Managers: How to Use the Enneagram to Motivate and Engage Your Team

With quiet quitting, rust out and a generally disengaged workforce, today’s business leaders face a powerful yet complex challenge: how to keep their employees motivated, engaged and thriving. 

It is a massive task. A 2023 Gallup study revealed that 62% of employees worldwide are not engaged at work—meaning most are merely going through the motions, doing the bare minimum, and leaving each day without a meaningful connection to what they do. Equally concerning, another 15% are actively disengaged: bored, underperforming and only showing up for their paycheck. In total, more than three-quarters of the global workforce is contributing at low levels of effort and energy. The economic cost? An estimated $8.9 trillion in lost global GDP—roughly equivalent to the combined economies of Germany and Japan.

But there is hope. Gallup reporting also shows that business units in the top quartile of employee engagement achieve 23% higher profitability, 18% higher productivity and significantly lower absenteeism and turnover.

The problem is clear, and solutions offer lucrative rewards. But how do you as a business leader engage your employees?

According to Daniel Pink, author of Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, “The most deeply motivated people — not to mention those who are most productive and satisfied — hitch their desires to a cause larger than themselves.” Pink highlights purpose as one of the core pillars of intrinsic motivation. But how can leaders help employees connect to a deeper sense of purpose at work?  The key lies in motivation, and the map to motivation is the Enneagram.

A Map of Motivation

Sometimes referred to as the Rosetta Stone of human behavior, the Enneagram provides an accurate lens for understanding what truly drives people from within. When applied in the workplace, this knowledge enables business leaders to foster a culture where every employee feels recognized, valued and motivated to bring their full potential to the table.

Unlike other personality systems that focus primarily on behavior, the Enneagram goes deeper and illuminates why people do what they do. It offers powerful insights for understanding how employees show up at work, what they need to feel inspired, and what may cause disengagement.

“When a team leader understands the Enneagram type of their direct reports, they can begin to speak to them in a way that energizes and inspires them,” says Camille Ramani, a leadership development coach who uses the Enneagram with her clients.  

Organization development consultant R. Karl Hebenstreit gets even more specific, “​​In a longitudinal case study over three years, a leadership team I worked with using the Enneagram was able to turn around an underperforming and disengaged division of over 100 employees, almost doubling their revenue year-over-year and achieving the highest engagement scores in their international organization. This is the power of the Enneagram."

Motivating Each Type: Tailoring Engagement to the Individual

Understanding each team member’s core motivation can help you lead with more effectiveness and can dramatically improve employee engagement. Let’s have a closer look at what motivates each Enneagram type at work.

Type 1 Perfectionist

Core Motivation at Work: To uphold high standards, improve systems and produce quality work that reflects integrity and excellence. Type 1s  are driven to make things better and to do the right thing.

How to Engage Them: Acknowledge their integrity, dedication, and strong sense of responsibility. Place them in roles where they can lead efforts to refine systems, monitor quality or promote ethical standards. Encourage their input on process improvements and show appreciation for their principled approach and drive to make things better. Be clear about lines of responsibility.

Type 2 Giver

Core Motivation at Work: To support others, to contribute to a positive team environment, and to be appreciated for their efforts. They thrive when they feel needed and can make a difference through relationships.

How to Engage Them: Offer them roles where they can build relationships and make a positive impact on others.  Show gratitude for their support and attentiveness. Recognize their empathy while also helping them set healthy boundaries.

Type 3 Achiever

Core Motivation at Work: To succeed, be recognized for their accomplishments and to be seen as competent and valuable. They are driven by tangible results, growth and the pursuit of excellence.

How to Engage Them: Set clear goals for success tied to growth and visibility. Celebrate their achievements and give them opportunities to lead, shine and develop new skills. Offer genuine, results-based feedback and recognize both their drive and their ambition. Give them achievable goals.

Type 4 Individualist

Core Motivation at Work: To have meaningful work that leverages their unique abilities. They want to be seen, valued and heard. They do best when they are emotionally connected to their work.

How to Engage Them: Provide them with projects that allow for personal expression or a sense of purpose. Respect their emotional awareness and depth and make them feel seen and heard. Allow space for their perspective and appreciate their ability to read the subtle subcurrents of situations. 

