Author: rs_ph_website

How to be an exceptional conversationalist

Post author By rs_ph_website
Post date March 19, 2021

How to be an exceptional conversationalist

rs_ph_website
March 19, 2021
12:33 pm
0 comments

How often do we go through people listening to hundreds of stories on a daily basis and passing by many conversations without truly absorbing what is being said? Today, in the advent of social media, vlogging and podcasting, we get used to just absorbing conversations on the go. Very rarely do we practice our muscle in communicating effectively by being able to stir up conversations that are fruitful.

Writer and radio host Celeste Headlee took the stage to share how people can become better at conversations in her TedTalk.

Headlee goes on to talk about how polarized we all are now because we live in a world of constant conversations that usually do not go well. For instance, we have people argue over politics, social media, relationships, values and so on and so forth. She quotes a high school teacher names Paul Barnwell saying:

Headlee suggests that people can have great conversations, they just don’t know how. They are taught how to pay attention, but not how to listen and administer themselves during said conversations.

Here are the 10 ways you can be a better conversationalist according to Headlee:

Don’t multitask.

Be present. Be in that moment. Don’t think about anything else such as an argument that had elapsed hours ago or what you plan to eat for lunch. If you want to get out of the conversation, then get out of the conversation, but don’t be half-baked.

Don’t pontificate.

You need to enter every conversation assuming that you have something to learn. Everybody is an expert in something. Learn something from them.

Use open-ended questions.

Start your questions with who, what, when, where, why or how. If I ask you, “Were you terrified?” you’re going to respond either “Yes, I was” or “No, I wasn’t.” “Were you angry?” “Yes, I was very angry.” Instead, try asking them things like, “What was that like?” “How did that feel?” Because then they might have to stop for a moment and think about it, and you are going to get a much more interesting response.

Go with the flow.

That means thoughts will come into your mind and you need to let them go out of your mind. Allow the conversation to lead you to different questions and tangents and work from there.

If you don’t know, say that you don’t know.

Now, people on the radio, especially on NPR, are much more aware that they’re going on the record, and so they’re more careful about what they claim to be an expert in and what they claim to know for sure. Do the same thing.

Don’t equate your experience with theirs.

If they’re talking about having lost a family member, don’t start talking about the time you lost a family member. If they’re talking about the trouble they’re having at work, don’t tell them about how much you hate your job. It’s not the same. It is never the same. All experiences are individual. And, more importantly, it is not about you.

Try not to repeat yourself.

It’s condescending, and it’s really boring, and we tend to do it a lot. Especially in work conversations or in conversations with our kids, we have a point to make, so we just keep rephrasing it over and over. Don’t do that.

Stay out of the weeds.

Frankly, people don’t care about the years, the names, the dates, all those details that you’re struggling to come up with in your mind. They don’t care. What they care about is you. They care about what you’re like, what you have in common. So forget the details. Leave them out.

Listen.

I cannot tell you how many important people have said that listening is perhaps the most, the number one most important skill that you could develop. Buddha said, and I’m paraphrasing, “If your mouth is open, you’re not learning.” And Calvin Coolidge said, “No man ever listened his way out of a job.”

Be brief.

This month, Rocket Station’s theme is about self-development because our team believes that we are all aiming for a better understanding of ourselves and finding ways to make ourselves better. To read more articles like this, feel free to sign up and receive the latest updates straight to your mailbox.

RELATED STORIES

ISO Certification Announcement

#Team, #Teambuilding, #Remote, #WFH, #Workfromhome

Rocket Station is a company founded on the promise of exceeding expectations. Our culture drives us to set new standards, especially in our industry of providing virtual assistance and innovative business process solutions. While it’s easy for us to stay back and maintain our course, that’s just not the Rocketeer way.

Our Commitment to Excellence and Security: Rocket Station is ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 Compliant!

#Team, #Teambuilding, #Remote, #WFH, #Workfromhome

5 Ways to Better Motivate Yourself

#Team, #Teambuilding, #Remote, #WFH, #Workfromhome

There’s not a single person around that doesn’t go through slumps at work. It’s a naturally occurring event for the average worker that may result from stress, exhaustion, or other factors. However, that doesn’t mean we just step back and accept these episodes of lower productivity and overall happiness. These are the times when we need to step up even more to motivate ourselves.

