Leadership change is usually described in practical terms. New habits. Better communication. Stronger accountability. Clearer priorities. All of those things are useful. None of them, on their own, are sufficient.

Most executive teams do not struggle because they lack talent. They struggle because the same patterns keep running the room.

A lot of people misunderstand the Enneagram. They assume it is a personality label: a neat description that boxes people

Most leaders say they value honesty. Far fewer are genuinely available for it. That is not a character flaw. It’s a structural problem. Real honesty is uncomfortable. It threatens the image you’ve built, the control you’re working to maintain, and the protection your personality has spent years constructing.

Most senior leaders do not have a capability problem. They are smart, experienced, tested under pressure. They know how to make decisions and carry responsibility. Many have built careers that would stop most people in their tracks. And yet, something is stuck.

Let me share a statistic that should stop every leader in their tracks: 90% of top performers are high in emotional intelligence. 80% of poor performers are low in it.

Every year, thousands of leaders attend conferences, workshops, and coaching programs. They take notes. They nod. They tell themselves things will be different.

Your personality developed to keep you safe — but the patterns that once protected you are now quietly limiting your leadership. Three questions to uncover what’s really running the show.

The successful life is often a marathon for many with its destination promising happiness and fulfilment. Executive coach Andrew Hughes