White Paper: Using the LDP for Personal and Professional Development

Transcription

1 White Paper: Using the LDP for Personal and Professional Development

2 A Developmental Roadmap Whether in coaching the most senior executives or in identifying emerging leaders, organizational development professionals know the value of personality assessment. According to Tony Stoltzfus, author of Coaching Questions: A Coach s Guide to Powerful Asking Skills, personality assessments are among the most powerful and well-accepted tool for encouraging self-discovery. So well-accepted in fact, that research published in Psychology Today found more than 75% of Fortune 500 organizations use personality assessment in coaching, developing and team-building. Why do so many organizations rely on personality assessment as part of their professional development efforts? Quite simply, using an assessment provides a much needed roadmap, allowing the individual to recognize and address specific development needs. So important is an objective and reliable assessment of personality, that leadership coaches such as Wendy Rothman, of NY-based Wenroth Group, suggest such assessments serve as the absolute foundation of coaching and development. Without such a foundation, leadership development may amount to planning a road trip without consulting a map. Stretching the Leader Much can be said in defining leadership and in describing the ideal leader. One thing is certain: leaders exercise influence. Yet, conventional wisdom suggests there is no one-size-fits-all approach to influencing others. Rather, the most effective leaders are those who can identify the approach most needed for a given situation, and adjust their behavior accordingly. The best leaders do this so well, others don t even notice how the leader may stretch his or her style to exercise the most effective influence. Leadership involves both achievement and relational dimensions. The way a person integrates these into his or her approach reveals their unique leadership style. It is this stretching that is at the heart of most leadership development. As leaders develop such skills, it is essential that they recognize motivational tendencies that drive their behavior as well as the behavior of those they seek to influence. This is where personality assessments, such as the Leading Dimensions Profile (LDP), take center stage. 2

3 The Leading Dimensions Profile (LDP) The Leading Dimensions Profile (LDP) is a comprehensive personality inventory, specifically designed to support personal and professional development. The LDP reveals a person s leadership style by measuring two primary sources of motivation: Achievement Drive and Relational Drive, as well as ten leading dimensions. Together, these dimensions interact to reveal the unique style with which a person most likely influences others. This influence can be seen in everyday activities such as leading, communicating, selling, managing, negotiating, learning, handling conflict and so on. Styles are graphically presented on a four-style grid, an approach supported by decades of research and practice. Using the grid and its underlying dimensions, individuals are taught to identify their primary leadership style, while learning to recognize the styles of those around them. Through coaching and training, leaders develop stretching skills which allow them to increase their capacity to infuence others. Used in this way, the LDP provides a much needed framework to support personal and professional growth a roadmap to develop leadership effectiveness. According to Doug Poll, a leadership coach and founder of the Doug Poll Group, the LDP is a key ingredient in coaching individuals and in acheiving organizational effectiveness. The Doug Poll Group uses the LDP in oneone-one coaching sessions, to complement 360-degree feedback programs and in team-building workshops. According to Poll, the practical use of the LDP styles in workshops makes it easy to explain to a client at any level and the Achieving and Relating dimensions just add another level to really shed light on how to best utilize an employee s talents. Dermot Benson, a training expert and consultant in Ireland, utilizes a similar approach in leveraging the LDP. A long-time user of personality assessments, Benson has found the LDP can reveal developmental opportunities at the individual and team level. By assessing participants 3

4 with the LDP s combination of styles and dimensions, trainers and coaches can focus their efforts on those areas most likely to bring about improvement in communication, conflicthandling and collaboration. The result: stronger team performance and bottom-line impact. Case Studies Using the LDP in leadership development is facilitated by a comprehensive suite of user-friendly reports. Trainers, coaches and consultants use these reports in a variety of applications: One-on-One Coaching In order to remain competitive, employers must maintain an intense focus on training and development. Increasingly, this focus has expanded to include efforts aimed at developing one s personal characteristics in preparation for specific roles. For example, a customer service agent is groomed for their first supervisory position, one which requires a higher degree of assertiveness than their previous job. Recognizing such needs is made possible by the LDP s developmental reports, such as the Leading Activities Summary. The Doug Poll Group uses the LDP to identify specific activities which may present the most challenge for an emerging leader. Customized action plans are then developed, allowing the individual and the employer to make the most of training resources. In today s economic climate, offering targeted professional development programs allows coaching professionals to provide the greatest return on investment for their clients. Thank you for your coaching and the use of the Leading Dimensions Profile. I found the results to be very insightful with regard to my strengths and weaknesses and their application to my work. I have used a variety of testing instruments over the years to determine gifting, personality, and strengths as well as weaknesses. I truly believe this tool is one of the most helpful instruments I have used. - Senior Pastor Professional Development Dr. Kizzy Parks, of K. Parks Consulting, facilitates dozens of professional development workshops every year, training emerging leaders as well as senior executives to understand how personality differences impact collaboration. Dr. Parks provides the LDP s Personal Style Report to participants, including civilian Last week I was walked through the Leading Dimensions Profile as part of my job development. I have taken many, many personality profiles over the years and the LDP is simply one of the best. The results were eerily accurate. The report goes deeper than others I have taken and provides much more information. I endorse the product and process without reservation. Director of Engineering 4

