This ‘new’ Neuro-behavioural Preference Mapping – N-bPM© approach has a distinctive advantage, like stepping back so that we can see the activity in the whole forest, rather than finding ourselves being stuck in the roots of the trees. It then perhaps becomes easier to see the smoke of the fire and possibly do something about it?

Like most new and innovative products on the market, it requires a degree of confidence and courage combined with intrigue and inspirational behaviour to take on board what N-bPM© offers, as used in PRISM. I am finding that it is the Operational Directors (CEO, FD, MD Sales & Marketing Directors) who seem to move positively on this. Perhaps HR Directors would like to explain why, or, is it down to many in HR needing a greater awareness?

A confusing aspect, possibly that is more cultural, is the fact that most people associate “Profiling” with the distinguished set of psychometric tests that are currently offered. These are still leaving a trail of mixed pleasures and feelings about ‘typing’ and labelling as a result of their use. Also in a time of cost savings, they do appear to be on the higher cost side, which is why PRISM is attracting more attention, because of its much lower cost and overall outlay for users and trained practitioners.

Hence, I have coined the phrase N-bPM©, to avoid close association with any of the psychometric testing instruments. PRISM is neither a psychometric, nor is it a test. It looks at and measures the strengths of behavioural preferences, which are mapped out with, apparently, currently over 1.6 million possible variables identified, rather than the 4, 16, 32 or 74 types and sub-types indicated by various psychometric tests. The value of psychometrics tests should not be understated, yet, it seems to me that an assessment instrument that can explain “Why we are who we are?”©, and not just “Who we are?”, without labelling or stereotyping people into pigeon holes’, must have value and merit greater attention. My own work as an Executive Coach, helping people and businesses through change has more than demonstrated this to me.

All of this, as eluded to by Dr Viki’s article, is being based around the applied neuroscientific research, being direct observation of the human brain, its architecture, physical constructs and workings through the use of emerging scanning technology and neurosurgery. From this fantastic array of research seems to have also developed the ‘new’ strands, neuro-psychology and cognitive behavioural therapy to which, although independent, N-bPM© is inextricably linked.

Unsurprisingly, the factor structure and internal strength studies for PRISM, as part of comparative studies with psychometric tests also undertaken by Dr. Viki, show PRISM to have very high Cronbach Alpha scores indicating that PRISM is a very reliable measurement instrument.

Another of PRISM’s distinct advantages is that it does not need to replace an existing psychometric system that might be in place, yet, it does enhance the process for improving performance in Recruitment & Selection, Career and Personal Development and Talent Management. It includes a performance appraisal that has a brilliantly simple and time saving 360 degree feedback with generic and in-house competencies.

It can also be stand alone, strengthening an organisation’s ability to see its people perform in line with the individuals’ and teams’ behavioural preferences and, so, set about improving overall performance to achieve excellence.

As a result, we can now map out Team and Group behavioural preferences, which illustrate in a visual way their Culture. This has enormous implications and ramifications for organisations wishing to bring about change and improve their talent. There is only one reason that I have ever heard given for bringing about change and this is to improve performance and results or else its the equivalent of the “We die!” message. Yet, how many have tried to bring about change, internally led or through mergers and acquisitions, without having a good understanding of the behavioural preference culture that can promote, stall or just kill change? N-bPM©, using PRISM allows Leaders to have a clarity of their own Leadership, Followship and Service culture that lends itself to a greater and more effective people change process.

Dr. Viki’s article begins to set out the value of N-bPM©, as seen through using PRISM. Now the question is how many HR people would like to learn more, directly from PRISM or any of the trained practitioners listed on the website http://www.prism-profiling.com?

James Leeper
Executive Coach and PRISM Practitioner
Adsum Auxilium (Help is Here)
www,adsumaux.co.uk

Human beings are generally healthiest, happiest, and most successful when they can use and be rewarded for using their own natural, preferred behaviour, or what Dr. Carl Gustav Jung called their “natural lead function”. Indeed, it can be said that when a person develops and uses his or her natural lead function in an environment which both supports and rewards that function, the person is more productive and finds the experience more satisfying and enjoyable.

From a neurological point of view, the repetition of any action can produce increased efficiency. The increased efficiency, however, even with total mastery, is not more than ten per cent. Thus practice and mastery are important, in that they save energy and guarantee a higher rate of success. Competencies developed in a person’s areas of non preferred behaviour, however, are not nearly as helpful or effective for that person as competencies developed in their natural lead function.

People can be taught to acquire skills, such as doing mathematics, using spreadsheets, or even performing well during interviews, but all the training courses and seminars in the world cannot teach a person how to be naturally enthusiastic, empathetic, conscientious or optimistic. Despite this, many organisations continue to recruit people based almost entirely on the basis of their skills, knowledge and experience, and then spend considerable sums of money trying to fix their ‘weaknesses’ when it is recognised that they do not fit with the behavioural needs of the job. Moreover, many people believe that the more they diversify their knowledge or skills the more secure their future will become.

A growing number of research projects have confirmed that the opposite is much more likely to be true. The more a person spends time on work involving areas of his or her non preferred behaviour, the less opportunity that person has to exploit their natural, innate talents and the more likely that person is to deliver a mediocre performance and achieve little job satisfaction.

I could not quite follow the comments made by your correspondent, Howard D’Silva. I use both DiSC and PRISM Personal Performance Mapping frequently because the two instruments produce quite different information. DiSC is four dimensional, PRISM is eight dimensional. PRISM includes Emotional Intelligence and Five Factor Model scores, plus a 360 degree facility which includes options for both generic and in-house competencies, DiSC does not. It is important to remember that the ‘best’ profiling instrument is the one that really works for you.

Harry Newquist PhD
Strategic Resourcing and Recruitment Consultant

I see behaviours being important, values more so and choosen thinking styles (attributes) to be vital in the success of anyone at managerial level or above. Axiology is a new tool that sheds light into areas that most people will never ever find out until it’s too late. That said these are all in addition to a good structured interview process and procedures, so business need to work closely with HR.

The bottom line really is most intellegent people would not but a house without having it surveyed but the very same people will invest in people without any external validation.

Anyone who actually sits down and works out the cost of getting it wrong soon sees that a proper validation tool can save thousands in time, money and energy.

Howard D’Silva
MD
Results UK
01908 488 260
0780 879 25 20