What is The Birkman Method and how is it different from other personality tests?
The Birkman Method is a positive psychology assessment tool. It identifies your needs and interests, and how you relate to the people around you. It can identify your greatest strengths, describe the environment that gives you the most satisfaction, and point to what can put you under pressure. It also helps you see what may be causing friction between you and your colleague, boss, spouse, or family member. These are important because accurate awareness of yourself and the world around you is critical in helping you navigate successfully through life. With this kind of nonjudgmental information in hand, employers see retention and engagement soar.
Will The Birkman Method help me become more successful and fulfilled in my career?
Absolutely! First of all, the decades of science behind The Birkman Method give you objective information to see whether you are headed in the right direction in terms of your career interests and personal passions. It can show whether the work you choose-both the industry and also your particular job role or function-truly aligns with your personality and temperament.
What is the process of doing the Birkman® Method?
The Birkman questonnaire and related reports are accessed through the Internet using the proprietary online system. Using BirkmanDirect®, respondents are emailed a unique link to access the Birkman questionnaire or are provided a unique password. Respondents complete the 298-item questionnaire over the web. Time to complete the questionnaire averages 30 to 45 minutes. Results are available to the consultant or coach immediately upon questionnaire completion. The consultant can create and print from a variety of report sets from anywhere in the world, to view, print, save to disk or send electronically.
Can I interpret the results with my friend or coach?
The Birkman is meant to be administered by a Certified Birkman Consultant. Others may deal with the results, once they have been interpreted to apply the results (like coaches or counselors) but the best person to help you understand it, is a Birkman Certified Consultant/Coach.Don’t settle for less. Ask the Birkman Consultant/Coach of choice whether this is their vocation or a part-time business. Jonathan is a Level III, Senior Certified Birkman Coach and Consultant of Birkman International Inc. (the highest level). The CEO of Birkman International calls that a “Black Belt in the discipline of Birkman interpretation”. Any one who serves you on our team is either a Certified Consultant or directly accountable to Jonathan Michael for interpretation and results.
Once I get it done online, what is next?
Once you have committed to the process, paid the appropriate fee, and done the questionnaire, you may get an immediate mini-report and your consultant will be immediately informed. In our case we collate reports and send a digital copy to the client within 24 hours on a weekday. If you do it on a weekend it will take longer. We also, unlike many others provide a hard copy in a special tabbed binder for lifetime use. Depending on the level of coaching or interpretation a minimum 60-90 minute interpretation is necessary. This can be done face to face, or with the use of video chat or telephone. Clients hail from diverse locations such as UK, India, Switzerland and USA. We are located in the Greater Vancouver area . If you require a personal face to face interpretation in Nova Scotia, Bali or Tahiti, please ask us about the costs! We might love to do that for you!
Why do we need to identify our underlying needs? Are there consequences when they are not met?
Yes, there are serious consequences. When your needs are recognized and fed, they energize and recharge us, , and help us find greater fulfillment. When they are ignored by us or misunderstood by others, the result can be self-defeating actions or a blame-game that sinks relationships in the workplace and at home. We become “less than” what we can be and frustrated in our endeavors, which we call stress behavior. Stress behaviors are never pretty! But Birkman can warn us when we have left our productive zone and headed to the flip side of our strengths. It can also tell us exactly how we’ll react under stress and what triggers to avoid altogether.
Can The Birkman Method show teams how to work together more effectively?
This is one of the most powerful applications of the Birkman and one that is used most often by corporations, sports teams, and nonprofit groups. Team members learn to appreciate the ways they are alike and also how they approach challenges with differing but equally valuable strengths. Each team member’s important contribution to the group becomes immediately clear, which can also reveal the areas where a team requires more attention and representation.
The Birkman Method has many examples of teams thriving in a productive workplace, able to engage in safe and positive dialogue to break down barriers to productivity. Many workplaces have used The Birkman Method to replace tension and conflict with understanding and harmony.