88: Working Styles & Strategies for Each Enneagram Type

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Welcome to the Becoming Bulletproof podcast. I am your host, Tracy o'. Malley. I'm a mom to millennials, an author, Enneagram expert and multi million dollar entrepreneur, and master performance and business coach. I've gone from rock bottom to building a bulletproof business and life. If you're looking for the unfiltered transparent truth and ethos, an extra kick in the ass, you will discover that here. Each week I'll be bringing you success stories of high level entrepreneurs as we discover how they became bulletproof and created their empire. You'll learn the story behind the glory along with Enneagram inspired truths so you can ignite your own purpose, profits and build your legacy. It's time for you to become bulletproof. Buckle up. Let's go.

Hello and welcome to another episode of the Becoming Bulletproof podcast. And one of the questions I get a lot is about how to bring out the best in the people they are working with. Whether it's a network marketing team, a corporate office in your home, if your partner is your business partner, all types of things, and how to bring out the best in yourself. I think we all know that we each have hang ups. I know for myself I tend to procrastinate sometimes or I will avoid certain things. But each Enneagram type definitely has their thing and their thing that they actually have a zone of genius in when it comes to a working style. And so today I'm going to tell you about how to bring out the best in yourself and your working style and some of the things that maybe you can start telling yourself or changing some patterns for yourself. And I really, really, really want to emphasize this though. I think when we sense a problem, whether it's in our leadership of other people or our leadership for ourselves, we want it right now and we want it fixed immediately. Because usually when we have the awareness that there's a problem, it's gotten so out of hand because then we're in a position where we're willing to change it. And I am not immune to this, guys. You know, you've heard my story. You know, I'm quite the little addict brain and I don't like to make changes unless I have to. So it's usually when there's a problem that we're willing to do it. But so many people want to rush to just quick action to solve the problem. But you and I both know if we just go to action and not acknowledge kind of where this is rooted and the motive behind it, it's just a matter of time before we go back to some behaviors or the people that you're leading, go back to those behaviors. And so my hopes in this episode is that a, you understand yourself. Because the most important person you have to be able to lead is yourself. If you really want to effectively lead others, you got to know you and how to motivate yourself without me talking to you. And the other thing is understanding that this is going to take a little while. It's not going to happen overnight. We don't decide we want to go to the Olympics tomorrow and then show up. Right. It takes conditioning, it takes repetition, it takes consistency, it takes a willingness to feel the pain sometimes. But when you can speak into people's motive and their core fears, like if you can kind of handle the objection by speaking into the motive for everything they do without them really even knowing you do it, you will bring out the best in them and they will feel seen, heard and understood. Same thing goes for yourself. Like, I am the hardest person. I have to lead every day because I can justify my bullshit. I can pretty things up in a way and package it in a way that I know it's going to be just fine.

So I have to kind of call bullshit on myself on the daily. And that's the reason I'm able to do it for you, is because I do it for myself first. So I've told you this before. I'm not going to ask you to do anything that I am not doing or willing to do. And I would expect if you want to be this world class leader in your home, in your business, in your life, then do the same here. So I'm going to go through all the Enneagram types for you and your working style and some work strategies to bring out the best in yourself and everybody that you lead. This will be super helpful in understanding who you're working with. I think I've told you before, like I'm an eight. And the way that I used to communicate with everyone, including my own kids, as was as though they were eights. And no wonder that didn't work. In fact, it went like crazy upside down, like car, car crash, everything. And so to be an effective leader, to be able to speak the language of the other types, will be some of the most powerful tools in your toolbox.

And I'm going to preface this again because I think it's really important to say this is not to be used in a manipulative way. Right? If you use this in integrity and coming from the greatest good and that you really genuinely care about bringing out the best in somebody else that you lead or love, it will go the distance. If you come in using this tool in a manipulative way, especially people that have done some inner work, they're going to be able to call bullshit on you and this isn't going to go well. If you have no idea what the hell I'm talking about and you need help even finding your type or need some direction to integrate this in your own life so that you can be a more effective leader in your home and in your business, then please go to tracee o'malley.com go to the work with me section and we can do just that. We can do just an individual session to kind of nail it down or we can go through a whole experience where I can show you the ins and outs of your type and also kind of really troubleshoot in your home and in your business why it's not working or how to improve what is working so you can work smarter, not harder. We can do all those things. So go to traceyomalley.com the work with me section or tag me on Instagram here, ask me a question, hit my DMs and we will get you all all worked out, I promise. It's so amazing and I've seen incredible changes happen.

