ABOUT

This module helps team members identify how each of them bring certain personality strengths to the team. Team members learn to see the best in themselves and others and be more tolerant (and forgiving) when they see a strength unintentionally overused.

Members also learn to take responsibility for their behavior and how to flex their style to better communicate with others, rather than wait for the other person(s) to change.

The module can be used with any personality assessment, bit it is recommended to using the INSIGHT Inventory because it is positive and strengths focused and included in the module license fee (it was developed by Dr. Patrick Handley, psychologist, who also created these team develop modules). However, the module can also be used with other assessments such as StrengthsFinder, MBTI, DiSC, Big-5, etc., which can be purchased separately or may already be in use by your organization.

WHEN TO USE

Use this Module when:

• there is a need to ignite interest in team development and you want a topic which is always of interest and a positive place to start.
• Team members are always interested in themselves and the personalities of others.
• there appears to be a lack of appreciation of each other’s personality differences and that has led to tensions, frustrations, or conflicts
  members could benefit from validation of their strengths and who they are as individuals and acknowledgement by other team members
• there has been excessive stress within the organization and team and members are seeing each other’s stress reactions and they could benefit in seeing how these can be related to personality traits and not to taken personally
• a team building session is needed that would be entertaining as well as very beneficial and help get members interested in other Modules

This module, Building on Personality Strengths, has two components.

1) The Discussion Guide and Worksheet

This discussion guide, which is what the team members complete, contains step-by-step interactive fields, check boxes, and open fill-in spaces. This guide can be completed online using the interactive pdf and then shared or referenced as the team discusses each step.  Some steps are designed to be completed together.

The supporting worksheet helps team members create their personality profile Team Map action plans and discuss how their strengths can be used to build upon each other.

2) Facilitator/User’s Guide

These support materials are available to help guide the leader or facilitator through the steps of the discussion guide. An example of a completed Team Map helps team members visualize how their strengths overlap and spot any gaps they can flex their styles to fill.

The facilitator may be an outside consultant, the team leader, or one of the team members. However, everyone can help ensure success by reading through some of the tips and suggestions in this guide.

NOTES FROM DR. PATRICK HANDLEY

For a variety of reasons, this module has been a favorite for facilitators, leaders, and team members. I often use it as an opening module when asked to coach teams because it gets members to share personal information about themselves, acknowledge why certain work pressures are stressful to them, and appreciate each other’s strengths. And, when the Team Map is used, it just wonderfully opens up constructive conversations about team dynamics that would not have happened otherwise.

Consider using this module as an opening to team development and then going back and completing other modules, even the Assessing Team Functioning pre-assessment. Even though you can theoretically start with any module at any time, this one seems to always be a successful launching spot.

Okay, full disclosure, I created the INSIGHT Inventory so obviously I am biased and prefer using it as the assessment of choice for this Module. My objective in developing the INSIGHT Inventory was to develop an assessment that uses positive language, makes it easy for users to talk about why they are different in various settings and why they behave the way they do on a particular team, and gives users tips and suggestions for flexing their style to make teams more productive. Those features were built in and work well.
The INSIGHT Inventory also answers the “So What?” question. Many personality assessments describe the various traits they measure. But, I feel the more important question is, “What are you going to do differently?” A complete section of the INSIGHT report focuses on how to flex one’s style to communicate better with others. This is the magic sauce. It is what builds teamwork.

Oh, and one final thing, the INSIGHT Inventory website provides many supporting activities, skill-building exercises, tutorial videos, presentation slides, group discussion guides that you can find on the facilitator support center. These are all available to help make your session a success.

And remember you can use several assessments together. I frequently use the INSIGHT Inventory with StrengthsFinder and/or MBTI. They complement nicely and enrich each other.

  STEPS

The Discussion Guide leads team members through the following steps.

1. discussion of importance of personality differences and synergy from different traits and styles
   completion of either the INSIGHT Inventory or other assessment
2. review of primary traits and strengths of each
3. exploration of how the dynamics of this particular team bring out certain traits and add certain pressures and stresses
4. creation of a Team Map (one chart with each member’s profile plotted on top of each other member) This can be automatically generated by the INSIGHT Inventory assessment and other tests may have similar capacity or it can be done by hand. The purpose is to help team members visualize their differences and talk about each other’s strengths and how all this impacts team dynamics.
5. Discussion of how each member can use their strengths flex their style to improve teamwork.

  TIPS and SUGGESTIONS

Try to find time for the fun, laughter infused, Trait Walk Activity. As team members get up out of their chairs and line up according to their scores on each trait, they see each other differently and engage in powerful ways.

For a great one-two punch, use with the Team Roles module to help identify how and why certain members can contribute naturally to particular roles because there are such good personality/job match attributes and how other roles may be stressful to members with other traits.
Consider posting a large Team Map chart in a location members can see (perhaps a break room, coffee bar, etc) there is a lot of information that will pop out as members continue to study it long after the team session is over.

A powerful activity for a follow-up session is to arrange for each member to meet each other member in pairs and rotate until they have had a face-to-face conversation with each person and talked about how awareness of their trait differences can help them know how to communicate better.

You’ll notice there is no Module on resolving conflict. The reason is that diving into a session and labeling it conflict resolution starts with the problem rather than on a positive tone. When this happens, it is very difficult to manage. The reality is that conflict in teams is often embedded in failure to appreciate personality differences, frustration over team roles, tension that comes from breaking rules or non-inclusive decision making, etc etc. You’ll notice there is a Module in the library of 12 Modules, that addresses each of these. It works far better to improve in each of these team competencies to that not only is conflict resolved at the cause (rather than the hot reactions that have boiled to the surface).