Enneagram for Professionals
- Enneagram Training UK & Ireland
- Aug 13
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 11
How Understanding Type Enhances Leadership, Coaching, and Teams
In an age where emotional intelligence and self-awareness are essential leadership skills, more professionals are turning to the Enneagram to deepen understanding of themselves and of others.
But The Enneagram isn’t just another team-building tool.
It offers a profound framework for identifying motivations, communication styles, blind spots, relational patterns and more. Not only that, but it helps people to work and grow with their patterns and build their compassion for others, not just say “well, I’m one of those, so deal with me!” which is what a lot of other personality models do.
When used well, it becomes a catalyst for personal growth and organisational transformation.
Why Professionals Are Using the Enneagram
From coaching sessions to boardrooms, the Enneagram is used to:
Develop emotionally intelligent leadership
Enhance team communication and collaboration
Support coaching and therapeutic relationships
Uncover habitual conflict patterns and resilience tools
Grow inclusive, psychologically safe workplaces
Enneagram-based leadership development training
A Tool for Deep Insight rather than Surface Labels
Unlike quick personality tests, the Enneagram doesn’t categorise anyone based on traits. It helps us uncover our core motivations and the internal drivers behind our behaviour.
This matters professionally. For example:
People who lead with type 3 may appear confident, but can struggle with failure
People who lead with type 6 may seem doubtful, but can ask crucial questions highlighting potential issues
People who lead with type 9 may help others feel comfortable, but find it difficult to prioritise their own agenda
When teams learn to see beneath surface behaviours, empathy increases, misunderstanding decreases and we learn to relate and communicate differently.
For Coaches and Therapists
If you’re a coach, counsellor, or practitioner, the Enneagram:
Helps clients explore their inner dialogue and identity structures
Offers language for unconscious patterns and type-based defences
Encourages compassionate self-reflection, not remedying or fixing
All this supports deeper goal setting leading to lasting behaviour change.
Our one to one Professional training enables coaches, counsellors and spiritual directors to incorporate and use the Enneagram in their sessions with powerful results.
For Leaders and Teams
Understanding team dynamics through the Enneagram can shift a whole culture.
You’ll learn to:
Understand what motivates people with different type patterns in a team setting
Recognise the communication style of people with these type patterns
Become aware of differing stress responses
Reduce judgement and increase psychological safety
Help individuals to create more tailored development plans for individuals
Make meetings, feedback, and collaboration more effective
Because the Enneagram integrates head, heart and gut intelligence, it speaks to the whole person, not just the job title.
Our Approach: Experiential, Accredited, Applicable
At Enneagram Training UK & Ireland, we specialise in teaching the Enneagram through the Narrative Tradition, which brings this work to life through real stories, live insight, and meaningful practice. Learn more about the Narrative Tradition.
We offer:
Professional-level workshops and supported practice
IEA-accredited programmes with clear learning pathways
A warm, experiential environment - where story-sharing and real presence bring the Enneagram to life
Whether you're new to the system or ready to train more deeply, we support both personal and professional applications.
"The facilitators imparted a wealth of understanding that was rooted in their personal transformation and service. The depth of learning and relationship over just a few days was remarkable." — Paul Wenham, General Director, Retreat & Conference Centre
Want to Bring the Enneagram Into Your Work?
Your journey starts with our Foundation Programme; from that you can progress on to a professional stream, tailored to working one to one with clients or with groups.
You don’t need to be an expert to start. Just willing to explore.
About Enneagram Training UK & Ireland
At Enneagram Training UK & Ireland, we offer clear, compassionate and practical Enneagram-based training to support your growth - personally, professionally and spiritually. Whether you're new to the Enneagram or seeking to deepen your understanding, our Narrative-based approach helps you develop greater self-awareness, emotional resilience and authentic connection with others. Learn more here.
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