SHARE

POST A COMMENT

Tags communication, conversation, leadership

All Careers Leadership

The 5 underrated soft skills that could make you an indispensable asset

Post author By rs_ph_website
Post date March 3, 2021

The 5 underrated soft skills that could make you an indispensable asset

rs_ph_website
March 3, 2021
5:23 pm
0 comments

Technical know-how has become an important facet for almost every modern day professional. Today we see many young men and women not only acquiring technical knowledge, but also different skill sets that make them more effective in different work functions.

There have been more emerging jobs thanks to technological advancement. We now have individuals with skills that were once considered new to now being in-demand. So much so, that there is an influx of highly specialized and well-seasoned professionals today.

With so many well assimilated people, one begs to ask, what would set them apart? The competition is steep, for every master’s degree there are two—neigh, three specialized courses that guarantee that this candidate would be a better fit than the next highly qualified individual to walk through the recruiter’s office.

Surprisingly, according to LinkedIn, there are 5 traits that pose the biggest skill gaps across the board. That despite the rising numbers of technically skilled and adept people, the skills that are most lacking—and you guessed it, are soft skills. Arguably, soft skills are the most difficult to master because it takes years of development and consistency on the part of the team leader and team member.

Having that in mind, acquiring these skills can set you apart and make you one of the top choices for a job, or a promotion. These five invaluable soft skills that can make a huge difference:

CRITICAL THINKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING

Critical Thinking and problem solving is not just developing a formula to a problem. It is looking at a problem and finding ways to solve it in a way that is creative, effective, and ergonomic for the company.

ADAPTABILITY AND FLEXIBILITY

Is a skill that is developed through life and can be taught with constant practice. It is simply learning how to pivot and pivot effectively. Adapt smartly, and be flexible in a way that turns setbacks into opportunities, and transforms sudden turnovers into a goal that could potentially be better than the one initially set.

COMMUNICATION

It may come as a surprise, but despite communication being one of the cornerstones of effective teamwork and leadership, a lot of people lack in communicating clearly. Clarity, proper wording and pacing of the conversations to get your message across the first time proves to be an invaluable asset in any industry.

LEADERSHIP

There are plenty of ways one can be an effective leader. For instance, being an effective leader means possessing the ability to solidify a team of individuals with different skill sets and finding ways to develop them. Another can be making things happen and having people move in ways that will reach an intended goal. Whatever the methods or philosophy it takes to be an effective leader, it may vary per company culture. Therefore, leadership has one of the largest skill gaps. It is not enough that you know how to lead, the real question is, is the way you lead effective for your team?

INNOVATION AND CREATIVITY

There is an interesting course that delves in Design Engineering. It is a mix of innovation, creativity and problem solving. In a way it is like describing what’s needed in this skill gap. Creativity isn’t just creating art, it is the process of assimilating problems, solutions and crafting new things in ways that make the process easier and more ergonomic.

Develop yourself with these soft skills and find yourself as one of the indispensable people in a sea of highly qualified individuals. This month, Rocket Station places value in ways we can improve ourselves to be better. Join our newsletter to discover more articles such as this in developing yourself this month.

RELATED STORIES

ISO Certification Announcement

#Team, #Teambuilding, #Remote, #WFH, #Workfromhome

Our Commitment to Excellence and Security: Rocket Station is ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 Compliant!

#Team, #Teambuilding, #Remote, #WFH, #Workfromhome

5 Ways to Better Motivate Yourself

#Team, #Teambuilding, #Remote, #WFH, #Workfromhome

SHARE

POST A COMMENT

Tags Hiring, Hiring tips, Remote, Work from home

All Health and Wellness

3 main keys to spark growth

Post author By rs_ph_website
Post date March 3, 2021

3 main keys to spark growth

rs_ph_website
March 3, 2021
1:39 pm
0 comments

For most of us, the term “growth” was taught in the manner of photosynthesis. We are taught how plants need nourishment such as water, sunlight, and soil to grow into its full potential. In today’s landscape of mental health awareness, we as adults are poised to realize the growth of the self is like the initial teachings we had as young children.

At work it is no different, when we speak of growth, usually career growth is coupled with the development of one’s character and how else better to develop one’s character than to willingly instigate change and growth.

In the book, Secrets of a Millionaire Mind by T. Harv Ecker, he attributes the level of difficulty one can face to the strength of character one develops. In one of his wealth principles, he states:

One may ask, how does one instigate growth and change? How can we even begin to take the first crucial steps in that direction? Luckily for you, we have the 3 elements one needs to do to achieve growth.

