Our Philosophy
A Question That Crosses East and West
We believe everyone deserves to be understood in full.
As human beings, we are constantly driven to understand our true identity and purpose in life. The quest for self-discovery leads us to a more fulfilling existence, and one way we pursue this understanding is through personality assessments. Traditional personality assessments often confine individuals to rigid categories, leaving us to question whether these labels truly define who we are.
Western psychology has tended to prize consistency: to be genuine, the argument goes, you should look much the same wherever you are. In many Asian cultures, adapting to the situation is closer to a virtue. We learn early to be modest with elders, warm with friends, decisive with colleagues, and reflective when alone.
So which of these is the real you? And if you are not consistent, does that mean you are not being honest with yourself?
Over the past few decades, psychologists have produced a substantial body of research showing that personality is dynamic and adaptable. Our own work with organisations has pointed the same way: people have many facets. So we set out to build an assessment that explores the dominant traits people draw on to navigate different situations in life.
In years of consulting and psychological practice, the same question kept coming back to us. The same person can be a decisive leader in the boardroom and a gentle listener at home; open and talkative with friends, and deeply reflective alone. These differences are often read as inconsistency, or as a lack of sincerity. What we see far more often is a single set of core values and needs, responding differently to different relationships and roles.
The Multi-Situational Enneagram Test is not simply a personality test. M.S.E.T. is the starting point for a deeper journey of self-exploration.
Sociable in company, reflective alone
Extroverts need quiet too, and reflective people can be excellent company. When do you need to recharge, and when do you need connection?
Forceful in meetings, sensitive in private
These are not two personalities. It is the same strength, directed at different things.
High standards, frequent self-doubt
Wanting to do better can come from a sense of responsibility. It can also come from a fear of not being good enough.
Holistic Leadership for This Generation
Authentic leadership: adjusting from the inside out, rather than changing to fit in.
Self-awareness
Staying alert to yourself
and adjusting as conditions change.
Diversity and Inclusion
Starting from an integrated sense of self,
and opening up how we talk and give feedback.
The Research Team
Paul Chan
Founder, Creative Coach
MSc Human Resource Management, Baruch College, CUNY
Certified Enneagram teacher, T.E.I.
Yi-Cheng Lin
High-Performance Coach
PhD in Psychology, University of Rochester
Associate Professor of Psychology, National Taiwan University
Eva Yu
General Manager, SE Consulting
Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine
PhD in Psychology
Jacquelin Cheung
General Manager, Insight Unlimited
MSc Organisational Development, University of Leicester
Certified Enneagram teacher, T.E.I.
Books by the Research Team
Six titles on the Enneagram, published in Traditional Chinese.
我的第一本九型人格
Two-volume set, with The 99 Essentials of the Enneagram
九型人格人生整理術
PLUS 親子加分學
Understanding your child through the Enneagram
九型人格奇遇記 I
九型人格奇遇記 II
