If Is Your Intent. Then Is Your Impact. Every Enneagram Core Fear, Every Fascination Advantage®

I've been reading (well listening to) Adam Grant's new book, Vibe.

If you're not already on the Adam Grant train, I'm begging you to hop on. Each of his books is such a gift. I could write a whole blog specifically about the depth of his work, and how it's not only affected my work, but how I move through life in general...

I digress... His new book, Vibe.

There's a part where he talks about if-then sequences. If this happens, then I do this. And how those patterns end up shaping the vibe people get from you.

It got me thinking about The Translation Method™ work...

Every leader has one if-then that runs underneath all the others. It's your core fear.

If your core fear gets triggered, then something happens. Every single time.

The if is your intent. The then is your impact.

Your intent is the inside part. Your motivation, your core fear, what's actually driving you. I use the Enneagram for that side.

Your impact is the outside part. How people actually receive you. I use How to Fascinate®, discovered by Sally Hogshead, for that side, because it measures how the world sees you at your best and at your worst. Your Primary Fascination Advantage® is the language you communicate in.

Intent + Impact = Influence. That's The Translation Method™.

Two leaders can have the exact same if... and a completely different then. Same core fear, different language, and the people around them walk away with a completely different experience.

When that fear is running the show, you land in what I call the Compensation Zone. Your core fear starts driving your intent, and you overplay the Fascination Advantages® that usually make you great. From the outside you still look strong. On the inside, something's off.

And your intent doesn't mean a damn thing if the only thing people ever get is the then.

How to use this

Find your Enneagram type. Then find your Primary Fascination Advantage® underneath it. That's your if-then.

The Enneagram is a map, not a stamp. None of this is a verdict on who you are. It's what tends to happen when the fear gets poked and nobody's paying attention to it, including you.

The seven languages, so you have them in one place:

• Innovation... the language of creativity
• Passion... the language of relationship
• Power... the language of confidence
• Prestige... the language of excellence
• Trust... the language of stability
• Mystique... the language of listening
• Alert... the language of details

Enneagram Type 1: when being wrong feels close

Ones are driven to be good and right. To them, the core fear is being wrong, or being at fault. If a mistake, a criticism, or something done "the wrong way" shows up, then...

• Innovation. You rebuild the whole process from scratch so it's finally right. You meant fixing it. They received "everything we did was wrong."
• Passion. The conviction about what's right comes out all over your face and your voice. You meant caring about doing it well. They received a lecture.
• Power. You lay down the rule and close the debate. You meant getting it right. They received "my way, period."
• Prestige. You name every way it falls short of the standard. You meant excellence. They received constant critique.
• Trust. You hold to the established procedure even when it isn't working. You meant doing it properly. They received rigid.
• Mystique. You don't say anything... you just fix it yourself later. You meant not making a scene. They received their work redone without a word.
• Alert. You red-pen everything. You meant catching the errors. They received nitpicked.

Enneagram Type 2: when being unwanted feels close

Twos are driven to be loved and needed. To them, the core fear is being unwanted. If you feel unneeded, unappreciated, or left out, then...

• Innovation. You come up with new ways to help that nobody asked for. You meant support. They received overstepping.
• Passion. You pour on the warmth and attention, and it stings when it doesn't come back. You meant connection. They received pressure to give something back.
• Power. You take over other people's problems. You meant helping. They received "you don't think I can handle this."
• Prestige. You make sure people see how much you did. You meant wanting it to matter. They received keeping score.
• Trust. You become the one everybody leans on and never say no. You meant being dependable. They had no idea you were drowning until you snapped.
• Mystique. You pull back and wait for someone to notice you're gone. You meant protecting yourself. They received distance with no explanation.
• Alert. You track every need in the room before anyone says it out loud. You meant care. They received hovering.

Enneagram Type 3: when failure feels close

Threes are driven to be valuable and successful. To them, the core fear is failure... being seen as not valuable without the win. If failure starts to feel close, then...

