Leadership comes in many forms, and the Enneagram Type 7 leadership style, known as "The Enthusiastic Visionary," brings a unique energy and perspective to an organization. They can fuel creativity, collaboration, and growth, inspiring teams to push boundaries, take calculated risks, and embrace change in pursuit of game-changing solutions.

By understanding how to effectively harness the qualities of the Type 7 leadership style, you can create a healthy and collaborative work environment that inspires growth and innovation.

Read on to learn more about the anatomy of a Type 7 Leader.

Strengths of Type 7 Leaders: 

• Infectious Enthusiasm: Sevens infuse their teams with an unwavering sense of excitement and passion. Their contagious energy creates a vibrant and engaging work atmosphere, motivating team members to embrace challenges and seek opportunities.
• Creative Problem-Solving: The Enthusiastic Visionary's natural ability to generate diverse ideas and think outside the box contributes to innovative problem-solving. They excel at seeing possibilities, making them invaluable assets when finding novel solutions.
• Adaptability and Resilience: Type 7 leaders thrive in dynamic environments and embrace change with ease. Their resilience and optimism in the face of adversity inspire team members to navigate challenges confidently.

Potential Challenges and Blind Spots:

• Distraction and Overcommitment: The Enthusiastic Visionary's wide-ranging curiosity and desire for new experiences can sometimes lead to a lack of focus. They may find it challenging to prioritize tasks and commitments, potentially overwhelming themselves and their team members.
• Impatience with Routine: Type 7 leaders may struggle with monotonous or repetitive tasks, leading to restlessness and a lack of attention to detail. This can hinder their ability to provide consistent guidance and oversight.
• Avoidance of Conflict: In an effort to maintain a positive and harmonious environment, Type 7 leaders may shy away from addressing conflicts directly. This avoidance can hinder team cohesion and impede necessary discussions for growth.

Growth Opportunities for Type 7 Leaders:

• Cultivating Mindfulness: Practicing mindfulness techniques can help Type 7 leaders ground themselves, maintain focus, and navigate the challenges of multitasking and overcommitment more effectively.
• Embracing Strategic Planning: Developing strong planning and organizing skills can help Type 7 leaders balance their enthusiasm for new ideas with the need for structured execution. Creating clear goals and roadmaps can enhance team productivity and achievement.
• Developing Conflict Resolution Skills: Type 7 leaders can benefit from honing their ability to address conflicts head-on, fostering open communication, and promoting healthy team dynamics. Learning constructive conflict resolution techniques will help them navigate difficult conversations with empathy and fairness.

For additional opportunities, study Type 7's resource points, Type 1 and Type 5, to see what behaviors and qualities they can pull in to enhance their leadership style. 

Potential impact on their team:

Positive impacts

1. Motivation and enthusiasm: The Enthusiast Visionary leaders are typically energetic and positive, which can inspire and motivate their team members. Their enthusiasm can be contagious, leading to increased engagement and productivity among the team.
2. Creativity and innovation: Type 7 leaders tend to be visionary and open to new ideas. They encourage creative thinking and innovation within their team, fostering a culture of exploration and experimentation.
3. Resilience and adaptability: Their optimistic outlook enables them to navigate challenges and setbacks with resilience. Type 7 leaders can inspire their team to persevere in the face of adversity and adapt to changing circumstances.
4. Team cohesion and morale: Sevens often create an inclusive and positive work environment, fostering strong team cohesion and boosting morale. They value collaboration, encourage teamwork, and promote a sense of camaraderie among team members.

Negative impacts:

1. Lack of focus: Type 7 leaders may have a tendency to jump from one idea or project to another without proper prioritization. This can result in a lack of focus and scattered efforts within the team, potentially hindering progress.
2. Unrealistic expectations: Their optimistic nature can sometimes lead to setting unrealistic expectations or goals. This may put undue pressure on team members and lead to disappointment if objectives cannot be met within the given constraints.
3. Poor planning and execution: These leaders may prioritize big-picture thinking and neglect detailed planning and execution. This can result in a lack of structure and follow-through, potentially leading to inefficiencies and missed deadlines.
4. Overwhelming pace: The Enthusiastic Visionary's enthusiasm and drive can sometimes create an overwhelming pace of work. This may lead to burnout among team members if they are unable to sustain their energy levels or maintain a healthy work-life balance.

It's important to remember that the impact of a leadership style can vary depending on the specific context, the composition of the team, and the project at hand. A balanced approach that combines the natural gifts and strengths of the Type 7 leadership style with an awareness of potential challenges and blindspots can help maximize their positive impact and lessen the negative impacts. 

Every person is unique. Factors like childhood experiences, race, culture, birth order, socioeconomic status, education level, religion/spirituality, family dynamics, and more, all impact how a person's personality and strategies for navigating life show up in the real world. Understanding yourself, or someone else, through the lens of the Enneagram simply gives you a starting point to begin to better understand and support yourself and others. 

Sarah Wallace is the owner and lead trainer at Enneagram MBA, the host of the Enneagram MBA podcast, an Enneagram Certified coach, and a workshop facilitator for teams and groups. Learn more about Sarah and her approach with the Enneagram here.

(Pictured above is the Enneagram Dream Team Experience with a group of 25 members of various teams at the MARS Petcare office outside of Nashville, TN.) 

WHAT'S NEXT?

If you lead a team or plan to host an event where you'd like the Enneagram to be shared through the lens of leadership and team building, learn more about the presentation and workshop options below:

https://www.enneagrammba.com/enneagram-team-workshops