social style profile
TRANSCRIPT
SOCIAL STYLE PROFILE
FEEDBACK BOOKLET
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 1
Social Style ........................................................................................................................... 3
Interpreting Your Social Style Feedback ....................................................................... 6
The Analytical Style ....................................................................................................... 7
The Driver Style ........................................................................................................... 12
The Amiable Style ........................................................................................................ 16
The Expressive Style .................................................................................................... 20
Versatility ........................................................................................................................... 25
Interpreting Your Versatility Feedback ....................................................................... 26
Analytical Versatility ................................................................................................... 29
Driver Versatility ......................................................................................................... 31
Amiable Versatility ...................................................................................................... 33
Expressive Versatility .................................................................................................. 35
Social Style Distributions ................................................................................................... 37
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INTRODUCTION
This feedback booklet is intended to assist you in interpreting the feedback you receive
about your Social Style and versatility. It will assist you in gaining insight into your own
Social Style and the strengths that your style brings to the organization. After you have an
understanding of your own Social Style, you will want to know how your style compares
to others. You will be provided with descriptions of all the Social Styles so you may
examine the differences in behaviors that each style represents. Similarly, you will be able
to better understand your versatility ratings by reading this booklet, gaining insight into
what it means to be versatile and why it is important both personally and professionally.
Assumptions About Human Behavior
Adapting to others has never been more critical to success than it is today. Global
competitive pressures have forced organizations to decentralize decision making, use
cross-functional teams to solve complex problems, and become more flexible in meeting
customer needs. Work forces have become more diverse, and structural changes have
become more frequent. Demands for speed, quality, cost containment, and innovation have
intensified. Being able to appreciate and adapt to individual differences is absolutely
essential if we are to function effectively in such an environment.
The study of human behavior has truly emerged as a science. Numerous social science
studies provide strong support for the following conclusions about human behavior:
Over time, people develop relatively stable behavior patterns.
People form immediate impressions about others on the basis of their verbal and
nonverbal behavior.
The way people behave toward one another is largely determined by their perceptions
of each other.
The most prevalent, and probably the most important, perceptual dimensions of human
behavior are assertiveness and responsiveness.
The concept of Social Style was developed on the basis of these assumptions. Over five
decades of research and experience with this concept have provided us with a rich
understanding of individual differences.
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SOCIAL STYLE
Each of us has a comfort zone—a pattern of behaviors that arises out of our experiences
and becomes habit. Our habits are ways of behaving that have become familiar through
repetition. We become comfortable doing things in certain ways. Behavior that is
comfortable for us and others is usually predictable. The term we use to describe a
consistent, predictable set of behaviors is Social Style. Our Social Style represents our
comfort zone—how we are seen by others as most frequently and most comfortably
behaving. Our comfort zones can be described in terms of two measurable dimensions:
assertiveness and responsiveness.
Assertiveness
Assertiveness is the way in which a person is perceived as attempting to influence the
thoughts and actions of others. The range of assertiveness behavior can be described as a
continuum like the one below:
ASK Directed
Assertiveness
TELL Directed Assertiveness
People who exhibit ask-directed assertiveness behavior use a more indirect method of
communication to influence others. Their communication with others could most often be
described as “asking.” They generally speak more slowly and deliberately, and they tend to
make more conditional statements.
People who exhibit tell-directed behavior use a more direct approach when attempting to
influence or control the actions of others. Their communication with others could most
often be described as “telling.” Their speech is generally quicker and firmer, and they
make more declarative statements.
The following distinction is an important one. Both ask- and tell-directed individuals may
want to influence others to the same degree. It is only their approach that differs.
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Responsiveness
Responsiveness is the way in which a person is perceived as
expressing feelings when relating to others. The range of
responsiveness behavior could be described as a continuum like the
one to the right.
People who exhibit task-directed behavior show a preference for
communicating about the task. This does not mean they do not care
about people; they simply tend to be more focused on the facts of the
situation. Rather than share personal feelings, they communicate about
the work issues.
