the birkman method: your personality at work

The reality of life is that your perceptionsright or wronginfluence everything else you do. When you get a proper perspective of your perceptions, you may be surprised how many other things fall into place. So said Dr. Roger W. Birkman, a pioneer in the field of workplace psychology, as he began to craft in the 1950s what has become one of the most sophisticated measures of employees motivational needs and core interests. The Birkman Method today is the only assessment tool that reaches beyond mere self described behavior and situational analysis to reveal the underlying incentives that drive and inspire a person. The evaluation begins with a personality-assessment test that gives a richly layered profile of an individuals interests and needs. But it then goes further, to highlight such aspects as a persons relationship with authority, response to incentives, and ability to deal with change. Just as important, it flags triggers for stress that can derail otherwise competent professionals. Ultimately, like putting together the pieces of an intricate puzzle, it fits all those aspects into a broad context of how the person sees the world. So profound is its individual profile that those who have repeated the Birkman test even decades apart get near-identical results. If similar approaches offer snapshots of employee types, the Birkman unravels the DNA of workplace satisfaction and accomplishment. And like DNA assessments, its strength is in its 3 million-person database that allows a substantial comparative analysis. The Birkman Method can be used in many stages of a persons working life. It can help a person launch a new career by pointing to possible work paths. Once on the job, it offers invaluable insight on how to reduce conflict and improve job relationships. When the Birkman is used widely in a single workplace, employees at all levels find they have a useful way of seeing how their own needs and interests fit with those of their colleagues. It helps solve some perplexing work problems that employers and employees face, such as the staffer who asks, I like my job and my colleagues, so why do I feel people pulling away from me? Or, I feel at the top of my game, but do I have what it takes to be a good leader? For an employer or manager, it can answer why a worker with a solid history of achievement suddenly seems out of sorts, or why a well-crafted team of talent cant seem to get along and get the job done. The result is a handbook to more-inspiring leadership, better team harmony, and higher individual achievement. Birkman will offer a free online assessment with the book to give readers immediate personal results. The Birkman starts with a broad framework of your preferred work style represented by four colors: Red (implementer), Blue (designer), Green (communicator), and Yellow (analyzer). It then adds layers of understanding with a plain-English report that represents a basic analysis of a complex set of components.

• No of Pages: 120
• Category: Business
• Year Published: 2013