Are You Working with an Enneagram Type 2?

The Enneagram can be transformative in your own self-awareness journey.

And the insight can also be valuable in your relationship management skills at work - with those you lead, with those you work beside, and with those you serve, like your clients.

Emotional intelligence is made up of 4 parts:
 

• Self awareness
• Self management
• Others awareness
• Relationship management

In the newest series about understanding people at work you’ll gain insight beyond your own type and into how others close to you are viewing the world.

(In this video interview, you'll hear from Samantha Martin about life and work on the "inside" as a Type 2.)

 If any of these ring true, you might be working with an Enneagram Type 2...

• Do you experience them as being able to read people and truly understand what they need? 
• Can you see that they find satisfaction in being supportive and helpful to others? 
• Do they tend to be able to see the best in almost anyone?

First thing is first, though...

The foundation for the Enneagram Type 2 energy is a striving to feel connected.

They are focused on others and what they need, how valuable they are based on how much they give. Rather than being task or goal-oriented first, Type 2's tend to be relationship-oriented first. 

One of their many superpowers is their ability to help others unleash and use their superpowers. They see themselves as the power behind the throne, supporting and helping others be successful.

Common struggles of a Type 2 can include: always taking supportive roles, worrying about others' problems, needing to be liked, breaking boundaries

Other clues you might be working with an Enneagram 2:

• They bring large amounts of dedication and energy to supporting the organization, team, or their co-workers. 
• They jump to offer their time when anyone needs help with something.
• They always say "yes" to requests and have a hard time saying "no."
• They make a point to always ask how you're doing and make a comment to connect with you as a person, not just a co-worker.
• They place a high priority on making the workplace more humane and compassionate.
• They can put too much focus on relationship building and not enough focus on the task or goal at hand.
• They can be highly responsive to approval and deflated by disapproval which can lead to being self-critical and second-guessing themselves. 

Is anyone coming to mind?

If so, below you'll find a few ideas for working well with them:

1. Offer support and help them when they need it.
2. Give them space to do their best - don't rush them. 
3. Deliver negative feedback with care. 
4. Encourage them to say "no" more often. 
5. Let me know when what they're doing is helpful.

Sources: 9 Types of Leadership book by Beatrice Chestnut, Awareness to Action book by Robert Tallon and Mario Sikora, Insight book by Tasha Eurich

If you haven't already, be sure to download your quick reference guide, Understanding People Cheat Sheet, to gain insight into working with all the Enneagram Types. 

To learn more about how the Enneagram can benefit your team and organization, learn about bringing a workshop or training in with the options here. 

Sarah Wallace is the owner of Enneagram MBA, a team training company, host of the Enneagram MBA podcast, speaker, and workshop facilitator. Companies and organizations hire her to help them use the Enneagram to develop confident, effective, and emotionally intelligent leaders with powerful, productive, and happy teams.