In this episode of Enneagram at Work, we continue the 9 Types Overview Series with a focused look at Type 5: Striving to Feel Detached, as described in the Awareness to Action framework.

We'll’ll explore how Type 5s bring clarity, analysis, and innovation to the workplace, and how their need for independence, energy conservation, and mastery can shape communication and collaboration on a team.

Whether you are a Type 5 or work closely with deep thinkers who prefer a bit more space and autonomy, this episode offers practical ways to support their strengths and growth in real-world work environments.

What You’ll Learn When You Listen In:

• The core motivation behind Type 5’s drive to feel detached
• How Type 5s process information and determine when they’re “ready”
• Why they avoid emotional pressure and interruptions
• The strengths they bring to teams: expertise, curiosity, and clear analysis
• Overused strengths that become withdrawal or over-observing
• The role of The Strategist as a leader
• How instinctual biases create different expressions of Type 5
• Growth practices through their arrows to Type 8 and Type 7
• How to give feedback in a way that feels respectful and empowering

Try This at Work: Experiments

• If you’re a Type 5: Share ideas sooner, perfection isn’t required to be valuable. Connect even when you’d prefer to retreat.
• If you work with a Type 5: Give advance notice before asking for input. Respect their need for boundaries and solo focus time.

For Teams & Leaders

Type 5s bring wisdom and vision that help teams make smarter decisions and avoid risks others overlook. They are steady under pressure and masterful at breaking down complex information.

But when energy feels scarce or expectations feel intrusive, they may retreat into their minds, leaving teammates unsure how to engage.
Teams thrive when they invite Type 5s in without demanding too much too fast.

Have a request for a future episode? Drop a text here!

🗓️ Book an Enneagram Workshop for your team retreat at work:
https://www.enneagrammba.com/enneagram-team-workshops

✏️ Get an overview of all nine types inside the Understanding People at Work Cheat Sheet
https://www.enneagrammba.com/cheatsheet

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, this episode is a celebration of the people you work with; the ones who keep projects moving, solve problems behind the scenes, strengthen relationships, and hold your team together in ways that often go unnoticed.

Instead of focusing on potential friction points or growth edges, we’re taking a moment to appreciate the strengths each Enneagram type brings to a team and why your workplace is better because of them. Whether you lead people, work closely with a diverse group, or simply want to feel more grounded in gratitude, this episode gives you language to recognize and celebrate the nine unique ways people contribute.

What You’ll Hear for Each Type:

Type 1 – Striving to Feel Perfect:
Integrity, follow-through, and the commitment to doing things right.

Type 2 – Striving to Feel Connected:
Empathy, support, and the ability to make people feel seen.

Type 3 – Striving to Feel Outstanding:
Drive, momentum, and the energy that inspires others into action.

Type 4 – Striving to Feel Unique:
Creativity, emotional depth, and the ability to bring meaning into the work.

Type 5 – Striving to Feel Detached:
Calm clarity, expertise, and thoughtful problem-solving.

Type 6 – Striving to Feel Secure:
Group cohesion, preparedness, and forward-thinking protection for the team.

Type 7 – Striving to Feel Excited:
Optimism, adaptability, and the ability to bring possibility into any conversation.

Type 8 – Striving to Feel Powerful:
Passion, advocacy, and the willingness to speak the truth plainly.

Type 9 – Striving to Feel at Peace:
Stability, inclusion, and a grounding presence that keeps teams connected.

A Thanksgiving Invitation:

Take one moment this week to share appreciation with someone on your team, whether you know their type or not. Name one strength you see in them. The smallest acknowledgment can change someone’s entire experience at work.

Have a request for a future episode? Drop a text here!

🗓️ Book an Enneagram Workshop for your team retreat at work:
https://www.enneagrammba.com/enneagram-team-workshops

✏️ Get an overview of all nine types inside the Understanding People at Work Cheat Sheet
https://www.enneagrammba.com/cheatsheet

In this episode of Enneagram at Work, we're continuing the 9 Types Overview Series with a deep dive into Enneagram Type 4: Striving to Feel Unique, often called The Individualist or, in the Awareness to Action framework, The Visionary.

This episode explores how Type 4s bring creativity, emotional depth, and originality into the workplace, and how their search for meaning and authenticity shapes their leadership, communication, and team dynamics. You’ll learn how this type adds emotional depth and richness to teams, where they can get stuck, and how to better collaborate with people driven by purpose and identity.

What You’ll Learn:

• The core motivation or "root logic" behind Type 4’s drive to feel unique
• Why Type 4s are often the emotional and creative heartbeat of a team
• How strengths like depth, empathy, and originality can become overused
• How Type 4s approach work, purpose, and self-expression
• How the 3 instinctual biases create different expressions of Type 4 energy
• Growth practices using their arrows to Type 1 and Type 2
• How to give and receive feedback in a way that feels safe and meaningful

Try This at Work:

• If you’re a Type 4: Practice grounding your ideas in structure. Ask, “What’s the smallest step I can take today?”
• If you work with a Type 4: Invite their perspective. Ask what something means to them, not just what they think about it.

For Teams & Leaders:

Type 4s bring heart, storytelling, and emotional intelligence to teams. They help organizations connect to purpose, humanity, and meaning. But they can also feel misunderstood, left out, or undervalued if their emotional world isn’t acknowledged.

Teams that work well with Type 4s make room for both performance and meaning, honoring feelings without letting them derail progress.

Have a request for a future episode? Drop a text here!

🗓️ Book an Enneagram Workshop for your team retreat at work:
https://www.enneagrammba.com/enneagram-team-workshops

✏️ Get an overview of all nine types inside the Understanding People at Work Cheat Sheet
https://www.enneagrammba.com/cheatsheet