The Birkman Method serves as:• An assessment tool that measures motivation and

outward behavior• Non-judgmental profile of interests, behaviors,

motivational needs, and reactions under stress• Predictive summary of how individuals and work-units

approach communication, conflict, and decision-making• Your targeted objective is to identify your “effective or

productive” behaviors, your needs or motivations, and your unproductive behaviors

• Leadership effectiveness is rooted in FLEXIBILITY – your path lies in “RANGE” NOT “CHANGE”.

Architect of the Birkman Method

• Developed in 1952 by Dr. Roger Birkman• WWII fighter pilot who observed that

individuals experiencing similar situations have different perceptions

• Continued his research after the War as an Industrial Psychologist

• Pioneered use of computer methods to identify differences within self and between others

Background

• Birkman taken by over 2 million people • Used by more than 75% of Fortune 500• Comparative business/industrial database of

leaders from various countries around the world• Validated by the US National Science Foundation– Valid across corporate functions and cultures

• Measures self + social perceptions + motivations• Creates common language about leadership and

communication styles

2 Basic Premises

1. There is no such thing as normal behavior

2. There is no logical connection between the way we act and the way we need or want to be treated

Platinum Rule: “do unto others as …”

How Birkman uses these premises:Behavioral Relationships

NEEDS

STRESS

If

Met

If Not

Met

• Observable

• Learned

•Effective and productive

• Underlying or hidden

expectations and motivations

• Difficult to change – core

strengths

•Counter productive, frustrated,

reactive behavior

•Least effective, least economic

behavior

USUAL

INTERESTS•The way you like to getwork done•Motivates you to have yourneeds met

Why does it work?

• The intensity is measured numerically using two 1-99 scales– 1 for usual behavior– 1 for needs and stress

1-39 Low 40-60 Mid 61-99 High

Intense Intense1 40 60 99

The Birkman dimensions to Performance:

1) ORGANIZATIONAL FOCUS

2) USUAL BEHAVIOR

3) STRESS BEHAVIOR

4) MOTIVATIONAL NEEDS

5) INTERESTS

Organizational Focus (Foundation ColorsSM)

A persons …

- natural approach to work - natural approach to problem solving- means of engaging and influencing others- dominant perceptual filter or viewpoint

The Foundation Colors are designed to be

• Design/Strategy• Sales/Marketing• Operations/Technology• Administration/Fiscal

Leadership Style Grid

IMPLEMENTER

•Action-oriented

• Energetic

• Logical

• Friendly

COMMUNICATOR

• Competitive

• Assertive

• Flexible

• Enthusiastic ADMINISTRATOR

• Orderly

• Concentrative

• Cautious

• Insistent

PLANNER

• Future-oriented

• Creative

• Reflective

• Insightful

Direct

Indirect

PeopleTask

A person’s External PRODUCTIVE Behavior

In Birkman terms we call these Usual Behaviors and are defined as the productive, socialized behavior that is observable by others. It is seen by others as socially positive, flexible, adaptable, civilized, appropriate, comfortable, natural, and easily modified by experience or training.

Usual Behavior

A person’s Internal HARDWIRED Needs

In Birkman terms we call these Needs and are defined as what one expects (and needs) interpersonally and from their environment to stay in healthy, productive behavior.

Underlying needs and motivations are rarely observable by others and sometimes hidden to the individual. They are neutral (not positive or negative), persistent (hardwired) and are critical to understanding behavior and motivation.

Motivational Needs

A person’s External UNPRODUCTIVE Behavior

In Birkman terms we call these Stress Behaviors and are defined as the counter-productive, frustrated behavior that is observable by others. It can be seen by others as defensive, ineffective, reactive, uncomfortable, costly.

Stress Behavior

A person’s Occupational and Recreational Interests: In Birkman terms we call these Interests and are defined as what a person likes to do and where they prefer to direct their energies.

Interests

Over time, Interests your choices in life, even your choice of work, free time, and general motivations. Consider these as broad canopies under which many sub-interests lie.

