Using the Enneagram in the workplace means understanding your own habits and considering how they interact with someone else’s. A manager who wants a quick decision may be working with a direct report who needs to talk through the risks. Both want the work to succeed. They approach it differently.
Cloverleaf analyzed 19,179 manager and direct report pairs across 1,106 organizations to explore which Enneagram types appear on each side of those relationships. One finding: Type 8 was nearly twice as common among managers as among direct reports, while Type 9 was more common among direct reports.
This guide combines those findings with practical ways to use the Enneagram at work. We’ll cover all nine types, six common manager–report pairings, and what DISC results add to the picture. You’ll find questions to ask, approaches to try, and examples of how Cloverleaf uses both coworkers’ assessment results to help them work together.
How can you use the Enneagram in the workplace?
Use the Enneagram in the workplace to understand your motivations, recognize how you respond under pressure, and discuss differences with coworkers. Start with your own Enneagram assessment results. For a shared challenge, consider both people’s results and ask what each person needs. Then agree on something specific to try, such as how you’ll raise concerns or give feedback.
Get the Enneagram in the workplace playbook
Which Enneagram types are most common among managers and direct reports?
One in three managers in Cloverleaf’s analysis were Type 1, making it the most common Enneagram type among managers. Type 1 also accounted for the largest share of direct reports, at 30%.
Cloverleaf analyzed 19,179 manager and direct report relationships across 1,106 organizations. Here is how all nine types were represented:
How common is each Enneagram type, and what DISC style is most common for each?
Type 1 was the most common Enneagram type in Cloverleaf’s analysis, representing 25% of test takers. Among Type 1s who also took DISC, 51% scored highest on Conscientiousness (C).
But people with the same Enneagram type don’t necessarily share a DISC style. Type 7 had the clearest pattern: 69% scored highest on Influence (I). Type 8 results were more spread out, with 33% scoring highest on Dominance (D) and 30% on Influence (I).
The table shows how common each Enneagram type was among 126,948 test takers, followed by the most common DISC result among people of that type who took both assessments.
How Enneagram types work together
Any two Enneagram types can work well together. At Cloverleaf, we believe personality differences don’t determine whether two people, or a whole team, can work together. What helps is understanding what the other person pays attention to first, and adjusting.
In practice, most people work with a small slice of the nine types. In Cloverleaf’s analysis of 514 teams, the typical team had 5 of the 9 types. Across 19,179 manager and direct report pairs, people also didn’t end up working with their own kind more than chance would predict: managers and reports shared an Enneagram center 47% of the time, against 46% expected from the mix of types.
The Enneagram groups the nine types into three centers:
Gut (Types 8, 9 and 1) read a situation through instinct and have the confidence to act before all the data is in.
Heart (Types 2, 3 and 4) read the people side: how information will land with an audience, the team and the culture. They’re a good source when you want to know how a meeting really went.
Head (Types 5, 6 and 7) bring analysis, data, precedent and a planned strategy.
Before making a decision, work through three questions: Are we ready to act? How will this affect the people involved? What do the data and the plan tell us? Identify whose perspective you need to answer each one.
Running meetings: Make room for different ways of contributing
Enneagram social stances describe how people tend to approach others and express what they need:
Assertive types (3, 7 and 8) tend to put their ideas forward and push the discussion toward an outcome.
Compliant types (1, 2 and 6) tend to look for expectations, responsibilities and the right way to contribute.
Withdrawn types (4, 5 and 9) tend to step back, process independently and develop a view before sharing it.
In Cloverleaf’s sample, 36% of managers were assertive types, compared with 26% of direct reports. Withdrawn types accounted for 15% of managers and 26% of direct reports.
Across 27% of reporting relationships, an assertive-type manager led a compliant- or withdrawn-type direct report.
That makes space for input worth planning. A manager who thinks aloud and moves quickly may hear agreement when someone else is still considering the question.
Approach to try: Send the agenda and the decision needed beforehand. During the meeting, invite views you haven’t heard before settling on a direction. Give people time to answer.
Working through conflict: Agree on what needs attention first
Enneagram conflict groups describe what people tend to seek when something goes wrong:
Reactive types (4, 6 and 8) want the seriousness of the problem and their response to it acknowledged. This group is also called emotional realness.
Positive outlook types (2, 7 and 9) look for what is still working and what remains possible.
Competency types (1, 3 and 5) focus on facts, responsibilities and how to solve the problem.
Managers and direct reports belonged to different conflict groups in 64% of reporting relationships, making this the most frequent difference among the groupings analyzed. Three in four teams included types from all three conflict groups.
These different priorities can help a team address a problem fully. They can also leave people talking past each other. “We can fix this” may sound dismissive to someone who needs the impact acknowledged. More discussion of that impact may frustrate someone already working on a solution.
Approach to try: Acknowledge what happened and its impact. Identify what can still be improved or preserved. Then agree on what to do next.
Question to ask: “Before we move to solutions, is there anything about the impact we haven’t understood?”
