace, founder and CEO here at Enneagram MBA, a team training company where all we do are trainings for teams and groups, one hour, two hour, one day, two days, virtual, in-person, and kind of anything, anything in between. A lot of the work that we do is introducing the Enneagram. And then we also get to have opportunities to work with groups multiple times and for ongoing specific programs or just additional kind of part two sessions. And those are always really fun because we get to start applying the Enneagram to some specific changes. And this topic that we're covering today actually came from that situation, um, a situation like that last year with a client who we did a half day workshop together introducing the Enneagram to their 50 person plus department. Um, and then afterwards, they thought, you know, this could be really helpful as we navigate a big change within our department. And their change happened to be um a change in the the leadership. Um, and that person was retiring, someone new was coming in, but there was a lot of unknown because it wasn't, they weren't sure who that new person was going to be. And so there was, there was kind of um, you know, uh mourning, grieving the this person that they had worked for for years and years, and then there was unknown who is gonna replace them, what will that look like? And you know, just there were a lot of lot of feelings, and it was it was kind of stressful, and so they thought, hey, I think, I think that we could use what we learned and um you know take it to the next level and and really help us in this specific situation. So I got to kind of co-create this particular uh workshop with this client, and what we ended up doing was um breaking it out into four different groups so that people had an opportunity to share, to discuss, um, and uh you know, not maybe feel so intimidating doing so in a group of 50. And so I really liked how we ended up doing this. Um, and then since then, there's been other opportunities where it's made sense to do a part two or have this be um a lesson as part of a larger programming to navigate change because there are all kinds of transition and changes that happen um at work and life in general. And so I thought, well, let's bring that topic to you here on the podcast and uh share some of this just very high level, because you know, this could this could very easily be, you know, a half day, half day workshop, full day workshop potentially. Um, but we're gonna try and keep it uh in under an hour. So we're just gonna touch, but my hope is that um you start to get some additional um details about your type in a specific scenario. Um, you get some specific awareness as to the story that you may be telling yourself in a situation, specific situation, in this case, change. Um how how does kind of what's your relationship with that? And then um start to understand, okay, you know, what are my triggers here? How do I get stressed out? How do I maybe overuse my type structure, my coping mechanisms? Um, and then also starting to notice and understand others who are also going through this change with you, and that they may be seeing it very differently, or they may be caring about something differently. Their priority may be something different than yours is during this time, and just understanding that. Um, and that that's important so that that self-awareness piece is important so that you can advocate for yourself during this time. Um, what it what do you need? Um, you know, sharing that with your teammates, sharing that with your manager, and then also understanding your teammates so that you can be a supportive teammate and not the way that you necessarily want to be supported, um, but understanding them and it will give you more insight into specifically how to support them in a way that that feels supportive to them and may not to you, but it is for them. So um with that, let's talk about type and transitions and and navigating change based on what we know about our type. Um one thing that we added to to this particular workshop was also either introducing or doing a refresher on the stress arrows because there that that is definitely something that will come up and change. Change is stressful. There's a lot of unknown. There is where there's one change, there's typically multiple changes. Um, you may not be able to understand how the change is going to benefit you. Um this is a lot of a lot of stress, a lot of unknown uncertainty, which creates stress. Um, it can feel like there's more work with this, and and so it will uh, you know, bring out some of those stress qualities for us all in those times. And so understanding what that looks like for you, um, both what does stress look like within your type structure, and then that that those stress arrow um movements can be helpful. We're not gonna talk about that today, but that is a great piece of the Enneagram to complement this particular topic um just for the sake of time. And we've we've covered that in other ways, and and we'll continue uh to cover it in different ways, but we're gonna we're gonna keep this episode uh pretty specific here with just understanding how each type might view change. So I was gonna start with type one, but I thought, gosh, I always start with type one. So we're gonna start with type three and go around, and uh, we're gonna look at, okay, how does a three typically view change? Uh, what are they thinking about? Like, what's the question maybe that they're asking themselves during a change? And then we're going to look at what are some strengths that this type can bring to a change. Where might they overuse their strengths during this time? Um, and then where's an opportunity for growth for the for this particular type? There's going to be multiple opportunities for growth. We're going to just we're going to talk about one to keep it simple. Um, and if that resonates with you, then you know, lean into that, lean into that opportunity. If it's something you might be thinking, oh, I've already worked on this or I'm working on this already, um, maybe there is another opportunity for growth from one of the other types that makes more sense. And ultimately, it's it's not about you know stuffing yourself into a type structure and making everything true for you. It's it's to use it for growth. And so um, if it doesn't feel helpful, uh, that growth opportunity for you, maybe there is another one that does. And and that is absolutely okay. You're still using the Enneagram, quote unquote, you know, right or