Page 80 - Using the Enneagram System to Identify and Grow Your Leadership Strengths and Achieve Maximum Success

Drive for Results 59

the firm from the brink of bankruptcy to a position where it
was attractive enough to be bought out by a bigger firm.

Eights can be a force to be reckoned with, but their leadership
strengths of being bold and assertive can become possible derail-
ers. Although they are sensitive, Eights don’t always show this
externally. Their certitude, combined with their gut sense that they
have made the best decision, may make it difficult for others to feel
fully comfortable expressing a contrary opinion. In addition, while
Eights give employees whom they believe to be competent and
reliable a great deal of autonomy, they do not do the same with
people who they believe have an attitude problem or competence
issues. Eight leaders may feel a need to micromanage these indi-
viduals (while feeling resentful that they must do so), may act dis-
missively toward them (not because they want to cause them harm,
but simply because the Eight leader just doesn’t want to be both-
ered), or may ignore them altogether.
In contrast to the previous story, the following story shows how
a focus on results, but inattention to important details, can cause
an Eight to derail:

Anthony had risen from a staff position to the role of
manager within three years, and he was pleased with the
competence and motivation of his eight-person staff.
Because he believed in his staff’s capabilities, when a major
organizational crisis required his attention, he diverted his
focus from operations and staff needs and lent his support to
his own boss during this time of organizational turmoil.
Within a year, Anthony was on the verge of losing his entire
staff and was at a loss to explain why. Although he employed
two different consultants to help him understand and resolve
the issues, a year later, he still could not understand his staff’s
concerns, and things were steadily getting worse. Finally, a
third consultant enabled Anthony and his team to identify the
core issue: Anthony’s strength as a leader was so central to his