Individuals who exhibit people-directed behavior tend to focus on the
people aspects of the situation. This does not mean they are not
concerned about the task; they tend to be focused on the people
involved with the task, and they openly communicate personal
feelings.
TASK Directed
Responsiveness
PEOPLE Directed
Responsiveness
The Social Style Matrix
The two dimensions of assertiveness and responsiveness that have just been described can
be combined to create the Social Style Matrix shown below.
People who are more tell-directed
tend to find themselves placed to
the right of the midpoint. If they are
more ask-directed, they tend to fall
on the left side.
People who are task-directed
usually cluster above the midpoint
on the matrix, while those who are
more people-directed are generally
perceived below the midpoint.
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This grouping of individuals by approaches to assertiveness and responsiveness creates
four Social Styles with the following general characteristics:
Analytical: ask-directed assertiveness, task-directed responsiveness
Driver: tell-directed assertiveness, task-directed responsiveness
Amiable: ask-directed assertiveness, people-directed responsiveness
Expressive: tell-directed assertiveness, people-directed responsiveness
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INTERPRETING YOUR SOCIAL STYLE FEEDBACK
As you review your Social Style results, remember that assertiveness and responsiveness
are perceptions of your behaviors—what others see and hear, not how you perceive your
behavior, or how you think or feel. You may be surprised at the difference between their
perceptions and your own self-perception. But remember, it is not your self-perception that
is most important in interacting with others. Rather, it is knowing how others see you.
Remember, too, that there is no best place to be in the matrix. Every style contributes value
and every style has its own range of assertiveness and responsiveness. You can be effective
and successful regardless of where the perceptions of others have placed you on the Social
Style Matrix.
The Social Style results you received are displayed on a matrix similar to the one shown
below. Each major style is further divided into four substyles. Your Social Style is
indicated by the star in one of the boxes. On the following pages are descriptions of each
of the major styles and their corresponding substyles. First, look up the major style in
which your respondents’ perceptions have placed you, and then look for the subquadrant of
that style to get an even more precise picture of how your respondents perceive your
behavior and approach.
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THE ANALYTICAL STYLE
Your references have described your behavior as ask-directed in terms of assertiveness and
task-directed in terms of responsiveness. This means they place you in the Analytical
quadrant of the Social Style Matrix.
Characterized by The characteristics attributed to you as an Analytical are:
deliberate, thorough, and logical. You are perceived to be a
good listener and someone who remains steadfast in
purpose, weighing all alternatives and making full use of
the decision-making procedures open to you. Analyticals
are usually perceived as serious, disciplined, and
businesslike in their relationships with others—remaining
independent and allowing others to take the social
initiative.
Perceived as As an Analytical, you are perceived as achieving your goals
in a climate of minimum risk and maximum information.
Analyticals place a great deal of emphasis on having data to
support their problem analysis and decision making.
Because they want to know as much as possible about a
situation, Analyticals are perceived as attempting to keep
the risk of being wrong at a minimum.
Work Best When Analyticals are seen as working best when the elements of
a situation are organized and directions for proceeding are
provided by others. People see you as more involved when
the nature of your tasks is related to problem solving and
when you see yourself as knowledgeable in the area under
discussion. Analyticals appear to take a considerable
amount of time organizing, evaluating, assuring accuracy,
and whenever possible, using a systematic approach to
tasks, decisions, and explanations.
Strengths Analyticals are perceived as having the following strengths:
Approaching tasks with a focus on facts and logic
Accepting new ideas when their payoff has been
clearly determined
Making use of existing ideas and procedures before
going on to something new
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Approaching people with caution and care; not
committing themselves until they are comfortable with
what others are suggesting
Cautions In addition, there are some perceived attributes of
Analyticals that people of other styles may find less
comfortable:
A quiet, businesslike person may be perceived by
others as cool and unsociable, as not taking the time to
build a relationship before getting to the task.
Having a deliberate manner with an emphasis on
accuracy can be perceived as being too slow to act and
sometimes indecisive. A focus on task can be perceived
as a lack of concern for the feelings and problem-
solving approaches of others.
