Strategic Leadership and Personality Frameworks
In a discussion featured on the CNBC Changemakers podcast on November 8, 2026, venture capitalist and professional sports owner Kara Nortman detailed how she utilizes the Enneagram personality assessment to refine team dynamics and inform her strategic decision-making. Nortman, a co-founder of the NWSL’s Angel City Football Club and the investment firm Monarch Collective, emphasized that moving beyond standard corporate assessment tools toward a framework focused on core motivations has been instrumental in her career pivot into sports ownership.
Nortman’s professional trajectory shifted significantly after attending the 2015 Women’s World Cup Final in Vancouver, where she identified a stark lack of commercial infrastructure and visibility for women’s sports. That observation led her to advise the U.S. women’s national team players’ union and ultimately co-found Angel City FC, which has since become one of the most valuable women’s football clubs globally. According to CNBC, Nortman credits the Enneagram as a “huge unlock” that allowed her to understand her own motivations—identifying as a Type Seven—and to better navigate the diverse personalities required to build successful organizations.
Building Teams Through Targeted Communication
The Enneagram, which categorizes individuals into nine personality types based on core drives, has become a cornerstone of Nortman’s leadership style at both the club and investment firm levels. She reported using the system with her co-founders at Angel City FC, Natalie Portman and Julie Uhrman, to facilitate better communication and decision-making. Similarly, upon launching Monarch Collective alongside Jasmine Robinson, the team incorporated the framework to profile new hires and manage internal team dynamics.
Nortman argues that the utility of the system lies not in labeling individuals, but in recognizing how different core motivations—such as a drive for creativity versus a focus on safety or rules—interact within a high-stakes environment. She noted that understanding her husband’s personality as a Type Six, which she describes as being motivated by a focus on potential risks, has improved her empathy and clarity in both her personal life and business leadership. This approach encourages leaders to stop trying to be proficient in every area and instead focus on how to contribute effectively as part of a collective.
Scientific Context and Industry Adoption
While the Enneagram has gained traction among high-profile business leaders, its use remains subject to scientific debate. A 2021 systematic review published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology evaluated 104 independent samples and reported mixed evidence regarding the system’s reliability and validity. Despite these criticisms, several leaders in the technology and venture capital sectors have publicly adopted the tool. Dropbox co-founder Drew Houston and Shopify CEO Tobi Lütke have both cited the Enneagram as a valuable resource for fostering team cohesion and identifying individual strengths and blind spots within their respective organizations.