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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 back to another episode here on the Enneagram at Work Podcast. At the time that this episode is released, it will be very close, if not the end of the school year. And I know if you have parents, you are well aware, or if you are parents, uh, you you have parents, but if you are parents, um, you're well aware of this. And here at Enneagram MBA, we are also well aware because we have a group of teachers and faculty that we're going to be um bringing the Enneagram to later this summer at the beginning of their next school year. But to help people prepare and to give the faculty time to take the assessment, to maybe reflect on some things for those that are really interested who want to dive in deeper over the summer. We're going to share the assessment. They're going to be asked to take the assessment before they leave for the school year and then have an opportunity to dive into additional podcast recommendations and books and blogs and Instagram accounts for anybody who really just wants to dive in this summer. So that has been a really fun project to kind of coordinate and figure out how we want to do the timing. And even though it's a it's a standard experience, many of these are doing a standard experience. There's always something kind of unique and something kind of fun to either figure out how to make it work or add in based on the specific industry or um type of role that people are doing. And so this one has been just another one of those fun ones. Today we are going to start a series on how each type can get off track. And so we're going to start with our type one, who I don't know that anybody loves to get off track to get derailed, but I think that they may struggle with it, despise it the most because of that striving to feel perfect. So we're going to look at some ways that our type ones might get off track, specifically in the workplace, what those um blind spots might be as an individual contributor, as a leader. So bringing some self-awareness if this happens to be your type, but also bringing some understanding if you happen to be working with a type one. So my hope is that whether you're a type one or not, you're going to get something from this episode. And then share just a couple of things to think about how to get back on track. So as a reminder, our type ones are striving to feel outstanding. Uh, at the end of the day, this is the thing that makes a one-on-one. I want to, I'm sorry, I'm striving to feel perfect. Ah, I don't know what I'm saying. Striving to feel outstanding is our type three, and we will be getting to that. But our type ones want to be outstanding for sure. And many times people will struggle with am I a type one or am I a type three? Because there are a lot of similarities. But our type ones are really wanting to feel perfect, to do the perfect thing, to do the right thing, to avoid the wrong thing, to always be ethical, um, to follow the rules, the processes, the procedures, avoid making a mistake at all cost. And so that brings so much benefit to a team, whether they're in a leadership role or a teammate, we need that energy on our team. Um, especially, you know, uh, I've heard somebody uh, and I can't remember who said it, but I've heard another Enneagram teacher say, we absolutely need this one energy in specific roles. Like we absolutely want our surgeons to be striving to feel perfect. We want our pilots to be striving to feel perfect. So this energy has an absolute need in some specific roles, but it also has, we have a need for it and it can really benefit all of our teams. Um, they strive to feel perfect, and so their immediate focus goes to the gap, the gap between how something is right now and how it could be better. And it could be good right now, but could it be great? It could be fine, how could it be better? Um, the primary goal is to achieve the highest quality of results. Um, this concept of derailers, I I do want to give credit, um, is from the awareness to action Enneagram, which is the model that we follow and practice here at Enneagram MBA. Um, and so they have um some specific um identifiers around getting off track. And so we're we're taking those um and sharing them with you here. So I will add the link to the Awareness to Enneagram um podcast and their website um to learn more about that model, either um as just kind of an understanding of kind of what is our school, what's our take on the Enneagram, you can learn a little bit more from them on that. Um, okay, so with that lens, with that perspective, with that strategy that they tend to use most of the time of striving to feel perfect, one way they can get off track or one blind spot that they might have in the workplace is not willing to change. They can really struggle with being open to more than one right way of doing something, with this is the way that we've always done it. It's a proven method, and there is a time for that, right? Um, but other times there might be a need to have an open mind, to have a consideration for another way of doing something. They might have a really strong belief that since I'm right, others should be the one to change, not me, not me change, not me change my uh myself or my approach to this or the way that we do this. Another way that they can get off track at work, or you could call it a blind spot, is seeing the world in black and white. So having a tendency, and I think we can all do this to some degree, but our our ones really, because they have it's just so clear, good or bad, right or wrong, um they can really get stuck in reducing situations to being right or wrong. It's so great. It either is or it isn't right. Um, it's either good or bad. And the example that always comes to mind with this is the, you know, the the father who has, you know, a hungry family at home who steals a loaf of bread. Is that person right or wrong? And according to a lot of times, you know, the the philosophy that a one will operate by, it's like, well, they broke the law. There's not any gray. There's it's it's bad. They it's wrong. They did the wrong thing. Whereas others are able to maybe bring in some more context. And