Personality Survey - An example report

HOW THIS REPORT WAS GENERATED

The following report was generated by asking the candidate to answer a simple 24 line 'forced choice' questionnaire that normally takes seven to ten minutes to complete. It takes a further three to five minutes to input the results into the software and produce a report.

A GUIDE TO INTERPRETING THIS REPORT

The following description of John’s probable behaviour at work is based upon his subconscious knowledge of himself. It is NOT a test or an all encompassing analysis of John. The report is designed to be comprehensive, within the limits of the capabilities of human measurement systems. However, learned behaviour skills cannot be measured by Personality Survey with precision. A naturally independent person dislikes detail and has a poor sense of time. Time management training can change this without affecting his basic independence. Consequently, you may not recognise all the behaviours described.

Individuals acquire or develop competencies that affect the way they work and relate to people. Collectively known as “emotional intelligence” (EQ), they are known to have a greater bearing on success than intelligence quotient (IQ) or training (see Goleman “Emotional Intelligence”). Self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy and social skills are essential to the success of top performers. Clues can be found in Personality Survey, while further information can be gained using; the Structured Interview & Learning Abilities questionnaires and a test of emotional stability. Effective management also requires assertiveness skills (very different from aggression or dominance). Training in EQ and assertive techniques will considerably improve both individual and team performance.
Should you substantially disagree with the report, please refer to the provider of the report or directly to Adams & Associates (the telephone number and e-mail address are on the front page of the report).

The report that follows has been produced using Personality Survey System. International copyright and all intellectual rights are reserved and owned by Adams & Associates.

JOHN'S BASIC CHARACTER

SUMMARY
John is a very hard driving and forceful individual, a self starter who is competitive. Fearless in the face of challenge and always prepared to stand or fall by decisions he has made, such people often gravitate to positions of authority and command.
He is a director of people who prefers to take command and give orders rather than lead in an integrative fashion. However, he possesses some empathy, some people skills and can, when necessary, be persuasive.
An extremely quick and very mobile person, he is someone who dislikes routine, preferring much pace and variety in his work. There is a tendency to avoid detail and paper work. He is unlikely to conform to conventions if they get in the way of results. He is independently minded and very wayward; nevertheless he will conform if he considers that authority is tough on rule breakers.

MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS
It can be said of people such as John that when the challenges run out, so will he because for John achievement is of paramount importance. The achievement of profitable (however he views profitability) results through people - not necessarily with them - and winning is what drives him.

JOHN'S POTENTIAL STRENGTHS
Generally, he is superb in a crisis and makes an excellent fire-fighter, since his natural response is to take command and DO something, very quickly. He is good at running and controlling things and organisations with the big picture very much in mind.

JOHN'S POTENTIAL WEAKNESSES
Individuals such as John can be blunt in their dealings with others. John displays a definite tendency toward arrogance and may suffer from tunnel vision for the target. Consequently, he is capable of demotivating and damaging the sensibilities of those who get between him and his goal. His competitive nature sometimes causes him to enter a contest to win just for the sake of winning. This can cause him to be a poor manager of people and to waste talent in others.

HIS LEARNING STYLE
John will learn whatever is necessary to achieve a chosen goal and moreover, learn very rapidly. Generally, he will take a very broad view of a subject, but if sufficiently motivated to achieve in a specific area or discipline, can become an expert of a very high order, including disciplines requiring great attention to detail. It is important to remember though that this is basically a means to an end. When the requirement for detail ceases, so too will his adherence to it.

HIS QUESTIONING METHOD
Direct and forceful, he will only be interested in asking questions where the answers will enhance his ability to achieve a goal or target and will demand instant answers.

HIS CAPABILITY FOR ORGANISATION AND PLANNING
John is likely to be an excellent organisational planner in broad terms. His planning and strategy will resemble that of an inspirational general in that he will use whatever resources are available to achieve an objective, including people, without qualm or conscience. To be really successful he should have good administrative back-up.

HIS MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUE
Directive and to the point, he can be a hard task master but is usually even-handed and just. He is not a natural leader, but tends to drive himself and those around him to achieve objectives and will step outside the rules or parameters if necessary.

HIS DECISION MAKING STYLE
John will make decisions easily and quite quickly based upon the needs of the objective, frequently independently of authority.

ACCEPTANCE OF MANAGERIAL RESPONSIBILITY
People such as John do not accept responsibility but take it as a right and have the force of character to succeed. In a hierarchy, he is likely to be the man always seeking to rise, with all possible speed, to the next level.

HIS RESPONSE TO A TECHNICAL ENVIRONMENT
As a rule, John is not too good at detail, hates routine and therefore will avoid highly technical environments. It is important though to keep in mind that expertise in one or several disciplines is not uncommon and it is the need to win and achieve that drives him.

HIS RESPONSE TO A SALES ENVIRONMENT
Very positive and aggressive, individuals such as he can often be highly successful salesman particularly in direct selling environments and especially in an endeavour requiring a fast pace and entrepreneurial flair.

HOW JOHN RELATES TO PEOPLE
When it is necessary, John can relate well to people but may rapidly lose patience with those unable to respond instantly. He gives orders and sometimes succeeds in achieving this amicably. He is not concerned with being popular (though it would be a useful bonus) but does demand that you respect him for his abilities.