correctly, or or you know, it it can still be beneficial. So, with that, let's talk about our type threes. So, our type threes are striving to feel outstanding and in a time of change, um, they you know, they tend to be forward, future, future, forward thinkers, uh, tend to be pretty fast paced. Um, our sevens and our eights are right in there. Let's go far, let's go fast. And so adapting quickly is not an issue for a three most of the time. They tend to be pretty nimble and can be flexible. Um, they are focused on achieving success in in whatever circumstance is coming their way, whatever change is happening. They want to make sure that they're successful in it. Um, they may struggle a bit with um maybe just questioning their self-worth or their value or or maybe even a little fear in that area because you know, they've they've built up a reputation. Maybe they've built up their name, they've they you know, they're known for their work um with a particular leader in a particular system or department, and and they're kind of known for being successful. And and maybe when somebody new is coming in or some change, the struct, the restructured department is happening, um, it can feel like, well, wait a minute, wait a minute. Um, you know, who am I gonna be? What you know, what am I gonna be known for in this new group? Am I gonna have to rebuild up my reputation? Um, so there can be some fear around just like, hey, I was I was known for this. Is that still going to translate with this new change? Um, the question that they're maybe asking themselves, one of the many questions, um, is okay, this change is happening. They're gonna tend to think, how does this help get to the goal that we want to get to? They're gonna be focused on accomplishment, you know, getting there fast, making it happen. They, you know, threes are you know, superpower, have the superpower of efficiency. So looking for the the easiest, fastest way to get to that goal, and they're gonna be looking for how this change can help them get there. Now, some strength that they are gonna bring to a transition is their ability to instill confidence in the possibilities of what could come, what could come from this new change. They're gonna be the role model. Their leadership style tends to be the pace setter. They are in the trenches, leading the way, leading by example. And by by getting in there, you know, being successful, making things happen, they're gonna instill that confidence and be inspiring to others. They're gonna have this ability to imagine the big picture and then understand how to get there in the quickest, most efficient way possible. So here's the change that we need to make. How can we do this? You know, with the least amount of effort and efficiency, not a least amount of efficiency, but how can we do this with the least amount of effort, a lot of efficiency? Uh, they're gonna tend to be pretty practical during this time, um, task focused, what do we need to do? Checklist focused, they're gonna be committed to the deadlines, and they're gonna be willing to step up and do whatever's needed for the most part. You know, hey, I want us to win, I want us to be successful with this. So if I have to work later, if I have to take on an extra thing, I'm I'm here for it. Now, when these strengths are overused during a time of change, um they can be a little dismissive of difficult feelings from the team and even their own feelings because they are so task-focused, focused on the goal, getting things done. Uh, it can feel like, gosh, we have to deal with someone's, you know, sadness or worry or anxiety or or upsetness about this change. And we just don't have time for that. You know, get on board or get out of the way. Um, and and there, you know, there there may be a time for that energy. Um, but change brings up a lot of emotions and and and it may feel like it's slowing the process down, but but taking time to to help people feel heard and to allow for them to feel heard, um, maybe even for you to share, um, can can help them feel more connected and that you know they're not alone if you're sharing some of your you know worries or hesitations with with the change process. Um, and then sometimes because they they they tend to be pretty optimistic, they can kind of spin anything, um, they may come across as overselling the change. Like, okay, like it's not gonna be that great, or um wow, they're just really laying it on thick, like our whole lives are gonna change for the better, or we're gonna make a million dollars with this change, or whatever, whatever the spin is. Threes have uh a unique ability to do that, and again, that can be so helpful, impactful in the right situation with the right level of intensity there. Uh, but sometimes, uh, maybe in this situation, if it's dialed up to a 10, it can just feel like, gosh, this person, I I don't trust them. I feel like they're overselling me. It feels fake, feels inauthentic. Um, and it's scary me even more because I I don't really know what to believe, but this feels overhyped. Um, and so threes will have an opportunity during a time of change to create space for, they're not gonna love this initially, but creating space for identifying and then acknowledging and accepting the feelings that people have about this change and the feelings that they have about this change. And it can feel like, okay, yeah, we'll come back to this. Um, I'll I'll come back and be sad about this, or I'll come back and worry about this, or have a certain feeling about it. Um, it's just they rarely do come back. And so they just get pushed to the side, pushed to the side, and others can feel dismissed, um, can feel like, oh gosh, I, you know, I'm just not important. They don't care what I have to say. Um, and then as a three, you know, those feelings don't go away. Um, and they will they will come out at some point. And uh, even if it's feelings of stress or worry, you know, finding somebody that you trust to share that with uh can help you get through this. And there's an opportunity for you, um, for yourself and and for the team to create that, you know, that that safe environment, that safe psychologically safe space on your team, um, and encourage um emotional, you know, openness uh can can really help with feeling supported as a team member, and and you know, sometimes people just want to be acknowledged and they're and they're ready to get on board. But I just need you to see me, I need you to hear me first. Our type four, striving to feel unique, um they they may struggle