See how Cloverleaf uses market-leading assessments like the Enneagram to coach teams to work together
The nine Enneagram types at work
How each type communicates, handles stress and contributes to a team
The Enneagram describes each type by what motivates it and what it fears, and both show up in how people work and communicate. Recognizing them in yourself builds self-awareness. Recognizing them in the people you work with helps you understand why a teammate does what they do.
Below are the nine Enneagram types, how each communicates, and how each tends to show up at work.
Enneagram Ones at work
Enneagram Type Ones are known as The Reformer. This type values hard work, self-control and high standards. Ones are motivated by being or doing things “right” and fear being imperfect or seen as wrong.
They’re detail-oriented and often the person to go to when a situation calls for accuracy, quality control and improvement.
Communication style: Polite, thoughtful, detailed and well-formulated. Because their expectations are high, Ones can come across as demanding. Inviting a One to share their perspective openly can help the team spot risks early.
Under stress: moves to Four
Ones can feel a sense of hopelessness and become their own worst critics.
When secure: moves to Seven
Ones lighten up and become more spontaneous.
Ones are people of practical action who care about doing the right thing. They’re efficient, organized and dependable, and they work in a professional, honest and ethical way. They have a knack for creating structures that help others do their best work.
Question to ask: “Which standard matters most here?”
Approach to try: Share the standard you’re using and the reason for it.
Enneagram Twos at work
Enneagram Type Twos are known as The Helper. They are positive, people-oriented individuals invested in the feelings and needs of others. Twos are motivated by being needed and fear being rejected.
Communication style: Relational, caring, demonstrative and supportive. How healthy a Two feels their relationships are shapes how they communicate. They make a point of expressing care and are grateful when others do the same, so a thank-you goes a long way.
Under stress: moves to Eight
Stress can make Twos aggressive, especially when they don’t feel appreciated, and they may try to blame or control others.
When secure: moves to Four
Twos become more transparent and creative, and they can feel and express their full range of emotions responsibly.
Twos are caring and thoughtful and make a point of being there when you need them. They’re strong in roles that call for people skills, anticipating others’ needs and frequent social interaction.A
Two’s strength can also become a weakness. With lower self-awareness, Twos may lack boundaries and lose sight of their own ideas, needs and priorities. They’re consummate team players who choose self-sacrifice over self-promotion and will take on extra work when others are overloaded.Twos are attentive, appreciative, generous, warm, playful and nurturing. They usually have a large circle of acquaintances and guard their relationships closely.
Question to ask: “What do you need on this, not just what can you help with?”
Approach to try: Check their workload before adding to it, because they may not say no.
Enneagram Threes at work
Enneagram Type Threes are known as The Achiever. They tend to be ambitious and highly productive, and they often look like the picture of success at work.
Threes value appreciation and recognition. Hard work, a focus on goals, organization and decisiveness are trademarks of this type. They’re motivated by admiration and fear being without value to others.
Communication style: Straightforward, efficient, focused and confident. Threes prepare for meetings so they can be clear and goal-focused, and they want the respect they show in conversation returned.
Under stress: moves to Nine
Threes can lose focus and get caught up in busywork.
When secure: moves to Six
Threes become more committed and loyal, and they find it easier to identify their emotions and connect with others.
In pursuit of success, Threes may railroad others, overwork and struggle with accountability. They’re energized by being productive, achieving and avoiding failure, and they can also be playful, giving, responsible and well regarded.
Threes complete work efficiently and competently to reach their goals. They’re quick to size up a task, read the dynamics of a group, and inspire others to excel.
Question to ask: “What would a good result look like to you?”
Approach to try: Keep feedback on the work separate from any judgment of the person.
Enneagram Fours at work
Enneagram Type Fours are known as The Originalist. They’re the creative, unconventional members of a team. Fours are motivated to express their individuality and fear being seen as ordinary. They value authenticity and stand by their beliefs.
Communication style: Intense, authentic, creative and empathetic. Fours want to be understood and want to know how the people around them feel. They look for deeper meaning in their work and value real connection with others.
Under stress: moves to Two
Fours can become overly dependent on others and look for reassurance.
When secure: moves to One
Fours act on their ideals and bring more organization and self-control to their work.
Fours can be empathetic, supportive, gentle, playful, passionate and witty. They share openly and can form bonds with others quickly.
Fours have a talent for seeing and expressing a sense of harmony in their surroundings. They help others see what’s good in their work, and they often find solutions that others overlook.
Question to ask: “What would you do differently here?”
Approach to try: Take their perspective seriously, even when it departs from the plan.
Enneagram Fives at work
Enneagram Type Fives are known as The Sage. They’re thoughtful, cerebral and see the world through information. Fives are motivated by a desire to be competent and fear looking uninformed.
Fives are independent thinkers who usually prefer working alone, so they have time to process and solve problems. They’re good listeners and observers, and they help others see a situation clearly and objectively.
Communication style: Brief, professional, objective and reserved. Fives rely on research and knowledge before they speak, so they may need time before sharing next steps or ideas. They appreciate patience and a willingness to hear new perspectives.
Under stress: moves to Seven
Fives can become easily distracted and disorganized, and they may pull away from the team.
