WHY
USE SDI?
KEY
LEARNING POINTS:
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There
are benefits to both business and individuals of working with the
Strength Deployment Inventory. |
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It
is an effective approach to working with communications. |
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Learn
how to avoid the misunderstandings that create conflict. |
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Understand
how motivational values affect behaviour. |
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Generate
greater flexibility to respond to ever more demanding working environments. |
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TACKLING
THE BIG Cs WITH THE STRENGTH DEPLOYMENT INVENTORY®:
Overcoming
Communication and Conflict issues in the workplace |
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How
often as trainers and consultants do we hear individuals complaining
about the lack of effective communication in their business? |
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How
often do managers bemoan the fact that individuals in their teams
are in disagreement and just don’t seem to get on? |
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Just
imagine the amount of time and money that businesses spend on sorting
out communications and interpersonal issues rather than focusing
on the important issues of achieving business goals and objectives.
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This
is where the Strength Deployment Inventory® (SDI®) can help
both business and individuals.
There are many self-awareness tools in the marketplace that look
at behaviour at one point in time as a predictor of future behaviour.
What is different about the SDI is that it looks at what motivates
a person and how his/her priorities change in the face of opposition
or conflict. The SDI is also extremely practical, versatile and
easy to understand. It creates a language that cuts through cultural
and hierarchical barriers.
WHAT
CAUSES BREAKDOWN?
But what causes communication breakdown in the first place? Now
this is a really big question. Communication differences occur for
a whole range of reasons, including ineffective processes and procedures
introduced into the business by people. So it makes sense that if
people understand each other and communicate effectively, any procedural
and process problem can potentially be ironed out.
Good quality business relationships promote equally good quality
business results.
As individuals, we tend to view the world not as it is but as we
see it. Our own filters dictate what we perceive and this can be
very different from the view that another person has. If we understand
why that person holds a particular view then our own perceptions
can be altered.
When we communicate we are clear about our own language and intent,
and the other person listens and translates what we are saying into
his or her own language. This means that the quality of communication
is governed by the other person’s understanding of our language.
If we communicate in the other person’s language, then this
reduces the likely instance of miscommunication or conflict.
WHY
DOES CONFLICT OCCUR?
Conflict typically occurs when we find ourselves faced with a situation
that threatens our self-worth or value. It acts like a defence mechanism
because our motives or values seem to be threatened in some way.
Something that was said or done by an individual triggers a particular
response in another. What we are really talking about is the quality
of relationships between individuals, and if we can improve the
quality by understanding the values and motives of others then conflict
is reduced.
HOW
THE SDI WORKS
The SDI is a self-development tool that gives us an indication of
what really makes us tick and why we do the things we do. It looks
at our motivations when things are going well and when things are
going less well.
The underlying assumption of the SDI is that all human beings need
to interact with others in a way that makes us feel good about ourselves
and at the same time makes the other person feel good about him
or herself. The SDI encourages us to think about behaviour not as
an end in itself but as a vehicle that is driving us towards a greater
feeling of self-worth. By better understanding these motivations
we are more able to build effective relationships both personally
and professionally.
The SDI is based on more than 30 years of research by psychologist
Elias H Porter into self-concept from which he developed his Relationship
Awareness Theory ™. This theory is based on the premise that
individual behaviour traits are consistent with what we find gratifying
in interpersonal relations and with concepts or beliefs we hold
about how to interact with others to achieve those gratifications.
Although many personality theories are about people, this theory
was meant for people. It was intended to provide an effective means
for understanding ourselves and for understanding others so that
interpersonal relationships could be mutually productive and gratifying.
The theory was planned to help people organise their concepts of
themselves and their concepts of others around three basic motivations: |
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wanting
to be of genuine help to others, |
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wanting
to be the leader of others, |
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wanting
to be self-dependent. |
Porter’s
work was heavily influenced by the likes of the psychoanalysts Sigmund
Freud and Erich Fromm, and psychologist Carl Rogers.
SDI
IN ACTION
To illustrate how the SDI can help to improve communications and
reduce conflict let’s take the example of John. John is a
department manager who is the fountain of all knowledge to others.
The problem is that when his colleagues go over to his desk to ask
for information, John seems to ignore them. He continues working
away with his head down, finishing what he is doing before looking
up to enquire as to how he can be of help. His colleagues perceive
this as being rude. The truth is that his motivational values are
driven by the Analytical-Autonomising (green – see Table 1)
value system. He actually wants to give his full attention to his
colleagues and in order to do this he needs to finish his train
of thought.