with change just in general, um, because uh fours have a tendency to kind of view the world through what has happened and being really nostalgic about what was. And so even if it's an incredible change, an incredible opportunity that is coming, um, it can still feel maybe a little sad, a little hard to let go what it was, you know, to let go of the the relationship with the leader that might be leaving, just to the way things used to be, the tradition that you used to have, whatever it might be, um, can feel kind of hard. It can also be hard for a four to navigate a change if they don't feel like it's really gonna make a meaningful difference. So if it's just, oh, this is like a you know, bureaucratic change doesn't really make a difference in the big scheme of life, uh, they're gonna have a harder time getting on board with it. Um, and the question they may be asking themselves when they run into a change is uh, you know, how does this help me gain uniqueness or how does this help me gain significance? Do I have an opportunity to maybe put a creative spin on something? Do I have an opportunity to maybe reinvent my career? Or, you know, what are those opportunities with this transition? Um, the strengths that they're gonna bring to a change is their ability to see what's missing in maybe the a rollout or a change strategy of some sort and be able to come up with some really creative solutions. They tend to be incredibly empathetic for others. So a little bit maybe the opposite of our threes, our threes and fours probably can can uh learn from each other in this specific situation. Um they're gonna be very empathetic and understanding for others who may be struggling with this change. Um, and they're gonna be, you know, hey, I feel this too, like I'm sad too, you know, I'm having a hard time too, and just be really relatable and um, you know, feel like, hey, I, you know, I someone really cares about me at work. And uh that's a four, that's a strength a four has in a lot of different scenarios and specifically dealing with change. Um and and then along those lines, they're gonna be able to hold space for those difficult emotions and creating a safe team, a safe culture uh for people to be able to express themselves. Now, when those strengths are overused, they can maybe become too focused on the change, uh, how the change feels, both how it changed for how it feels for themselves and how are other people dealing with this, um, and not enough time on the executing of the change or what tasks need to happen to make this change successful. Um they may also uh kind of along the same lines, I guess, get caught up in those emotions and opinions and maybe kind of get lost in those big feelings and forget to inject logic and reason and some critical thinking in there. Emotions, I think, do tell us some things, and then it's also not always an accurate, you know, portrayal of what's happening. And so there is a place for both. And so just remembering as a four to make sure you're okay, what's at what are the facts? What what are this what does the information say? And know how I'm feeling, but you know, how does that compare to what you know what what what the information is saying, what the data is saying. Um, and then during this time of change or transition, a four has an opportunity to create space for um the details and maybe the mundane tasks that just sometimes come with a with navigating a change. And so there may be some repetitive tasks, there may be some boring tasks that have to happen in order for this change to be successful. And so when you know that, when you expect it, um, it maybe won't make it completely stress-free or completely not drive you crazy. Um, but hopefully when you just kind of know, like, okay, yep, this is to be accepted, this makes sense, yep, these are mundane, boring tasks, yep. Um, it can it it can help a it can help make it maybe not as intense when you know, hey, these are my triggers, these are the things that bother me. And and and I know that these things are coming. So I'm just gonna, you know, be prepared um for them, not be taken by surprise because I know they're coming and have a plan for how to deal with them. Our type five, striving to feel detached. Um during a time of change, um, they are gonna be taking in a lot of information. They're gonna be probably sitting back and just kind of observing, analyzing, listening. Um, as a teammate or somebody who leads a five, you might be thinking, oh my gosh, what is this person thinking? Are they okay? Are they mad? Are they sad? Like, I don't know how they're doing um because I'm not getting a read on them. And um, a five may not yet know either what they feel about the how they feel about this or what they're thinking, um, because they're just taking in the information and then they're gonna need some time to process. So, you know, as much as you can to be a supportive teammate or a supportive manager to a five, you know, giving them the information when you have it, and then letting them sit on it, letting them process it before you, you know, are are maybe you need an answer from them, or maybe you want to check in and see how they're doing, but but making Sure, you're giving them that space and that time. A question that a five may be asking themselves during time and during this change could be how does this disturb my space? Like, are people gonna be more in my space, less in my space? Like, am I gonna have to work more with others? Am I still gonna get and have an opportunity to work on my own? How will this change impact that? Um, the strengths that a five will bring to a transition is that they are gonna bring um their thoughtful questions, their relevant questions, their informative insight to the conversation. And so there may be like, let's go, let's dive in, let's make this happen, like let's go, let's just do this change. And there may be a need, there probably is a need to maybe stop and just not even stop, but just kind of slow down a bit. Hey, are we thinking about everything? Is there anything else we need to bring into the conversation? Anything else we need, anything that we don't need? Um, and a five is gonna be there to ask those thoughtful questions. Um, they're also gonna be pretty creative, very creative problem solvers like our five our fours, they're just gonna be doing it with you know data and information and analysis, um, more so than a four will do it in their own different creative way. Um and then depending on what this change is about, if it's you know, hey, we're