Enneagram 7 Leadership: Strengths, Weaknesses & Tips

Enneagram 7 leadership style is characterized by creativity and innovation. Even though Sevens are not typically perceived as leaders since they prefer to have fun over having responsibility, they can still show many admirable leadership qualities.

Moreover, Enneagram Type 7s, also known as the Enthusiasts, stand out for their childlike sense of wonder, passion for life, and adventurous spirit. While these qualities may not be the first thing to come to mind when talking about leadership, they truly are what makes Sevens unique and charismatic leaders.

In this article, we’ll explore the strengths and weaknesses of the Enneagram 7 leadership style and provide some tips on how Sevens can improve and grow as leaders.

Enneagram Type 7 Leadership: General Overview

Enneagram 7 leadership has many elements of charismatic and transformational leadership styles.

The passion, enthusiasm, and optimism of Sevens are contagious and allow them to influence other people easily. Moreover, Sevens’ self-confidence, coupled with persuasion skills, makes them exceptional communicators who are capable of motivating others, which is a crucial trait of charismatic leadership.

The reason why the Enneagram 7 leadership style can be considered transformational, too, is that Sevens act as mentors and coaches to their team members, stimulating them intellectually. Furthermore, they encourage and inspire their team to be creative, experiment, and try innovative approaches.

Still, not all Sevens will be charismatic and transformational leaders. According to the Enneagram test and theory, there are two Enneagram 7 subtypes, which can exhibit traits of their neighboring types, Six or Eight, depending on their Enneagram wing.

So, Seven with a Six wing (7w6) will be more loyal and persistent than typical Seven, and their leadership style will have more elements of servant leadership. Meanwhile, Seven with an Eight wing (7w8) will be a typical charismatic leader, relentlessly driven to succeed.

5 Enneagram Type 7 Leadership Strengths

Enneagram Type 7 leadership strengths are the reason why people perceive Sevens as charismatic and competent.

Here are some of the most important ones:

#1. Creativity

Sevens have curious minds and aren’t limited by social or corporate rules and expectations. The hobbies of Sevens are often centered around exploration and creativity which fuel their imaginative leadership style, offering fresh perspectives on problem-solving and team dynamics.

For an Enneagram 7 female, this often translates into an imaginative and unconventional leadership style, where she views challenges from various angles and offers fresh solutions.

They think outside the box and see every issue from multiple perspectives. So, needless to say, their creativity is unbounded and inspiring for their team members.

Thanks to this quality, Sevens as leaders pave new paths and find innovative solutions that lead to remarkable results.

#2. Resourcefulness

Optimistic and bright, Sevens always look at every issue in a positive light and are incredibly quick to find solutions to problems that seem hard to deal with at first. They think on their feet and use all the assets they have at their disposal, which also inspires their team to think outside the box.

#3. Adaptability

Sevens embrace change and are prone to believing that every change is good. They also find it easy to adapt to their team’s needs and expectations, thus creating an atmosphere of understanding and acceptance where everyone feels welcome. Their adaptability also allows them to adjust their plans and strategies as the conditions change, maximizing their impact.

#4. Communication

Sevens are great communicators who use humor and charm to negotiate and persuade other people to buy into their ideas and plans. Moreover, they have a fascinating ability to articulate their vision and establish a firm bond with their team members.

On top of that, they are also skilled at influencing others and building strong networks of support both inside and outside the organization.

#5. Innovative Spirit

Sevens’ creativity, paired with their intuition, allows them to envision future possibilities and imaginative solutions. Therefore, it’s no wonder their forward-thinking approach fosters a culture of innovation and continuous improvement.

Additionally, their freedom of thought also encourages their team members to experiment and share their insights with each other, cultivating an inspiring work environment.

4 Potential Challenges and Weaknesses of Enneagram Type 7 as a Leader

The challenges of Enneagram 7 leadership come as a result of their inability to process and deal with unpleasant emotions.

Let’s see what these include:

#1. Lack of Structure

Sevens have a tendency to jump from one promising idea to another without prioritizing goals, which makes it hard for their team to stay aligned and committed. They may also be prone to starting many projects at once without finishing them, which could jeopardize the results. Due to this, Sevens may easily fail to meet deadlines and jeopardize work discipline.