All across the board in everyone's life that uses this as a beautiful tool. So my enneagram ones out there, my reformers, improvers, your working style is very serious, idealistic, very much task and detail oriented. You guys, you know, have the, you're the integrity police for sure. You have the highest of standards. Having a one in your team or if you are a one, it will be clean, it will be on task, it will be done in an efficient amount of time. So the working style and something that ones do, they, they like hard deadline. And if you're a one, setting hard deadlines to ensure that you don't fall into the it's not perfect yet cycle. So for my ones that you know done is better than perfect for you guys. So if you're leading one, give them a hard deadline because they won't turn it in unless they believe it's perfect. Right? So also ones, once you finished a project.

If, if you start picking things apart, I want you to look for five things that are amazing about it because you got your. Your tend to go to all the mistakes or what you don't see as beautiful. And I've worked with many fives where I see a masterpiece and they see a mess. So if you are a one. If you see a flaw, I want you to find five things that are amazing and then move on so your greatness can be used in another way. And if you're leading a five or leading a one, I really want you, even if you have some criticism, lead with all the positives first because otherwise that one is going to hear the one negative and just take it and run with it.

My ones out there. When others praise your work and actually tell you it's amazing, receive it, honor it, say thank you, I appreciate that, and kind of take it in. Your heart needs to feel that for you to really start believing it. I know you guys have a love hate relationship with your work. On one hand, your attention to detail, your need for lists and commitment to excellence makes you so natural at productivity. But because you struggle to believe that anything's ever truly finished in your mind, there's always something you can do to make it better. So for my ones, I want you to learn to recognize the voice in your inner critic and when you hear it gently, kindly shut it down. And like I said, done is better than perfect for my ones. All right. My enneagram 2's the Helpers. Your working style is very supportive, encouraging. You're so intuitive of the team needs. And if you're a two, you need to set boundaries for yourself. You've heard me say, if you've listened to any of my podcasts before, that boundaries are a two's best friend and guarding your time because you're the type of person that you walk into like the break room. If you're in a corporate setting and somebody's sitting at the table and you can feel their energy, maybe they just got into a fight with their boyfriend or girlfriend or whatever and you sit down and your ear is for the taking. Not saying that you will ever not do that, but you have to have strong boundaries around your time. Same thing in business. I see this a lot with entrepreneurs that are twos. You can get sidetracked in the interpersonal stuff and in business, relationships are everything. But I'm telling you, relationships with boundaries, knock that out of the park. So you know, if you have a coffee or if somebody wants to meet with you, put a very strong boundary and strictly deadline on the end time.

Two is also avoid working in group settings when you have deadlines because you will end up like the mother or father hen of everyone. Prioritize personal and creative projects so that you can really nurture this sense of independence. Because you've heard me talk before, the Twos in growth take on the healthy four, which is that individualist. And I've told you this also, my son at the front end of his day blocks out his time to be in his creativity and independent stuff so that when he actually does give, it's coming from the overflow. So I'm going to ask you to do the same thing. If you are leading a two.

Know that they are the masters of relationships and you will want to utilize them for that. But also really maintaining, helping them with the boundaries in a loving way.