HIS RESPONSE TO AUTHORITY
John is a very independent person but he will usually work within the rules, especially if he perceives the hierarchy as tough on rule breakers. However, if a result depends upon it, he will act outside the rules.

FACTORS THAT THREATEN HIS SELF ESTEEM
John's self esteem is based upon winning. Therefore, losing will affect his self esteem dramatically and losing "face" is serious. He will not persist if failure seems certain to him but will withdraw to find another challenge.

JOHN'S TIME SCALE
John's sense of time and urgency is such that for him "now" really does mean now, immediately. This is due to his innate need to achieve measurable results as rapidly as it is possible to do so, consequently he will often be seen as impatient.

FACTORS WHICH MAY DEMOTIVATE JOHN
John will be demotivated if he is forced to work in an environment that denies the use of personal initiative, requires great adherence to routine or demands too much detail.

JOHN'S POTENTIAL AS A CONSULTANT
Assuming that John possesses all the necessary skills and knowledge and wants to work in this field, he has a relatively high potential to be successful. He will be able easily to present unpalatable or unpopular results and recommendations to clients and has sufficient natural empathy to be able to do this fairly sensitively. However, he may at times, be somewhat direct and blunt, which could upset some clients. People such as John often gravitate toward being consultants relatively late in their careers, after gaining experience and knowledge, as they may put it - “in the real world”.

John's ability to focus on “the big picture” is a decided advantage for him as a consultant, but he will need good administrative back-up and or effective systems that transcend memory to deal with minutiae, routine and detail. Good selling skills will be an essential aid to his success as a consultant. His ultimate success as a consultant will depend as much upon his level of emotional intelligence (EQ) and assertiveness skills and his expertise.

JOHN'S POTENTIAL AS A TEAM LEADER
A team leader here refers to those qualities that are necessary in welding together a disparate group of people who develop true synergy. This is not the same as managing an individual or group.
John has some potential as a team leader but this will only be realisable if he can actively use and increase his level of empathy and employ genuine emotional intelligence to generate true synergy in a team. His natural stance is that of an inspirational commander given to controlling by force of character.

If he is to succeed in truly leading a team - as opposed to driving it - and generating synergy among its members he will need to improve upon his level of natural empathy and develop his ability to use emotional intelligence effectively. He has some natural empathy and an innate drive to learn whatever is necessary to be successful. Therefore, his success as a team leader will be dependent upon his ability to build upon his natural resources and learn to use emotional intelligence and learn assertiveness effectively.

JOHN'S POTENTIAL AS A TEAM MEMBER
A team member is an individual who shares the same aims and objectives as the team and is prepared to put aside their own needs and requirements in favour of those of the group when necessary.
John is not likely to be comfortable or very effective as part of a team. He will need clearly to see that benefits are in it for him. The team and its leader must clearly understand that despite John's persuasive ability, his tendency to take risks and control his environment and to feel he is in control of his own destiny will be hard to give up. However, if John can willingly subordinate his intense need to win to the aims of the team, then he can make a useful contribution. By doing so he would also make great strides in increasing his personal effectiveness and ability to use empathy and emotional intelligence to good effect. If John does not respect other team members, it is not unlikely that he could be disruptive

HOW TO MANAGE JOHN EFFECTIVELY
John is highly driven to achieve and so should be challenged to produce tangible results through other people. He will work best and most efficiently when he feels that you respect and understand him. You would do well to discuss your ideas with him - and involve him in your decision making - so that he feels he has some influence and direction over the course you propose to adopt.
Avoid giving him routine and bureaucratic duties; he will respond better to targets and the freedom to overcome obstacles. John's need for independence can be troublesome, so it will be necessary clearly to identify boundaries and limits, insisting the he adheres to them.
John needs to win and to be recognised for achievements therefore, judicious and appropriate public praise will motivate him to your cause, as will the opportunity to earn advancement.

It is advisable to agree performance criteria with him and to review these at regular intervals in a business like and friendly manner, commensurate with maintaining good order and discipline. You should encourage a positive and happy atmosphere.
It is also very important to identify to John what he can gain from cooperation with you because he will want to know what is in it for him. John seeks power and control over his own destiny and is himself excellent general management material.

POSSIBLE RESPONSE TO CHANGES AT WORK
Behaviours described here indicate what John may THINK is necessary to be successful, or survive, in his current work environment. It is not a description of how he necessarily behaves at work. It will however, give
useful clues to the environment, culture or management ethos in which he works. Potential changes to behaviour identified here are ALWAYS caused by the environment, not the individual. Some statements may appear to be contradictory and so further clarification should be sought from an Analyst or Adams & Associates directly.

To succeed or survive John may think he should:
(N.B. If there are no points shown here then John perceives no changes are necessary to his behaviour and so the environment is probably congenial to him.)

He should exhibit a marked tendency to operate within rules and constraints due to a recognition that authority is strong enough to enforce said rules and conventions. He could be new in the job, considering leaving or the job may have changed of late.

PROBABLE BEHAVIOUR UNDER PRESSURE
When placed under severe pressure, John's normal behaviour is likely to be modified in one or more, or all, of the following ways:
(N.B. If there are no points shown here then John is unlikely to change his behaviour when under pressure.)
He will behave with great independence and possibly set aside the rules or defy authority. It is probable that he will not consider the hierarchy sufficiently powerful to prevent him from doing so.

STRESS MEASUREMENT
John does not currently appear to be experiencing stress.