Once the department became aware of their differences through the
SDI, John’s colleagues had a better understanding of what
was driving his behaviour. John also agreed to acknowledge his colleagues
by looking up and saying: ‘I will be with you in a moment.’
This simple understanding and change of behaviour meant that further
communication breakdown and potential conflict could be avoided
creating a win–win situation for all involved.
FOCUS
ON COMMUNICATIONS
Our motivational value system has a language attached to it. This
language is one that is based on what we value, and working with
the SDI provides greater flexibility and choice about how we communicate
with people around us. It helps us to treat people the way they
like to be treated rather than treating them how we like to be treated.
The example that follows illustrates how this works.
Working
with SDI to improve communications: a case study
An established engineering company had consistently been granted
tenders. However, on one particular project this company was not
invited to go to a second stage of bidding. The feedback was that
the client did not feel included and there had been a change in
the relationship. The client commented that it did not like being
told what to do. The project was large and valuable, so the tender
was reviewed.
The team leader had been changed for this project and the new team
leader’s motivation was driven by the Assertive-Directing
(red – see Table 1) motivational value system. His motivation
was to achieve the task most cost efficiently and get results for
the company. The way his intention was portrayed in the tender was
that his written language was very goal focused and directing.
The previous team leader was driven by the Flexible-Cohering (hub
– see Table 1) motivational value system and his concern was
for generating consensus and harmony. The way this intention had
been portrayed in previous tenders was in written language that
offered a range of options, and was both focused and inclusive.
With the understanding gained by the engineering company through
completion of the SDI profile, the tender was re-written using a
different language. This time there were options built in at different
stages in the proposal. ‘We would review at this point …’,
‘Options would be …’, ‘We would be guided
by you on …’, and so on.
In view of the long-standing nature of the relationship with its
client, the engineering company was given the option to re-tender.
This time its tender was accepted and the feedback received from
the client was that it now felt as though both parties were working
together again.
The interesting point about the tender is that the time frame and
costs were exactly the same as the previous tender, so the only
change was in the language used and this is what had made the difference.
THE
BENEFITS
When something seems obvious or ‘right’, it is typically
because it has been explained in our language. Our perception of
the style of communication and the content of the communication
is all filtered through our value system. In the case study above,
the client was listening for signals that it would work together
with the supplier; it was essential that options were catered for
in the project. In the absence of this, the perception was that
the client was being told what to do, even as far as thinking the
supplier’s approach was arrogant.
FOCUS
ON CONFLICT
The SDI works on the premise that there are two kinds of conflict:
warranted and unwarranted. Warranted conflict is where the goal
or outcome is in question. If two people disagree on what they want
to achieve, then inevitably conflict occurs. The area in which the
SDI is most effective is when unwarranted conflict occurs. Here,
the goal is not in question – both parties want the same thing;
their difference of opinion is about how the goal or objective is
achieved.
Working
with SDI to reduce unwarranted conflict: a case study
An MD of a small printing and PR company explained that his business
had undergone some change, which had resulted in a lack of motivation
among the management team. In addition, a new member had recently
joined the team and there seemed to be some ‘personality issues’
between the new manager and other team members. This was leading
to considerable internal conflict between key members who needed
to collaborate on a range of projects.
After some questioning to clarify the situation, the MD identified
that he wanted a way forward for the business that would lead to
performance improvement. For him this was driven by a desire to: |
Create more autonomy and ownership among the management team, |
Build collaborative relationships among managers to deliver the
business objectives |
Reduce potential areas of conflict. |
The
benefits of using the SDI as a tool for building more effective
relationships were discussed and the MD believed that this would
also add value for his team and the business.
The inventory was introduced to the whole of the management team
as part of a half-day workshop. The introductory workshop helped
managers to understand what drives their behaviour – their
motivational value systems.
Using the colours as a neutral metaphor for these motivations (see
Table 1 at the end of this article ), gave the managers a helpful
language in which to talk about sensitive issues in an unemotional
way and to share information with others.
The emphasis of this group session was on values, beliefs, attitudes
and behaviour, which were described in the following way: |
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Imagine
that our behaviour is like a buoy floating on the ocean. This buoy
represents our behaviour which may change depending on the situations
we find ourselves in. Our Motivational Value System™ (MVS™)
stays firmly anchored at the bottom of the ocean and is hard-wired
from an early age. Our attitudes, beliefs and values, on the other
hand, can and do change depending on our life experiences.
It
is important to recognise the difference between attitudes, beliefs,
values and our MVS because it is our motivational values that feed
our human need for self-worth and ultimately drives our behaviour.
