Imagine a world where, instead of considering humans as resources to be scaled or cut based on today’s stock market whims, our business leaders cared about people and recognized that being human is good for business. More than having a slick “caring” image or a clever CSR strategy, in this world people leading businesses actually care — with all their hearts.
Great news! This world is real, and leading the way are Enneagram Type 2s!
The Enneagram framework provides a lens through which we can see how our view of the world informs our reactions and behaviors. Trilogy Effect uses it to help leaders grow through self-awareness and to surface untapped potential in their teams.
There are three centers of intelligence which guide us all, the head, the belly and the heart. Enneagram Type 2 leaders are heart centered. Their people are as important as their systems, and they tend to lead by helping and supporting others. Other names for this Type are ‘the helper’ or ‘the people pleaser’.
Heart-Centered Leadership
“Enneagram Type 2s’ sense of power comes from being the one who gives support and runs the show from backstage, and their value and self-worth are based on the positive responses they get from others,” explains Wendy Appel, Trilogy Effect Partner and author of InsideOut Enneagram: The Game-Changing Guide for Leaders. “The paradox is that they can come across as a bit needy, while having trouble accepting help.”
The Enneagram Type 2 is indeed highly attuned to other people’s needs and wants, particular to people in power positions. In fact, Type 2s have been called “the power behind the throne,” but this doesn’t mean that they always lead from behind. They have an innate ability to identify and understand other people’s likes, dislikes as well as their feelings and emotions. At Trilogy Effect we refer to this as their ‘superpower’, and 2s can use it to great effect.
Enneagram Type 2
Enneagram Type 2 Celebrities
Oprah Winfrey may be one of the Enneagram Type 2 celebrities. It’s often said that she presents as an Enneagram Type 2. She’s known to be very caring. That’s why so many troubled celebrities looking for redemption have sought her out when it’s time to confess their sins. (Think Lance Armstrong, David Letterman, Tiger Woods, and more.)
She’s also known to be incredibly supportive of her colleagues. Where would Dr. Phil or Dr. Oz be without the support and help given them by Oprah?
Like Oprah, many Enneagram Type 2 leaders are warm and embracing of others. They check in. They notice and care about what's happening with their people. That said, not all Type 2s are identical, they can operate in different ways, but always from the heart.
Caring Too Much?
However, there is a flipside to Enneagram 2 Type leaders. All this caring can be a liability. They risk losing focus and can let their own wants and needs go unfulfilled by serving the needs of others in order to garner appreciation and attention from others for their good deeds.
This tendency is common in Type 2 Enneagram leaders. Trilogy Effect Managing Partner Heather Marasse explains, “We’ve all seen those inflight safety demonstrations where we’re advised to put on our oxygen mask before helping others. In this analogy the Type 2s would be putting the mask on everyone else, forgetting that they need oxygen too!”
Enneagram Type 2 Careers
Type 2s can be fantastic leaders because of their generous hearts. And the Trilogy Effect team has worked with successful 2s who are running giant, global businesses.
“The path forward for these heart-centered leaders is to claim their power by stepping out front and not drafting on the power of others,” explains Trilogy Effect Partner Mary Beth Sawicki. When they do, it’s their ‘2ness’ that makes them great leaders. Their focused attention on the people they work with is what makes them successful. They're able to structure and guide the workflow to support each individual’s own development. And they can get the best out of an organization by being attuned, caring and building strong relationships.
In organizations being led by Enneagram Type 2s, the people feel supported by their ‘fiercely loving’ leader.
Find out how to use Enneagram to develop your organization’s next great leaders. Contact us to set up an appointment.