again, ones aren't heartless, they are absolutely, you know, they absolutely care. They're they are able to bring in context in situations. We're talking about somebody who maybe hasn't done as much professional or self uh reflection, uh, professional development. Um, or occasionally we get off track, we're stressed, uh something happens and and we fall off. And these are just some common ways that a type one might fall off, might get derailed. Um, and they might have a hard time um with seeing it situationally or bending to a compromise because it's so clear what is right and what is wrong. Another derailer, a third derailer, a third blind spot is this idea of meritocracy. And this can really impact their career path, their career development, because this they believe that their work should speak for themselves itself. Um, they believe that people should be judged solely on merit. How hardworking are you? Did you score well? Were you right? Did you meet the deadline? Were you on time rather than things like charisma, likability, political connections, your ability to network, right? Uh they always say, you know, it uh especially when you're applying to new jobs or when you're looking for the promotion, it's not always about how hard you've worked, if you've always done the right thing, if you always had the highest score. Sometimes people smarter than you win out because of their political savviness, because of their ability to build uh relationships, uh, because they are likable, because maybe they are promoting themselves in a way that feels like kind of self-promotional to you. It's like my work should just speak for itself. I shouldn't have to necessarily promote myself. Um, so that will be something that a type one will have to watch out for in the workplace in a way that they can get off track. Another derailer, no surprise, is around perfectionism where they focus on mistakes. Um, they definitely focus on their own mistakes and they can really focus on the mistakes of others rather than what that person is doing right or what they are doing right. What sort of positive accomplishments, what sort of positive contributions has that person made? Yeah, maybe they messed up, maybe they were late, maybe they made a mistake, but remember what else they did right. They've they they've they're bound to have done some things right. So remembering that nobody is perfect all the time. And sometimes there can be a situation, a person can be perfect because of their imperfections. Um, so we're not saying that a one shouldn't worry about being perfect because that is the thing that makes a one a one, but we're just saying consider maybe changing the narrative around what it means to be perfect. Um also another another way to look at this is that a project or a task needs to be perfect before you can move on. And sometimes that is the case, and other times B plus is fine. You just gotta do do this here and move on. You know, a one will tend to think, well, how you do one thing is how you do everything. So everything has to be perfect. And there are just situations where it's that's not feasible, it doesn't make sense, it's not the best use of your time, it's not the best use of your people's time. Um, and so understanding that it that will be an uh, you know, a benchmark for growth is starting to dial in and understand what those situations are. When is B plus okay? When is A plus plus absolutely needed? And remembering to not that you're not gonna see the imperfections or when people make a mistake, you're gonna see it in yourself and definitely others, but also remembering to at the same time spend time also reflecting on the good things, the right things that they did and that you did. Um, another derailler that can happen at work for our type ones is being too serious, taking things too seriously, not allowing themselves to ever have fun or relax, um, almost seeing it as reckless. So our the neglected strategy, the neglected type for the type one is the type seven, striving to feel excited. Um, what's possible, that fun, that spontaneity, um, that the you know, just kind of a tendency to find the joy in little things um can feel reckless. It can feel really irresponsible to a type one who is striving to feel perfect. Ironically, that is the type that they tend to get the most bang for their buck when they look at ways not to become a type seven, but what are some things I can pull from that type seven to kind of shift my narrative around what it means to be perfect and enhance striving to feel perfect with some of the that seven energy. So, some ways to get back on track is looking at those growth arrows, um, specifically the type seven, and then looking for opportunities to pull in the type four, striving to feel unique, um, focusing on that task list, but also allowing creativity to be pulled in as well. Um, something else that ones can can pull from the type four is their ability to be really empathetic, really um allowing feelings to be felt and expressed, which can feel not perfect for a type one. I'm mad, but I don't want to let other people know that I'm mad or I'm having a hard day, I'm having a sad day, or you know, whatever it is. But I'm gonna stay buttoned up and I'm gonna be diplomatic. And of course, especially when you get up to the ranks and in certain, you know, in corporations and in certain leadership roles, that is necessary most of the time, right? You don't wanna be crying, you don't want to be losing your mind out of anger, you don't want to be overly excited, putting, you know, million exclamation marks in your emails. Of course, you gotta you gotta hone that in, of course. But are there opportunities either with a specific person who needs it in that moment for you to be a little more open, revealing, uh transparent about your own feelings so that they feel like they can share their feelings. So there's some a lot of opportunity looking at your growth points for the type four and the type seven. And this is something that we have gone into detail with in past episodes. Um, it's probably been about a year now. Um, but each type we went through the growth arrows and looked at specifically. But so I'm just gonna give you kind of four or five things