Page 41 - Using the Enneagram System to Identify and Grow Your Leadership Strengths and Achieve Maximum Success

20 What Type of Leader Are You?

VULNERABILITY Most Eights believe that the world can be divided
into two groups of people: the tough and the weak. Given this
worldview, Eights opt to be among the tough and strong. However,
Eights have a hidden, childlike vulnerability that they usually pre-
fer not to reveal. While some Eights even conceal their vulnerabil-
ity from themselves, others are willing to share their softer side
with those whom they trust and respect.

REVENGE Many Eights do not view their behavior as vengeful.
Instead, Eights see it as rebalancing the score, pursuing justice,
standing their ground, or avenging a wrongdoing, even when oth-
ers might see the same behavior as retaliatory. The challenge for
many Eights is to understand that even other confident and
assertive people can, at times, feel intimidated by the Eight’s bold-
ness and tendency to dominate situations.

Eights: Leadership Paradigm and Related
Characteristics

PARADIGM: A leader’s job is to move the organization forward by
leading decisively, getting capable and reliable people in the right
jobs, and empowering competent people to take action.
Place a check next to the leadership characteristics that describe
you well.

Areas of Strength Areas for Development
■ Direct ■ Controlling
■ Highly strategic ■ Demanding
■ Overcomes obstacles ■ Impatient
■ Energetic ■ Agitated with a slow pace
■ Protective of others ■ Disdains weakness
■ Moves projects forward ■ High expectations of self and
■ Supports others’ success others
■ Self-confident and ■ Feels used when others do not
authoritative perform to expectations