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ANALYTICAL SUBSTYLES
Within the Analytical style, there are ranges of behaviors and approaches to assertiveness
and responsiveness that can be demonstrated to others.
Analytical Analytical (D1) Relative to other Analyticals, you are perceived to make
greater use of an ask-directed approach to assertiveness and
a task-directed approach to responsiveness when
communicating with others. This means you are perceived
to be an Analytical who is:
Seeking structure, certainty, and evidence before
making decisions
Quiet, unassuming, and showing little emotion when
dealing with others
Taking little social initiative with respect to other
people; remaining guarded until you have a reason for
building a relationship
Using questions to express your concerns and issues
Driving Analytical (C1) Relative to other Analyticals, you are perceived to make
greater use of a tell-directed approach to assertiveness and
a task-directed approach to responsiveness when
communicating with others. This means you are perceived
to be an Analytical who is:
Willing to take some risks when making decisions;
sometimes allowing immediacy to be as important as
being certain
Willing to take some initiative in your interactions
without having thorough data or logical reasoning
Able to combine your organized step-by-step nature
with a commitment to completing a task
Focused more on the objective aspects of a problem-
solving task
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Amiable Analytical (D2) Relative to other Analyticals, you are perceived to make
greater use of an ask-directed approach to assertiveness and
a people-directed approach to responsiveness when
communicating with others. This means you are perceived
to be an Analytical who is:
Focused and concerned about other people and how
they might feel
Supportive of others when they express their ideas and
feelings
Willing to take the time to share feelings as well as
facts
Willing to consider alternative ways to approach
problems
Expressive Analytical (C2) Relative to other Analyticals, you are perceived to make
greater use of a tell-directed approach to assertiveness and
a people-directed approach to responsiveness when
communicating with others. This means you are perceived
to be an Analytical who is:
Willing to share your enthusiasm when you become
excited about the task at hand
Willing to take the social initiative in interpersonal
encounters
Generally quiet and reserved, but sometimes takes
actions that are definitive and even bold
Appreciative of other people’s contributions and shows
it
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ANALYTICAL QUADRANT
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THE DRIVER STYLE
Your references have described your behavior as tell-directed in terms of assertiveness and
task-directed in terms of responsiveness. This means they place you in the Driver quadrant
of the Social Style Matrix.
Characterized by The characteristics attributed to you as a Driver are: clear,
concise, and results-oriented. Drivers are usually seen as
challenging and decisive. People see Drivers as
straightforward and able to look at options and take action.
Perceived as As a Driver, you are perceived as achieving your goals in a
climate that permits you to take the initiative and be in
charge. Drivers appear to prefer situations that allow them
to formulate plans and then have others carry them out.
Drivers are perceived as liking to make things happen,
taking risks, and enjoying the challenge involved in
tackling new problems and tasks.
Work Best When Drivers are seen as working best when the climate is not
constrained. To Drivers, independence to do things their
own way is important. You are perceived as someone who
usually approaches a task in an organized, goal-oriented
manner. Your time is important to you; you like it when
others respect your schedule. A situation that allows you to
initiate action and direct and monitor your own activities as
well as the activities of others is one that seems to fit your
preferences.
Strengths Drivers are perceived as having the following strengths:
Able to take charge of any situation
Able to make quick decisions about how to solve a
problem and then to take action
Responsive to challenges, preferring to deal with things
that are difficult to master
Focused on producing results and getting things done
in a timely and efficient manner
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Cautions In addition, there are some perceived attributes of Drivers
that people of other styles may find less comfortable:
A person who always takes charge and sometimes
proceeds in a forceful manner may be seen by some
people as pushy or unwilling to take the time to listen
to and appreciate the positions of others.
A desire for independence and control in situations can
be perceived as creating tension, compliance, and
apprehension in others.
DRIVER SUBSTYLES
Within the Driver style, there are ranges of behaviors and approaches to assertiveness and
responsiveness that can be demonstrated to others.