we're we're acquiring a new company, we're merging with another company, we're we're uh diving into a new industry, we're bringing out this, rolling out this new product, whatever it might be. Um, fives you can count on to dive deep into whatever the topic, whatever the industry, and learn about as much as the change topic as they can to become that expert. They wanna, they wanna know what's going on. Um, and so they're gonna bring uh that that you know passion for learning and and throw themselves into learning about the change. Our strengths for a five that can sometimes be overused is that they can think so much about, you know, the the situation, the problem, their their mind just kind of spins, it just goes and goes and goes, and there's not a lot of action, doing a lot of thinking, but not a lot of acting. Um they may pull back even more during a time of change, and uh what is maybe starts out as, hey, this person just needs space or this person just needs time to process um could turn into isolation. They're they're you know, they're cutting themselves off from the rest of the team, they're separating themselves from their emotions, they're cutting off the team and their emotions and the emotions of the team. Um, and that can be really hard to feel connected to that person um when that's happening. So fives will have an opportunity and change to make space for their feelings, their feelings of fear or anxiety, um, fear of the unknown. Um, and they'll have an opportunity to take small steps forward and not just sit and allow their mind to think and think and think and think, but to take a step, take a step or two, and to allow themselves, allow themselves to to feel the natural feelings that come along with change and and to allow others to share theirs. And fives are are deeply um afraid of being overwhelmed by someone else's emotions. Um, sevens can feel like, oh, I don't want to be trapped in this conversation or I don't want to be trapped in this sadness. So I'm gonna reframe it, put a positive spin on it. Fives are afraid of just being overwhelmed by it. It is a little similar, but instead of reframing it, they're just gonna cut it off. Like I'm gonna put this in a box, I'm gonna put it away, and I'm not gonna think about it. I'm gonna think about it for myself, I don't want to think about it for you. But there's an opportunity, especially when everybody's kind of going through the shared, uncertain, stressful, you know, worrisome experience to really bond and be there for each other. And in order to do that, there is some level of vulnerability that has to happen to be able to lean on your teammates and feel connected. Um, our type sixes are striving to feel safe and secure. So change can feel really hard for sixes who value certainty, the status quo so much. Um they may have a hard time with just change in general, and then they have a natural tendency to focus on the risk or the threat. And so it can feel like, oh my gosh, this change feels very threatening. I, you know, I don't know what to expect. It feels very scary. So they can have, you know, a lot of worry and a lot of anxiety with this. Um, if a new leader is taking over, uh, there can be a lot of skepticism and struggling to trust the intentions and decisions of the new leader. Um, they can question, you know, the reason and reasoning behind the decision for the change of whatever it is. Um they can bring that skepticism and and maybe even a little, you know, pesticism, uh, defense, being defensive, maybe even withdrawing. Um, so like our fives are gonna need some time to process, to think through things. So, you know, as a leader, as a teammate, making sure it's like, okay, I know that they're not mad, I know that they just need some time to process. I'm gonna allow them to process. And a six may withdraw a bit to process, but they may also just kind of process um out loud as well through questioning and what if have we thought about type of questions? Um, and you know, it is just their natural tendency in a in this situation for a question to come up for them is what could go wrong. Um, so they will have an opportunity to to think, okay, what could go wrong, but also what could go right. Um, somebody was talking about how we we all can, you know, kind of catastrophize and think about the worst case scenario and say, well, it's just natural. It's gonna be really hard not to think about the worst case scenarios. If don't think about the worst case scenario, you're gonna think about it, right? Um, so think about it, allow yourself to go there, but make sure that whatever time you're spending on the worst case, you're also spending thinking about the best case, what could go right, what's the best way, and then what's the most likely situation. So giving equal amount of time to all three of those. The strengths that a six will bring during a change will be their very detailed, very acute awareness to all the possibilities. And yes, they have a reputation for getting focused on the negative possibilities, but they can very much also see the positive possibilities. And so they're gonna bring that um, because they've gathered all this information. They have this ability to connect the dots, to connect the data points, to tell a story. Um, and so they're gonna be able to see, okay, that these are all the things that, yes, maybe could go wrong, but also could go right during this transition, during this change. Um they're gonna be bringing, they're gonna be comfortable bringing up hard questions. Um, maybe that everyone's thinking, but too afraid to ask. The six is gonna be the ones that to ask. They're gonna, you know, uh, they may not think of themselves as brave or courageous, but they very much are. They're gonna be the one, like, hey, wait a minute. Uh, have we thought about this? Or what if this goes wrong? Do we have a plan for this? Or um and and you need that. We talk about all the time, like, oh, I can feel like, oh, just such a downer. You know, get on board with this new idea, get excited. And yes, we need that, but we also need these questions to make sure that this new idea has a chance to, you know, to get started, to to be successful. And those type of questions, those what if, have we thought about questions are so important to make sure that we've covered our basis and have plans for what could go wrong with those new ideas. Um, and then once they are on board, our sixes are incredibly loyal, they are incredibly dependable, uh, they have a reputation for collaboration, for for