And letting them know that you so appreciate that this is their gift. And because you want to help them grow, really establishing healthy boundaries around that. Because a lot of times a twos, the twos can be taken for granted and taken advantage of. And it comes innocently a lot of times because they are so good relationally. But if you really want to bring out the best in your two and not have them get sidetracked in the drama that can come with relationships in the workspace or in business, or you'll really want to help them with the boundaries with love. Okay, my twos, I know that you are so observant. You really, really are, and so intuitive. And you genuine, genuinely are interested in others. Your commitment to caring for people is unmatched in all of the enneagram. It's. It's a beautiful thing. I love twos. When it comes to productivity, though, you guys risk setting aside your work to help others complete theirs. So, and this response is rooted, and you guys have heard me talk about this before, it's rooted in your fear that people won't love you outside of your helper role. And I can't even tell you this enough. When you have a stronger boundary and you're still that personality of yours, you actually get more respect, credibility and trust thrown your way. I promise you, I've watched it over and over and over again. So be careful with this. As ignoring your work and your needs and your tasks for the sake of others can often lead to resentment. Resentment. And because the two goes to the unhealthier side of eight, when you guys have this resentment building, you can be explosive. Like me, yours truly. And I know that you guys don't want to do that because then you beat yourselves up for it. To thrive and ensure your highest level of productivity, setting clear boundaries, reminding yourself that your projects are equally valid and so important. Working alone will help you stay focused on your tasks. And I know that'll feel like torture sometimes for my twos, but. But do your individual Stuff first so you can free yourself from the natural obligations you feel to help others. All right, My Enneagram threes, my achievers out there, your working style is busy, energetic, fast paced, affirmation seeking. I see this so much with the threes. I mean, you guys set a goal and it's like you're a linebacker just plowing through and you will absolutely.

Bowl over anything that comes in your way.

For my threes, I see a lot of them burn out physically. Their health will take a shit, quite honestly, because they're so fixated because of that inner messaging that you believe that you have to have success, achieve, appear a certain way in order to be worthy of love, acceptance, approval. And so what happens is you're so fixated on that need for that approval that you ignore your feelings, you ignore your body, you ignore your relationships. And what's the point if you get to the end of the line and there's nothing there that really makes you feel good? Or if you don't have your health? And that's why threes, a lot of the time they get there and they don't feel fulfillment or they get there and they just don't even take time and they move the finish line right. So if you're a three, I want you to set healthy boundaries and monitor your pace. You are amazing because you are you, not because of what you do or what you achieve. Resist the urge to rush through tasks. That's the other thing that you guys can do is you will rush through it to get the achievement and to be done so you can just move on to the next thing and achieve again. That some of the attention to detail kind of takes a back seat. So resist the urge to rush through and take on new assignments before finishing current projects again. Carving out time for creative non competitive endeavors will be really, really, really important.

You know, and being a three, you have the ability to tap into your four wing, which is that individualist, that's the most creative one on the Enneagram. So you know, I. You can easily tap into it. You can, it's right there. But you're so fixated a lot of the time on the end goal that you ignore this beautiful right or left hand, that right here in the four. So, so tap into it. If you're leading a three.

They will be your get it done kind of guy or girl for sure. And a lot of times when we throw atta boys and atta girls at them, that almost enables that even more. There's this fine line though, and I'VE been the other end of the spectrum where I almost withhold it from them. I've done that in the past. Before I really understood the enneagram. I would almost withhold it because as an eight, I was like, why do need approval? It's like, annoying. You should just do it because you should do it. Like, that was my old thinking. Pre enneagram, pre recovery. And so I would withhold it. So now knowing when I'm working with a three, there's a fine line because I know that that actually fuels them and that's like their love language, words of affirmation sometimes. But I don't want to feed the beast. Right. That goes into the unhealthy part. So if you have a three that you're leading, praise them for their helpful spirit when they're helping others or they feel emotions, or they take time to share feelings with you, because a lot of times they'll just shut it all down to hit the end goal.

I'll give you an example. It's kind of like with my daughter. She and I both have had histories with eating disorders, and she's been taking good care of her health and working out. She hired a trainer, and it was nothing for the outward appearance. Appearance. And so I don't want to feed that inner kind of.

I don't know what the word is, but I don't want to feed like, oh, God, you look like you've lost weight. You know, I know that that's not what you should do. And I'm like, you look so healthy and that you're glowing, you know, so with a three, you want to encourage the healthy range of feelings because they are in the heart triad. They actually can feel. But we want to encourage them to feel it and not shove it down. And my threes out. Know, productivity comes easy for you. You guys are the masters of it. And sometimes it can seem like you have an endless well of energy. And those of you that lead them, I know that you see that, and that's why they. They are the people that you call on for this. But that's almost feeding the beast, right? And it's rare, I know it's rare for you to say no to new projects and new opportunities because you're driven by the need to be seen as successful. You operate in productivity mode 24 7.

