Hey there, strengths-based leader! Let’s talk about collaboration—not the ho-hum, “Can you hear me now?” version, but the kind that sparks breakthroughs and leaves a lasting impact on people and organizations.

If you’re reading this, you’re probably already leaning into the idea of leading with collaboration in mind. But what if I told you there’s a universal framework—yes, universal—that consistently shines through, whether you’re building teams in the bustling heart of Silicon Valley or on stage in Guangzhou, China?

Let’s rewind for a moment to one of my favorite collaborations. Picture this: me, Helen Palmer, and Peter O’Hanrahan at the International Enneagram Conference in Guangzhou. People from every corner of the Chinese-speaking world flew in, hungry to dive into the nine points of potential. They weren’t just spectators; they became participants. Panel after panel, individuals of different ages, sexes, nationalities, and backgrounds courageously stepped onto the stage, expres...

Over the past two decades, I’ve distilled insights from thousands of individuals to create what I call The New Enneagram Test—a revolutionary tool for unlocking your unique strengths. As a leader of high-performing teams, I’ve witnessed firsthand the challenges faced by professionals balancing demanding careers, community commitments, and family responsibilities. While working full-time in corporate America, I’ve put The New Enneagram Test to the ultimate test across the globe—at organizations like Google, Fiserv, Blue Shield of California, and Great Place to Work, and in diverse cultural settings from Japan to Korea to China.

This isn’t just another enneagram test. My diagnostic pinpoints strengths with unprecedented precision, addressing the needs of time-starved professionals navigating our fast-paced, interconnected world. Dr. David Daniels, a preeminent authority on the 1990s-era enneagram, called my approach “groundbreaking.” It’s a bold evolution in the field, offering fresh in...

The countdown to New Year's is perfect for reflecting and resetting. Like the many professionals I’ve spoken with, you might unknowingly get off course from your sense of purpose and direction. While interviewing hundreds of people for the patent-pending diagnostic in my upcoming book (out August 12, 2025), I uncovered surprising insights that could spark your best year yet! I observed a universality of pain points that you share across gender, age and industry segments. The two pain points which stood out above the rest were about:

• time scarcity &
• interferences to your sense of direction.

Here’s a summary of how so many of you feel challenged by the obstacles and distractions clouding your sense of direction and purpose in life. You either want more clarity around your sense of purpose, or you know exactly what it is, yet cannot seem to line up your life to make satisfactory progress. Most of you have a general idea that you want a fulfilling life, but it’s challenging to chart...

These days leading up to New Year’s Eve are ideal for reflecting on the past year before setting intentions for the next. Most likely you are like the many professionals I have spoken to who were unintentionally holding themselves back last year. As I interviewed hundreds of you for my upcoming book (publication date August 12, 2025), I stumbled upon eye-opening discoveries:

• The unexpected universality of pain points you share across gender, age and industry segments
• The two pain points which stood out above the rest were about
  • time scarcity &
  • interferences to your sense of direction.

Time scarcity

Whether focused on a shortage of time during each day or week or feeling as though you are falling behind in the long term, the majority of you perceive that you suffer from a scarcity of time. The majority of you say “I have a lot going on right now,” as though this is unique or as though this is a passing phase. I’ll share more with you in the coming days, but to start let’...

Ever feel like you're trapped in a never-ending game of Whac-A-Mole, but instead of moles, it's unread emails, bedtime stories that turn into snooze-fests, and the alarming realization that your parents are aging faster than your iPhone updates? And let's not even start on the job descriptions that seem to morph overnight thanks to our good friend, AI. It's like living in a chaotic blender where you're the smoothie. Feeling lost yet? You’re not alone.

In this whirlwind of modern life, reclaiming your life purpose isn't just a nice idea—it's essential. My journey led me to the mindfulness framework of the enneagram. This ancient tool has done wonders for me, my colleagues, and countless others in finding clarity, stability, and growth. And no, it’s not just about putting people into nine neat little boxes. It’s about understanding how we can all fit together to make this crazy puzzle called life work.

Unveiling the New Enneagram Test: a Modern Twist

My dive into the enneagram bega...

If you’re like me, you have these two big obstacles you need to “power through” first, before you can go all-in on your personal vision.

Time and money.

In my last video blog, I was talking about how you are already a high-achieving person but you know right now that you’re still underbeing.  

Others consider you successful but, based on your standards for yourself, you have a bigger dream in your mind that you haven’t materialized—-yet. 

In today’s video I explain a simple way to make your very real time & money obstacles go poof.

First let’s first talk about time

An immediate “time obstacle” is in the form of some big thing you need to get through “first, before you can get started” on your bigger personal vision. The time obstacle you are dealing with is a real thing. And it’s an important thing. It’s almost, or just as important as, your bigger vision.

For example, you could be getting ready to sell your house, so you have real tasks and deadlines to focus on getting the hou...

Perhaps you keep thinking about taking intentional steps towards that thing you’d still love to see manifested in your lifetime.

Maybe you’ve been dabbling with it, on and off, for a while… 

While you usually spend a lot of your time devoted to demands from work, family and other responsibilities…

…even though you’ve achieved excellence in your life, on some level you know you are still under-being. 

But you just don’t feel ready yet to go for it. 

Somehow, it never feels like quite the right time.

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. This is exactly how I felt too.

So I wanted to talk about this idea of ‘feeling ready’ in today’s blog post.

 [On a separate note, if you know coaches or HR professionals, please show them our certification program.]

Not feeling ready is normal

Taking a bold step towards that thing you’ve been wanting requires you to do something new and to step outside your comfort zone—so your ego will naturally hate that idea.

It likes certainty and f...

You have already achieved a lot in your life, and yet, in your heart of hearts, you know you are still underbeing.

The reason you know you are still underbeing is that you have an idea or long-term vision you have been thinking about for a while. This idea is something that would make you feel incredibly fulfilled, and if you don’t do this in your lifetime, you will feel a bit of regret.

The problem right now is that you’re truly busy with your current job, your family, and some big projects, so you can’t focus 100% on your dream yet. You’re momentarily tapped out.

It’s not too late, but…

It’s not too late for you to make this long term vision a reality, but in a few years, it will be too late.

In today’s video I explain that there is a simple solution to this conundrum.

You are in this situation for a real reason–getting from point A to point B for your vision is hard. 

However, you are wasting more time and energy than you realize on efforts that are not further...

Every year I ask founding members, advisors and panelists for Strengths in Numbers to share a selfie—or a fun photo loving life this year.

These photos always inspire me and underline how much bigger and better life gets when we focus on our strengths. 

This year’s collection is no exception.

There’s a story behind every photo—and I hope these highlights capture even a fraction of how people are contributing their greatest talents in life and building life-affirming organizations.

Our highlights include that:

She got certified in scuba diving.

He doubled his income in one year.

He submitted a patent for his invention—his intellectual property.

She got published for the first time.

She took her whole family to Paris.

He rolled out digital transformation and design thinking for the whole enterprise.

She got paid thousands to speak on the big keynote stage for LinkedIn.

He finally found the exact business partner he had always hoped for.

She found the love of her life and the...

Focusing only on my strengths seemed restrictive to me before I interviewed dozens of people for The Career Within You.

There was an element of scarcity in my thinking. I was overly concerned about how I might be judged at work if I didn't act like the stereotypical business leader.

It didn’t occur to me that focusing on my strengths might make my world bigger and better… but that’s exactly what happened!

Putting a strengths practice first adds more to your life.

What most people get wrong

It’s natural to assume that positioning yourself in a niche way around your strengths will narrow your leadership opportunities, making your life smaller and your work less profitable. You think you might be valued less because you’re implying to your boss, co-workers or customers that you don't fit into what they want from you. At least, that’s what I used to think.

But since I started practicing what I preach in my book, The Career Within You, I’ve had more fun, more free time, more joy and m...