Hi! How are you! Who are the natural networkers of the Enneagram? Type 7, of course! Most networking groups have a plurality if not majority of Type 7s. And why not? Type 7s are engaging, charming, talkative, and FUN—the perfect mix for a mixer! They always have something to say and will keep things light and fun. What motivates these behaviors? My latest video gives you a sneak peek at what’s going on under the hood for Enneagram Type 7.
Excerpt from Teamwork 9.0
The external anxiety Type 7 is motivated to create a positive environment and build enthusiasm for the next adventure. This motivation drives them to encourage and embolden the project stakeholders in Step 7, making them perfectly tuned for leadership during this step. The 7’s dynamic is invaluable for helping the team coalesce the broader group of stakeholders around the plan and getting the buy-in, endorsements, sponsorships, budget allocations, and so on necessary to execute the plan.
The 7’s natural ability in this role is evidenced by the fact that many of our elected politicians are 7s. The kind of leadership that gets a politician elected is exactly the sort of leadership required by the project team in Step 7. The 7 can lead the team to create the “pitch deck” presentation for the project, deliver that pitch, and navigate the nuances of the stakeholder communication to get the support the team needs to move the project towards implementation.
In a nutshell, the key activity in Step 7 is instilling trust and confidence in the sponsors and stakeholders that the team will accomplish the plan, meet the goals, and solve the problem. Type 7s are masters at instilling trust in others.
How does your leadership style create a positive social atmosphere for projects or for networking? Do you draw in others who like to keep things light and fun? How much do you value being liked by others? What are leadership styles that work well with Enneagram Type 7?
[Video Transcript]
Now we’re in the head group, and the issue for the head group is anxiety. If you know a 7, you would never associate a 7 with anxiety. Because what you associate with 7s is fun, doing exciting things, trying new things. This is what you’ll see in the 7, right? But the underlying issue is anxiety, and what they’re really wanting is to be liked.
So if they go into a room, they’re going to be the ones who can go around and work the room, right? “Oh, hey, how’s it going? Hey. Oh, it’s so great to see you.” As they connect, they’ll connect briefly, and they’ll laugh, and they’ll joke around a little bit and say, “Oh, yeah, I’m going to go over and say hi to Mary.” And then they’ll go over and say hi to Mary. Then they’ll go over… So they’ll go around and work the room.
And what they’re doing is, it’s like, “Hey. We’re okay, right? We’re good?” If we’re good, then anxiety goes down. And if there’s something wrong, then the anxiety goes up. So that, because they’re always trying to keep that anxiety down and just be liked, then that compels them to be charming and fun and enthusiastic, because all of those garner being liked and everybody will end up having fun. So that’s the dynamic of the 7.
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