uh being there for the group, looking out what's best for the common good, putting their self-interest to the side. And so once they are on board, like they are on board, they are gonna do what is needed to be done. When those strengths are overused, it can look like they become so focused on um preparation and the threats and the risks that maybe they're not appreciating all the things that are going well. There's a lot of moving parts in a transition or a change. And yes, some things may not be going right, but there's probably some things that are going well, even if they're small. And so, not to forget to focus on those. Um, they can get stuck in preparation mode and not take action or do the execution part. Um, and then sometimes the the risk can feel so overwhelming, they just don't even know where to start. So they can kind of spin in their head just thinking about it. Um, when sometimes action creates confidence and creates clarity. And so just taking a step, um, like we talked about with our fives, can help get out of that kind of mental hamster wheel. Um, and then sixes during a time of change have an opportunity to create space for um trust in in others in in the process. And that's easier said than done. And I know that, you know, it's like, oh yeah, just be more trusting, just be more, just be less skeptical. Okay, got it, right? Um, so I know that that's not necessarily easy, but there is an opportunity to trust the new leader, trust the new process, trust the new, you know, merger. Um when someone says, Hey, we're ready to move forward on this. Um, even if the person hasn't, you know, quote unquote proven themselves yet. Because sometimes, you know, we have people who are like, hey, I trust you until you give me a reason not to. And sixes tend to be in the camp where it's like, trust me, I'll trust you once you've given me a reason to trust you. And um not to say to completely, you know, change that or that it's even possible to change, but being aware of that and looking for ways to trust and maybe, maybe also blend in that oh, I trust you until you give me a reason not to trust you kind of energy as well. Um and trusting someone is an exercise in growth. And it is absolutely not easy, but it is an opportunity for growth for our sixes. Um our sevens, uh, our sevens, striving to feel excited. Um, they're probably the most okay with change. Um, I'd say sevens, threes, probably next, but sevens, ten, just to be excited about anything that's changing. Good, bad. I don't fully understand it. You know, I, you know, I who knows what's gonna come, but we got to change, something different is happening. It feels exciting. So initially, sevens are gonna enjoy that just the change, whatever it is. Um, they're gonna be energized by it. Um, a lot of times, you know, things are moving quickly during a time of change, there's different things, there's new things, and that can feel very energizing to our sevens. Um, and because they have that kind of positive outlook, optimistic outlook, um, they're going to be able to frame this change into a positive almost regardless of what it is. Um, and so they're gonna, they're gonna most likely uh get on board with it, get excited by it initially anyway. Um, but where they may struggle is when the change starts to involve maybe a you know long drawn-out process that requires consistency, or it's being drawn out, or there's a lot of red tape, or it's moving too slow, whatever that can feel very frustrating for a seven. Um, when they hear about a change, they might be thinking, uh, does this bring me excitement? It's gonna be kind of one of their go-to questions. The strengths that they bring during a transition is that they have that positivity and enthusiasm to get other people excited and energized about the change. And, you know, we've talked about dialing things up and dialing things back. And when this is dialed in right in the right situation, this is powerful and it is impactful and and and you can move people with this, you can be influential with this energy. When it's dialed up too much in the wrong situation, it can feel you know dismissive, it can feel maybe toxic, it can feel like, gosh, this person is out of touch with reality. So at sevens will need to be just aware of that. Um, they tend to have the confidence and courage that is required to move into the unknown, to move into uncertainty. Uh, they have a willingness to challenge the status quo, where some of us, whether it's good or bad, it's worked great or it hasn't, just the status quo feels comfortable sometimes. And sevens are going to be one of the fewer types that absolutely um open and almost excited to change things up. You know, let's this is how things have always been. Let's let's change them up. We're ready to do something different. So they're gonna be open to unorthodox ideas that maybe it's a long shot, but hey, this just might work. And sometimes you you absolutely need that. Now, when these strengths are overused, we talked about that maybe toxic positivity. Um, they can be looking for a silver lining to the point that they're missing the dark cloud above them. So um, you know, bringing in both. We want to be rational, we want to be optimistic, um, you know, just not getting too too much on either side there, being aware of the obstacles ahead, but also, you know, the the belief in your ability to move through those can be a great sweet spot for that. Um, another struggle that they might have when these strengths are overused is not allowing themselves to mourn or grieve. Um, what's been lost in the process of embracing the new? So maybe the new leader is leaving. Um the the team is being broken up, the you know, the small mom and pop feel of the company now will be different because you know, you're getting bought out or you're merging or whatever it might be. Um, yes, you may be gaining something new and exciting and better, quote unquote better. Um, but there are a lot of times we're also kind of losing something and so not forgetting um to pay attention to that and notice that and um you know use move through those emotions too. Um because when you do that, then you're allowing others to also do that. So sevens are gonna have an opportunity to create space for slowing down in a time of change in order to find the best way forward. That is not always easy for our sevens to slow down. Um and then they're gonna have an opportunity to make room for others' difficult emotional experiences without reframing them, putting a positive spin on