Many different teams are dominated by a specific personality type. If you have multiple Enneagram Fours on your team, this article is for you!
So how do you know if you have a bunch of Fours on your team? If your team hasn't looked into the enneagram and you don't know for sure, here are a few questions to help you determine for yourself:
Would you describe several people on your team as quirky or unique?
Do multiple people on your team talk with a bit of a dramatic flair?
Does your team ever feel moody or depressed?
Is your team especially good at thinking outside the box?
Do the people on your team seem to actually get less selfish when under stress?
Do the emotions of your team feel a bit like riding a roller coaster: up and down all the time?
If you answered yes to 4 or more of those questions, odds are you've got some Fours on your team.
Honestly, this would be a bit surprising to me...Fours are usually pretty rare, which is exactly how they like it. However, it is possible that Fours might attract each other because of their unique way of seeing the world which most other people do not understand.
Fours can really be a gift to a team. They can bring a whole new perspective and creative energy to a team. They see an idealized, beautiful world and have a unique gift to be able to paint that picture for others as well.
On the other hand, though, Fours can be moody and unpredictable. Emotions can easily lead Fours towards depression and disintegration from the rest of the team. Because they often feel misunderstood by those around them, they can create a self-fulfilling prophecy that leads to their ostracization from the team.
Here are a couple of great tips about what to do with the Fours on your team in order to succeed together.
First, Fours see the world differently than the rest of us. Though they are not often labeled as visionaries, they really are, in their own way. Fours see how beautiful the world (and your team and mission) could be, but they can easily be discouraged when they see how different reality is from their vision. Make a practice of asking them what their "ideal vision" is and then make sure and take time to sit and listen and ask questions when they share it with you.
Second, Fours need to be assured that teammates with similar giftings and strengths as themselves are not a threat. Fours usually want to be the only one in the group with a particular skill set and they believe that if they are not, that lowers their value, making them less special. But rather than seeing similar people as a threat, help Fours understand how that setup can actually serve to sharpen their skills through collaboration and peer-learning.
Finally, make sure you celebrate the diversity and individuality of the Fours on your team. This may be difficult because often times it is those individual tendencies or quirks that can be annoying for those that don't understand them. For this reason, it is important to cultivate gratitude for the Fours' different views and tendencies by pointing out how they add value to the team.
Leading Fours, like any number, can be challenging. But when done well, they are a critical and impactful part of any team. A healthy Four can help your team thrive in every season!
Are you an Enneagram Four? Or do you have several Fours on your team? We would love to hear your thoughts on this article. Reach out to us on social media or email us directly at hello@evrgrnteams.com