My Experience Using the Enneagram

I’m an author, speaker, therapist, and podcast host. My book, The Road Back to You, is an introduction to using the Enneagram and I facilitate Enneagram workshops all over the world. For the past several years, I’ve hosted a podcast specifically about the Enneagram called Typology.

I love learning about the Enneagram. And I love helping people use it to live more intentional, authentic, and productive lives. 

Years ago, I started my Enneagram journey with a very simple assessment.

And now, I have one I want to share with you.

Over the years, I’ve used many different Enneagram tools.

The iEQ9 is an Enneagram report that provides the most comprehensive and detailed report on the Enneagram I’ve seen anywhere. And as an avid student of the Enneagram, I don’t say that lightly.

That means that, even if you already know your type, the iEQ9 can give you a much greater depth of self-knowledge.

In my estimation, the iEQ9 is the most reliable Enneagram test available today. And, as far as I know, there’s no other report that gives you this much information and insight about your type all in one place.

The iEQ9 is a 175-question assessment, eight years in the making.

It’s a quantitatively researched assessment that uses advanced algorithms and predictive analysis to produce an exceptionally reliable Enneagram Report and Profile for individuals or teams. 

As I mentioned, all self-report assessments have varying degrees of reliability…

But the level of research and testing used to design and refine the iEQ9 make it, in my estimation, the most reliable Enneagram report you can get.

This section reveals:

• Your unique pattern of thinking, feeling, and action patterns
• Your blind spots
• Your worldview
• Your core fear
• Your gifts
• Your challenges

This section alone is extremely valuable, but it’s just a fraction of the total report.

Your core Enneagram Type is just the tip of the iceberg of your personality. Each of the 9 Enneagram types has three “subtypes” so there are 27 subtypes — and knowing your particular subtype can be extremely helpful. 

In fact, for me, learning my subtype was a game changer.

If you’re unfamiliar with subtypes, here’s a quick explanation:

Every human being has three instinctual drives: Self-Preservation, Social relationships in groups, and One-to-One bonding. One of these instincts matters more to us than the other two. When our primary instinct blends with our core Enneagram Type it creates a “subtype” that powerfully influences how we express our personality.

Understanding the subtle nuances of your subtype can make a world of difference for you.

The iEQ9 report identifies your subtype and describes how it affects the way you see and relate to the world (and remember, it’s all customized for you).

• Thinking
• Feeling
• Action 

This section helps you understand your dominant Center and how you use it to express yourself.

It even tells you how others are likely to experience you — both at your best and at your worst.

Your “wings” are the Enneagram numbers on each side of your main Enneagram type. You typically access both of your wings but one is more dominant for most people.

This section details how each wing can influence your personality and behavior.

The details in this section help you determine how much stress you’re experiencing in the following 5 areas.

• Interpersonal Strain – The level of stress in your relationships
• Environmental Strain – The level of stress caused by your surroundings
• Psychological Strain – Your current level of “mental health” stress
• Physical Strain – A measure of your physical health
• Vocational Strain – The level of stress you feel about your work

This section also provides feedback on your current happiness level. (A variable that’s often hard to determine.)

Simply stated, relationships are all about communication. This section includes your:

• Listening Behaviors
• Verbal Communication
• Non-Verbal Communication (body language)
• Written Communication 

It also includes your Meta-Message.

Your Meta-Message is the underlying message you may be communicating to others, potentially without even being aware of it.

This message is generally not directly stated but people can pick up on it from your tone, content, and the intention of your message.

This section gives valuable info on how you give and receive feedback, including:

• How to use your strengths when giving “helpful information”
• The things you should be careful to avoid when giving feedback
• How you are likely to react when receiving hard messages from others

All of us would like to know how to best give “constructive criticism” to people who are different than us. 

This section will provide you with specific tips about how you communicate to others.

This section provides helpful information about…

• How you personally respond to conflict
• What triggers you
• What you do when triggered
• How others can help when you’re triggered

This section tells you how you’re likely to function within Tuckman’s 4 Stages of Team Development:

• Forming: When the group meets and grows to know each other
• Storming: When the group begins to open up to each other and experience conflict
• Norming: When the group starts working more effectively through establishing “norms” of the working relationships
• Performing: When the group runs like a well-oiled machine (not all teams reach this stage)

This section examines how your
Self-Awareness, Integration, and Enneagram Type affect your leadership.

It also helps you with:

• Goals
• Planning
• Task Completion
• Delegation
• Performance Management
• Motivation
• Setting priorities

This section gives you valuable information on how you function as a leader in an organization.

You’ll discover details about the following aspects of leadership:

• Developing and presenting a vision for the group
• Thinking through strategic issues
• Your ability to sense a group’s alignment with organizational goals
• Your ability to manage change in an organization

This section takes into account your Center of Expression (Center of Intelligence), your Enneagram Type, and your level of Strain (Stress) to examine how those things affect your decision-making ability.

If you currently have a business or you have a life coach (or want to get one in the future), this section will tell you how you function in that relationship and how you can improve it.

These are highlights to give you type-specific guidance on how you might be able to improve in different areas.

Remember, the purpose behind knowing your Type and exploring how and why you do the things you do is to become a more integrated, authentic version of yourself.