In the Venn Diagram are three components: Awareness, Acceptance and Willingness to Change. These three important factors are intrinsically necessary to spark growth and self-development in whatever field or industry. You cannot use only two lest you want to experience self-sabotage, little accountability, or no direction.

AWARENESS is first knowing where we are adept and where we are insufficient. Just a straight-forward assessment of what you are good at and what you are not so good at. A cumulative understanding of the good qualities you possess as a person and the poor qualities you possess too. For instance, a dentist may be good at managing people and raking in patients, but he lacks administrative know-how and has little follow-through with patients. The weak spot is the lack of follow-through. She may be skilled in pooling people in, but she has difficult maintaining the doctor-patient relationship through patient follow-up. Instead of being defensive and beating herself up about it, she veers onto the second component of growth which is: Acceptance.

ACCEPTANCE is being self-aware of all the things you lack and giving yourself permission to acknowledge it without judgement or self-criticism. It is a valuable skill to have not just in your career, but in life.

The third important key is having the WILLINGNESS TO CHANGE. It isn’t enough to be aware and to accept your shortcomings. You need to find ways to act and willingly try to improve whatever you lack. It may come in many forms; a socially awkward introvert can try to strike more conversations with people, a neurotic worrywart teaches himself to worry just the right amount per day, a compulsive shopper can place a budget and stick to that while locking all her credit cards away.

Growth can be seen in many ways, for different people, but it does not veer away from the three keys we have slated today.

This March, Rocket Station places value on self-development, where we give a lot of credit to the development of others, especially our own. Keep in touch with us and take the opportunity to read more of our articles by joining our mailing list and being part of the Rocketeer Community.

RELATED STORIES

ISO Certification Announcement

#Team, #Teambuilding, #Remote, #WFH, #Workfromhome

Our Commitment to Excellence and Security: Rocket Station is ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 Compliant!

#Team, #Teambuilding, #Remote, #WFH, #Workfromhome

5 Ways to Better Motivate Yourself

#Team, #Teambuilding, #Remote, #WFH, #Workfromhome

SHARE

POST A COMMENT

Tags Career growth, Growth, Self-development

All Careers Health and Wellness

Why developing work friendships is good for your productivity

Post author By rs_ph_website
Post date February 28, 2021

Why developing work friendships is good for your productivity

rs_ph_website
February 28, 2021
5:53 pm
0 comments

Since time in memorial, it was widely believed that developing close friendships at work were more detrimental than productive. People always advised against getting into business with a friend as it could “ruin” the relationship. They would say that getting into business with a friend is bad for business, and to some extent, for friends turned business partners it has been challenging indeed. However, it was studied that friendships that start as business contacts and develop into a close friendship are less nuanced and more beneficial.

A study done in the University of Seoul in South Korea back in 2006 stated that the positive potential for both individuals and the organization of having friendships at work may override the negative aspects. Workplace friendship is mainly categorized as boss and subordinate relationships. It was suggested that workplace friendships develop positive workplace attitudes with more emphasis on the quality of the friendship versus the opportunity behind it. The study emphasized the importance of workplace friendship to increase the positive work attitudes and performance of team members.

These cornerstone research initiatives paved the way to a more inclusive and less boxed-in view of the leader-follower dynamic.

Enter the year 2021, where these theories are put into practice and we see more vibrant and engaged companies like Rocket Station popping up. LinkedIn has chimed in with publishing multiple workplace articles pushing the need, not want, but the need of having a close friend at work if you desire to be productive. They ran a study that suggested that having a work BFF improves a team member’s overall happiness. People who feel less connected to their colleagues tend to feel less productive.

Here is how you can start developing closer relationships with the people you want to be friends with at work based on LinkedIn’s Relationships @Work study:

SHOW GENUINE INTEREST IN THEIR LIVES.

Be engaged—sincerely engaged about the things they care about outside of work. Take time to listen actively and show interest in what they share. An insider tip to achieve this is to maintain eye contact, put down your phone and do affirmative nods while absorbing the details they share with you. Most of the time, people respond to great listeners with more trust than great talkers.

BE MINDFUL OF THEIR SCHEDULE

In LinkedIn’s study, it shows that teammates get very rattled when unprecedented actions and tasks are done to disrupt their work schedule. They’ll more likely see you as a nuisance to their productivity versus someone who will actually aid them at work. Find ways to be mindful of their schedule by sending over a message to ask if they are free first and try to find ways to connect with each other at your shared down time.

GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE

This comes as a no-brainer, but believe it or not, some people are indifferent to giving thanks and appreciation to others not because they do not want to, but because they don’t know how to. So, practice by seeing little positive things that they do and start saying thank you for these things. Give them praise for a job well done and be thankful for their contributions no matter how small by verbalizing it.

BOND OUTSIDE THE OFFICE

Find time to bond in an environment that isn’t at the office. You can bond with each other by messaging or just doing quick video calls if meeting outside the office for coffee or doing errands together is too much of a stretch for now. The goal is to see your teammate in the lens of normalcy. You get to know them outside of work and see that deep down inside, they are just like you, someone trying to earn a living and finding a place to belong too.

This February, Rocket Station places emphasis on the relationships that build us and make us the people we are today. If you like the articles you have read so far, feel free to sign up in our newsletter to receive updates on more articles like this.

RELATED STORIES

ISO Certification Announcement

#Team, #Teambuilding, #Remote, #WFH, #Workfromhome

Our Commitment to Excellence and Security: Rocket Station is ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 Compliant!

#Team, #Teambuilding, #Remote, #WFH, #Workfromhome

5 Ways to Better Motivate Yourself

#Team, #Teambuilding, #Remote, #WFH, #Workfromhome

SHARE

POST A COMMENT

Tags Friendship, Productivity, Work from home, Workplace friendship

All Leadership

Key Ingredients of a Great Work Culture

Post author By rs_ph_website
Post date February 28, 2021

Key Ingredients of a Great Work Culture

rs_ph_website
February 28, 2021
3:35 pm
0 comments

Today’s workforce ushers in an era of highly astute and purposeful individuals. We are no longer looking at a working class that considers money and achievement as the sole factor of being part of a company. Now we see more Millennial workers getting into more purposeful pursuits and endeavors.

According to Great Place to Work, Cisco garnered the top spot in 2020 World’s Best Workplaces. With their 98% employee satisfaction rate, you will be surprised to know that they did not become no. 1 because of the perks associated with their company. In fact, their success was not at all associated with employee perks.

A study conducted in 2018 by Geue, P . and published in the Journal of Applied Behavioral Science discovered that there is a significant relationship between positive work culture practices, social climate, work engagement, and task performance.

Upon quantifying positive work culture practices, it was directly related to the importance of team members discovering meaning in their work through mutual interaction that promotes trust, respect, and confidence, with fellow teammates, believing the best in one another and inspiring one another in their performance.

Another study conducted by Cameron, K. in 2011, says that to promote positive work culture there are six dimensions necessary to achieve them:

Respect: There exists trust and confidence between teammates and they treat each other with integrity, dignity, and gratitude

Care: People show interest and genuine involvement with others as if they were friends.

Support: People honor and support one another in their endeavors, building strong relationships through kindness and helping those who are struggling.

Inspiration: People share enthusiasm, motivation, and inspiration to one another

Meaning: People are motivated, renewed, and elevated by their work as they see the greater purpose in work and discover its profound meaning.

Forgiveness: People do not place blame on one another for errors but forgive one another’s mistakes.

In essence, positive practices concern behaviors and techniques that are affirming and virtuous. The key to building positive practices is to elicit positive feelings of oneness. It is suggested that positive work practices bring in life, excitement, and the zest necessary to push others into the development of company relationships, engagement, and ultimately achieve better work performance.

At the conclusion of Geue’s study, the researcher stated that these positive management practices can be done to suggest a more positive and fruitful work culture:

REDIRECT TEAM ENERGY ON WINS

Managers should take on a “glass half-full” mentality, choosing to focus more on what is good and best. This can be achieved by celebrating wins, highlighting team member accomplishments, telling success stories, and prompting the search for solutions rather than dwelling on problems. This will include encouraging team members towards thinking optimistically, using that energy to see challenges as opportunities instead of a pessimistic vanguard towards failure. This can enhance meaningfulness at work by granting team members more autonomy in problem solving, taking a can-do proactive attitude that enhances engagement and energy. The findings of this research suggested a connection between workers sensing accomplishment in their work and work becoming more elevating and renewing that when team members feel more useful, they are also more inspired.

