Which Enneagram styles get along best? How well do the different Enneagram styles work together?

The answer is simple: No Enneagram style gets along best with any other style. Individuals of the same style sometimes get along very well and sometimes not at all. Individuals of each Enneagram style can work well with every other style, and they can also have difficulties. However, your Enneagram style and that of the other person are excellent predictors of the dynamics of your relationship when it works well and when it doesn't. In addition, the Enneagram provides excellent guidelines for what you can do to improve your relationship with individuals of all nine styles.

To improve your ability to work effectively with others requires three commitments: (1) a commitment to your own self-development work so you become easier to work with; (2) a commitment to understanding how your Enneagram style interacts with other styles and what to do to continuously improve these interactions; and (3) a commitment to minimize unnecessary conflict between you and others by understanding the other Enneagram styles well enough so that you don't unintentionally do things that trigger their negative reactions.

In this section, you will see samples taken from the Enneagram Learning Portal.

Click the symbol to launch The Interactions at Work Player.

Make Yourself Easy to Work With reveals your strengths and development areas, ones that typically pose challenges for others when they work with you; this also includes development activities specific for your Enneagram style that will make you easier for everyone to work with. The example described in this section is for Enneagram Style Five.

The Enneagram Interaction Grid describes how the nine different Enneagram styles interact at work and what to do to enhance these relationships – when they work together in general, in the manager-employee relationship, and during performance review meetings. The interaction between Enneagram Styles Three and Nine are featured in this section for general work interactions, manager-employee interactions, and the performance review meeting.

How to Work Effectively With Each Style explains the conflict triggers for individuals of each style so you can be more aware of how to best approach others at work, instead of unintentionally evoking a negative response from them. The example described in this section is for Enneagram Style One.

Join the Enneagram Learning Portal to see the Interactions at Work between all Enneagram styles.


> back to top