Self-aware leaders are better leaders. Carey Nieuwhof shares in ChurchLeaders how the Enneagram can help you develop spiritual and emotional health as a leader.

So many leaders have asked me about the Enneagram.

And while I’m a little late to the Enneagram bandwagon, after reading The Road Back to You by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile, I now totally get what the fuss is all about.

If you haven’t read the book, done the Enneagram test and don’t know your Enneagram number, here’s a link to the test that will help you discover more about your natural personality type.

So…what’s the big deal about the Enneagram?

Well, like a Myers Briggs or Strengthfinders assessment, it helps you discover your natural personality type, which in the world of leadership, means your default approach to leadership (and life). It’s another key to self-awareness, but also to an awareness of how everyone else on your team (or personally, even in your family) is wired.

If you’re curious, it turns out I’m an Eight—a challenger (with a Seven-wing). But I almost scored as a One as well (a Perfectionist). Funny, because most friends guessed me as a Three or a Seven.

Why does all of this matter? It’s simple.

Self-aware leaders are always better leaders, and the Enneagram will help you see yourself as others experience you.