EnneaQ didn’t come from a lab or a corporate quiz funnel — it came out of my own restless questions about how people grow, lead, and make sense of themselves. I’ve spent years in leadership development and working cross-culturally — so LQ and CQ have always made sense to me. But EQ? That one’s been harder.
For a long time, I honestly thought anger was the only emotion I really felt — maybe classic Type 8, maybe just me avoiding the work of naming what was actually going on inside. Frustration, disappointment, hurt — they all looked the same until I started paying closer attention.
The truth is, I mishandled a lot of personality tests over the years too. I’d check boxes I thought I was supposed to check. I’d shape my answers to fit the story I thought I should be living. One test would say one thing, another something else — and none of it really helped me move forward.
I didn’t need to pretend I didn’t have blind spots — I needed language for them. And once I could name them, I could see how they showed up in real moments — in how I led, reacted, connected, or pulled away. Putting words to the gaps helped me show up more honestly in the world.
So EnneaQ grew out of that tension. I didn’t want a tool that trapped people in a box — I wanted something that invited us to tell the truth in our own words, then look closer at what those words reveal. AI can’t know everything — but it can listen in a new way. And sometimes that’s enough to show us something we’ve been carrying all along.
Wrestling With Self-Doubt
Here’s the honest part: sometimes I still wonder if I’m even supposed to be building something like EnneaQ. I don’t have letters after my name that say “psychologist.” I didn’t come up through research labs or diagnostic manuals.
What I do have is a Master’s in Leadership, a B.A. in Sociology, and years of sitting with students and leaders from all over the world — across cultures, time zones, and tough questions about who they are and how they show up for each other. That training doesn’t make me a clinician — and that’s not what EnneaQ is meant to be. It’s not a psychological tool. It’s a reflection tool. A bridge. A mirror. A way to notice what’s underneath the surface so you can keep growing, leading, and living with more intention.
And let’s be honest — even if I did have a PhD, I’d probably still feel doubt. There’s that old joke that a PhD stands for Permanent Head Damage. Maybe it’s true. Degrees don’t erase imposter syndrome — and they sure don’t wipe away the failures that teach you more than any classroom ever could. I’ve failed as a leader before. I’ve hurt people, made bad calls, learned things the hard way. Maybe that’s why I care so much about not pretending anymore.
I know what it’s like to feel boxed in by personality labels. To bend my answers to fit what I thought I was supposed to be. To pretend I didn’t have blind spots — or worse, to hide them. Putting words to those blind spots has shaped how I lead, how I love, and how I make space for others to grow too.
That’s why I built EnneaQ — not because I have every answer, but because I wanted something better than a box to climb into. Something that helps us live the questions — and grow because of them.
A Real Example
Here’s me, in one of EnneaQ’s real scenarios:
EnneaQ Scenario: Market Mishap
You’re traveling abroad and find yourself in a bustling marketplace filled with vibrant colors, exotic smells, and unfamiliar sounds. As you navigate through the crowd, you accidentally bump into someone and knock over their bag of groceries. The person reacts with visible anger, speaking rapidly in a language you don’t understand. How do you respond?
My honest answer?
“I would initially go into fight mode, wanting to stand my ground. I’d be angry they’re acting like that. I’d probably give the person a non-verbal cue that I disapprove of their reaction, but I’d still offer to fix it. If they didn’t understand English, I’d break out a translator app to try and diffuse it.”
Here’s what EnneaQ’s reflection surfaced — no multiple-choice guessing, just real insight drawn from my actual words:
Your Personality in Action: Market Mishap
In this situation, my reaction blended core Type 8 traits (Protector) with a bit of Type 7 (Explorer). The result shows how my OCEAN traits show up, too — not just in theory, but under real pressure.
Your Strengths
- Confidence and Decisiveness (Type 8 + Low Neuroticism): My first instinct was to “stand my ground.” That’s classic Protector energy — a drive to hold my space and push back when something feels unfair.
- Problem-Solving and Adaptability (Type 7 + Openness): But there’s also the side of me that won’t just dig in my heels. I wanted to “break out a translator app” — finding a solution to keep things from escalating. That’s the Explorer part of me that likes to figure things out in the moment.
- Cultural Sensitivity (Moderate Agreeableness): Even when I’m annoyed, I do want resolution. Offering to “rectify the situation somehow” shows that even in conflict, there’s a thread of wanting to be fair and keep the peace where I can.
Opportunities for Growth
- Managing Initial Reactions (Type 8 + EQ): That first “fight mode” response can shut people down. Learning to pause, read the moment, and respond with a bit more curiosity than combativeness is still a work in progress for me.
- Deepening Cultural Intelligence (Type 7 + CQ): Using a translator app is a good start — but real CQ means understanding cultural norms, reading non-verbal cues, and staying calm enough to listen well when words fail.
- Balancing Assertiveness with Empathy (Agreeableness + EQ): I’m naturally assertive, but the next step is pairing that strength with empathy — so the person across from me feels heard, not just handled.
What This Means for Me
Why the Enneagram Matters: My dominant Type 8 shows up loud and clear: protect what’s fair, hold the line, don’t get pushed around. But that hint of Type 7 shows I also look for creative ways to solve a problem — even in the middle of frustration.
How OCEAN Enhances the Picture: My Openness helps me stay flexible. My low Neuroticism helps me stay steady under pressure. My moderate Agreeableness reminds me that I care about the other person’s dignity, too — not just my own.
That’s what I mean when I say EnneaQ is a mirror that listens deeper. It caught my patterns and blind spots — but more than that, it gave me language for what to keep building on.
More Than a Test
EnneaQ isn’t about labeling you. It’s about helping you see what’s really happening under the surface — where your strengths, blind spots, and motivations meet the real world. It’s why we use your own words, not someone else’s multiple-choice options.
If you’re anything like me, you want a mirror that tells the truth. A mirror that listens deeply enough to show you how your Leadership Quotient (LQ), Emotional Quotient (EQ), and Cultural Quotient (CQ) are all woven together.
That’s why I built EnneaQ. And if you’re curious, I hope you’ll try it too.
Ready to see yourself more clearly?