them, um, but really helping other people feel seen and heard when things are hard, when things feel scary. Um, our type eights, striving to feel powerful. Um, change can feel hard for AIDS as well, because they will they can feel like they're out of control during a time of change. Um, whether that's true or just a perceived lack of control, it can feel frustrating, it can feel scary. Um, AIDS want to know that their voice will be heard and respected during a time of change. So if you're leading an eight, if you're working with an eight, um, most of the time people just, you know, naturally want to hear from the eight anyway, want to know what they're thinking, um, their opinions are valued, are respected. Um, most of the time, uh, you won't have to ask an eight what they're thinking, uh, they're gonna tell you. But uh, you know, an eight could be feeling um maybe a little worried or scared, and it comes out as maybe anger or frustration, but underneath that is maybe a sense of feeling like, gosh, things are out of control. Um, I can't control what's happening, and that feels terrifying. Um, and sometimes too, AIDS may have a hard time accepting a change if it wasn't their idea or if they weren't a part of the process to come to that decision. Um, and you know, we can't involve everybody in every change and every decision, uh, but this is something that is important to AIDS to have some sort of ownership of these types of big decisions when possible. Um, a question they may be asking themselves during a change is how is this gonna impact my independence? How is this gonna impact my autonomy? Um, you know, I've had a lot of uh, you know, free reign with the the past leader. What is this new leader's uh style gonna be? Or, you know, what what might this new policy, how it might affect my uh autonomy here? The strengths that eight brings to a transition is their ability to think big and to execute. We talk about this um uh as one of their staple, just in general, strengths at work, and then specifically during a change, this can be incredibly helpful as well. Um, they have an ability to cut the access. So um, you know, let's just focus on what needs to be done. Let's just, you know, uh, you know, focus our efforts, focus our resources, our time, the money, whatever it is, and we're gonna cut the rest so that we can be nimble and move fast and uh far into this new direction. They're gonna be focused on fairness and they are very willing to speak up for those who don't speak for themselves. Um, so they're gonna be kind of that mama bear, uh protective person in this type of uh situation where they may feel like, oh, one department, my department is being treated unfairly, this person is being treated unfairly in this transition. Um, you can count on the eight to speak up for them. They're gonna be direct, they're gonna be transparent, they're gonna be honest. You won't have to wonder how they're feeling about the change. Um, and then they will also be that way with their team. There's no sugar coating, there's no putting a positive spin on it. If something's gonna be hard, they're gonna let the team know, hey, it's gonna be hard. But they're also gonna be able to inspire boldness and confidence in their team because they themselves are gonna bring that. Um, and people are gonna just be inspired by that during this time. Um, and then eights have a lot of energy. They have a high energy, they're gonna have this just do it energy, roll up their sleeves, get it done, get what needs to be done during this time. Now, when those strengths are overused, it can look like becoming so focused on driving things forward that you're not paying attention to the people. You're just focused on the execution, and people have concerns, they're having feelings, they're having questions, and you're just maybe bulldozing over that for the sake of getting to the goal, so the execution and making it happen. Um, but that's going to be really important to make sure that you're making time for that, making space for that. Um, and then sometimes that same strength of directness and truth and transparency that we need as a strength when it's overused and in certain situations can feel overbearing and maybe even insensitive to others during this time. Um, they're gonna have an opportunity to make space for their softer emotions um for themselves and for the feelings of others and create a climate and atmosphere and environment for trust and safety for people to be able to bring up their concerns without um, you know, being bulldozed over or without being dismissed. Um, and AIDS will also have an opportunity to to give that to themselves. And uh there may also be some opportunities for AIDS to allow their team, um, if they're the manager or Allow their teammates to fight their own fights. This could be an opportunity to encourage and inspire people to stand up for themselves versus the eight reactively trying to fight for them. This could be an opportunity for an eight to uh allow others to start doing that for themselves. A type nine striving to feel at peace. Uh they may be a little resistant to change initially, and it's because they want to be at peace, they want that comfort, and a lot of times certainty, the status quo, doing things we've always done, doing things, you know, the way we know how to do them, offers that, offers that for them. And so change can feel disruptive. It can feel it's disrupting my peace, it's disrupting my routine, it's disrupting um, you know, my comfort level here. I'm having to get out of my comfort zone, and that doesn't feel very peaceful. So change can be really hard for a nine initially. Um, but once they have a chance to process it, they have a chance to kind of think about it, process it, um just the the time to kind of sit with it, they usually will get on board. Um, they can get on board and then they become just a really um, they bring a lot of stability, a lot of peace, a lot, a lot of uh anxiety reducing uh energy to the team who is going through something stressful. Um so just because it starts out one way doesn't mean it it stays that way. No, it could. Um, but typically once the nine has had an opportunity to share their feelings, their opinions about it, once they feel like, okay, the rest of the team has also had a chance to share their feelings and opinions. Um, I'm okay with moving forward. I may not agree with it, but I'm okay. But I I want to make sure that everyone has been heard. Their leadership style is the consensus builder, and they make such incredible