Case StudY
Turning Directness Into Collaboration
One Teammate’s Path to Greater Influence
Enneagram Overview
This teammate leads with Type Six energy, driven by a need for safety, preparation, and reliability. Strong Type One and Type Eight influences add precision, high standards, and directness, making them a courageous truth-teller who’s unafraid to speak up when others stay silent. In their feeling center, they lead with Type Four, valuing authenticity, emotional clarity, and real connection, though this can sometimes lead to skepticism toward surface-level friendliness.
Their low Type Nine energy means they’re less inclined to keep the peace and more likely to push into hard conversations — a strength that can also feel intense to others. A low Type Seven score suggests they may approach new ideas with caution and a focus on potential risks, making it important to balance their realism with openness to possibility. Growth for this teammate lies in shifting from judgment to curiosity, delegating to build trust, and matching their delivery to their audience so their high standards and advocacy inspire rather than intimidate.
Background:
Feedback from this teammate’s peers indicated that their direct communication style could sometimes be intimidating. Comments suggested that others occasionally felt afraid of them, perceived them as holding onto past grievances, and saw them as someone who might revisit issues weeks later. The goal of this coaching session was not to “soften” their personality, but to help them gain self-awareness about how their strengths — attention to detail, high standards, and willingness to say the hard thing — could be harnessed in a way that built trust rather than fear.
ONE HOUR CULTIVATED THIS LEVEL OF SELF- AWARENESS
Strengths and Triggers Are Two Sides of the Same Coin
They recognized that their devotion to excellence, strong preparation skills, and willingness to speak up are rooted in their Enneagram Six motivation for safety and certainty. However, the same vigilance that makes them reliable can also lead to over-control, judgment, and difficulty letting go when others fall short of their standards.Fear-Driven Preparation and Its Impact on Relationships
Past work environments, especially in high-stakes legal settings, had conditioned them to avoid mistakes at all costs. In their current workplace — a much safer environment — they saw an opportunity to loosen their “vice grip” on perfection and explore more trust in others, without lowering their own high bar for quality.Judgment as a Safety Mechanism
A breakthrough moment came when they understood that their tendency to stay in judgment was about self-protection, not malice. By consciously shifting from judgment to curiosity, they could stay engaged with teammates instead of unintentionally creating distance.Balancing Directness with Collaboration
They saw how their assertive style could be reframed as a team asset when paired with preparation and tone-setting. For example, giving colleagues advance notice before “fire-hosing” ideas, limiting themselves to two critical questions in brainstorming sessions, and approaching feedback as a shared problem rather than a personal criticism.Coaching Instead of Doing
Delegation emerged as a growth edge. They realized that always “just doing it themselves” to ensure correctness prevented others from learning — and kept them overburdened. They left with a commitment to coach others through tasks instead of rescuing or replacing their work.Building Trust Proactively
We discussed intentionally connecting with colleagues outside of task work — even those who frustrate them — as a strategy to build relational capital. Seeing others as humans with different strengths and motivations could help reduce friction and increase patience.
Breakthrough Moments
Facilitator Note: This distilled the core of their Six motivation — a deep drive for preparedness and prevention — and created a foundation for discussing how that shows up at work.
"I think like... I just don’t want things to go wrong.
Facilitator Note: A candid acknowledgment of how their internal standards impact how they judge others, opening the door to conversations about empathy and flexibility.
"I do kind of do that to other people because I’m like, I don’t make mistakes. Why are you making mistakes?"
Facilitator Note: This moment of self-awareness marked a turning point, recognizing that prolonged judgment can harm relationships and that curiosity could be a better tool.
"I feel like I sit in the judgment longer than I should."
GROWTH:
By the end of the debrief, this teammate:
Reframed their detail-oriented vigilance as a superpower that must be balanced with trust and collaboration.
Identified specific low-risk situations to practice letting go of control.
Developed strategies to communicate direct feedback without triggering defensiveness.
Recognized the importance of curiosity in building long-term influence.
Committed to experimenting with coaching rather than doing, to build team capacity.
CONCLUSION:
This session wasn’t about changing who this person is — it was about sharpening their awareness so their natural drive, courage, and high standards can be used to lead rather than alienate. By embracing curiosity, practicing delegation, and managing the delivery of their directness, they are positioned to turn what was once perceived as intimidating into a leadership style that inspires trust and respect.
“This teammate’s blend of Six, One, and Eight energy makes them both a high performer and a natural advocate for doing things the right way. Their willingness to speak the unsaid is a rare asset in a team that tends toward conflict avoidance. However, their low Seven and Nine scores mean they may default to caution over possibility and directness over diplomacy, which can unintentionally create tension. When they intentionally slow down to match their audience’s pace, lead with curiosity, and open space for others to contribute, their influence shifts from being perceived as intimidating to being recognized as a steady, courageous leader who elevates team performance..”