Emotional Intelligence and the Enneagram
The concept of Emotional Intelligence (EI) began to explode in the 1995 when Daniel Goleman’s book “Emotional Intelligence” introduced the concept that an individual’s EI is just as, if not more important than their Intelligence Quotient (IQ).
But what does it mean to develop EI? What is it anyway?
According to Goleman, Emotional Intelligence is the ability to recognize, understand, manage, and use emotions effectively in various aspects of life. He lists four key components of EI:
Self-awareness
Self-regulation
Empathy
Social skills
In developing your Emotional Intelligence, you are able to:
Know yourself reasonably well, including what triggers you emotionally
Manage and control your own emotions in difficult situations
Show empathy towards others
Use social skills in a positive and effective way
Instead of piecing together various concepts and strategies to develop EI, the Enneagram offers an all-in-one structured and comprehensive approach to understanding and working with emotions. In fact, in understanding our Enneagram type, we are brought that much closer to recognizing our emotional triggers and understanding them more deeply and far more quickly than struggling on our own to figure them out.
What is the Enneagram?
The Enneagram is a personality typing system that describes how each of us relates to the world in 9 different ways. Each of the 9 Enneagram types have their own set of motivations and fears that become the basis of why and how they operate in the world. The Enneagram specifically focuses on our motivations and fears because our behaviors and personalities can change depending on our situation, environment, and stress level, however, our underlying motivations and fear do not. The Enneagram makes it possible to operate on a level playing field, with everyone speaking the same language and without judgment. No type is better than the other which helps individuals feel more comfortable exploring their blind spots and limitations, along with their strengths and areas of development.
Let’s see how the Enneagram plays a role in developing your EI:
Self-awareness
By understanding your Enneagram type, you gain insight into your core motivation, desire, and fears. The Enneagram is also a dynamic system, meaning it accounts for changes under certain circumstances. So by understanding your type, you can also recognize when you are moving along the health spectrum, or when you are engaging in behaviors that suppress your growth.
Self-regulation
Each type has emotional tendencies. Knowing your type can help you become more aware of your emotional habits and help you identify what causes you stress and what triggers your emotional response. This understanding can allow you to be more prepared and mindful in how you respond in those situations.
Empathy
As you learn about the Enneagram types of those around you, you gain insight into the underlying motivations and fears that drive their behavior. This understanding can foster empathy by helping you see the situation from their perspective.
Social skills
The Enneagram explains each type’s preferred communication style including how they typically handle emotions. By understanding these patterns, you can adapt your own communication style to be more effective when interacting with others.
