November has been a great month. I went to Milan at the invitation of GruppoCS, a business consulting and personal empowerment training company located right outside the city. I could not have asked for a more gracious and hospitable welcome from both the organizers and the participants. Angelo Cilli, the company owner, is dedicated to the Enneagram's purest use by companies and individuals. Since this is also my orientation, there was great compatibility. Then, there was Marta Montemezzani, who translated more slides and handouts than humanly possible into Italian. Finally, Marco Simontacchi, who is a senior manager at the company. Marco speaks fluid English and was my culture guide and warm colleague. He has promised to teach me to make authentic artichoke risotto when I return next year.

Besides great shopping and wonderful food, we went to Lake Como one night for dinner with about six people. No, George Clooney did not appear, but he apparently is often seen riding his motorcycle around the lake. The program participants were smart and sincere, and my college-level Italian came back somewhat by the end of the three days. In fact, I understood something during a report out in Italian that even the Italians there did not understand until I brought it to their attention!!

I can hardly keep up with the requests for the "Coaching with the Enneagram" Certificate program. In addition to 1 already scheduled US-based program In Minneapolis (June), there are programs in South Korea (January), Canada (March), and Hong Kong (April) and possible programs in Italy, Australia, and Kuala Lumpur. My passport already has many extra pages in it!  I don't get so tired from this because I really enjoy doing them and the people who "sponsor" them are fun to be with.

I'm still working on the final touches of a very new and big thing I'm doing, but can't talk about for a few weeks. It is hard to keep my mouth closed at this point, but I'm exerting discipline and restraint. Stay tuned!

There are three blogs on Enneagram theory this month, all written by guest blogger Beatrice Chestnut, Ph.D. In addition to being a psychotherapist, Enneagram teacher, and organizational coach and consultant, Bea is extraordinarily knowledgeable about the 27 Enneagram subtypes. In these three blogs on subtypes, she gives ample and well-deserved credit to Claudio Naranjo's work. At the same time, Bea has made learning about the subtypes in her own practice a lifelong passion, and she shares this with us in these three not-to-be-missed blogs.

Enneagram Theory: Why Are Subtypes So Important? A guest blog by Bea Chestnut

Why learn about subtypes? Read about why subtypes are so important for self-insight, type identification, our teaching, and more.  Click here to read this blog.

Enneagram Theory: The Cutting Edge of Our Subtype Knowledge According to Claudio Naranjo.  A guest blog by Bea Chestnut

What are the 27 Enneagram subtypes? Read about the three versions of each type. Click here to read this blog.

If there is a state of the art to Enneagram subtypes, it is rather messy art. Read about all this in this first blog of the series. Click here to read this blog.

The Enneagram and Italian Culture

If you want to know the Enneagram type of Italy (and why), this blog is worth reading. Plus, you'll get to read about pistachio gelato! Click here to read this blog.

The Enneagram and County Culture

I get really frustrated when Enneagrammers type countries, and they've never been there or the typing is really superficial. Sometimes outsiders have a more objective perspective, but I think when it comes to Enneagram culture and country culture, people who live there know best. In this blog, I cover Finland, Germany, Switzerland, France, China, and Brazil, using examples and comments by local folks!  Click here to read this blog.

Enneagram Insight Blog

Enneagram Styles and Expansion

Each month begins with a blog I write that is based on an insight activity written by a Senior Member of the Enneagram in Business Network. Ruth Landis has been this person for the past year, and this is the last in the series, since we rotate these things annually. Thank you Ruth!  For the next year, the insight activities will be written by Gayle Hardie, a Senior Member from Australia.  Click here to read this blog.

 

Just for a change, I wanted to write about development for everyone, not only for coaches, trainers, consultants, and leaders. These are rather simple development ideas, or so they seem if you are not of the Enneagram type for whom it is recommended. What is really hard for one person is often so easy for another, but the hard areas show us where our development lies.  I've selected real stories that are both amusing and challenging.

I'm starting with Ones, and will continue this for the remaining Enneagram styles in my next end-of-month messages.

Ones: Pick something you are really perfectionistic about, even though you know at one level that your irritation about this area is out of proportion to the event itself. Once you have selected this area, purposely put yourself in the situation in which you get annoyed and stay with the experience until you can breathe freely and even laugh at yourself. Here's an example:

Situation: Although Robert was not a cook - his wife did that! - he was very particular about how everything was arranged in the kitchen cupboards. Every plate and glass had its own place, and if for any reason, they were not where they should be, Robert became so irritated he couldn't do anything else until he rearranged the shelves.

Opportunity: Robert has a wonderful opportunity to be in control of his own development by purposely putting just one item in the wrong place and then sitting or standing in front of the open shelf, breathing deeply instead of feeling irritated, and thinking about how funny it is that he gets so easily agitated. If he needs to sit there for 45 minutes, so be it! Once Robert masters the art of accepting the glass (or plate), he can move to another object of his irritation. Perhaps it's the silverware!