FOSTER GRATITUDE

Managers can facilitate a culture of gratitude and appreciation in work teams by leading team members in acknowledging one another for their contributions, expressing thankfulness for accomplishments, and engendering virtuous cycles of honor. In this way, managers lead the way in recognizing the inherent value of their employees. The current research suggested that task performance in teams is enhanced by coworkers communicating the good they see in one another; which managers should model and mentor for team members.

ALLOW FREEDOM TO GROW INTO AND MODIFY SET TASKS

Managers can help team members identify and utilize their strengths by granting them increased autonomy in recrafting job tasks and reshaping their roles and relationships in these tasks to enhance the full potential of their employees, thus instilling greater confidence and meaningfulness in work. Help them understand what works and what doesn’t work to make their role more beneficial. The results in this study found employees’ confidence related to their task performance. Managers can expand team member confidence by leveraging and developing member strengths, allowing members to experience more accomplishment and discover greater significance in their work.

FORGIVE MISTAKES AND TREAT THEM AS LEARNING EXPERIENCES

Managers can encourage and model forgiveness for mistakes by giving latitude for missteps, engendering a safe environment to make error, and viewing mistakes as opportunities for learning. Thus, managers do not do the blame game. It is so demoralizing and defeatist. It only serves to elicit defensiveness from team members. Avoidance of this encourages team members to engage themselves without fear of negative consequences to their self-image or job status. Forgiveness is integral to a positive social climate.

VALUE THE INPUT AND ABILITIES OF EACH TEAM MEMBER

Managers can exhibit respect by asking for ideas and opinions and listening to what team members have to say, thus valuing their input and trusting their abilities. Trust is the glue that holds relationships together, and when managers grant and elicit trust in a higher exchange relationship, it promotes collaboration and allows for emotional and social contagion, which can energize, charge, and inspire employees. Higher quality connections are established through managers and coworkers expressing positive regard and taking a mutual interest in one another. The current research indicated that better performance stems from employees trusting and respecting one another in their work tasks.

ESTABLISH SIGNIFICANCE BY SHARING IMPACT

Managers can help team members recognize the value of their work by raising their sights to perceive its impact on customers and colleagues. By sharing customer feedback with team members, managers can encourage team members that their efforts are valuable and make a difference. When work is perceived as significant and purposeful, engagement in work increases.

This February, Rocket Station places focus on the relationship between team management and the people who make our lives more meaningful. Sign up in our newsletter to get more interesting articles delivered straight to your mailbox.

RELATED STORIES

ISO Certification Announcement

#Team, #Teambuilding, #Remote, #WFH, #Workfromhome

Our Commitment to Excellence and Security: Rocket Station is ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 Compliant!

#Team, #Teambuilding, #Remote, #WFH, #Workfromhome

5 Ways to Better Motivate Yourself

#Team, #Teambuilding, #Remote, #WFH, #Workfromhome

SHARE

POST A COMMENT

Tags Great work culture, Place to work, Positive work culture

All Health and Wellness

The Challenge: Managing love and work while at home

Post author By rs_ph_website
Post date February 15, 2021

The Challenge: Managing love and work while at home

rs_ph_website
February 15, 2021
5:00 pm
0 comments

Haven’t we all been there? When work gets intertwined within the same space as romantic relationships it becomes very challenging. While working from home has a lot of perks–we don’t have to deal with the daily traffic or pollution, we stay away from office politics, we stress less over meetings with difficult clients, we develop a sense of autonomy and comfort.

No matter how we’ve adjusted to it, working from home has become the new normal.

This becomes quite the challenge when the home you are supposed to share with your significant other suddenly becomes a workspace. The dynamics shift entirely. Changes in your roles as partners become apparent. The shifting of house chores to accommodate one’s working schedule can cause a lot of tension and there now is an occasional lack of mental presence in the relationship which was not there prior to working from home.

Working from home with your significant other places in pressures that are new, specific, and unique. So, we’re here to give you sustainable and practical advice on how you can best manage this challenge.

Set Intentional Time Together. Nothing is more important than scheduling a “we” time apart from your “me” time to help nourish the relationship. This means being 100% present. Turn off your laptops, put down your phones, play whatever playlist that evokes nostalgia and just spend complete uninterrupted time together without mentioning the topic of work. According to the Gottman Institute, couples who set intentional time to connect are happier, have their needs met and are more content versus couples who don’t.