And in entrepreneurship, I see this all the time. I know how. I know firsthand how challenging it can be to slow down.

But it's in when you slow down that you can actually find fulfillment. In what you do. And the more you can say no to certain things, you'll actually be able to tap into what you enjoy doing.

I know that many threes out there have learned the hard way that taking on too much only leads to more stress, poor performance and burnout and breakdown of your body and your relationships. And let's be real, no one can complete everything on every list in the world. So honor your boundaries and use your well of energy to really hone in on just a few projects, especially the ones that tap into that heart. You guys are in the heart triad. Take advantage of it. I would love to be in the heart triad sometimes. You guys are amazing. All right. My enneagram fours, the individualists, the romantics. Your working style, super creative, amazing creativity. Introspective, moody, emotionally stimulated.

So, you know, they're the ones that it has to be in alignment with me. And there is a lot of truth to that. But sometimes you just got to get the work done, even when you don't feel like it, right? And the fours are so driven by emotion that they literally can ride the emotion roller coaster in the span of five minutes. Every single roller coaster of emotion. If you haven't my fours out there, if you haven't seen the movie Inside Out, I want you to. I give that homework a lot of the time to people I'm coaching because I think that it's really important that we do feel all the emotions. Like, fours have it nailed down. Like they have the full range of emotion and they're not afraid to use them. And that's what makes them so creative and artistic and musical. But they can get wrapped up in it and go down the dark hole if they're not careful. So creating mindful rituals, structure and routine is key for a four. And if you don't have one, get into one. Especially things that channel movement, because when we trap those emotions in our body, it's like a freaking car crash in there. And that never ends well.

Especially at the front of your day. Because the more that you can kind of process that through energy, through movement, through.

Meditation, throughout my meditation happens in my movement, through brain dumping. If you start your day with that routine, you will be way more productive. You still get, trust me, fours. You're still going to feel all the things, but you will be way more productive. Creating playlists every four that I. And there are some fours that aren't like this, but, you know, creating a playlist for inspiration when you're in a slump. I have a few separate playlists even Though I'm not a four, that really kind of get me in a mood. And having a playlist your go to that will pump you up and get you out of a funk Will be really important for A4. If you're leading A4, trust me, I know how challenging this can be. But they are the creative space and they want to be seen and understood. They really, really do. And so, you know, telling them they're too much or dismissing them or even abandoning them when they're in a mood is like the worst thing you can do when you're leading one. And I realize as a leader, if you don't. If you're not somebody that can channel emotions, it can be challenging dealing with them. But when you can acknowledge that they're in that place and help move them through it with their routines or rituals, that will help them. You'll notice them move out of that and really use that emotion for something great.

I know that productivity for you fours only comes easy when you feel inspired. That's why surrounding yourself with people that are more action driven because the four is in the withdrawal stance. Having somebody that's in the more aggressive stance, like A8, for sure A3, A1, can help you kind of stay on task. So I know when you're not feeling inspired, when you're partnered up with those other types, it can be really helpful, especially if you trust them.

You know, it's great to. It's easy to feel inspired when your emotions are in full swing, but channeling that moody energy into something like a meaningful project.

But when you're not emotionally stimulated, Falling into a pattern of procrastination and distraction. Again, be willing to lean in. Lean into people that you trust, that you know that their superpower is taking action, and it will help keep you out of the dark hole. It's not going to numb you out or keep you from feeling all the things that are your superpowers. But we know how you beat yourselves up when you go into procrastination and down the dark hole. Mundane tasks are not great for you. We realize that. But when you have structure.