• Innovation. You pivot. New idea, new plan, new direction, fast. You meant problem solving. They received whiplash, and they start wondering if anything will ever actually get finished.
• Passion. You turn the energy up. More charm, more rallying, more "we've got this." You meant keeping morale up. They received a pep rally over a problem nobody's allowed to name.
• Power. You take over. Decide faster, push harder, run point on everything. You meant momentum. They received "get out of the way," and the bad news stops coming to you.
• Prestige. You raise the bar. Nothing leaves your desk until it's impressive. You meant quality. They received "never good enough."
• Trust. You go back to what's always worked. The proven playbook, no new risks. You meant protecting the team. They received "we're stuck."
• Mystique. You go silent and don't come back until you have a win to show. You meant thinking it through. They received cold, and nobody knows where they stand.
• Alert. You tighten everything. More check-ins, more reviews, more control. You meant preventing the mistake. They received "you don't trust me."

Enneagram Type 4: when being ordinary feels close

Fours are driven to be significant and truly seen. To them, the core fear is being ordinary... having no real identity or meaning. If they feel unseen, misunderstood, or like just another person in the room, then...

• Innovation. You take the idea further out so it couldn't possibly be anyone else's. You meant originality. They received hard to follow.
• Passion. The feelings get big, and the room has to deal with them. You meant honesty. They received a meeting that became about your mood.
• Power. You dig in on your vision and won't compromise any of it. You meant protecting what makes it matter. They received difficult.
• Prestige. Your taste gets sharper and the obvious answer gets dismissed. You meant depth. They received elitist, and they feel basic.
• Trust. You retreat to the few people who "get you." You meant safety. They received a clique.
• Mystique. You withdraw and wait to be understood. You meant protecting something that matters to you. They received moody and unreadable.
• Alert. You fixate on the one thing that's off. You meant getting it meaningful. They received never satisfied.

Enneagram Type 5: when being incapable feels close

Fives are driven to be capable and competent. To them, the core fear is being incapable, or being drained of what they need. If you're out of your depth, or the demands start piling up, then...

• Innovation. You disappear and build a new model, alone. You meant solving it. They received you vanishing into your head.
• Passion. You get intense about the topic and download everything you know. You meant sharing what's useful. They received a lecture.
• Power. You shut the discussion down with an expert call. You meant competence. They received condescending.
• Prestige. You make it very clear who knows more. You meant accuracy. They received arrogance.
• Trust. You stick to what you already know cold. You meant staying competent. They received closed to new ideas.
• Mystique. You go dark and ration your time and energy. You meant conserving what you have. They received unavailable.
• Alert. Nothing moves until you have more data. You meant being prepared. They received analysis paralysis.

Enneagram Type 6: when losing support feels close

Sixes are driven to be safe and supported. To them, the core fear is being without support or guidance. If uncertainty shows up, or trust in leadership cracks, then...

• Innovation. You run every worst-case scenario and build a plan for each one. You meant being prepared. They received "the sky is falling."
• Passion. The worry comes out loud. You meant being honest about the risk. They received alarm, and now they're worried too.
• Power. You push back hard and test everyone. You meant protecting the team. They received combative.
• Prestige. You need proof it's good enough before you'll commit. You meant due diligence. They received doubt in their work.
• Trust. You hold on to the people and the process you know and won't move. You meant loyalty. They received stuck.
• Mystique. You keep your doubts to yourself and watch who to trust. You meant being careful. They received guarded.
• Alert. You ask the fourteenth question about what could go wrong. You meant protecting everyone. They received "you don't believe in this."

Enneagram Type 7: when being trapped feels close

Sevens are driven to be free and satisfied. To them, the core fear is being trapped in pain, or missing out. If things get heavy, boring, or boxed in, then...