• Artistic - Creative, artistic expression

• Clerical - Administrative, data processing, numerical, personnel

• Literary - Language skills, writing, abstract ideas

• Mechanical – Technical (low and high tech), hands-on tools

• Musical – Participation or appreciation of musical arts

• Numerical – Analytical, practical, computational

• Outdoor – Garden, natural environment, rural, sports

• Persuasive – Sales, negotiation, influencing, debating

• Scientific – Investigation, research, methods & connections

• Social Service – Community involvement, services that help

The 11 Birkman Behavioral ComponentsEsteem – sensitivity in relating to individualsAcceptance – relating to people in groupsStructure – systems and proceduresAuthority – directing and controllingAdvantage – idealism vs. realismActivity – preferred pace for actionChallenge – self-imposed demands for achievementEmpathy – involvement of feelingsChange – restlessness, preference for changing focusFreedom – independence of thought and behaviorThought – approach toward decision-making

Direct, straightforward, unevasive, matter-of-fact, candid

Open and sensitive, deliberate yet respectful, moderate with others

Serious, earnest, appreciative, insightful, supportive, sense of purpose

0-39 40-60 61-99

USU

ALN

EED

SST

RESS

Factual, reason/logic-oriented relationships, directness, sentiment-free candor

Moderate sensitivity balanced with appropriate frankness and openness

Genuine respect and appreciation from others, ample time to explain/justify points, tact, diplomacy

Overlooking others’ needs, underestimating sensitivity needed by others’, lack of tactfulness, detachment

Sensitivity to criticism or surprisingly impersonal to others

Undue sensitivity, reduced self-confidence, shyness, hurt feelings, defensiveness

Issues to Consider: Managing performance problems and reviews, appropriate use of candor, awareness of others’ feelings and special needs, sensitive or difficult business issues

Esteem – sensitivity in relating to individuals “Issue vs. Person”

Able to be and work alone, withstands group pressure, independently reasons

Balance of social and private activities, social and attentive, communicative

Highly communicative, sociable, at ease in groups, pleasant and outgoing

0-39 40-60 61-99

USU

ALN

EED

SST

RESS

Freedom from constant social demands, time for quiet reflection, the company of a few close friends

Balanced social and private activities and demands

Group activities, support and acceptance by others, a significant number of casual relationships

Impatience, withdrawal, ignoring others, anti-social, overly critical of groups

Either quiet withdrawal and ignoring groups or an over-eagerness to please the group

Social anxiety, seeking group approval/popularity, avoiding close personal ties

Issues to Consider: Social enthusiasm, participation in meetings, conflict and debate, open lines of communication, comfort in interacting within groups, spontaneous expression

Acceptance – accessibility; relating to people in groups

“Alone vs. Group”

Acts on own initiative, enjoys real-time planning, flexible, readily accepting

Balanced structure and flexibility, concerned with essentials

Concerned with detail, logical thought processes, completion-oriented, systematic

0-39 40-60 61-99

USU

ALN

EED

SST

RESS

Freedom from close control, minimal routine, variety, frequent change, sense of adventure

A balance of reasonable predictability and opportunities to move ahead on own initiative

Stable, orderly, predictable, systematic environment; an organized and structured framework; clarity

Neglecting systems, order, plans; disregarding details; resisting routine

Either over-controlling details or over-looking routine matters

Rigidity, over-controlling, excessive attention to detail, resisting unexpected change

Issues to Consider: Managing meetings effectively, clarity of delegation, project management, time management, sustaining systems and procedures, organizational change

Structure – approach toward details, plans, systems and procedures

“Flexibility vs. Structure”

Pleasant, agreeable, self-directive, suggestive, democratic

Balances discussion with assertion, authoritative yet pleasant, self-directive

Self-assertive, seeks to influence and excel, enjoys directing others, competitive

0-39 40-60 61-99

USU

ALN

EED

SST

RESS

Peaceful environment, free from open disagreements and confrontations, agreeable and pleasant relationships