5 and military leaders, to demonstrate how personality characteristics contribute to diversity within the workplace. Participants learn how personality styles and their leading dimensions impact the way teams communicate, collaborate and handle conflict. The implications are clear: leaders emerge from such workshops prepared to identify personality styles, and better equipped to build and guide diverse teams. Although professional development workshops are an ideal venue for the LDP, the same benefits can be gained within individual development efforts (whether as part of a formal program or personal initiative). In either case, the LDP has been developed with the end-user in mind, meaning that participants can gain valuable insight regarding personal development opportunities on their own simply by reviewing the available reports. One report in particular, the LDP s Leading Style Guide, offers a self-paced workbook, allowing participants to explore their unique style and its many dimensions in light of their leadership role. The Leading Style Guide is an ideal companion to professional development initiatives (especially 360-degree feedback programs), while also serving as an excellent follow-up opportunity for formal workshops. Workshops and Seminars Workshops, seminars and other events can provide a particularly effective avenue for team-building efforts. Taking participants away from their work, even for just a few hours, can encourage them to gain and share fresh perspectives apart from the daily pressures of work. Dr. Bob Wharton, of LeTourneau University, has found the LDP can help leaders to bridge the gap between crafting an effective strategy and inspiring team members to pursue a shared vision. When leaders understand how a team member s motivation can impact their approach to work and relationships, they can more skillfully assemble teams. Whether for short ad-hoc projects or for Thank you for the great efforts of Leading Dimensions who brought a clear communication tool that allowed all individuals to recognize working preferences. Furthermore, the clarification of how different individuals might communicate to increase effectiveness allowed our staff to remember that while working with the same righteous intent, working styles differ and can cause distraction. Your masterful analysis and presentation has energized our team to collaborate within our system for greatest effectiveness. - Area Coordinator 5

6 We thoroughly enjoyed learning more about our personality dimensions and how they potentially can impact our team and organization. Understanding how we interact under normal circumstances is critical in team development. How can an organization begin to build a shared vision and/or execute a strategic plan without first understanding the team s individual preferences, tendencies, and overall approach to accomplishing goals and objectives? The LDP brings valuable insight to help an organization achieve excellence. Chamber of Commerce President long-term assignments, teams collaborate more effectively when personality attributes are recognized. Dr. Wharton has guided seminar participants toward improved collaboration through recognition of the LDP styles and dimensions. Leaders are challenged to spot four primary personality styles and to practice communication techniques which require an intentional stretch to each style. For participants interested in future career moves, the LDP can shed light on opportunities for personal growth that will help them land (and thrive in) their next position. Jennifer Seavey, of 3D Training Solutions, uses innovative exercises and role-plays within workshops to help participants see how their LDP results apply to career guidance. Seavey uses the LDP styles, and their relative strengths, to highlight how personalities impact recruiting and job placement decisions. Participants are challenged to consider how personality attributes make some positions and workplaces more attractive than others. Participants are then trained to develop the strengths within their personal style in order to experience more effective career development. About the LDP Framework The LDP describes a person s style by measuring two primary sources of drive and motivation (Achievement Drive and Relational Drive) and ten supporting dimensions: Achievement Drive describes the focus and intensity with which an individual approaches common activities as well as long-term goals. At opposite ends of the Achievement Drive continuum, are two primary behavioral patterns: Methodical and Urgent. The five supporting characteristics, referred to as Achieving Dimensions, include: Work Intensity, which is defined as the drive to extend effort in meeting or exceeding expectations when performing common tasks. Assertiveness, which is defined as the level of confidence in approaching one s role and in asserting opinions. Uncertainty Avoidance, which is defined as the propensity to accept risk in making decisions or taking actions in uncertain situations. Adaptability, which is defined as the interest in, or comfort level with, changing or unplanned circumstances. 6

7 Perception, which is defined as the extent to which one relies on intuition and experience (versus methodical analysis) in making decisions. Relational Drive describes the extent to which an individual engages emotionally in common circumstances. At opposite ends of the Relational Drive continuum, are two primary behavioral patterns: Guarded and Expressive. The five supporting characteristics, referred to as the Relating Dimensions, include: Status Motivation, which is defined as the drive to be personally recognized for efforts and accomplishments. Consideration, which is defined as the awareness of, and propensity to contemplate, others feelings and needs. Openness, which is defined as the desire to learn and share personal information with others, including strangers. Affiliation, which is defined as the desire to collaborate or affiliate with others in performing common activities. Self-Protection, which is defined as the level of trust in the intentions or reliability of others. Leading Dimensions Consulting Through the use of assessments, training and consulting, the mission of Leading Dimensions Consulting is to equip leaders in fulfilling their calling to: Develop individual potential Expand personal influence Maximize organizational effectiveness To that end, LDC offers its flagship product, the Leading Dimensions Profile (LDP), through a global network of affiliates. Affiliates in the US, Europe and Australia provide their clients with access to the LDP, along with world-class support and business intelligence that drive performance. For additional information regarding the LDP, including contact information for affiliates, please visit: 7