Type 5 Investigator

Core Motivation at Work: To gain knowledge, develop expertise and maintain autonomy. They are energized by deep focus and mastering complex problems without unnecessary interruptions.

How to Engage Them: Give them time and space to research, reflect and innovate. Respect their independence and intellectual depth. Assign them roles where critical thinking and specialized expertise are valued. Allow them to work autonomously whenever possible.

Type 6 Skeptic

Core Motivation at Work: To feel secure, supported, and part of a reliable, competent team. They’re driven to identify and avert potential risks and to create dependable systems and environments.

How to Engage Them: Show appreciation for their loyalty, diligence and problem-solving skills. Include them in planning and decision-making to ease their  anxiety and build their trust. Value their ability to spot potential risks and help the team stay prepared.

Type 7 Enthusiast

Core Motivation at Work: To explore new ideas, experience variety and maintain the freedom to pursue exciting opportunities. They’re driven by curiosity and a desire to keep work engaging, dynamic, and upbeat.

How to Engage Them: Keep them inspired with new challenges, brainstorming opportunities and dynamic projects. Appreciate their energy, creativity and optimism. Leverage their ability to future cast. Help them stay grounded and focused without dampening their natural enthusiasm.

Type 8 Challenger

Core Motivation at Work: To take action, influence outcomes, and protect those they care about. They’re fueled by strength and impact. Type 8s are driven to confront challenges head-on, often serving as catalysts for change

How to Engage Them: Empower them with leadership opportunities and challenges that require resilience and bold decision-making. Recognize their drive to protect and advocate for others. Be clear, direct and honest in your communication with them. 

Type 9 Peacemaker

Core Motivation at Work: To maintain harmony, a sense of stability and to contribute without creating conflict. They want their work to promote cooperation while avoiding unnecessary pressure.

How to Engage Them: Foster a calm, harmonious environment where their voice is genuinely heard and appreciated. Invite their input in group decisions and acknowledge their natural ability to bring people together. Provide consistent routines and encouragement to help them stay engaged, motivated and confident in their contributions.

The Enneagram in Action: Building a Culture of Engagement

Understanding the Enneagram isn’t just about knowing your team members’ types—it’s about creating a workplace culture that values different motivations and workstyles. Here are a few ways to bring the Enneagram into your team dynamics:

1. Team Mapping

Encourage team members to discover their Enneagram types and map out the team’s distribution. This creates awareness around diverse motivations and helps prevent miscommunication. It’s not about labeling people, but helping team members understand each other more deeply.

2. Type-Informed Check-Ins

Use type-informed questions in 1:1s. For example, ask a Type 3 what success looks like to them, or ask a Type 9 how they’re managing competing priorities. These conversations can be more meaningful and supportive when tailored to type.

3. Conflict Resolution

The Enneagram is especially helpful in resolving conflict because it highlights each type’s default defense mechanisms. A Type 6 might seem contrarian, but their intent is to examine all angles as a way to be collaborative. A Type 1 might come across as micromanaging, but it often stems from a deep commitment to doing things right and maintaining high standards. With this insight, leaders can respond with understanding instead of reactivity.

Avoiding the Pitfalls: Enneagram Is a Tool, Not a Box

One common critique of personality typing is that it can oversimplify people or become a crutch for stereotyping. But when used correctly, the Enneagram does the opposite—it frees people from unconscious patterns and invites them into growth.

It’s important to remember:

• People are more than their type.
• The goal is not to "fix" anyone but to empower them.
• Everyone can grow beyond their type’s limitations.

The best leaders use the Enneagram to better understand their team and to help them perform to their top potential.

Final Thoughts: Employee Engagement Starts with Understanding

At the root of much of this workplace disengagement is a lack of personal connection: employees don’t feel understood, empowered or valued.

Most people want to do good work, but when their core motivators are ignored, or worse, misinterpreted, they start to feel invisible or resentful. The Enneagram helps avoid this pitfall by offering a roadmap to understanding what actually matters to each individual.

As Hebenstreit shares, “The Enneagram fosters a growth mindset. It’s the most effective system I’ve found for helping individuals, teams, and organizations understand the deeper ‘why’ behind their behavior.”

When leaders take the time to understand what truly drives their people, they unlock a new level of possibility: a workplace where everyone is engaged.