Do small gestures of love often. In this day and age, if it’s not grand, it’s not worth talking about. Relationship experts digress by saying that it isn’t the grand gestures that makes people fall deeply in love with someone. It’s the small consistent gestures of love that lead up to that grand gesture that makes it all the more meaningful. Examples of small gestures can be offered by doing the dishes even if you’re not assigned on that day. It could be cooking their favorite breakfast food just the way they like it. It can also be just taking time to tell them how much you appreciate them. These little things matter.

Have a dedicated workspace. If possible, get a room. It is crucial to set your mind in work-mode at a specific nook in your home. This helps you affiliate work with only that specific area. This strategy programs your mind to leave work in that dedicated room or workspace, focusing more on your significant other when you step out of the room, literally.

Take equal responsibility for house tasks. One of the main reasons why couples argue is because there is an imbalance in the splitting of house chores. Letting go of your responsibilities and having your partner do it all “because you have work” is a recipe for disaster. The goal isn’t to exhaust yourself with chores and

work, the goal is to show up in other ways and carry the load. A good example is if you can’t walk the dog anymore on weekdays offer to do so on weekends. If you can’t cook dinner anymore try to order take out. If you must work undisturbed and can’t really offer a helping hand, wake up early the next day and prepare for them their coffee just the way they like it.

Fight fair. Fighting fair is a skill. It’s a muscle that requires practice to grow. Like almost every relationship that has been, experiencing conflicts is inevitable. The importance is how you manage the conflict. Fighting fair is learning not to be defensive. Fighting fair is not showing contempt or casting blame. Fighting fair is being able to listen when it matters and withdraw when the emotions become too much to bear. Fighting fair acknowledges the unmet needs and tries to find ways to best meet them.

Express Admiration and Appreciation. Research supports that gratitude practiced in intimate relationships increases relationship connection and action the day after it is expressed, both for the giver and receiver. Gratitude is mutually beneficial. You can put gratitude into your routine by either writing an appreciation letter, providing daily expressions on gratitude or having a dinnertime gratitude practice.

At the end of the day, sharing work and managing intimate relationships while at home can be challenging but it is not impossible to manage. This February, Rocket Station put focus on the relationships that surround us and how we can make them better. If these tips work for you feel free to sign up in our newsletter to keep up with more interesting articles.

RELATED STORIES

ISO Certification Announcement

#Team, #Teambuilding, #Remote, #WFH, #Workfromhome

Our Commitment to Excellence and Security: Rocket Station is ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 Compliant!

#Team, #Teambuilding, #Remote, #WFH, #Workfromhome

5 Ways to Better Motivate Yourself

#Team, #Teambuilding, #Remote, #WFH, #Workfromhome

SHARE

POST A COMMENT

Tags Relationships, WFH, Work from home

All Health and Wellness

The Enneagram: A Tool to Help Strengthen Relationships

Post author By rs_ph_website
Post date February 15, 2021

The Enneagram: A Tool to Help Strengthen Relationships

rs_ph_website
February 15, 2021
4:52 pm
0 comments

In the isolation of COVID-19, there was a short hiatus in work and the eventual reprise for self-discovery. Suddenly, people had nowhere to go but home, isolated with family, forced to get along with people they lived with. In this deep isolation there came about multiple discoveries on self-development and aneed for relationship building.

Enter the Enneagram.

The Enneagram is a unique system that classifies people into 9 different personality types and different subtypes subsequently. It was first introduced to the world by George Gurdjieff in 1915 and further developed by Oscar Ichazo in the 1960s. The personalities are charted in an enneagon shape, therefore calling it The Enneagram.

Unlike most personality assessment tools the Enneagram seeks to not only to define your personality, but your key motivators, your fears and how you behave.

Many companies utilize the Myerrs-Briggs 16-personality type model to understand the persona of a team member. However, this tool never gets past labelling someone as an INTJ or ENFP. Very rarely is it dynamic enough to determine needs assessment, determine motivations, and piece together blind spots.

The Enneagram offers a clear perspective on the following questions:

What is my personality type?

What motivates me?

What do I fear then most?

What enneagram type do I get along with the most?

How do I behave when I am stressed?

How do I behave when I am experiencing growth?

What are my instinctive behaviors and needs?

How do I behave in general?

What is my leadership style?

How do I behave in general?

