Page 222 - Using the Enneagram System to Identify and Grow Your Leadership Strengths and Achieve Maximum Success

Lead High-Performing Teams 197

enables its members to discuss the previously undiscussable,
thereby removing a key obstacle to their ability to become a
high-performing team. Don then refocuses the team on its
task and on working together toward the team’s goals.

A focus on discussing personal experiences, feelings, and
process issues can also be a detriment to a Four’s ability to lead
teams. While teams do need to discuss issues that may impede
their progress, the team leader must know when to discuss these
items, how to discuss them, and for how long. Four leaders may
err on the side of discussing issues too soon or discussing issues
in too much depth for the team’s level of trust and comfort.
In addition, Four leaders enjoy having work that has meaning
to them and doing so within a team that is high-functioning. If the
team’s tasks become too mundane or the team’s issues seem insur-
mountable, Fours may either lose interest or become discouraged.
Finally, the deeply felt sensitivity of Fours can be both a strength
and a liability, as Fours can become disheartened when either they
or the team is treated in a dismissive or unappreciative manner by
others in the organization.
Here’s an example from Don’s experience:

Don had built a cohesive, high-performing team that
produced high-end, innovative programs for its customers.
All of this ended when Don’s new boss seemed more inter-
ested in making money than in the quality of the work
produced by Don’s team. After several months of trying
unsuccessfully to convince his boss that program excellence
was of greater value than generating large profits, Don
became so discouraged that he quit his job, even though he
had no position waiting for him elsewhere.

Development Stretches for Fours

PUT YOUR STRENGTH IN WORKING WITH TEAM PROCESSES INTO PER-
SPECTIVE While it is important to honor and utilize your sensi-