It will help. I know you want your work to be unique and meaningful, but mundane tasks are necessary and part of the process of even the most creative things. So bottom line, every. Every job, every task requires you showing up. So please show up and lean into those that will help you show up. Okay? My enneagram fives, the investigators. Your working style is very analytical, non emotional. You like the tedious stuff, the intellectual stuff. Anything that has to do with research. Fives are your people. They're great to have on the team. They love to work alone. You can give them a single project and it will like the ins and outs of understanding everything. These. I love fives. I love fives because I hate research. I'm just like, hey, let's just get in and get dirty and let's just fuck it. Let's just go for it. The fives, like, especially if it's something that's going to be very cost costly or, you know, really could make a big impact on a task, give the five something to research. They are your people. But if you are a five, keep like a timer on your desk will be really important because you will spend all day, all night, you may not even sleep going down the research hole, right? So using a timer to keep yourself on point for research and then setting a timer for the part of the day that you actually need to complete tasks will be really, really important with you. Again, deadlines for fives will be really important because they will go down the rabbit hole.

I know I'm going to say this, but in the fives will probably like just hit pause when I say this. When necessary, work in a group setting for accountability. I know my introverts of the Enneagram, but it is good. It's good for you. And I want you to know that you won't be depleted and you will be more than capable and effective. So we get you. If you're leading a five, like I said, giving them projects, especially where they can work alone, that's their love language. But also not expecting too much group time. But give them some groups, but smaller groups will be helpful for them and respect their space. Respect their space, but give them a hard deadline. That's how you'll balance out their superpowers and bring out the best in them. And they'll actually work harder in that smaller amount of time because they know that you see, hear, and understand them. My fives out there. When it comes to productivity, you are more likely to think about and analyze your projects than to actually complete them. You may have even said to yourself, I plan to be productive. I'm going to get shit done on more than one occasion without actually ever becoming productive, right? As the investigator of the Enneagram, this makes sense because you love like, love researching and mapping things out. And even fives that I have typed, I have told them, like, okay, you're five, please don't stay up all night, please shower. I know that you're. You want to Know the ins and outs of the fiveness of you, but please take care of yourself. But it's commitment and action that you struggle with. We know that, but these characteristics can actually work to your advantage when it comes to productivity. For projects that require the most tedious research, you're already ahead of the other eight types. Trust me. Just don't get stuck there, right? Keep moving things forward by working in the time blocks. Time blocks will be everything for a five. So if you're leading one, give them time blocks and allow yourself space for planning and research, but then move forward into actual action is a big deal for you guys. Trust me, we know you know all the things. My enneagram sixes out there, my loyalists, oh, my gosh, you are the master troubleshooters of all the things. I love working with Sixes because you guys definitely keep me out of pickles. For sure. Your working style is super reliable, loyal, calculated, risky, averse, creatures of habit. You like routine. So if you are a six, mapping out your project goals and reference your list throughout the day and take each task one step at a time. This is something I see with Sixes a lot is they. They have a list, a very big list, and if they look at it too much, they can start to spin out. It almost feels like the Tasmanian devil. So breathing is going to be really important for my sixes. And just.

The next indicated step, one thing at a time. What's the next right thing to do? Lean into your need for routine and habits. Use calendars, time blocking to schedule and structure your work week and upcoming projects, and give yourself enough buffer time in between. Because the worst thing for a six is if things start piling up, then the panic hits and the anxiety and the fear and the, oh, my God, what's going to happen? What's going to happen? And then it's like all the wheels fly off the axle. So building enough buffer in between tasks will be really, really important. So you can kind of ground yourself and catch your breath. We know Sixes.

How security driven you are. Everything about you is about certainty and security. And so if you're leading a six, know this, this is so important. If you're leading a six, like telling them not to worry about it or it's not that big a deal will have them resenting you and they won't trust you. So respect the fact that they need security and certainty and they're going to be the ones in the meetings asking 8,000 questions. Don't dismiss them. Do not dismiss them. But if you can Answer in a very commanding presence.

It won't go on and on and on.

But I know that you're the security certainty driven number on the Enneagram. And so you're most productive when you feel confident in your abilities to succeed. And also when you are being led by somebody that you know has certainty and security as one of their main focuses.

