
Growth mindset: why and how big businesses like Spotify and Dropbox are using the Enneagram
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A growth mindset isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s the secret weapon that fuels success, innovation, and resilience. And more and more companies, including the likes of Spotify and Dropbox, understand that true growth goes beyond improving profits. It’s about fostering the emotional and psychological development of teams, empowering them to continuously evolve, adapt, and thrive. This is where the Enneagram, a transformative tool for self-awareness and personal growth, comes into play. By integrating the Enneagram into their cultures, these companies are reshaping how they approach growth—both at the individual and organisational level.
The recipe for innovative leadership
Spotify, renowned for its forward-thinking culture, uses the Enneagram as a cornerstone of its personal and professional development initiatives. The Enneagram helps Spotify’s employees uncover their core motivations, emotional triggers, and potential blind spots. With this deeper understanding, teams are able to work together more harmoniously, with clearer communication and stronger collaboration. The result? A more empathetic leadership style that encourages innovation, resilience, and open-mindedness—the key traits of a growth mindset. By identifying and embracing the unique drivers of each team member, Spotify equips its people to face challenges with greater curiosity and adaptability, which in turn fuels the company's long-term growth.
Dropbox has taken a similar approach, using the Enneagram to support its culture of continuous learning and development. For Dropbox, the Enneagram isn’t just a tool for improving individual performance; it’s a framework for building stronger teams. By gaining insights into each individual’s strengths, weaknesses, and emotional patterns, Dropbox fosters a deeper sense of trust and psychological safety. This creates an environment where collaboration thrives and innovation flourishes. Employees are encouraged to lean into their differences, respect diverse perspectives, and communicate more effectively—leading to greater problem-solving abilities and a more engaged workforce. As a result, Dropbox has cultivated a culture that not only values personal growth but also recognises that collective growth is the true driver of success.
The heart of a Growth Mindset
So, how does the Enneagram directly contribute to a growth mindset? At its heart, the Enneagram is a wonderful tool for self-reflection and personal development. It provides individuals with a roadmap to understand their core fears, desires, and motivations, allowing them to identify their habitual patterns and emotional triggers. In the workplace, this kind of self-awareness fosters emotional intelligence, adaptability, and resilience—all essential components of a growth mindset. As team members learn to navigate their own internal landscapes, they become more adept at managing challenges, bouncing back from setbacks, and embracing change.
In addition, the Enneagram promotes empathy and understanding among team members, enabling them to work together more effectively. It creates an environment where feedback is not only welcomed but embraced, and where learning from mistakes is seen as an opportunity for growth. These elements combine to form a culture of continuous improvement, where both individuals and teams are motivated to grow, not just as professionals, but as people.
By integrating the Enneagram into their company cultures, Spotify and Dropbox are leading the charge in creating workplaces that are not only productive but also profoundly human. They understand that true success stems from empowering people to grow—mentally, emotionally, and spiritually—and that’s what sets them apart as industry leaders.