This is a tale of apples and oranges. The MBTI and Enneagram are two very different personality typologies which look at very different things. They work well when used in conjunction to provide a fuller understanding of what make us tick just as apples and oranges both contribute to making an excellent fruit salad.
The MBTI is based on the work of Karl Jung and it looks at the conscious functions of taking in information through the functions of Sensing and Intuition and making decisions through Thinking or Feeling. The underlying assumption is that one way of doing this is not inherently better than another. It is a preference one has that is in fact not an indication of skill or talent but of what is often most accessible and therefore most often practiced. The 4 letter code that makes up the 16 different MBTI types helps to indicate how these functions interconnect. Most MBTI literature focuses on the positive or more neutral aspects of the types before looking at what happens “in the grip” of stress.
The Enneagram has a history that is more esoteric. It dates back before the mystic schools of Islam where the Sufis used aspects of the Enneagram in the spiritual development of initiates. When the Enneagram was brought to the West the first teachers were exploring questions in psychology concerned with dysfunction. The Enneagram looks at the world of the unconscious and how the 9 different worldviews outlined by the Enneagram influence our orientation to the world. The current teachers of the Enneagram have shifted the focus from the shadow aspects of personality to focusing on real world applications of the model for business and self development.
Mapping One onto the Other
There isn’t a direct correlation- hence the apples and oranges analogy. There are some things that may be typical however given the understanding that there is an exception to every one of these forced correlations.
Enneagram 5 and I,T
Enneagram 8 and E
Enneagram 2 and F
Enneagram 7 and E,P
Enneagram 1 and J
Enneagram 3 and E
Enneagram 9 and I
Enneagram 4 and I,N,F
Some authors and researchers such as Tom Flautt and Renee Baron with Elizabeth Wagele have mapped this even more extensively than my very limited correlations. They too add the cautionary tale of exceptions being a distinct possibility.
Using these tools
The MBTI has a validated inventory that has one publisher so that it is readily recognized across sectors as a valuable tool in business for team building and personal development. People can recognize areas of possible strength and what else may need looking after. The downside is the perception that it can be learned and applied in a one time event. Without reinforcement the MBTI type may be forgotten and shelved MBTI-amnesia!
The Enneagram has a variety of assessments that have been tested to various degrees. It comes out of the oral tradition and is best learned by watching participants discuss their type in a workshop setting. Then you can see the physical characteristics, patterns of speech as well as hearing typical ways of focusing attention. Even though it may not have been as rigorously tested for validity the Enneagram has its own distinct advantages in certain circumstances. It too can be effective for personal development and creating understanding in teams. The Enneagram is uncannily accurate in capturing core dynamics. In part this means that the disowned shadow elements are also on the table from the beginning and some people find this challenging.
My personal take is that the Enneagram is a harder “sell” in a business environment, but a very important tool that anyone serious about leadership ought to consider. It isn’t the easiest route to take but the rewards of self knowledge at the deepest level make it worth the effort. At the end of the day real leaders need to dig deep to take people into uncharted territory.
Knowing both tools adds the distinctions that make for a truer picture. Mastery is in the ability to make these kinds of distinctions.
Please don’t make me choose I am delighted to have both in my toolkit.
No one can teach like someone who’s been there. Lisa Petrilli is a self-disclosed Introvert as well as an accomplished business woman who has run a $750 million business and negotiated pharmaceutical contracts with top global companies. In an article in the Harvard Business Review Petrelli talks about the contribution that learning strategies for networking made to her early success.
The only people that I have met that really love networking are people who run networking organizations and events. The truth is that many Extraverts find networking a challenge, but not in the same energy-draining way that Introverts might.
Petrilli’s top tips:
Embrace having a preference for Introversion. She suggests that many Introverts in business see Introversion as something to overcome. Once a person embraces their natural inclination to spend time alone reflecting, they can refine their ideas and be prepared to make a powerful impact by what they have to contribute to the conversation.
Petrilli has reframed networking from a large scale social onslaught to a series of one on one conversations. The benefits include creating better business relationships and being less drained by the experience.
She suggests using Social Media or other ways of connecting to reach out ahead of an event to people who you know will be attending, telling them that you are looking forward to meeting them. This pre-introduction paves the way to making connecting more comfortable.
If this way of pre- connecting isn’t possible, Petrilli suggests that it made a difference to her when she realized that if she took the initiative in introducing herself that others responded positively. She saw the benefit to her in reaching out first as doing this on her terms, as opposed to the whim of others.
Her final piece of advice is to resist the temptation to go directly to the next event or meeting. Taking a half an hour or so to recharge will allow you to be fully engaged in the next thing on your schedule. It will also help to keep from building a negative story about networking being an energy drain.
Her final word…
Introverts who avoid networking are making a critical career mistake. Being an adroit networker is non-negotiable — and not as hard as it might seem.
Every individual has some proportion of all 16 basic needs described in the Reiss Desire Profile which you can see here.
Each person person will have a high desire for some traits, others traits will be on the low end and some will be in the neutral mid-zone. The places where we share a high desire for a specific trait or traits with another person will typically be a bonding experience. For example, people with a high desire for status will seek out environments that support this desire and other people who share this sensitivity… think Conde Nast and a building full of people dressed in black.
On the other hand when people are on either end of the spectrum on the same trait, they may experience conflict. Imagine someone with a high need for saving in relationship with someone who spends freely. This can provide challenges both personally and in the workplace.
