Lee originally studied the Enneagram  with Riso and Hudson. Subsequently she studied with Naranjo, Chestnut and Lapid-Bogda. She completed her doctoral thesis on the Enneagram and workplace conflict resolution and published ‘What’s your Tribe’ – the Enneagram at work and play. She published ‘What’s Your Tribe’ – an Enneagram guide to human types at work and play. (www.jutaacademic.co.za)

She has taught many groups about the Enneagram and favours a narrative or story telling approach. Knowledge of personality type gives people a model of understanding their own behavior, motivations and insight into their automatic reactions to certain situations and people. Lee is accredited to teach the Enneagram to individuals, teams, groups and entire organisations.

When this understanding is utilized in a non-manipulative way, it can lead to people reflecting on their behavior in a non-critical manner. It is an automatic response for people to employ the ‘inner-critic’ to find fault with their own behavior or alternatively, to adopt a blaming attitude in finding fault with others. They end up feeling guilty, angry or despondent and decide to do nothing more about the situation until they experience another conflict situation. Alternatively they blame their past, parents, teachers, friends, colleagues or bosses for their dissatisfaction and for not dealing with their conflict. This cycle continues for most people unless they wake up to the knowledge that they have the personal choice of changing their situation.

Knowing that there is a whole ‘tribe’ of people in the world with the same Enneagram type, can be reassuring in forgiving self and others for people’s sometime dysfunctional behavior. Recognizing personality traits of a type leads to people wanting to know how they can grow and change. Taking personal responsibility for growth is the first step in bringing about sustained change. The second step is asking for support and further knowledge, and it is in this way that Lee can play a vital role in furthering a climate of EQ development, improving productivity and enhancing the wellbeing of systems and organisations.