Page 270 - Using the Enneagram System to Identify and Grow Your Leadership Strengths and Achieve Maximum Success

Make Optimal Decisions 245

in this effort because Renee was passionate about its
importance.
Renee decided to bring in two consultants, a business
development expert and a leadership expert. The business
consultant worked first with Renee’s practice area; the result
was a revenue increase of 30 percent, thus demonstrating
the value of doing strategic business development. The lead-
ership consultant worked first with the chairman and then
with Renee’s peer, which increased their levels of compe-
tence and confidence. Because of Renee’s strategic choices,
she was able to convince the chairman and her peer to
expand these efforts to the entire firm.

Because Eights trust their own opinions more than those of
other people and trust their gut when it comes to taking action,
they can make decisions that others perceive as being unilateral.
In addition, their decisions can be flawed, as no one has a perfectly
calibrated gut.
Eights also like to make things happen fast, sometimes paying
insufficient attention to detail as a result. They have an internal
sense of urgency, wanting to get things done quickly in order to
achieve the impact they desire so that they can move on to the
next big challenge. However, some decisions are best made using
more input, reflection, and time, while other problems may sim-
ply disappear on their own if a leader is patient and learns the art
of timing.
Finally, some Eights do not take constructive criticism well or
become combative when faced with what they perceive as oppo-
sition. Eights can encounter resistance because other people in the
organization view them as having made decisions that overstep
their lines of authority, or because others have different ideas as to
the best course of action. For some Eights, changing their minds
or admitting that they have made a mistake or made a less than
optimal decision can be challenging.
The following example illustrates Renee’s decision-making style: