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Communication Styles through the Lens of the Enneagram

Throughout my career, I have come to understand the power of listening to build effective leadership. Whether that was serving in a leadership role, coaching leaders, or supporting leaders through training.

About five years ago, I became a certified Conversational Intelligence coach, which gave me great insight into the neuroscience of conversations – what happens in our brains when we have quality conversations or conversations that get stuck. One fundamental aspect of communication is that understanding resides with the listener. Therefore, to create shared understanding, the speaker needs to have the skills to adjust their communication style so that the listener is receiving the information with the intended meaning.

It is not easy to adapt our communication style so that another person receives the information with our intended meaning. However, my recent training as an Enneagram Practitioner has introduced me to a new approach to exploring communication styles. The Enneagram is an ancient framework that examines personality through our core motivations to help explain why we are the way we are. Our core motivation drives how we engage with the world and others to meet our needs. 

The communication style of each leadership type is in service to the core motivation. With a deeper understanding of what is driving someone’s style, we can adjust our language to meet their needs to create a shared understanding.

Credit: www.withinsight.coach

Understanding the nine communication styles through the Enneagram framework provides a roadmap to adapt our auto-pilot style to align with the listener. The first step in this process is understanding your style, core motivation and how that influences your communication. With that as a foundation, you can move to understanding other styles and interpersonal communication dynamics. 

To learn more about the Enneagram and how it can support you as a leader, check out the Minutes with Mary Enneagram Podcast Mini-Series. Episode 20: explores the Enneagram and Communication.

To begin your Enneagram journey, explore the resources and services Vista Global offers.

Is Your Organization Built to Last?

Recently I partnered with Forward Community Investments in hosting a webinar on organizational capacity building and strategy development.  In this time of constant change, nonprofit organizations need to think about building capacity to remain relevant in the field in which they operate. What are the key steps to building your organization to last? 1. Assess … Continue reading “Is Your Organization Built to Last?”

Recently I partnered with Forward Community Investments in hosting a webinar on organizational capacity building and strategy development.  In this time of constant change, nonprofit organizations need to think about building capacity to remain relevant in the field in which they operate.

800px-Cairo,_Gizeh,_Pyramids_of_Kephren_and_Khufu,_Egypt,_Oct_2004What are the key steps to building your organization to last?

1. Assess current organizational capacity.

Capacity refers to intentional, coordinated and mission-driven efforts aimed at strengthening the management and governance of nonprofits to improve performance and impact.

2. Start at the top.

Focus on your organization’s mission and vision.

3. Know Thyself.

Analyze your organization’s business model; focus on geography, customers, programs, and funding.

4. Know the market.

Your organization doesn’t exist in a vacuum.  Map out where you operate and who you compete with.  What trends will impact your organization?

5. Build on your strengths.

What differentiates your organization from others in your market? What makes you unique? Build on that.

6. Make decision-making explicit.

Identify criteria for testing strategic options. Create a structure for discussion with board and staff.

7. Develop strategies to answer the biggest questions.

What are the most important questions facing your organization right now?  Draft strategies that answer each question.

8. Develop implementation plan.

You’ve defined the big questions facing your organization and created strategies to address those questions.  The last step is bringing strategy to life.  Document how you will implement the strategies that will build an organization to last.

Check out the webinar.  Or if you want to chat about building your organization to last, Contact me today to get started!

Calling All Change Makers

Vista Global Coaching & Consulting, LLC (VGCC) partners with organizations and individuals to make meaningful change in the world. Whether you are navigating change on a personal, professional or organizational level, VGCC services will guide you to your vision. With over 20 years of experience, Certified Coach and Consultant Mary Stelletello will help you reach your goals. Contact … Continue reading “Calling All Change Makers”

Vista Global Coaching & Consulting, LLC (VGCC) partners with organizations and individuals to make meaningful change in the world. Whether you are navigating change on a personal, professional or organizational level, VGCC services will guide you to your vision.

Vision_header

With over 20 years of experience, Certified Coach and Consultant Mary Stelletello will help you reach your goals. Contact Mary today to learn how Vista Global Coaching & Consulting is right for you.

How I Developed the Vista Global Vision (and How to Get Started on Yours)

When I started my business I wanted to identify a company name that I could use in both English and Spanish so it would be understandable when I worked in Latin America.  I wanted to identify a name that conveyed opportunity and expansivenss. After pages of scribbling different words and word combinations, Vista Global emerged. A “global … Continue reading “How I Developed the Vista Global Vision (and How to Get Started on Yours)”

When I started my business I wanted to identify a company name that I could use in both English and Spanish so it would be understandable when I worked in Latin America.  I wanted to identify a name that conveyed opportunity and expansivenss.

Sky PhotoAfter pages of scribbling different words and word combinations, Vista Global emerged. A “global view” and vision of making a difference in the world.   It emerged like the sun rising. I love the cycle of the sun, rising to welcome a new day and setting to reflect the beauty of the day that has ended.  Vista Global conveys that sense of possibility.

As a certified coach with The Coaches Training Institute, I believe that values are the foundation of our success professionally and personally.  Research conducted by Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner for The Leadership Challenge confirms that when we live and work in alignment with our values we have higher performance, more energy and frankly life is just a lot more fun!

Can you identify your top 5 values?  Are you living and working in alignment with your values? If you have never thought about your values and what is important to you, here are a few quick tips to get you started on this path toward your greatest potential:

5 Tips for Identifying your Values:

1. Values are who you are. Not who you would like to be, not who you think you should be but who you are in your life right now.

2. Values serve as your compass pointing out what it means to be true to yourself. They are guiding principles of how you live your life.

3. Values are the “non-negotiables” must-haves in your life to be fulfilled (beyond the requirements of food, shelter, etc.).  If a value is not being honored, you feel disrupted, off balance, or a sense of things not being “right”.

4. Values are demonstrated in “peak moments” when you are completely in the zone of happiness and fulfillment.  What are you doing at that moment? Where are you? Who are you with?

5. Values are uniquely yours and once you have greater clarity of your values you are on your way to living and working in ways that offer your best self to the world!

My top 5 values are communication, collaboration, justice, authenticity, and fun.  What are your values?

Launching the Vista Global Blog

Coaching and Consulting for a better world… I am thrilled to enter the blogosphere to share what I have learned over the past 25 years in the nonprofit sector as a CEO, Program Officer, Consultant and Coach.  I look forward to learning from you as well, as we venture toward that horizon of making a … Continue reading “Launching the Vista Global Blog”

Coaching and Consulting for a better world…

I am thrilled to enter the blogosphere to share what I have learned over the past 25 years in the nonprofit sector as a CEO, Program Officer, Consultant and Coach.  I look forward to learning from you as well, as we venture toward that horizon of making a difference in the world.