Page 152 - Using the Enneagram System to Identify and Grow Your Leadership Strengths and Achieve Maximum Success

Know the Business: Think and Act Strategically 127

“Maggie started out strong. After six months, things began
to unravel. Her many ideas, which had really excited us in
the beginning, never seemed to stop. We had more ideas
than we had staff to implement them. Plus, some of her
ideas were unrealistic. The biggest problem was that Maggie
became spread too thin, and so we were too.”

Development Stretches for Sevens

GO FOR DEPTH You may be a quick study, but it’s important that
you become a deep study as well. Every time you scan a piece of
written information, go back and read the item in its entirety. At
first you may feel frustrated, but after you have finished fully exam-
ining each piece of information, ask yourself this question: What
have I learned from reviewing this item in depth that I missed the
first time around? If you have an affirmative answer, this is good.
If you don’t think you have learned anything new, go back and
review the item again.

STAY THE COURSE Once you have developed a vision and shared
it with those who work for you, do not waver from it. Write it
down and keep it posted near your desk as a reminder to stay on
course. If you have an impulse to rework the vision within two
years of its development, remind yourself that this may simply be
related to your excitement about new possibilities and that
changing the vision may not benefit the organization. In order
for people to have a solid sense of direction, a vision requires
constancy.
Similarly, when you think of new ideas for strategies, goals, and
tactics, make sure you focus on possible changes in tactics before
you even consider changing goals or strategies. When you have
new ideas, let those with whom you discuss them know that they
are merely ideas, not directives for a shift in action, and that your
intent is solely to discuss their viability.