What is the Enneagram?

Does your precall sales plan consistently include how you will emotionally connect with the stakeholder or how to manage your emotions? Do you always include tactics that help you prevent your Blindspots from sending wrong signals or miscommunicating?

If no is your answer, then you may want to focus on raising your self-awareness by using a tool called the Enneagram.

Salespeople are learning more about the importance of self-awareness in their sales success. The more aware you are of your motivations and behaviors, the more you can prevent unwanted behaviors from showing up and derailing sales calls.

The Enneagram helps salespeople understand those motivations and puts a name to the Blindspots that often show up and negatively affect outcomes. The Enneagram is a dynamic personality framework that identifies nine distinct types, each representing a unique way of thinking, feeling, and behaving. These types are not just labels but detailed maps of human motivation and patterns of action. At its core, the Enneagram seeks to answer a fundamental question: why do people do what they do? By understanding the fears, desires, and core motivations that drive each type, individuals gain a clearer picture of themselves and others, leading to more meaningful interactions and deeper connections.

For example, Type Ones, the Perfectionists, are driven to improve everything, do what’s right, and avoid mistakes at all costs. Type Fours, the Individualists, search for authenticity and meaning, often bringing creativity and depth to their interactions. Type Threes, the Achiever, naturally set goals, are usually ambitious, and committed to completing the mission.

The Enneagram helps salespeople see their Blindspots. For all the virtues that each type uniquely brings, each type has unflattering vices. Type Ones can be cuttingly critical. Type Fours can lose touch with reality and struggle to be functional. Type Three ambitions can reach a recklessness and come off as selfish.

For salespeople, the Enneagram becomes particularly valuable as it provides a lens for recognizing patterns in behavior. When it comes to Blindspots, if you demonstrate the behavior once you’re likely demonstrating it all the time. So in a way while it may be difficult to see a Blindspot because you exhibit it all the time, when you do spot it you’re closer to making a big impact on how you show up.

No one Enneagram type is better than any other, and no one type has a monopoly on success in sales. They all go at it their own way. The Enneagram shows each type how to be the best version of themselves.

The Enneagram isn’t just a tool for individual reflection; it’s a transformative resource for teams and organizations. When applied in sales, it enhances communication, fosters collaboration, and builds empathy. Teams that embrace the Enneagram often find they work more effectively together, as members learn to appreciate diverse strengths and navigate challenges with a shared understanding.

The Blindspots in Sales™ program leverages the Enneagram to help sales professionals uncover and address the specific barriers holding them back. This program goes beyond theory, offering actionable strategies for integrating the insights of the Enneagram into daily practices. Whether you’re a seasoned salesperson looking to refine your approach or a new hire seeking a foundation for success, the program provides tools to elevate your performance and build authentic relationships.

While sales ultimately is about hitting quota, quota can be a misguided focus. A salesperson can’t manage or control hitting quota but they can manage things like their preparation for a sales call and their behavior on the call. They can manage their emotions and energy level with proper training, understanding and practice. They can manage how they spend their time and what they prioritize. They can be intentional about creating meaningful, trust-based connections with stakeholders, which goes far towards building relationships that pay off in sales. The Enneagram offers a roadmap to deepen your understanding of yourself and to a degree those around you. By embracing its insights, you can better manage how you show up for every sales call.

If you’re ready to discover how the Enneagram can transform your approach to sales and uncover the Blindspots that may be holding you back, visit the Blindspots in Sales™ website to learn more. By integrating the power of the Enneagram into your sales strategy, you can unlock your potential and achieve success that is both impactful and lasting.