The more we understand what drives behaviour, the greater our flexibility
in responding to those around us and the easier it is to avoid the
unwarranted conflict that occurs through misunderstanding.
Equipped with this greater understanding, the managers then completed
the inventory to identify their own unique profile. They specifically
identified their profile when things were going well and also when
things were going less well, and they found themselves in conflict.
This information was then used in the face-to-face coaching session
that followed.
The
Benefits:
What
the SDI gave the management team was a start point to look at individual
motives and how this might impact on the behaviour of each manager
in the group. This created a non-threatening approach to discussing
areas of conflict and how to get over them. Comments and feedback
received from managers include the following. |
‘Now I understand why I get wound up when X does that.’ |
‘Now I know that we have the same objective, it’s just
that we approach it in different ways.’ |
‘If I adapt my approach and language, then I might get a better
response.’ |
‘I can use this information to help me improve relationships
with my clients as well as the team.’ |
Because
the managers were now equipped with a language that would help them
to relate more effectively to their peers, they were able to avoid
conflict situations more effectively. This simple and common language
that they all shared also helped them to feed back to each other
when they noticed particular types of behaviour.
For some managers this meant trying a different response when one
of their peers gave them feedback; for others it was recognising
that some of their colleagues actually needed feedback in order
to feel more motivated. The process led to a greater personal understanding
so that their action plans were about identifying what would create
conflict for them and doing something about it immediately, rather
than letting it build up.
The managers gained lots of ideas about how to work more effectively
with others, how to build more productive relationships and how
to manage conflict. The visible and dynamic charting of the team
profile allowed them to talk openly and honestly about which behaviours
were effective and which ones needed some work.
In addition, because they had a shared experience with the SDI,
they were able to build a review process into their management meetings
that kept the SDI at the forefront of their minds and meant it became
a strategic tool that not only helped them work around conflict
situations but also formed the basis for continual performance improvement.
Many
of us ‘know’ our colleagues but to ‘understand’
others is something that is typically reserved for a select few
relationships. The SDI gives us not only the understanding of what
unemotional non-judgemental way. More than this it goes further
to help identify the real priorities people have when faced with
opposition or conflict showing how to de-personalise these situations
and resolve differences quickly, thoroughly and effectively and
most importantly without laying down baggage for the future.
Table
1: Introducing the SDI
The SDI gives us a unique understanding about relationships. As
part of a workshop individuals complete their own motivational styles
profile, after which they are encouraged to explore the implications
of this on their choice of behaviour in any given situation.
Each unique and individual SDI profile is generated by completing
a short inventory that considers how we deploy our strengths when
things are going well and when we face conflict or opposition.
What makes the SDI both easy to complete and remember is that it
uses three colours – blue, red and green – and their
blend represents the seven motivational value systems outlined below.
These motivational value systems expand into over a million individual
positions where no one is better than the other. It is also important
to note that what motivates us does not limit our behaviour; rather,
it gives us more choice about the behaviours we can use to be more
effective in our interpersonal relationships. By providing a non-threatening
and universal language that crosses cultural barriers we are equipped
with the understanding that fosters more effective communications
and reduces the incidence of unwarranted conflict.
Altruistic-Nurturing (blue)
The protection, growth and welfare of others. Looking for opportunities
to support those who may need help.
Assertive-Directing
(red)
Task accomplishment, organisation of people, time and money plus
any other resources … to win out against opposition and be
seen as an achiever.
Analytical-Autonomising
(green)
The assurance that things have been properly thought out, self-dependence,
taking time to get things ‘right’, looking for ways
to improve quality.
Flexible-Cohering
(hub)
Flexibility, the welfare of the group and for belonging in the group.
Keeping options open, consensus and harmony within groups.
Assertive-Nurturing
(red-blue)
The protection, growth and welfare of others through task accomplishment
and leadership. Enthusiasm for the development of others.
Judicious-Competing
(red-green)
Intelligent assertiveness, justice, order and fairness in competition.
Strategic thinking where all resources are used to achieve goals.
Cautious-Supporting (blue-green)
Affirming and developing self-sufficiency in self and others. Concern
for thoughtful helpfulness with regard to justice.
When
something seems obvious or ‘right’, it is typically
because it has been explained in our language
The SDI
works on the premise that there are two kinds of conflict: warranted
and unwarranted
The SDI
gave the management team a start point to look at individual motives
and how this might impact on the behaviour of each manager in the
group
The managers
gained lots of ideas about how to work more effectively with others,
how to build more productive relationships and how to manage conflict.
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