Interesting, isn’t it? When I first came across the enneagram, I felt like I discovered a gold mine in managing people better. Mastering the enneagram is easy if you are willing to put in the time of studying books into it and practicing it by observing teammates. Luckily for you, we have made a quick summary of the 9 types and what it means for you at work.

According to the Enneagram Institute, the 9 types can be explained as such:

ENNEAGRAM TYPE 1: THE REFORMER

The Rational, Idealistic Type: Principled, Purposeful, Self-Controlled, and Perfectionistic Ones are conscientious and ethical, with a strong sense of right and wrong. They are teachers, crusaders, and advocates for change: always striving to improve things, but afraid of making a mistake. Well-organized, orderly, and fastidious, they try to maintain high standards, but can slip into being critical and perfectionistic. They typically have problems with resentment and

impatience. At their Best: wise, discerning, realistic, and noble. Can be morally heroic.

At their Best: unselfish and altruistic, they have unconditional love for others.

Basic Fear: Of being corrupt/evil, defective

Basic Desire: To be good, to have integrity, to be balanced

Key Motivations: Want to be right, to strive higher and improve everything, to be consistent with their ideals, to justify themselves, to be beyond criticism so as not to be condemned by anyone.

ENNEAGRAM TYPE 2: THE HELPER

The Caring, Interpersonal Type: Demonstrative, Generous, People-Pleasing, and Possessive Twos are empathetic, sincere, and warm-hearted. They are friendly, generous, and self-sacrificing, but can also be sentimental, flattering, and people-pleasing. They are well-meaning and driven to be close to others, but can slip into doing things for others in order to be needed. They typically have problems with possessiveness and with acknowledging their own needs. At their Best: unselfish and altruistic, they have unconditional love for others.

At their Best: unselfish and altruistic, they have unconditional love for others.

Basic Fear: Of being unwanted, unworthy of being loved

Basic Desire: To feel loved

Key Motivations: Want to be loved, to express their feelings for others, to be needed and appreciated, to get others to respond to them, to vindicate their claims about themselves.

ENNEAGRAM TYPE 3: THE MOTIVATOR

The Success-Oriented, Pragmatic Type: Adaptable, Excelling, Driven, and Image-Conscious Threes are self-assured, attractive, and charming. Ambitious, competent, and energetic, they can also be status-conscious and highly driven for advancement. They are diplomatic and

poised but can also be overly concerned with their image and what others think of them. They typically have problems with workaholism and competitiveness. At their Best: self-accepting, authentic, everything they seem to be—role models who inspire others.

At their Best: self-accepting, authentic, everything they seem to be-role models who inspire others.

Basic Fear: Of being worthless

Basic Desire: To feel valuable and worthwhile

Key Motivations: Want to be affirmed, to distinguish themselves from others, to have

attention, to be admired, and to impress others.

ENNEAGRAM TYPE 4: THE ARTIST

The Sensitive, Withdrawn Type: Expressive, Dramatic, Self-Absorbed, and Temperamental Fours are self-aware, sensitive, and reserved. They are emotionally honest, creative, and personal, but can also be moody and self-conscious. Withholding themselves from others due to feeling vulnerable and defective, they can also feel disdainful and exempt from ordinary ways of living. They typically have problems with melancholy, self-indulgence, and self-pity. At their Best: inspired and highly creative, they are able to renew themselves and transform their experiences.

At their Best: inspired and highly creative they are able to renew themselves and transform their experiences.

Basic Fear: That they have no identity or personal significance

Basic Desire: To find themselves and their significance (to create an identity)

Key Motivations: Want to express themselves and their individuality, to create and surround themselves with beauty, to maintain certain moods and feelings, to withdraw to protect their self-image, to take care of emotional needs before attending to anything else, to attract a “rescuer.”

ENNEAGRAM TYPE 5: THE THINKER

The Intense, Cerebral Type: Perceptive, Innovative, Secretive, and Isolated Fives are alert, insightful, and curious. They are able to concentrate and focus on developing complex ideas and skills. Independent, innovative, and inventive, they can also become preoccupied with their thoughts and imaginary constructs. They become detached, yet high-strung and intense. They typically have problems with eccentricity, nihilism, and isolation. At their Best: visionary pioneers, often ahead of their time, and able to see the world in an entirely new way.

At their Best: visionary pioneers, often ahead of time, and able to see the world in an entirely new way.

Basic Fear: Being useless, helpless, or incapable

Basic Desire: To be capable and competent

Key Motivations: Want to possess knowledge, to understand the environment, to have everything figured out as a way of defending the self from threats from the environment.