You guys get it done. You never commit to something without having first assessed the risks and rewards. This is so true, like almost over the top. Like, and I love this because I'm such a decisive, like go in hot person. The Sixes in my life really are like, have you thought of this? Have you thought of that? But that can give you analysis paralysis sometimes and you become so wrapped up in your fear that you actually won't move forward. So giving a six very clear instructions.

And asking for them because we know you need them. If somebody assigns you a project or asks you to do something, don't be afraid to ask questions and clarify expectations. I'm going to ask you to really.

Ask yourself why you need to know this, right? It's really, really important that you don't go down the crazy train. But you'll be more equipped to succeed once you feel secure about an assignment. So, so if you lead a6, know this about them. My friends that are Sixes are conversate and I'm not a huge phone person, but my, my closest friends are Sixes and I know if the phone rings and they know that about me and I know if the phone rings, they need to talk and I will stay on as long as I absolutely have to because I know their need for certainty is, is everything to them. And because I care about them and want to bring out the best in them, I will even not only answer their questions, but I will already come up with the objections I know that are in their head and start answering them ahead of time, which also builds credibility and trust. So I know you guys, my Sixes are so impacted by your environment and if you need to remove yourself, then you do. And it's not selfish, it's important. And I know that you work best when things are predictable and go as anticipated. So if you have a big project or a big launch or something really big coming up and the environment that you live in or are working in will not nurture that. Go somewhere else. Super important. And while you can't always control your surroundings, you can create structure and routine for your days.

Shit, go to a hotel. I just had somebody friend of mine, I'm like, get the hell out of your house, go to a hotel, you know, nurture that space so that you can show up and feel like there's no stone unturned, like there's nothing that can distract you because I know how important that is for A six. And these habits will serve as signposts and help relieve that anxiety, ensuring that you're, you're your most productive and, and reliable. And because you guys are so good at what you do, like the more that you can create the environment that nurtures that, the better. My enneagram Sevens this the enthusiasts. I like to call you the chief fun officers for sure because your working style is optimistic, busy, ambitious, enthusiastic.

I'm raising a seven who is also an entrepreneur. And giving them structure is important, but never making them feel like they're too much. Like listen to every idea that they have. Let them brain dump. That's how they kind of process they have all these ideas. It doesn't mean you have to take all of them. And I think before I understood sevens I was like Jesus, what the heck? You're like a firing range with ideas and no wonder you're all over the place. And you've heard me say this before about my daughter. I don't even know how you freaking function. But letting them kind of process that out keeps that internal anxiety from take taking them out and getting the best of them. So for my sevens, avoiding repetitive tasks and projects and giving yourself variation in your workflow. Workflow like sevens actually don't like structure. They need a little bit to stay on task. But every day, like telling them, Mondays we do this, Tuesdays we do this. Like they don't love that, you know, so giving them variation. So if you're leading a 7, make sure you know that like because if it's so mundane they're going to be.

They might be a little distracting for the rest of the people, right? Time blocking with fun. Like, you know, definitely you have to get things done. We know this. And, and if you're not an entrepreneur and you're in a work environment like blocking out some fun things, even if it's a little five minute dance party for yourself or, or you listen to a playlist that's really fun or whatever.

Can be important. If you're an entrepreneur and Rs7, having support around you that kind of handles the mundane stuff will be really, really important. Or somebody that's an executor, like you're the idea innovator for sure. And if you can't do that yet, using the time Block. And the timer on your phone is going to be everything. My sevens you love. And I'm saying love in all caps are. Sevens are the all caps kind of people on the Enneagram. Like, everything is like to the extreme. Um, we know that you love being busy and taking on so many different things that are fun and exciting and you do need variation to have a successful and productive workday. So if you're leading them, they need variation, switch it up on them. Plot twists are really good for sevens. Not so much for six, but sevens love the plot twist. The trick for U7s is using the time blocks. Time blocks for all your many obligations. It's okay to be involved in a lot of things, but really ensuring that you create a realistic schedule so that you can get everything done. You can be overly ambitious. So working in those time blocks will help you from committing to too many things. And time blocks will also ensure that you carve out space for self care and alone time. So a seven in health and growth actually takes on the healthy investigator, the 5. So when I see my daughter kind of be more introverted and doing creative projects and doing the alone time, I know she's in a growth pattern, right? And those are two things that A7 needs to thrive and get in touch with their emotions because they don't really love to feel bad things, but they need to feel all the things. We do need to feel all the things. So having that alone time and self care will really allow them to be in touch with it and realize it. They can handle it. All right. My Enneagram Eights, my fellow challengers, our working style is very driven, vocal, commanding, persistent and directive.