leaders because they do take the time, make the space for everyone to be heard. Um when they run into a change, a change is unfolding in front of them, they are gonna be thinking, oh gosh, how is this gonna interrupt my peace of mind? You know, how's that gonna impact that? Um, and sometimes navigating a change um may nines get a reputation for not having a lot of opinions. They have a lot of opinions, they just may not be as transparent and direct and you know, uh, you know, uh uh open and honest, maybe as our as our type A's, but I have found that they are just as opinionated um as you know, what we think of as a type A or a type six. It's just they kind of choose, they have a tendency to choose their own battles as far as like, is this worth my energy to disagree with? Like, if not, I'm not gonna say anything. Um, is this worth it to disagree with? If not, I may just agree, you know, shake my head, agree, even though I don't agree. I just want to move forward. Most of the other people do, and so I want to avoid that conflict. Um so that can kind of that may be an opportunity for growth. I'm kind of getting ahead of myself here, but that that can be an opportunity for growth during a time of transition for a type nine to create space for healthy conflict, um, disagreeing because their their opinion could impact the trajectory of this change process or how the new leaderships, you know, sets the stage for the future of the company. Um, but that won't happen if a nine doesn't speak up. And there they have an opportunity to kind of step out of their comfort zone, say what's on their mind, and you know, maybe, maybe nobody listens or, you know, is people don't agree to move forward with whatever their opinion is. Um, however, maybe they do, and maybe it was like, thank God you said something. Um, and so that will be a real opportunity for growth for our nines during that time. Um, and then also while we're down here talking about creating space um for things, a nine, especially in a leadership role during a time of change, you know, may just may need to make a hard decision. And, you know, being okay with everybody not agreeing with that difficult decision, which there's all difficult decisions all the time, not just in change. Um, the strength though that a nine will bring to a transition is their ability to consensus build, active listening, uh, being open to a diverse perspectives and opinions, um, the ability to have a pretty level head, kind of pretty, pretty steady eddy, bringing balance to the team, having that reducing anxiety reducing, calming effect when they walk into the room. Um and they have just a commitment to thinking through various scenarios, being being more comfortable in the gray and not it just has it's either this or this. They could be really creative with like, well, could it be both? Or is there an option that we're not thinking about? Um, and a nine is gonna have that ability to bring that when these strengths are overused. We kind of talked about it's just you know, everybody needs to be heard, but then at some point a decision needs to be made. So making sure you're not staying in consensus building and eventually getting into making a decision. Um and then sometimes nines, because they may struggle with understanding what they really want, um, kind of the first step in that is understanding what they don't want. And that is a lot that can be really powerful, it can be really informative, uh, but making sure that you don't stay there and that you move on to okay, I know what I don't want. Now, what do I want though? What do I want? Um, let's see here. Two more. Um, our type one um can also really struggle with change. Um similar to our sixes, you know, our type ones really value consistency and routine, and they are committed to the process. And so it can feel weird for a one to deviate from that routine, whatever it is. Um, again, even if it's a new routine, a new plan, a new process is going to be introduced, um, there is a period where that can just feel hard to let go of what we've always done and you know, experiment with something new. Um once they realize that the change will be for the better, that it will it will fix something, it will take something to the next level, it will make them better, their team better, the organization better, they they will get on board with it. Um, it's just one of those questions that they're gonna be asking themselves is does this make things better? And that may not be clear at first. And they're gonna, they're gonna need to come to that realization before they can get on board with that change or transition. Um, the strengths that a one will bring to a change is their ability to remain focused on the objective. Um, they're typically pretty logical, pretty structured, pretty system, task-oriented. They're not gonna allow themselves to get too excited, too sad, too happy, too emotional in either direction. Um they're going to focus on the facts, you know, what is real here? What do I know? Um, not necessarily what do I feel about this, but what do I, what do I know? What's the information say? And again, there's a place for both. There's a, there's, you know, a place to blend both of those. Um, but sometimes these these situations can be very emotionally charged, and our ones are gonna be very um rational, diplomatic, politically correct as they're thinking about them, as they're as they're speaking about these changes to their team. They're gonna bring that discernment in. You know, again, what do we what do we know here? Let's not get overly um focused on the the feelings part. And once there is a process established, they tend to have a lot of faith in that process, that that proven method, um, you know, what's worked for us. All right, I'm willing to give this once we have a process or a procedure in place. Let's follow it, let's trust it. Um, when those strengths are overused, they can become over-reliant on the systems and structures and processes, even when they're not working. Um, it's like, well, again, this is the way we've always done this. And it feels too risky to try something new, um, or just feels too chaotic, or wait a minute, this is very spontaneous that we're trying something new. Let's let's let's you know, let's slow this down a little bit. And sometimes you just need to throw it away, right? And start over sometimes. Um and it can they can just resist the new. It can feel um, it can feel uh irresponsible, chaotic, um uh not well thought out. It can feel um, it can just