The Enneagram as a Tool for Emotional Intelligence:

Individually and in Generationally

What is Emotional Intelligence and Why Does it Matter?

Emotional intelligence, as defined by Daniel Goleman, is the ability to recognize, understand, and manage our own emotions while also being attuned to the emotions of others.

It involves five key skills: self-awareness/self-management and self regulation; social awareness and relationship management/skill building.

Goleman emphasizes that emotional intelligence is just as crucial as IQ for success in relationships, leadership, and overall well-being, because it shapes how we navigate conflict, communicate, and connect.

Emotional intelligence (EQ) has proven to be a better indicator for success in the workplace than cognitive intelligence. Historically, people tended to not be vulnerable in the workplace.

The core core EQ competency is self-awareness.

What is self awareness?

Self-awareness is the ability to recognize and understand your own thoughts, feelings, and emotions. It's a key part of emotional intelligence because knowing yourself and how you impact others will help you maintain strong relationships, build trust, improve communication and a range of other “soft skills”.

If we are valuing EQ in the workplace, but people aren’t willing to see or articulate their own patterns, people are going to put up walls. Your level of engagement and participation determines the success of this taking roots.

The Enneagram and Self-Awareness

The Enneagram is a powerful tool for developing self awareness and interpersonal awareness because it helps us recognize the unconscious patterns that shape how we feel, react, and relate.

Each Enneagram type reveals a habitual emotional stance — what we pay attention to, what we avoid, and how we defend against vulnerability. By naming these patterns, we begin to observe our emotions without being ruled by them.

Emotional intelligence grows as we move from reactivity to awareness. The Enneagram supports this by engaging all three centers of intelligence — body (instincts/physical feelings), heart (patterns of emotion), and head (patterns of thought) — helping us pause, sense, and respond with greater clarity and compassion. It not only reveals our blind spots but also points us toward our higher capacities: empathy, resilience, and presence.

Each Enneagram type has tendencies that can contribute to a well rounded team.

Generational Enneagram Type Tendenciess:

It's important to understand that success means different things to different people so while EQ competencies are fairly consistent, definitions of success can shift based on the tendencies in generations and our culture. The descriptions here are more congruent with U.S. culture as every country reflects different values.

Boomers reflected a more Enneagram 3 orientation that values success, image, productivity and perseverance. They like a polished, competent self-presentation. Work is about proving oneself, building legacy and staying strong and avoiding feelings and anything that isn't "shiny" in the workplace.

GenX is more like a counterphobic 6 the and tends to reflect the skeptical, questioning and authority resistant stance where they don't trust institutions easily, having come of age during Watergate, the Cold War and economic instability. They often display a "prove it to me" attitude towards leaders and systems. They're loyal to those who've earned it, but tend not to blindly follow. They value independence, sometimes using sarcasm or detachment as a defense.

Millennials bring more of the flavor of Enneagram Type 4, They value authenticity, individuality, emotional honesty, well-being and purpose. Success is tied to alignment with inner values and emotional and mental health. Work is about being real, expressing identity, and finding balance.  This is apparent in all areas of life and we see if play out in shows, books and in social media. There's also a touch of Type 1 because  they came of age with the pressure to “make a difference,” and many carry an inner critic inside of them in their need to be good, socially responsible, and purposeful.

GenZ has more of the flavor of Enneagram Type 9 in their desire for inner peace, non-conflictual environments, and being seen without being pushed. Some also reflect Type 5 qualities and are more guarded, information-hungry, and careful about how and where they engage.

Self awareness is 3 centered

Self-awareness in today’s world isn’t just a head trip. We can KNOW about something in our head, but not embody it in our behaviors and relationships. People notice when we aren't congruent with the state values of our work culture.

To truly show up with self awareness in our work, relationships, and a healthy collective culture, we must awaken all three centers of intelligence:

1. Body (Feeling/Somatic Knowing)

  •  “What is my body sensing or bracing against right now?”

  •  Groundedness, instinct, and presence.

  •  The body tells us when something is off long before the mind does. Yet, so many of us don't have awareness of our physical cues nor do we understand the power of body (somatic) awareness.

2. Heart (Relational/Doing/Emotional Shaping)

  •  “What am I doing to be seen and valued or belong?”

  •  Connection, vulnerability, and emotional honesty.

  •  The Heart Center orients towards how we shape ourselves to connect — or protect.

3. Head (Mental/Thinking Awareness)

  •  “What stories am I telling myself? What narratives are limiting?

  •  Insight, imagination, data collection, anticipating future scenarios, and reflection.

  •  The Head Centers helps us observe name our patterns and step back from them.

Next Step: Take a look at the attached PDFs for more specific material on emotional intelligence.