Ten Uses of the Enneagram, Including a Few That May Surprise You
Far more versatile than a single-use self-awareness tool and more complex than a simple personality test, the Enneagram has a wide range of applications. Since it hit the mainstream in the 1970s, this system of personality has shown up in churches and prisons, in boardrooms and parenting classes.
Let’s look at ten ways people use the Enneagram, including a few that may surprise you.
1. Character development in creative writing
The Enneagram serves as a character tool for authors, offering a transformative approach to character development by delving into motivations and intentions. Each of the nine distinct personality types encapsulates an ideal, a core fear, a vice and a virtue, making the system an invaluable resource for maintaining character consistency, crafting compelling character arcs, and sculpting nuanced heroes and villains in creative narratives.
For those eager to explore the Enneagram's potential in character development, check out Jeff Lyon’s Rapid Story Development: How to Use the Enneagram-Story Connection to Become a Master Storyteller.
2. A personal growth tool
Perhaps because this was the Enneagram’s origin story, the most popular use of the Enneagram is as a personal growth tool. Beyond identifying behavioral patterns, the Enneagram offers a clear and specific developmental framework for how to be the best version of yourself. It offers tips and next steps for each of the nine personality styles and for those who want to go deeper, you can even learn your specific personal growth path based on your Enneagram subtype.
3. Product inspiration and branding
It might surprise you to learn that the paint company Sherwin Williams and the Canadian shoe designer John Fluevog have used the Enneagram in their product development – both of these companies have Enneagram-inspired lines. Shermin Williams offers Enneagram-inspired color palettes and John Fluevog’s shoes offers an Enneagram line featuring the Enneagram Peacemaker. Enthusiast, Achiever and more. Maybe next we’ll see the Enneagram on the runways of Paris and Milan!
4. Training in the Workplace
The Enneagram has been used in the business world since the 1990s but in recent years, it has exploded in popularity. Why? Because the workplace has realized this tool is pure gold as it relates to improving individual and team performance.
Companies like Google, Facebook and LeasePlan have all brought the Enneagram to their workforce because of the results they see. According to the 2022 Global Survey of the Enneagram in the Workplace, the top applications of the Enneagram at work are leadership training, communication skills, coaching, conflict resolution, personal growth and emotional intelligence.
Mario Sikora, who has been coaching business executives using the Enneagram since 1997, shares “Even after almost 30 years of coaching, I still use the Enneagram because I have not found anything better in helping people see themselves clearly and quickly and helping them see the people around them in a non-judgmental way.”
5. Inmate rehabilitation through the Enneagram Prison Project (EPP)
Susan Olesek has been bringing the Enneagram to prison inmates since 2007, and her Enneagram Prison Project program has an astounding level of success. Statistics reveal the recidivism rate (the rate at which people return to prison) of inmates taking the EPP program is under 10%, far lower than the U.S. national average of 44%. And with any student who takes the EPP program more than once, the recidivism rate drops even lower.
But beyond the statistics, the real life stories are the most compelling part of the program. Says Alex Senegal, EPP Ambassador, “The Enneagram gave me some practical tools to become the best version of myself. The system showed me what was good about me, which was a big departure from the regular narrative of what was wrong with me.” Learn more about the EPP.
6. Parenting classes
EPP’s founder Susan Olesek first learned about the Enneagram from a parenting class, another place you’ll find the Enneagram. From parenting-specific books to family-focused workshops, the Enneagram has made its way to mothers and fathers all over the world. In the parenting realm, the Enneagram offers a wide range of tools from discovering your child’s Enneagram type to learning how to self-regulate as a parent, providing valuable resources for parents and children alike.
If finding an Enneagram parenting class in your area is difficult, check out Elizabeth Wagele’s book The Enneagram of Parenting: The 9 Types of Children and How to Raise Them Successfully.
7. An art muse
Texas-based artist Michelle B. Noah uses the Enneagram as a muse for her work. By the Numbers is her 30-piece set of Enneagram-inspired paintings, one for each of the nine Enneagram types, the triads, and the 18 wings. A Type 7 mother of four, Noah explains how she uses her children and their Enneagram types as some of her inspiration for her series. Take the guided online tour of her work here.
8. Psychotherapy
If you want some support in your personal growth journey, an Enneagram-trained therapist can jumpstart your progress. Working with a therapist who has a deep understanding of the Enneagram means you have a trained professional to help you identify core issues, uncover blind spots, and understand basic desires and values.
In couples counseling, the Enneagram offers a fast track to deciphering miscommunications, unearthing unexpressed fears and desires, and provides a non-personal way to discuss differences. To find an Enneagram-certified therapist, go to the International Enneagram Association’s list of accredited therapists.
9. Comedy sketches
Look no further than Frank James with his 1.2 million YouTube subscribers to see how the Enneagram can be a form of entertainment! Frank James’s Enneagram Comedy Sketch playlist has garnered over 2.7 million views so if you were wondering if the Enneagram has made its way into the mainstream, it has. Check out The Enneagram Types Cooking or The Enneagram Types Studying for a Test to experience the lighter side of the Enneagram.
10. In ministry and clergy settings
While the Enneagram is secular, some people think of it as a Christian tool because some of its history is tied to the religious community. Jesuit seminarian Don Riso was one of the early Enneagram authors, and in part due to his influence, the Enneagram has a place in many religious settings and is a tool used by clergy people in all corners of the world.
For those eager to explore the Enneagram’s connection to Christianity, check out Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile’s popular book The Road Back To You.
In summary
As you can see, the Enneagram has found its way into many corners of life, and its proliferation begs the question “why is this system so popular?”
The answer is both complex and simple–the Enneagram strikes an emotional chord in us in a way that the other personality profiling systems don’t. People who find the Enneagram often express a deep sense of gratitude because the system helps them see themselves in a precise and accurate way. You hear quotes like: “Now I can stop fighting with myself,” and ‘The Enneagram has put a bandage on my heart.”
Its framework illuminates blind spots we can’t see in ourselves and shines the light of awareness on our innate strengths. It gives us a clear roadmap to be the best version of ourselves and a mechanism to take other people’s behavior less personally. The uses of the Enneagram are varied but as its highest and best use, it is a tool for compassion, both for ourselves and for others.
