Diversity + Conflict = Maximimum Growth

Sabrina Lakhani

Welcome week. Done. Really well done.

It’s Sunday night and nearly 2am. I have class in six hours, but I have an urge to sit here in silence and write.

It feels like a month has gone by. Flipping through my notes from a week ago compels me to check the date again. Yep, it’s only been a week. I don’t know how I learned so much in such few days.  And yet, the most profound learning is quite simple:

Conflict is the sign of life.

Conflict can be internal or interpersonal. Conflict means there are two or more differing perspectives, preferences, and possibilities. And by the way, the two or more forces that create conflict also give rise to all the beautiful diversity we see in the world.

Conflict in itself is not bad; it’s how we learned to deal with conflict that needs to be revisited and reprogrammed.

This is where INSEAD’s Study Groups come in. For the next four months, I will spend most of my time with a group of five people – we will take the same classes, sit next to each other in every class, and work on every assignment together. INSEAD’s Study Groups are created to maximize diversity and thus, by nature, are designed to result in maximum conflict and growth. Sounds like fun, doesn’t it? :)

Since INSEAD is so data-driven, here are some stats to demonstrate the calibre of my Study Group:

  • We collectively represent 22 countries (shown below)
  • We collectively have travelled to 38 countries
  • We collectively speak 13 languages
  • We collectively held 15 jobs across nine industry sectors
  • We collectively bring 40 years of work experience

It’s been less than two weeks since we met, but I already feel comfortable enough to share who I really am. I am a systems thinker and a cultural creative. I observe patterns and I connect the dots.

About four years ago, my deep interest in psychology, human behaviour and personal identity led me to create the shortest, most accurate personality quiz for the Personality Enneagram system. It consists of only two questions and requires 5-10 minutes to complete. You can try it out by clicking here.

I’ve mapped the personality quiz results for the six people in my Study Group below. As you can see, I’m a 4w5 ("four-wing-five"), and therefore, I sit on the cusp of heart and mind. There’s much more to the Personality Enneagram system than I have presented here, and perhaps I’ll cover other aspects of it in the next blog post.

Personality Enneagram Map for My Study Group

 

Overall, the Personality Enneagram presents a roadmap towards self-actualization. There are nine levels of development, as shown below:

The Personality Enneagram type is not meant to define us, but rather, make us aware of the key triggers and barriers on the path towards self-actualization. Therefore, the greatest value in using this personality system isn’t to affirm our personality types, but rather, to use what we know to break out of patterns that do not serve our highest purpose.

Now how can we do that? It’s simple...

By familiarizing ourselves with the Enneagram Personality system and knowing the set of patterned thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors that our own personality type experiences at each level of development, we can assess our current levels of development, chart specific goals, and most importantly, prevent falling into major pitfalls.

Developing self-awareness is the key to managing our inner worlds. It prevents us from falling prey to our own limiting thought patterns and simultaneously gives us an opportunity to reprogram our minds. Learning how to change our thought patterns requires a great deal of effort and practice, but it is essential for effectively working with a group of diverse people and creating a better world together. And what better place to learn how to do that than INSEAD?

Cheers to starting the best year of our lives.