Personal Blind Spots by Enneagram Type

Great leadership requires a certain amount of self-awareness. In my mind, the more self-aware and more conscious a leader—or anyone in a key position— is, the stronger, more resilient, and more successful their organization will be.

Today, let’s look at the importance of discovering our personal blind spots as a way to increase our self-awareness and, therefore, our leadership ability. Blind spots are those parts of ourselves, our personality, that we can’t see. They can be hidden from our self-view for various reasons. They often hang around unconsciously trying to support us, but far too often, their usefulness has run out of useful, and our blind spots create havoc. There are also times when our blind spots may be real positives, real gifts, we have to offer, but we can’t see that, either. Whichever is true, blind spots can only be revealed when the skills of self-awareness, self-observation, and self-inquiry are developed and practiced. If we can’t recognize them, we certainly can’t change or utilize them.

What counts is not only what individuals do and how they do it, but that “interior condition,” the inner place from which they operate. 

Presence, by Otto Scharmer

Please be advised our blind spots are playing out daily and having an impact on our leadership approach, our relationships, and our decisions.

I find the Enneagram uncannily helpful in uncovering that which I cannot yet see. So, for those of you who know a bit about the Enneagram, here is a quick and incomplete guide of some potentially challenging blind spots. Take a look and see what stirs something in you.

Always remember what we say, “Great leaders know themselves and understand their impact on others.” Let us know what you discover, and if you’d like to take it to the next level, reach out.

Mary Anne Wampler

PRINCIPAL, TRANSFORM, INC.