Page 138 - Using the Enneagram System to Identify and Grow Your Leadership Strengths and Achieve Maximum Success

Know the Business: Think and Act Strategically 113

to finances and financial stability, while others throw caution to the
wind and concern themselves with this area only when a potential
problem looms.
Vision, goals, and tactics generally come easily to most Two lead-
ers, as they are able to mentally project themselves into future sce-
narios and intuitively know how to align people with these plans.
At the same time, they also need to clearly articulate the mission
and strategies to employees so that teams are less reliant on the
leader for day-to-day guidance.
When Kevin was a less experienced leader, an employee
described him this way:

“Although I enjoy working for Kevin, I sometimes wonder
whether he understands the bigger picture of the business. I
have often heard the comment from my coworkers that
although Kevin may know our direction, he doesn’t share this
with us. If we knew more about the strategy of our work unit,
we wouldn’t need to go to him so frequently with questions.”

Development Stretches for Twos

CHALLENGE YOURSELF TO BECOME AN EXPERT IN ALL ASPECTS OF THE
BUSINESS, PARTICULARLY THOSE THAT ARE NOT DIRECTLY RELATED TO
PEOPLE A people orientation will always be your strength, so
stretch your capabilities. Immerse yourself in the details of tech-
nology, and undertake a thorough competitor analysis. Think
about the impact of these on your business and share your analy-
ses with your bosses, peers, and employees.

PAY CAREFUL ATTENTION TO FINANCES Set the goal of knowing the
financial aspects of the business. Once you have done this, ask your-
self this question: If I were going to take a conservative financial
view of the key decisions I have made over the last year, would I
make the same decisions? Then think about the decisions facing you
in the next three to six months (e.g., salary increases for employees,