You've heard me say this before. Eights are tough to lead unless they trust you. And they need to know you have shit handled. Otherwise they're going to be the rogue person in your organization. And I am proof of that. A decade ago, my only stint in corporate America is it was exactly that. I was the rogue person. I got a lot of shit done and I was very commanding and took charge. But I was also like a bull in a china shop. So if you're leading or working with an 8, understand that they need to know that they don't have to be in control of everything. But they will not be controlled. They won't. So if you're innate leaning into your innate leadership skills and delegating tasks, which I know for an 8, it's really hard to do because if we delegate a task, that means we may need you and Eights don't really like that. But trusting your leadership skills and making sure that your come from is from a wanting to bring out the best in other people as well and learning to trust so that you can delegate. Because.

Eights on the Enneagram are unmatched leaders when they are able to lean in and it's really hard for them unless they trust you.

Really understanding the end goal if you're an 8.

Is important. And this is something I've actually mastered. Like I we're such. Eights are such visionaries and I can see things for not just myself and things that are important to me, but the people I work with or love or parent or whatever. Like, I can see that.

And knowing that it's there and knowing and I know it's going to happen and we can focus on the end goal but then doing the next thing. And because eights can handle adversity very well when a plot twist comes or we get a blind side, we can navigate that probably better than anybody on the Enneagram. But really, like, keep the end goal in mind to stay focused and excited about the task, working alongside others to think through and solve problems. I know that's hard for eights sometimes because we're like the lone wolves.

But if you have an 8 in your business, in your family, they're always looking for who they can count on to trust. Like, if they're going to trust you with their heart or with anything, your leadership, they need to know, and not just through words, that you have their back. Like, you have to show them more than once because nobody's had their back most of their life. And so that's why they've become this, like, if it's to be, it's up to me kind of people, myself included. And so saying that you have our back and showing us like you have to show us. So it's really, really important. My fellow challengers, we are born to be productive. We just handle it right. We enjoy setting goals and accomplishing tasks and we find purpose in solving hard problem and making things better. I love it.

I'm most productive when I'm actually working with a group. It's actually when I start to shine in my leadership because if I'm left to do things on my own, I can go to that unhealthy 5 and become the isolator. But there's something about working with groups for sure that as long as I'm in charge or have somebody that I trust can handle the crew. But that's when an 8 can shine as long as they're in a healthier spot and not coming from this bully, like, domineering stance that we can get to if we're super stressed. So for my fellow eights, even when you're not the boss, you can be your most productive self when you've identified a problem that needs solving. So if you're leading a8, give them problems to solve. They love it. And no matter what you're working on, spend a few minutes thinking about the big picture. Like, I have to remember when I'm kind of like, head down, nose to the grind, like, what is this? What is the purpose behind this? What is the master goal here? And that's how we eights become so resilient when we can really know that this is all going to matter for something, it's really a big deal. And then outlining the smaller steps required to get you there. Having something to work towards will keep you motivated, driven, and focused throughout the days. Last but not least, my enneagram nines, the peacemakers. The working style of the nine is very unifying, inclusive, diplomatic, easygoing, and relational. These nines, when they are healthy, are the best. They are great for bringing people together. They are great for.