My husband has a high need for physical activity. His idea of a good day might include 36 holes on two challenging golf courses, a curling bonspiel (Canadian eh!) or volunteering to dig, cement and instal water cachement systems in Guatemala. My idea of a great day is hearing all about it over a glass of wine at dinner. We have been able to work this particular conflict out especially since we both have a high need for independence and we both enjoy dinner.
Other discrepancies have created greater challenges for me. I have a high need for acceptance which is a challenge for many people in the workplace. If a person with a low need for acceptance doesn’t have a modicum of awareness this can be a challenge. They might not care what others think of them – if THEY are okay with things they can go ahead. What others think may not even be on their radar screen. Some industries like the film industry also call for a certain thick skin. If you take things personally in this high pressure environment, you may not last very long.
I have learned over the years that I work best with others who are expedient. If someone has a high need for honour and needs to follow the traditions of the way things were done step by step, I am not the best business partner for them. I want to get on with it – move things forward – rock and roll. (Oops getting carried away here). I am the Queen of the lazy man’s load – pile thing up to make one trip even when 3 may be required -I am not proud of it but accept that this is typically my modus operandi.
You cannot change a person’s desires or negotiate them out of it. You can’t explain it with the hopes of changing another. You can agree to disagree. You can accept that the other person is different and build on the areas of commonality. The traits that you both rank in the neutral area do not have the same impact on the quality of the relationship.
Knowing who you are – accepting yourself – being transparent with others – accepting them and making clear agreements about areas of difference provide 5 steps toward healthy relationships.
We are wired to try to make sense of the world, but when it comes to the MBTI or any other assessment tool – one lens simply does not explain everything.
When something isn’t working about the behaviour of someone else, it is tempting to develop theories to explain what is happening. If people know the MBTI they may use type or preference differences as their rationale. When the statements they make take the form of sweeping generalizations “I don’t like Extraverts they always yell instead of talking and I can’t hear myself think.” there is the possibility of creating much more harm than good.
So before we go painting everyone of a certain preference with the same paint brush let’s take a breath. Perhaps this person’s behaviour is objectionable because of their level of development. There might also be several other possible explanations that aren’t about personality type.
The Enneagram addresses this issue in a direct manner. The way the Enneagram is presented by Riso and Hudson adds levels of development to their look at type. At higher levels a person tends toward being open and expansive as opposed to restricting and reacting at the lower levels. It is very helpful to see behaviours that are healthy and how type may function in an unhealthy way. This saves labeling a certain negative behaviour as being a characteristic of the type as a whole. The individual in question may simply be less developed and have behaviour that reflects this.
HINT: Words like “always, never, everyone, everywhere” mark out something that needs to be examined a little closer to find the truth.
HINT #2: Consider this quote from Jung himself
Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.
The close to frosty temperatures on this Canadian holiday long weekend changed our plans from a trip to cottage country aka huddling by the fireplace and plaid jackets to taking advantage of city living. Kensington Market is a one of a kind Toronto experience – bustle, hustle and grit. You can find everything here from live chickens, vintage clothing and food from every nation under the sun. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea but my little Extraverted soul felt ALIVE and loving it on our Sunday morning visit for brunch. This clip will give you a sense of the environment. Have a peek and then I will list my top 5 reasons for Extraverted bliss.
Extraverted Bliss
Stimulating – I am currently catching up on bookkeeping tasks (long overdue) and I was running out of energy after being chained to my desk for two days. When we decided to go to Kensington for brunch, the sights, sounds and people brought me back to life. Now, I am re-energized enough to be a spreadsheet genius.
Nurturing – We went to Wanda’s Pie in the Sky – a warm, funky, neighbourhood open kitchen where we sat at a big communal table filled with a stack of current papers from the NY Times to the local community paper. The food was fresh, beautiful to look at and full of soul.
Engaging – There were lots of regulars in the crowd at Wanda’s greeting each other and engaging in pleasant banter with the staff. The staff, by the way, were engaged in their work offering friendly service. The owner, Wanda, who we happen to know professionally, was there and came out to greet us. She knows how to create an ambiance that makes people feel at home.
Connecting – A couple sat down beside us and I couldn’t resist commenting on the simply gorgeous bowl of brilliant green fiddleheads, snowpeas and green beans. She responded warmly graciously and politely while he insisted enthusiastlically that my husband and I have a taste. All I can say is YUM.
Exploring – There we sat two couples and in each pair one with Extraverted behaviours and one with a seeming preference for Introversion. We were strangers for 30 seconds. My new friend Francesco and I discovered in our 20 minute conversation that we both paint, that he designed the artwork for Wanda’s business, that he was born into a family of cooks (in a trattoria in southern Italy), that the lovely Caterina is from Florence and is a Textile Conservator, that we have both used coffee in our paintings (yes, you read that correctly – coffee), that his sister has one of the best Italian restaurants in the city. We found many threads in common and had a truly lively fully invigorating conversation.
The SO WHAT of this Extraverted Moment:
All of us need to remember to put gas in the tank regularly – Extraverts do it through external stimuli not just through people.
It is important to celebrate our gifts. Many Extraverts have the gift of connecting with others and are natural networkers. My sense is that we could have sat beside Francesco and Caterina and never discovered one thing about them let alone their names. I am grateful for the many opportunities to make new discoveries that my Extraverted ways have brought me.
We need each other to balance the equation. I also sense that while we all seemed to enjoy our conversation on this occasion, there are an equal number of times that I benefit from the calm and grounded reflective energy that Introverts bring to the table.
