Powerful ideas from top nonfiction
Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,500+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.
Start your free trial
Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
Listen to the Intro
The Enneagram at Work summary
Jim McPartlin
Anna Akbari
Unlocking the Power of Type to Lead and Succeed
27 mins
Brief summary
The Enneagram at Work by Jim McPartlin with Anna Akbari is a guidebook that helps readers leverage their Enneagram type to better understand their strengths, weaknesses, and interpersonal dynamics at work. It provides actionable insights for better communication, teamwork, and personal growth.
Table of Contents
The Enneagram at Work
Summary of 7 key ideas
Audio & text in the Blinkist app
Key idea 1 of 7
The Enneagram can help you capitalize on your strengths and chuck your weaknesses.
The Enneagram isn’t a new concept. It first appeared 2,500 years ago and has been linked to mystical and religious practices like Sufism and Christianity throughout the ages. In the twentieth century, the enigmatic model was updated with modern psychological terms – and it shot into public consciousness.
What was once considered “woo-woo” by some is now firmly embedded in mainstream practice. The Enneagram is often used to resolve workplace conflicts and marital troubles. And companies like Chanel, Geico, and Best Buy have integrated the Enneagram into their corporate culture to strengthen employees’ personal performance and interpersonal dynamics.
The key message here is: The Enneagram can help you capitalize on your strengths and chuck your weaknesses.
As a leader, possessing an awareness of assets and blind spots – both in terms of yourself and your colleagues – is invaluable. Knowing what makes you and the people around you tick and, conversely, stall is an invisible superpower that can boost trust, morale, productivity, and profit.
The Enneagram provides a springboard for cultivating that awareness. A geometric model of the human psyche, it outlines patterns in how people understand and navigate the world. What it won’t do is try to fix you. In fact, the Enneagram’s underlying message is that you’re fine just as you are.
But being doesn’t equal knowing. While the Enneagram won’t try to alter your core, it’ll reveal your behavioral patterns and help you build on the strengths that benefit you while demonstrating how to release those patterns that don’t.
That said, change won’t come easy. If you’re like most people, you’re probably very attached to your behavioral patterns. They’re comfortable and familiar, even when they’re hurting you. Because of this, trying to break free of them is difficult.
As you work on shedding ingrained habits and behaviors to reveal your true core, you may be met with resistance – both internal and external. But by gaining a comprehensive understanding of who you truly are, what motivates you, and how you connect with your peers, you will grow and evolve.
Self-acceptance is key – acknowledging that this is where I am and committing to this is what I’m working toward. Practicing patience is also essential. By taking things slow and being open about your process with yourself and those around you, you’ll have a better chance at achieving the behavioral metamorphosis you’re striving toward.
These blinks are just the starting point!
Want to see all full key ideas from The Enneagram at Work?
Key ideas in The Enneagram at Work
More knowledge in less time
Read or listen
Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.
Find your next read
Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.
Shortcasts New
We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.
What is The Enneagram at Work about?
The Enneagram at Work (2021) reveals how applying the Enneagram – an emotional intelligence metric – can elevate leadership in the modern workplace. It explores the different Enneagram types and shows how tapping into self-awareness can make teams stronger and spark innovative solutions. From managing conflict and building mentorships to giving and receiving criticism, it provides the tools to foster personal growth and long-lasting success in the office.
The Enneagram at Work Review
The Enneagram at Work (2021) is a comprehensive guide that explores how the Enneagram personality system can be applied in the workplace. Here are three reasons why this book is worth reading:
- It offers practical advice on how to understand yourself and others better, leading to improved communication and collaboration in professional settings.
- The book provides real-life examples and case studies that illustrate how different Enneagram types function in the workplace, making it highly relatable and applicable.
- With its insightful insights into how the Enneagram can be used for personal and professional growth, it keeps readers engaged and sparks curiosity throughout.
Who should read The Enneagram at Work?
- Would-be collaborators who want to better understand themselves and others
- Individuals seeking awareness of their strengths and blindspots in the workplace
- Go-getters who want to build stronger teams and become more effective leaders
Categories with The Enneagram at Work
Book summaries like The Enneagram at Work
People ❤️ Blinkist
Sven O.
It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.
Thi Viet Quynh N.
Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.
Jonathan A.
Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.
Renee D.
Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.
People also liked these summaries
4.7 Stars
Average ratings on iOS and Google Play
33 Million
Downloads on all platforms
10+ years
Experience igniting personal growth
The Enneagram at Work FAQs
What is the main message of The Enneagram at Work?
The main message of The Enneagram at Work is to understand yourself and others better using the Enneagram framework.
How long does it take to read The Enneagram at Work?
The reading time for The Enneagram at Work varies, but a typical reading would take a few hours. The Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.
Is The Enneagram at Work a good book? Is it worth reading?
The Enneagram at Work is worth reading as it provides insights into personality types in the workplace and offers practical tips for personal and professional growth.
Who is the author of The Enneagram at Work?
Jim McPartlin with Anna Akbari are the authors of The Enneagram at Work.
What to read after The Enneagram at Work?
If you're wondering what to read next after The Enneagram at Work, here are some recommendations we suggest:
- The Road Back to You by Ian Morgan Cron & Suzanne Stabile
- The Path Between Us by Suzanne Stabile
- Leadership Strategy by Powerful Business Solutions
- Mind Magic by James R. Doty
- Executive Presence by Sylvia Ann Hewlett
- The Upside of Your Dark Side by Todd Kashdan and Robert Biswas-Diener
- The ONE Thing by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan
- How to Stop Breaking Your Own Heart by Meggan Roxanne
- Atomic Habits by James Clear
- Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari