One of my part time jobs in college was modeling for a fashion boutique in a popular restaurant for the business lunch crowd. I was the first one there most of the time and I’d excitedly pick the newest outfits to wear, displaying and selling to the diners. One day, another model came early and challenged me to let her have a chance to wear the latest fashion outfit. She was not happy with me and let me know! I was in my assertive energy flow, and it never entered my mind how the other person might feel always getting the leftovers.

Energy that is active is assertive — it gets things done and goes after what it wants. It is the energy of forward movement, implementation and getting results. Goals without action are just wishes, but active energy pushes them to fruition.

Assertive energy is goal-oriented. This energy is often moving against others to get what it wants, sometimes creating conflicts or stepping on other’s toes. It’s easy to recognize when someone does this to you, but harder to recognize in yourself.

The Enneagram system of personality delineates three kinds of movements: Active/Asserting, Receptive/Withdrawing and Reconciling/Balancing. The three create an energy dance that brings things into form and manifests your world.

There are three Enneagram types that use asserting energy to go after what they want. These types have been given names that underscore their active nature:

Type 3 is named Achiever because these types go after goals and are efficient and results driven, often ignoring their feelings of sadness or distress to get the results they are after.

Type 7 (which is my Enneagram type) is often referred to as the Adventurer, a freedom seeker going after new experiences and fulfilling desires with zeal, staying ahead of any painful feelings.

Type 8 has been called Command because people who lead with this strategy are very direct in demanding what they want and can get big projects done, while denying feelings of vulnerability.

Curious about what is your enneagram type and how it influences your leadership style? Reach out to me.

Asserting energy is powerful. These types are often in Leadership positions. However, when this energy takes over and becomes imbalanced, overriding the other two energies — Balancing and Receptive — people, including themselves, are forgotten or simply used in service of the goal, experience or project. That can make the achievement of what they are after feel empty or unsatisfying.

Coming into harmony by balancing with receptive energy, pausing and breathing deeply, slowly stretching the body allows feelings to surface and helps your system recalibrate and find balance in a more human approach and pace.

Personality types with a receptive or balancing energy sometimes have difficulty getting into action or focusing their actions. Consciously bringing forth active energy with vigorous exercise or completing a mundane task gets the momentum going. We need all three types of energy to live a truly fulfilling life.

Reach out to me for a conversation about how to lean into your authentic leadership style.