The Enneagram has profound effects on people. It is most effective when we allow others to discover their type, rather than assuming that we know them better than they know themselves. Be sensitive to their reactions, their changing picture of themselves, and their need to integrate new information. Type does not fully describe an individual. The Enneagram does not tell us about a person's history or anything meaningful about the quality of their character, their intelligence, or their talents.
People are more than their type.
This is particularly important to remember in the workplace. The Enneagram is an important tool for compassion. In seeing the intentions and logic of other types, it becomes less likely that we will dismiss, judge, or demean each other. Stereotyping indicates closed-mindedness, an assumption that we already know about a person's attitude and motivation. Stereotyping arises largely because of past negative encounters with someone of the same type, and it limits growth and opportunities in the present.