Wisdom. You've heard me talk about them. They're like Yoda sometimes. But when they're not so healthy, they kind of isolate, they procrastinate. So if you're a 9, inviting others to join you in completing your projects will help you stay more accountable and not kind of go into the Eeyore mode, right, where you kind of get kind of lazy on yourself. But if you must work alone, focus on one task at a time and find ways to make it fun. There is something about nines that if they are scattered, they literally, they're squirrel. So that's why, like, time blocking for a nine is really, really important. And, like, turn off all the notifications on your computer. Put your phone in another room, room. Handle one task at a time, but make it fun so you don't feel like Eeyore, okay, bring your dog to work. Bring like inspiring playlists. Give yourself like a reward for goal for a goal. Because it is hard for nines to accomplish goals because they kind of just go with the flow because they're so fixated on not just internal peace, but, like, in their environment that they can be easily kind of swayed and they don't even realize it sometimes. And the next thing you know, like all of this stuff, they. They don't finish any of it. They can look like procrastinators and there is a sense of them that does that. So if you have a peacemaker that you're leading, put them in charge of like bringing the groups together.

Anything that, that helps in relationships in your business, they're really, really great at. But giving them hard deadlines as well. Like make sure that there's structure for them. Because what happens with a 9 is they're, they're like, you don't even know they're there sometimes. But they have such a powerful stance. They really are so important to any organization, whether it's in a family or a business. My one of my closest friends who's also my aunt, she's a nine. And there's just such a beautiful, inclusive, nonjudgmental energy that she brings. And it doesn't matter if somebody's been such a total dickhead. There's something about her that just like keeps the peace in a healthy way. Right? But my fellow nines out there with your easygoing personalities and peacemaking skills, you guys are arguably the best team players on the Enneagram. You are. But you can often procrastinate when it comes to assignments. But that's not because you're lazy or opposed to hard work. You guys are okay with hard work, but instead you believe the most productive days are the ones spent building relationships, that you'd prefer to invest your time and experiences in people and not projects. So you know, if you've got obligations and assignments like make sure that you, you put those into your schedule. That is non negotiable. And we also know like, I know that those can seem overwhelming, but if you like build those in and handle them at the front end, that way you can take more time in the relational part. And the good news is you can channel productivity in a few ways. You can avoid working alone, which will be helpful, right? When it comes to meeting deadlines and getting tasks done, having support and accountability in place will be helpful because you're such an idealist. Your most productive days are the ones when you can bring your ideas to a task oriented team. So like ones and nines together, like let's say you got the nines who's like handling or the ones that are just like getting shit done. Getting shit done. And the nines that are so easy going you, you aren't really swayed by that one kind of intensive or intense energy. So that that's a good matchup. Working in a group will also allow you to do what you love most, which is connect with people.

So this is really important. Important to know about yourself and the people that you are leading and, you know, knowing who you're working with and knowing what the core motive is and their, their skill set will really help you build a team. So if you're the leader of everybody, you can actually work a lot smarter and not as hard. I know me as an a when I have a power team around me, even in my own home. Like, you know, I operate my house and my home like we're like a team o' Malley over here. And because I know the strengths of the two that live with me right now, they aren't my strengths. And I use their strengths not only for my greatest good, so I can just focus on what I do best and that's just getting shit done.

Not only does it help me stay in my zone of genius, but it also brings out and builds confidence in them. And that is the whole point of understanding the enneagram, really, and using it as a powerful tool in business, in life, in love, in your home, in parenting, in your health, all of it. And if this is something you need more of in your life, you want to be taught how to integrate this, then you definitely want to work with me. Go to Tracey O' Malley.com the work with me section. You can slide into the DMs on Instagram, Traceyomalley or find me on any of the socials. I would love, love, love to help you through this and let me know, let me know what you loved about this episode or what you need more of and we will get that done. Until next time, here's to becoming Bulletproof.

Thank you for tuning in to the beautiful Becoming Bulletproof podcast. If you learned a thing or two from our show today, it would mean a lot to me if you shared it and tagged me so I can hear exactly what landed on your heart. This will help me to bring you even more episodes with the topics and guests you want. Please head over to itunes and leave an honest and loving five star review. If this made an impact on you, you can find me on Instagram tracyomalli and I have tons of of free resources for you@tracyomalley.com as always, if you are wanting to ignite your purpose, profits and build your legacy, it's time to stand on the front line of your life and do the work. Let's become Bulletproof.