ENNEAGRAM TYPE 6: THE LOYALIST

The Committed, Security-Oriented Type: Engaging, Responsible, Anxious, and Suspicious The committed, security-oriented type. Sixes are reliable, hard-working, responsible, and trustworthy. Excellent “troubleshooters,” they foresee problems and foster cooperation, but can also become defensive, evasive, and anxious—running on stress while complaining about it. They can be cautious and indecisive, but also reactive, defiant and rebellious. They typically have problems with self-doubt and suspicion. At their Best: internally stable and self-reliant, courageously championing themselves and others.

At their Best: internally stable and self-reliant courageously championing themselves and others.

Basic Fear: Of being without support and guidance

Basic Desire: To have security and support

Key Motivations: Want to have security, to feel supported by others, to have certitude and reassurance, to test the attitudes of others toward them, to fight against anxiety and insecurity.

ENNEAGRAM TYPE 7: THE GENERALIST

The Busy, Fun-Loving Type: Spontaneous, Versatile, Distractible, and Scattered Sevens are

extroverted, optimistic, versatile, and spontaneous. Playful, high-spirited, and practical, they can also misapply their many talents, becoming over-extended, scattered, and undisciplined. They constantly seek new and exciting experiences but can become distracted and exhausted by staying on the go. They typically have problems with impatience and impulsiveness. At their Best: they focus their talents on worthwhile goals, becoming appreciative, joyous, and satisfied.

At their Best: they focus their talents on worthwhile goals, becoming appreciative, joyous, and satisfied.

Basic Fear: Of being deprived and in pain

Basic Desire: To be satisfied and content—to have their needs fulfilled

Key Motivations: Want to maintain their freedom and happiness, to avoid missing out on worthwhile experiences, to keep themselves excited and occupied, to avoid and discharge pain.

ENNEAGRAM TYPE 8: THE LEADER

The Powerful, Dominating Type: Self-Confident, Decisive, Willful, and Confrontational Eights are self-confident, strong, and assertive. Protective, resourceful, straight-talking, and decisive, but can also be ego-centric and domineering. Eights feel they must control their environment, especially people, sometimes becoming confrontational and intimidating. Eights typically have problems with their tempers and with allowing themselves to be vulnerable. At their Best: self- mastering, they use their strength to improve others’ lives, becoming heroic, magnanimous, and inspiring.

At their Best: self-mastering, they use their strength to improve others’ lives, becoming heroic, magnanimous, and inspiring.

Basic Fear: Of being harmed or controlled by others

Basic Desire: To protect themselves (to be in control of their own life and destiny)

Key Motivations: Want to be self-reliant, to prove their strength and resist weakness, to be important in their world, to dominate the environment, and to stay in control of their situation.

ENNEAGRAM TYPE 9: PEACEMAKER

The Easygoing, Self-Effacing Type: Receptive, Reassuring, Agreeable, and Complacent Nines are accepting, trusting, and stable. They are usually creative, optimistic, and supportive, but can also be too willing to go along with others to keep the peace. They want everything to go smoothly and be without conflict, but they can also tend to be complacent, simplifying problems and minimizing anything upsetting. They typically have problems with inertia and stubbornness. At their Best: indomitable and all-embracing, they can bring people together and heal conflicts.

At their Best: indomitable and all-embracing, they can bring people together and heal conflicts.

Basic Fear: Of loss and separation

Basic Desire: To have inner stability “peace of mind”

Key Motivations: Want to create harmony in their environment, to avoid conflicts and tension, to preserve things as they are, to resist whatever would upset or disturb them.

How do you find out your type?

There are multiple tests online, you can take the official RHETI 0.2 exam for a fee, take free tests online or simply read books on the enneagram and discover your type yourself.

The Enneagram is a tool that helps us understand our uniqueness and the motivations of others. This February, Rocket Station sheds light into developing and nurturing relationships. The Enneagram, when mastered and learned well can aid anyone in understanding their needs and that of those around them. Learn more about interesting topics that can help you connect to yourself and the world around you by joining our Newsletter.

RELATED STORIES

ISO Certification Announcement

#Team, #Teambuilding, #Remote, #WFH, #Workfromhome

Our Commitment to Excellence and Security: Rocket Station is ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 Compliant!

#Team, #Teambuilding, #Remote, #WFH, #Workfromhome