Page 203 - Using the Enneagram System to Identify and Grow Your Leadership Strengths and Achieve Maximum Success

178 What Type of Leader Are You?

Give Effective Feedback
Giving positive feedback can be easy for most Nines, who especially
like to offer supportive comments in public. This has the effect of
strengthening both group harmony and individual relationships.
Although Nines can be very effective in giving constructive feed-
back, they have to work up to doing this by thinking through what
they want to say, finding the inner courage to risk saying something
negative, and calculating how to achieve the most positive out-
come. All of this reflection can produce excellent results, but for
this to occur, Nines have to make themselves actually give the feed-
back, staying focused on the central point they want to make and
making it clearly.

Manage Conflict Constructively
Known as the mediators of the Enneagram, Nines relish bringing
harmony and unity to interpersonal situations. Because they are
easy to talk to and can easily see each person’s side of the prob-
lem, most people appreciate it when Nines step into the middle of
a disagreement and bring it to resolution.
However, when Nines feel angry, they may not know they are
angry until they are livid. Being ignored repeatedly, being told
what to do without having a say, and being confronted directly can
ignite their fury, although it usually takes them a long time to
express it. When others are angry with them, Nines become agi-
tated and unsettled, and they try to appease the other person or
avoid a confrontation if they can.

Influence Others
Nines’ extended network of relationships, easy-to-relate-to inter-
personal style, and ability to see various viewpoints all contribute
to others wanting to hear their perspectives and know what they
think. Because of this, Nines do have quite a bit of influence, which
often surprises them. At the same time, Nines exert less influence
than they could because they may not state their opinions directly,
or because they communicate their concerns and ideas in such an