#2. Impulsive Decisions

Seven’s natural optimism can lead to an inaccurate assessment of potential risks, underestimating the challenges they need to overcome. As a result, they have to deal with unanticipated obstacles and setbacks, which may cause their team to start doubting their leadership ability.

Furthermore, as a consequence of unforeseen difficulties, Sevens become stressed and more prone to making impulsive decisions. Needless to say, these can severely damage both their relationships with their team members and their goals.

#3. Avoidance of Conflicts

Generally, the most prominent weakness of the Enneagram Seven personality type is their inability to handle unpleasant emotions. As a result, they avoid all kinds of unpleasant, tense situations, including conflict within the team. This can lead to unresolved issues and unidentified problems, creating an atmosphere of distrust.

Moreover, avoidance of confrontation and difficult conversations also leads to a lack of constructive feedback, which results in the team feeling disoriented.

#4. Burnout

Seven's need for excitement leads them to pursue multiple projects at the same time, which results in overextending themselves. As they experience burnout, they get stressed, and their unhealthy patterns prevail, causing chaos and instability within their team. Plus, their efficiency is also reduced in such situations.

How Can Enneagram 7 Improve Their Leadership Style?

Enneagram 7 can improve their leadership style by working on overcoming their weaknesses. Here are a few essential tips for achieving this:

• Improve focus. Sevens need to set clear goals and timelines to avoid wasting time on projects that don’t lead to results. Creating a clear roadmap with milestones will help them maintain direction and ensure success.
• Set clear priorities. It is important for Sevens to learn to differentiate between tasks that must be done and arbitrary ones so they can plan their time and resources accordingly. Time management strategies and project management tools could be of great use to them on this journey.
• Embrace structure. Accountability, consistency, and structure are closely related and dependent on one another. Therefore, by introducing more structure and discipline to their work routine, Sevens will also learn to be more accountable and persistent.
• Assess risks realistically. To balance their optimism, Sevens need to consciously focus on reality and conduct a thorough risk assessment. This will help them make more sound decisions and prevent unnecessary mistakes.
• Improve conflict management skills. It is crucial for Sevens to learn to see conflicts as opportunities for improvement and resist the impulse to avoid them. Learning proven conflict management techniques can support them in doing so.
• Provide constructive feedback. Regular feedback is a great way for Sevens to keep the lines of communication open with their team.

How Others Perceive & Interact With Enneagram Type 7 Leader

Others perceive and interact with the Enneagram Type 7 leader in an enthusiastic manner. People are often fascinated by their creativity and passion and find interacting with them fun and inspiring.

However, their unconventional approach and informal communication style may give the impression that they are unprofessional.

When interacting with Enneagram Type 7 leaders, you should be open to their innovative ideas and show curiosity and enthusiasm. This will allow you to connect with them on a higher level and open the doors to productive communication.

Furthermore, since Sevens aren’t good at dealing with unpleasant feelings and situations, you should take care not to be negative or pessimistic when it comes to work challenges. Showing optimism and willingness to overcome setbacks is important in interaction with Sevens, as they don’t have a lot of patience for people who worry too much.

It is also important to note that you’ll probably need to remind Sevens about plans and priorities from time to time, as they are very spontaneous, busy, and always multitasking.

The good thing is that they will not see it as rude or offensive if you kindly remind them to give you feedback, ask for help, or do some other kind of engagement on their side.

Become the Leader You Were Always Meant to Be!

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Key Takeaways

So, there’s no doubt that Enneagram 7 leadership is exciting and stimulating in many ways, just like the Enneagram 7 personality type is!

Now that we have explained all the crucial Enneagram 7 leadership strengths and weaknesses, let’s wrap up with a brief recap of the most important insights from this guide:

• Sevens are inspiring, creative individuals whose leadership style aligns with charismatic and transformational leadership.
• They are innovative, adaptable, and excellent problem solvers who think outside the box and create a culture of collaboration that encourages creativity within their team.
• Structure, discipline, and consistency are the aspects they have to work on to maximize their leadership potential.