ultimately feel kind of scary to them. You know, maybe that's not what they're first feeling. Um, but ultimately it's kind of that, no, I have this, I have this process, I have this routine, this is how I get my needs met. This is, you know, how I feel safe and secure. And when that's not there during a time of something new, a time of a change, it can, it can, they can feel a little out of control. Um, they have an opportunity in a time of change to create space for spontaneity and flexibility and last-minute changes. Um, flexibility in a time of change is a helpful resource. Um, and that is hard for ones. And knowing that is hard for yourself if you are a one can make when those last-minute changes happen easier. Um, it's not gonna make them necessarily completely, you know, stress-free or not at all bother you. Probably will still bother you, probably still get a little triggered, but maybe it'll be less, and maybe you'll be able to navigate through it more quickly because you were prepared. It's like, okay, this makes sense. I knew this was coming. All right, last but not least, we have our type twos. Um, in a time of change, they may be thinking, especially if um if a new leader is coming in, um, they may be thinking, oh gosh, how will my relationship change with this role? Or um they may be really focused on losing that that relationship of the person that's leaving. Um, if you know the company is being reorganized, they're gonna be focused on what does this mean for my coworker relationships that I have built. And that can feel really scary, it can feel um, it can feel sad, um, it can feel stressful. Like how I twos are striving to feel connected. And so when that is disrupted, that can feel, you know, overwhelming. It can be stressful for our type twos. Um during a change that they will be focused on that. Um, they will also at some point maybe start to think about okay, how does this change help others? How is it gonna be for the the betterment of my teammates? Um, and once they start to see that, they're gonna be more open to the change if they can see how it is beneficial to the people. Um, and then they'll be looking for ways that they can step in and help and ways that they can be needed. Um, and so they will maybe, you know, start to really get on board and get excited about the change when they realize that they are truly needed to make this happen successfully. R2s, the strengths that they bring to a transition is similar to the nine, is they're gonna make sure everybody feels heard. Um, and specifically heard about how you doing, how you feeling about all this is happening. Like, are you stressed? Are you sad? Are you mad? Are you frustrated? Like, let's talk about it. Um, and people are gonna feel really, really, I guess, safe and seen and heard by by this two teammate or this two manager during this time. They do bring a sense of optimism that things will work out. A lot of times it's like, hey, I'm here to help. Don't worry, it's all gonna work out now. Um, and then they do also have a tendency to be incredibly cooperative, a willingness to work hard for the team, to stay late, to take on extra for the common good of the team. Now, when overused, it can feel like they are um putting relationships over the required tasks that need to happen in order to make this change or this merger or whatever happen successfully. Uh, they can overwork themselves on a project because they want to be needed, they want to be valuable, they want to help their teammates. They genuinely do. Um, and they can, you know, take on too much, burn themselves out. Um, they can also feel dejected and start to get maybe even a little angry when they feel like, look at all that I'm doing for this change, and I'm not being appreciated, I'm not being recognized, and that can feel hard and frustrating for a two. Um, they will have an opportunity to make space during a time of transition for checking in with themselves. So they are paying all this attention to how's everybody else doing during this time, and they'll have an opportunity to make sure that they're making space for themselves, their own needs. What do I need? How do I feel about this? Um, giving themselves time to identify those feelings and needs, and then also making it okay for them. This is kind of hard sometimes to ask for help. Um, to even if the help is like, hey, I just need someone to listen, I'm really stressed. So those are some common tendencies, some some similar qualities that the type will have. We are individual, complex human beings at the end of the day. So just because you most identify with a type one or type two or whatever it is, doesn't mean that every single one of these things obviously um is going to ring true for you or ring true for our type whatever teammate. Um, but I do think that this offers, like the Enneagram in general does, a some awareness into oh my gosh, how I see a change or navigate a transition is very different than what someone else has focused on or how they would navigate it. And then number two, that it is a starting place to ask questions about your specific teammate. So we just talked about the type two, and we can, you know, maybe see our teammate in some of those um things, but maybe we ask questions. We start with saying, hey, like we're we're going through this new project, or you know, we're we're going through a change. I I heard on a podcast recently that twos are really focused on, you know, it stresses them out to think about how their relationships will change. Like, is that true for you, or what is your experience like with that? Or would you say that, you know, is that the number one concern for you, or what is the number one concern for you? It may be something different, but this will give us um a starting place to start to understand those on our team as well and get curious about them. So I usually end my presentations with the Ted Lasso quote about uh get curious, not judgmental. And that is hard in the moment and when you're feeling stressed and and down as well. Um, but it can be so helpful and just huh, huh? Tell me more about that or tell me more about yourself, or I heard this, what about this is true? Um, and so I hope today that you gleaned one maybe takeaway insight that you can use for yourself as you navigate a change, and then maybe one insight or one question that you can have a conversation with one of your coworkers or teammates about. So, as always, thank you for being here. Thank you for listening, and uh, I look forward to seeing you next week.