• Innovation. You jump to the next new thing. You meant possibility. They received a trail of unfinished projects.
• Passion. You make it fun and spin it positive. You meant keeping spirits up. They received not taking it seriously.
• Power. You force a fast decision to get out of the hard part. You meant momentum. They received bulldozed.
• Prestige. You sell the vision bigger than it actually is. You meant ambition. They received overpromising.
• Trust. You keep things comfortable and skip the hard conversation. You meant keeping it easy. They received avoidance.
• Mystique. You change the subject or slip out of the hard thing without saying so. You meant giving yourself room. They received checked out.
• Alert. You keep every option open and plan around all of them. You meant flexibility. They received never committing.

Enneagram Type 8: when being controlled feels close

Eights are driven to be strong and in charge of their own lives. To them, the core fear is being controlled, or being vulnerable. If someone tries to box you in or you feel exposed, then...

• Innovation. You break the rules and go do it your own way. You meant freedom to solve it. They received a rogue.
• Passion. The intensity goes all the way up. You meant honesty. They received anger.
• Power. You go to war. You meant protecting your people. They received intimidating.
• Prestige. You make sure everybody knows who's in charge. You meant respect. They received dominance.
• Trust. You protect your inner circle and shut everyone else out. You meant loyalty. They received us vs. them.
• Mystique. You go cold and keep your cards hidden. You meant not showing weakness. They received unapproachable.
• Alert. You watch for who's undermining you. You meant staying ready. They received distrust.

Enneagram Type 9: when conflict feels close

Nines are driven to keep peace and connection. To them, the core fear is conflict, and the disconnection that comes with it. If tension shows up in the room, then...

• Innovation. You come up with a whole new option so nobody has to lose. You meant middle ground. They received dodging the decision.
• Passion. You smooth it over with warmth and "we're all good." You meant harmony. They received the real issue going unsaid.
• Power. You go along with it... until you dig in later with a flat no. You meant keeping the peace. They received a wall they never saw coming.
• Prestige. You let the quality of the work do the talking instead of having the conversation. You meant keeping the bar without a fight. They never got the feedback.
• Trust. You keep everything the same so nothing rocks the boat. You meant stability. They received complacency.
• Mystique. You keep what you actually think to yourself and go along. You meant not stirring things up. They received no opinion.
• Alert. You get busy with the small tasks so you don't have to face the big one. You meant being productive. They received avoiding the real issue.

So... what's your if-then?

You don't have to change who you are to fix any of this. You have everything you need already inside you, you just have to learn how to operate it. And that starts with seeing your own if-then before it runs.

Try this this week. Finish the sentence... "If ___ happens, then I ___." Then ask someone you trust what your then looks like from their side of the table.

What's your if? And do you actually know what your then looks like to the people in the room with you?

Cheers to Success!
Hillarie Kay

P.S. If you want to start to be able to observe your, "if...then" real time, that's what my free Intent + Impact Observation Guide is for. Page one asks you for two things, your core motivation and your core fear. Download it here.

Quick answers

What is the core fear of each Enneagram type?

One... being wrong or at fault. Two... being unwanted. Three... failure, being seen as not valuable without the win. Four... being ordinary, with no real identity or meaning. Five... being incapable, or drained of what they need. Six... being without support or guidance. Seven... being trapped in pain, or missing out. Eight... being controlled, or being vulnerable. Nine... conflict, and the disconnection that comes with it.

What is the Enneagram Type 3 core fear?

To a Three, the core fear is failure... being seen as not valuable without the win. When failure starts to feel close, what happens next depends on how that Three communicates, which is their Primary Fascination Advantage®. An Innovation Three pivots. A Power Three takes over. A Mystique Three goes silent until they have a win to show.

What's the difference between intent and impact?

Your intent is the inside part. Your motivation, your core fear, what's actually driving you. Your impact is the outside part, how people actually receive you. The if is your intent. The then is your impact. Intent + Impact = Influence.

What is the Compensation Zone?

It's what happens when your core fear starts driving your intent, and you overplay the Fascination Advantages® that usually make you great. From the outside you still look strong. On the inside, something's off.