Page 146 - Using the Enneagram System to Identify and Grow Your Leadership Strengths and Achieve Maximum Success

Know the Business: Think and Act Strategically 121

Five leaders may also place little emphasis on the development
of a shared vision, instead working primarily from the business
mission. Without a vision, however, it is difficult for employees to
know what decisions to make or whether their daily activities make
a difference.
Earlier in Michelle’s career, one of her employees described her
this way:

“Although Michelle is extremely knowledgeable and compe-
tent, she treats our business as if she’s managing a project
and misses the big picture. We know what we’re supposed
to be doing, but we have a very limited sense of the larger
context of our work—for example, we don’t really know why
we’re doing the work in a certain way. I also have no idea
how my work contributes to the overall business. Maybe
Michelle knows the answers, but she hasn’t shared the infor-
mation with us.”

Development Stretches for Fives

USE YOUR FEELINGS AND GUT REACTIONS AS MUCH AS YOUR INTEL-
LECT The deepest part of knowledge—that is, insight and wis-
dom—does not come from intellect alone. Increasing your
capacity to trust your feelings will mean first allowing yourself to
experience your emotions in real time and in depth. Work on not
automatically detaching emotionally, even though you are pushed
beyond your comfort zone.
In addition, pay attention to your gut reactions. Instead of ana-
lyzing as much as you do, ask yourself this question: What does
my gut say about this situation? Allow a spontaneous answer to
emerge. When you have developed your emotional capacity and
your gut instincts, you will probably discover that your overre-
liance on mental data will decrease, because you will have access
to these other information sources as well.