to uh kind of quick quick hits to think about, to consider, and then maybe you pick one of these to focus on, to reflect on, to do something about uh by the end of the upcoming week to take action on. So your ways of getting back on track is to look at where can you relax? You don't have to demand so much from yourself. Where are your opportunities to kind of channel um you know the joy and the fun and life like the seven, kind of channeling, pulling in some of the growth arrow, the growth path of the seven there? Um that might mean adding in some scheduled relaxing time, which feels counterintuitive, but you know, that it's like, okay, for the next hour, I'm just gonna lay around and read a book, or I'm just gonna allow myself to watch an episode of this show, or I'm going to take a walk with my partner and not bring my phone. I'm gonna take my kid to the playground and you know, not feel like I have to be multitasking and working as well, whatever that might be for you. Where is a little pocket? And I'm not saying you need to transform your whole life, but where it are 30 minutes or where is an hour where you can you might have to schedule that time to relax. Um, the other thing to consider is just to start to be aware, take note how much you criticize yourself, that inner critic is not the voice of reason. Uh it needs to be turned down at times. So just start to just start to notice how often and how loud that inner critic can can be and what impact it has on the way that you show up. The way that you show up in your leadership role, the way that you show up in in relationships with your team at work, with your personal relationships. Another way to get back on track is to learn to give some ground, resist the need for things to be done your version of the right way. There may be more than one, and I think there is a lot of times, more than one right way to do something. And so the thing that comes to mind for me with this is when you might give a team member, assign them a job, a goal. And then with that goal, you've also given them specific directions for how to accomplish that goal. What if you just gave them the goal and allowed them to find their own path to that goal? It might take a little bit longer. It might not be as perfect as your method, but what what might happen? What might happen? Um, practice good enough is the fourth way to get back on track. Learn when enough preparation has been done and take action. Be aware of that paralysis analysis, that perfection before I can I can move on. Look for ways or just notice when you do that. And then when is enough enough? What does good enough look like? And when are the times where good enough is good enough? And then lastly, another the last way to get back on track is to look for the gray area. So this can be challenging. None of these are overnight fixes, but it's things that you can start paying attention to and then just start making small tweaks in in small moments for small amounts of time with a specific person. These aren't things that you need to overall your overhaul your life tomorrow with every single person, every minute of your day in every situation. Okay. That's not gonna, that's not gonna, that's not realistic. Um, so what are ways that you can win are situations where you can start to see the gray? Try to see somebody else's point of view. Um, allow for more of that both and rather than either or. And that is really hard. I think um, I think as humans, it it is hard to hold two conflicting ideas at the same time. But there are situations where it really is. Both is true. I am sad about this project ending, or um, I am sad about this relationship ending, and I am also excited about this project ending, or um, this relationship ending, or I am, you know, I am both sad that I am, you know, maybe getting promoted. I am both excited that I am getting promoted and I get to move to a new city and take on a new challenge, and there is a part of me that is also sad. So, you know, that that is a very simplified basic example, but it it's accepting more of those both and we are complex human beings, and so we have a lot of those both and feelings and experiences, and allowing yourself to have those can also give you more um empathy and understanding and allow those that you work with and those that um you lead to also have those experiences, which can build a really supportive, trusting culture, team dynamic relationship with those people. So, with that, um, we we're gonna do these in order. Sometimes I try and switch them up, but just so you know what to expect, I think we're gonna go one through nine with with this series. Um, so we're gonna look at the derailers or the blind spots for each type. And um, again, it I hope that you can, if this was your type, I hope there is one little thing, one little thing that you can start reflecting on that you can do before, let's say Friday, if you're listening to this or within the next week. What's something that you can practice, do, put into place, plan for within the next seven days? That's gonna be your challenge here. Um, these are things that we talk about inside of our Enneagram workshops, these specific topics, and then we get into more detail about what to do about them. What specifically do you want to do? Can you do? Um, and we'll do that in um small group exercises, partner exercises, and we have some additional um Enneagram insight to help us really get clear of not just how do we want to change, what's our new goal, but what are some things that might get in the way of that goal? What type of support do we need? What does success look like? So if this is something that you would like to bring to a leadership team inside your organization or your team as a leader, you want to bring this concept into helping people understand uh where they're they might get off track, understand their blind spots, and then what to do about it. I'm gonna invite you to check out our workshop, our program, our coaching options over at Enneagramba.com. With that, as always, thank you for listening. Thank you for being here. And I'll look forward to seeing you in the next one, which most likely will be uh the derailers and blind spots of our Enneagram type twos.