When secure: moves to Eight
Fives bring more energy and action, take the initiative and decide more readily.
Fives are kind, perceptive, open-minded, self-sufficient and trustworthy. They have strong analytical and problem-solving skills, and they’re especially helpful when a team needs objectivity, clarification or a fresh look at new ideas.
Fives are naturally open to new facts, research and ideas, particularly ones that are surprising, unconventional or profound.
Question to ask: “How much time do you need to think this through?”
Approach to try: Send the question ahead of the meeting, and give them time before you ask for a decision.
Enneagram Sixes at work
Enneagram Type Sixes are known as The Loyalist. They value preparedness and are dependable people you can trust with important decisions. Sixes are motivated by stability and fear being without direction.
Sixes are strong problem-solvers who are at their best helping to create solutions. They’re good at spotting potential problems early and researching what will work.
Communication style: Inquisitive, witty, logical and wry. Sixes like to stay focused on the task at hand and usually take a relational approach. They appreciate it when others value their input and see their concerns as a sign they want the project to succeed.
Under stress: moves to Three
Sixes can dismiss their own feelings or push themselves into overwork.
When secure: moves to Nine
Sixes can reframe worrying thoughts, accept others and let go of suspicion.Sixes are warm, playful, open, loyal, supportive, honest, fair and reliable. They’re cooperative and willing to do what it takes to support the team.
Sixes weigh experience and data when considering new solutions or next steps, and they often look to a trusted source, leader or institution for reliable answers.
Question to ask: “What risks do you see?”
Approach to try: Treat their questions as part of the work. Questions are how a Six builds confidence in a plan.
Enneagram Sevens at work
Enneagram Type Sevens are known as The Enthusiast. They’re spontaneous, imaginative and charming, and they bring fun to the workplace. Sevens are motivated to be happy and fear being limited.
Sevens have a positive outlook, and their enthusiasm is an asset to their team. They see opportunities others miss, but they can be impulsive and may not see projects through.
Communication style: Fast-paced, energetic, visionary and confident. Sevens like to keep conversations upbeat. When you talk with a Seven, look for areas of agreement and opportunities to build on each other’s ideas.
Under stress: moves to One
Sevens can become critical, fault-finding and narrow-minded.
When secure: moves to Five
Sevens accept the good and the bad, slow down and focus.
Sevens are lighthearted, generous, outgoing and caring. They enjoy sharing new experiences with friends and teammates, and they often bring joy and optimism to the people around them.
Question to ask: “Which of these ideas should we finish first?”
Approach to try: Agree on what gets finished before new work starts.
Enneagram Eights at work
Enneagram Type Eights are known as The Challenger. They stand up for what they believe in and care about justice. Eights are motivated by staying in control and fear appearing weak or vulnerable.
Eights often emerge as natural leaders because they take action, and they can overstep boundaries to move work forward, which can strain relationships with teammates.
Communication style: Authoritative, direct, bold and strategic. Eights communicate in a straightforward, passionate way. They’re comfortable with debate and rarely avoid conflict. To connect with an Eight, share honestly and openly, without hesitation.
Under stress: moves to Five
Eights can withdraw and become rigid, lose touch with their emotions and ignore signs that they need a break.
When secure: moves to Two
Eights become more relatable, showing warmth and compassion.
Eights are self-reliant, strong and independent, and they can also be loyal, caring, cheerful and generous. They take the initiative and prefer to be in charge, so they have the freedom to choose what they believe is the right course of action.
Eights can be a source of strength for others. They sense when something is off and don’t hesitate to say so, they tend to protect people who can’t protect themselves, and they take on a great deal of responsibility.
Question to ask: “How do you think that landed with the team?”
Approach to try: Be direct with them, and tell them when their directness lands as pressure.
Enneagram Nines at work
Enneagram Type Nines are known as The Peacemaker. They’re often the mediators of a group, at their best when helping people with different views find common ground. Nines are motivated by peace of mind and fear overwhelming conflict.
Nines tend to avoid conflict of their own, but they often stay level-headed in other people’s disagreements. They’re commonly the person others go to for a calm second opinion. Nines lead with instinct more than feeling, and they use it to help both sides of a disagreement feel understood.
Communication style: Affirming, supportive, easygoing and diplomatic. Nines are open to others and value their opinions. They enjoy meaningful conversation and appreciate it when others return the same.
Nines can become passive and indecisive when they don’t feel understood, so inviting their input is the best way to hear their view.
Under stress: moves to Six
Nines can feel anxious and indecisive, overcommit and doubt their abilities.
When secure: moves to Three
Nines become more practical, productive, focused and confident.
Nines want to keep the peace and connect with others. They’re typically kind, gentle, reassuring, supportive, loyal and nonjudgmental, though some come across as more independent and forceful. They’re excellent listeners and fair mediators who can see the positives on both sides.
Question to ask: “What’s your view before I share mine?”
Approach to try: Ask, then wait. Silence isn’t always agreement.
Enneagram tests for the workplace
Cloverleaf uses your team’s Enneagram assessment results to coach how specific coworkers communicate, give feedback and work through disagreements.
