Conscious and unconscious personality at work: an application of the Enneagram typology

1. Conscious and unconscious personality at work: an application of the Enneagram typology Dr Anna Sutton PhD at Leeds University Business School

3. What is it? • “dynamic system of nine personality types that empowers you to better understand yourself and others” Helen Palmer and David Daniels, MD Enneagram teachers • “something to do with naked encounter groups in California” Prof Chris Allinson My supervisor!

4. A quick intro to the Enneagram • Personality typology • 9 types based on unconscious “worldview” • Diagram summarises theory: • Circle: “wings” • Arrows: Changes in stress and security • Also has 3 subtypes for each type

5. But is it real? • Wagner (1981) • reliability of type decisions • Significant differences between types on MBTI and Millon-Illinois scales • Questionnaire studies show distinctive type profiles on: • 16PF (Warling 1995) • Adjective Checklist (Dameyer 2001) • NEO PI-R (Newgent 2001) • OPQ-32 (Brown and Bartram 2005)

6. Study 1 Investigating Conscious and Unconscious Personality using the Enneagram

7. Personality in the workplace • Personality is: • Unique pattern of thoughts, feelings and behaviours • Conscious or Explicit personality • A “character description” • Unconscious or Implicit personality • “Hidden” motives or reasons for behaviour • Drawback of self-report • Need to include conscious + unconscious

8. Background • Personality psychology fragmented • Enneagram types combine descriptions of cs and ucs aspects • Is the Enneagram Typology valid? • Benefit Enneagram community: solid evidence for the types • Benefit Personality psychologists: bring together fragmented field

9. Method • Rich descriptions of type  Specific hypotheses • Questionnaire survey • Big Five traits (self-report) • Personal Values (self-report) • Implicit motives (semi-projective) • Job outcomes

10. Sample • 75% female • 46% UK & 37% USA • Good range of ages: • Mean age = 53.5, S.D. = 10.7 • N = 416 • Min 30 of each Enneagram Type

11. Results • Individual hypotheses about each type: • 69 made, 53 confirmed • Of non-significant relationships, all but one in right direction • Good evidence for the validity of the types

12. Validation of Enneagram types – Big Five traits Extraversion - Confident, sociable and outgoing, with a positive attitude and a focus on the outside world

13. Validation of Enneagram types – Values Achievement - Being successful by demonstrating one’s ability in ways other people will recognise and acknowledge

14. Validation of Enneagram types – Implicit Motives nPow – implicit motivation to have impact, control or influence over another person, group or the world

15. Predictive ability of Enneagram – Job Attitudes Job-related Self-Efficacy – extent to which employees consider they can do everything their job requires of them

16. Predictive ability of Enneagram – Job Choices

17. Study 1 Conclusions • Enneagram valid model of personality • Unique relationships of E-Types to established personality models • Impact of E-Type on job outcomes • Both short term (attitudes) and long term (choice of occupation) • Combines both explicit and implicit personality

18. Study 2 Self-awareness in the workplace: An application of the Enneagram

19. Personality instruments in the workplace • Assumptions: • Self-awareness can be improved • Self-awareness is beneficial • The “Sadder but Wiser” paradox: Reflection and Rumination

20. Background • Can self-awareness be improved? • What outcomes are associated with self-awareness in the workplace? • 2 workshops designed to improve self-awareness: • Generic training • Enneagram-specific training

21. Method • 80 participants in 3 workshops • “switching replications” design • Quantitative analysis – change in SA, relationship with job-related affect and coping strategies

22. Quantitative results • Control: no effect of questionnaire • Self-awareness: • General workshop: ST drop in Reflection • Enneagram workshop: LT drop in Rumination • Job-related affect: • Reflection associated with +ve affect (Contentment and Enthusiasm) • Rumination associated with –ve affect (Dissatisfaction and Depression) • Coping Strategies • Relationships strengthened in long term

23. Qualitative Analysis • Open-ended question in final questionnaire • 63 responses • Used grounded theory to examine emergent themes and develop categories • Then content analysis

24. Qualitative results

25. But majority went on to describe the effects! Why this discrepancy? Changes not perceived as dramatic enough? No noticeable effect I think that the workshop has had very little effect, if any, on my work life

26. Most commonly reported effect New insights into self Facing weaknesses Interaction with others Understanding / Acceptance of self This helps me avoid taking the reactions of others personally and will help me deal with others better in the future Feel better knowing that I am not the only person who behaves and thinks the way I do

27. Unusual as most effects were “internal” Made active changes I have also realised that others in the team have vulnerabilities which has helped me to respond in a more effective / empathic way It has made me more assertive in making space for me

28. Limited to Enneagram workshop Comments often related to specific Enneagram type Self-development I still have to take the time out and really develop further as there are some parts (as with any [type]) of myself that do really need looking at in order for me to become a better person

29. Study 2 conclusions • Self-awareness can be improved and is associated with positive job outcomes • Effects of workshops mainly internal but did include specific, active changes • Workshops had differential effects • Enneagram useful beyond workplace • Tools vs Framework • Future development

30. Overall Conclusions

31. Study 1 • Enneagram useful for integrating models of conscious and unconscious personality • Study 2 • Self-awareness can be improved • Enneagram training has beneficial effects in workplace