Clearly defined authority, enabling balanced amiable and assertive relationships

Authority figures that are strong and enforce boundaries, opportunities to discuss and debate

Resisting direction, difficulty speaking up, avoiding open disagreement, concealing authentic reactions

Either withholding viewpoints and opinions or voicing them too freely

Demanding forceful direction, argumentative or provocative statements, domineering bossiness

Issues to Consider: Collaboration, cooperation, conflict management, use of authority, listening skills, openness to others’ ideas and dissent, quality of delegation and direction

Authority – directing and controlling, verbal dominance

“Suggest vs. Tell”

Trustful, cooperative, well-meaning, idealistic, others-minded

Careful while trustful, competitive while resourceful, balanced idealism and realism

Competitive, resourceful, opportunistic, high regard for winning, respect for the individual

0-39 40-60 61-99

USU

ALN

EED

SST

RESS

Team-oriented cooperative approach, atmosphere of mutual trust and loyalty

A balance of opportunities to serve and help others as well as opportunities to compete and win

Recognition of achievements, a sense of competitive advantage, reasonable, practical, opportunity to win

Gullibility, too idealistic, too impractical, protecting unrealistic ideals

Becoming self-protective, either too idealistic or too opportunistic

Overemphasizing quick success, too opportunistic or self-promotional, self-protective, over-competitive

Issues to Consider: Risk-taking, security and stability issues, winning, materialism, intangible rewards, bargaining, negotiating, meeting efficiency

Advantage – approaches toward incentives and trust

“We vs. Me”

Reflective, receptive, thoughtful, idea-minded, efficient with energies/efforts

Active yet thoughtful, balanced vigor and reflection

Vigorous, persuasive, enthusiastic, energetic, operates on high energy levels for prolonged time periods

0-39 40-60 61-99

USU

ALN

EED

SST

RESS

Idea stimulation, reflective thought, freedom to set own pace, time for ample renewal

Environments that allow balanced thoughtfulness with action-orientation

Outlets for activity and energy release, a busy schedule, situations that require action

Low energy reserves, delaying action, avoiding accountability, tedium, discouragement, disengaged

Restlessness, boredom, fatigue

Restless tension, impatience, edginess, inefficient actions, frenetic motion

Issues to Consider: Urgency in decision making, balance between action and thought, patience with planning and pacing, self-management, personal effectiveness, reaction time

Activity – preferred pace for action

“Mental expression vs. Physical expression”

Confident in abilities, charm, self-accepting, enthusiasm, pleasant, at ease

Confident but critical, pleasant, enthusiastic

Pride in achievements, endures sustained opposition, introspective, driven, strong-willed

0-39 40-60 61-99

USU

ALN

EED

SST

RESS

Opportunities to excel, criticism balanced with praise, activities that reinforce confidence

Environments that are balanced in self-confidence and self-criticality

Reassurance, encouragement from personally challenging work and life situations, continually elevated goals

Too focused on image, blaming problems on circumstances, avoiding introspection

Too critical of self/others, self-doubt or resisting opposition

Self-punishing, loss of confidence, too critical of self/others, sense of worthlessness

Issues to Consider: Constructive feedback, criticism, disagreement, blame, expectations, accomplishments, goals, mistakes, recognition

Challenge – self-imposed demands for achievement“Identity vs. Accomplishment”

Objective, practical, logical, definite/decisive in opinions, action over thought

Thoughtful yet practical, objective yet sympathetic, warm yet practical

Intuitive, insightful, genuine with feelings, sympathetic and caring, emotionally expressive

0-39 40-60 61-99

USU

ALN

EED

SST

RESS

Practical and logical approaches, minimal emotional complexity

Moderate emotional understanding combined with practical, logical objectivity

Outlets for strong subjective feelings, emotional discussions, high regard for emotional data

Low sensitivity, becoming impersonal, emphasizing immediate results, unaware of emotional data

