You wake up Sunday morning and you hear something odd. Guttural moans and groans are coming from your backyard. You rush to the window and gasp. Your entire neighborhood is under attack by flesh-hungry zombies! What do you do?
I present this scenario at most of my team workshops. I admit that some of the reason is selfish because freaking love zombie movies! However, I also think it’s an interesting way to show how everyone sees the world in different ways.
What a Zombie Apocalypse Can Teach Us About Ourselves
When you boil it down to the basics, the Enneagram is about perspectives. This ancient personality typing system suggests that there are nine distinct ways people perceive the world. It says your core motivations (your main fear, desire, weakness, and longing) impact the way you interpret your life
None of the perspectives is right or wrong. It’s the awareness of one’s perspective that gives you a tool through which to see yourself and others more clearly.
Enneagram type 2 and type 9
You may see those zombies outside and immediately gather your loved ones around you. Community is how you approach and survive impossible situations! I find this is usually the reaction of Type Twos, the most interpersonal type on the Enneagram, or Type Nines, willing to sacrifice anything to sustain connection with others.
Enneagram types 3, 6, and 8
Others leap into action. (Threes, Sixes, and Eights, I’m looking at you) You raid your arsenal of zombie-fighting weapons and prepare for war. Finally, all those rewatches of “I Am Legend” are paying off.
Enneagram type 5
In one workshop I did, every person answered that they would bunker down at the residence of the sole Type Five in their organization. The Five was a technical engineer who smiled shyly at his coworker’s confidence in his ability to protect and survive insane conditions.
Enneagram type 1
Type Ones are usually the individuals who have some follow-up questions for me. Have the zombies breached the front door? Are we utilizing the skills we currently have or can we imagine a different set of skills that might aid in our survival? Where is the rest of my family located? Exactly how much food do we have stored in the pantry?
Enneagram type 7
A rare individual might pose for a selfie with a zombie. (A thrill-seeking Seven, perhaps?) While it may be the last selfie you ever take, it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.
Enneagram type 4
And I inevitably get a Type Four in every group who says, “I give up immediately. The zombies can have me. I wouldn’t survive five minutes.” Hey, I admire the authenticity!
