"Every man, wherever he goes," wrote Bertrand Russell, "is
encompassed by a cloud of comforting convictions that move with him like
flies on a summer's day." If your boss's convictions are stifling
you, take a number. An enneagram number, that is. Michael J. Goldberg,
author of [The 9 Ways of Working], uses the philosophical system
known as the enneagram as a tool for tailoring your actions to your boss's
personality. Created by the ancient Greeks, the enneagram is today so
ubiquitous that it's been taught at the Stanford School of Business.
The enneagram divides people and organizations into nine personality
types, each with distinct goals and values. You might work for a Seven.
Innovative and impulsive, Sevens hate grunt work and dealing with the
bottom line. Working at fast-forward, they juggle several projects simultaneously
and are known to double-book appointments.
Goldberg suggests concrete ways of dealing with Sevens and their loose
leadership style: enforce boundaries and deadlines, embrace their enthusiasms,
resist playing the heavy - Sevens avoid conflict at all costs.
Overuse the enneagram and you'll pigeonhole people. But used judiciously,
it can help you understand your boss's motivations. It might even make
those summer flies disappear.