Becoming too detached or dispirited, discouraged or insensitive

Discouragement, over-sensitivity, too subjective, magnifying personal problems

Issues to Consider: Performance reviews, feedback, encouragement, emotional intelligence, conflict resolution, objectivity, building relationships, approachability, urgent collaboration

Empathy – expressing and managing feelings/emotional data

“Logic vs. Feeling ”

Able to concentrate, thorough, purposeful, resists distractions

Attentive yet able to concentrate, resists undue distractions, adaptable

Easy to stimulate, responsive, attentive, adapts easily to variety, ready to start new things

0-39 40-60 61-99

USU

ALN

EED

SST

RESS

Minimum unexpected change, protection from interruptions, ample time to consider change, completion

Moderate amounts of change, the ability to control distractions and gauge variety

Stimulating and frequent change in activities/tasks, variety, novelty, relief from routing, changing priorities

Resistance to change, inflexibility, frustration, over-concentration, rigidity

Resistance to abrupt change, inflexibility or difficulty concentrating

Restlessness, lack of perspective, weakened concentration, impatience

Issues to Consider: Reaction, sense of urgency, response time, speed of execution, distraction management, follow-through, concentration, self-discipline

Change – restlessness, preference for changing focus

“Focused vs. Variety ”

Consistent, conventional, cooperative, restrained, values rules/procedures

Individualistic yet restrained, consistent but responsive, consistent yet distinctive

Self-directed, spontaneous, inner sense of freedom, responsiveness, unconventional, self-initiated

0-39 40-60 61-99

USU

ALN

EED

SST

RESS

Consistency, predictability, well-established rules and procedures, order, certainty

Consistent yet original, orderly while somewhat ambiguous

Encouragement and support for individuality, acceptance of non-conformity, freedom for original thought/behavior

Over-control, defensive thinking, conforming reasoning, restrictive, constrained, inhibited

Over-control, defensive thinking, conforming reasoning

Unpredictability, too individualistic, lacking consistency, non-conforming, rebellious

Issues to Consider: Team conforming, cooperation, collaboration, willingness to take initiative, resistance in work/social situations, creativity, strategy

Freedom – independence of thought and behavior “Conventional vs. Independent”

Matter-of-fact, decisive, action-oriented, preference for action over caution

Reflective yet decisive, thinking before acting, quick grasp of situations

Thoughtful, reflective, concerned with future consequences, draws on experience, weighs both sides

0-39 40-60 61-99

USU

ALN

EED

SST

RESS

Minimal ambiguity, freedom to take immediate action, limited verbal exchanges

Freedom to take quick action as well as reflect appropriately

Ample time to consider all angles and possibilities, time to hear opinions and discuss options/suggestions

Impulsiveness, over-simplification, hastiness, overlooking details, frustrated by ambiguity

Hastiness or over-cautiousness

Over-cautious, over-processing, unnecessary worry, needless postponing, fear of mistake, decision evasion, unsure of self

Issues to Consider: Decision-making, supporting analysis, degree of comfort with risk, consistency in positions taken, patience with decision-making, bottlenecking, approvals

Thought – approach toward decision-making “Action vs. Reflection”

The 11 Birkman Behavioral ComponentsEsteem – sensitivity in relating to individualsAcceptance – relating to people in groupsStructure – systems and proceduresAuthority – directing and controllingAdvantage – idealism vs. realismActivity – preferred pace for actionChallenge – self-imposed demands for achievementEmpathy – involvement of feelingsChange – restlessness, preference for changing focusFreedom – independence of thought and behaviorThought – approach toward decision-making

1. Collect data on leadership and self

2. Pause, Challenge, Choose

3. Continue, Start, Stop

4. Create Flawless Goals

5. Refine and Follow-Through…

Strongly connected to deep purpose, beliefs, and valuesEasily recognizable and relevant top priority by you and others

Resonating commitment and structured accountability

Accomplishment produces visible, measureable, and incremental outcomes

Articulated with highly specific and time-bound parameters

Proclaimed in 1st person, personal statements of desire

Flawless Goals