Analytical Driver (B1) Relative to other Drivers, you are perceived to make greater
use of an ask-directed approach to assertiveness and a task-
directed approach to responsiveness when communicating
with others. This means you are perceived to be a Driver
who is:
Focused on logic and facts when it comes to questions
about a task
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Objective; you avoid making decisions based simply
on intuition and feelings
Concerned about reducing the risk associated with a
decision you are trying to make
Able to explain to yourself and others your reasons for
taking action
Driving Driver (A1) Relative to other Drivers, you are perceived to make greater
use of a tell-directed approach to assertiveness and a task-
directed approach to responsiveness when communicating
with others. This means you are perceived to be a Driver
who is:
Efficient, hardworking, and results-oriented in your
approach to problem solving
Reluctant to let your emotions get in the way of what
you believe to be sound thinking
Forceful and strong-willed when it comes to making
your opinions known to others
Direct and to the point when it comes to getting others
to do the things necessary to complete a task
Amiable Driver (B2) Relative to other Drivers, you are perceived to make greater
use of an ask-directed approach to assertiveness and a
people-directed approach to responsiveness when
communicating with others. This means you are perceived
to be a Driver who is:
Aware and considerate of the priorities of others when
you formulate a plan for solving a problem
Willing to share your feelings with others
Able to redirect your commanding spirit when you feel
cooperation with others is needed to get results
Able to question others in a way that does not threaten
them or downplay their ideas and feelings
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Expressive Driver (A2) Relative to other Drivers, you are perceived to make greater
use of a tell-directed approach to assertiveness and a
people-directed approach to responsiveness when
communicating with others. This means you are perceived
to be a Driver who is:
Able to show enthusiasm and excitement when it
comes to facing a challenging task or problem
Interested in getting others to feel as you do about
something you find challenging
Able to reference and reinforce others when you find
yourself using their ideas and plans
Willing to tell others how you feel about things
DRIVER QUADRANT
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THE AMIABLE STYLE
Your references have described your behavior as ask-directed in terms of assertiveness and
people-directed in terms of responsiveness. This means they place you in the Amiable
quadrant of the Social Style Matrix.
Characterized by The characteristics attributed to you as an Amiable are:
open about personal feelings, unassuming, and supportive.
You are perceived as a warm, friendly listener who is easy
to get along with, enjoys personal contact, and prefers
shared responsibility when working with other people.
Perceived as As an Amiable, you are perceived as achieving your goals
after first establishing strong personal ties with the people
with whom you work. Amiables are usually seen as
avoiding risks and fast decisions unless there is strong
support to back them up. They tend to ask for this kind of
support before making decisions. Amiables are perceived
as open to the expression of personal opinions and feelings.
They see this kind of openness as essential to maintaining a
cooperative approach to problem solving.
Work Best When Amiables are seen as working best when the climate is free
of time constraints and pressure. They like to take the time
to build relationships and seek support and feedback when
they are required to make a decision. As an Amiable, you
are perceived as cooperative and supportive in your
interactions with others, and as being more motivated by
causes than by personal recognition.
Strengths Amiables are perceived as having the following strengths:
A natural skill for coaching, counseling, and being
helpful to others
Providing support and positive reinforcement for other
people’s work and accomplishments
A sense of loyalty and dedication to those in their work
and peer groups
A willingness to communicate that they value having
trust and confidence in other people
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Cautions In addition, there are some perceived attributes of Amiables
that people of other styles may find less comfortable:
The sharing of personal feelings may be seen by some
as being overly sensitive or too emotional.
Emphasis on relationships and getting along may be
perceived as interfering with completing a task or
meeting a deadline.
AMIABLE SUBSTYLES
Within the Amiable style, there are ranges of behaviors and approaches to assertiveness
and responsiveness that can be demonstrated to others.
Analytical Amiable (D3) Relative to other Amiables, you are perceived to make
greater use of an ask-directed approach to assertiveness and
a task-directed approach to responsiveness when
communicating with others. This means you are perceived
to be an Amiable who is:
Organized, seeking logical support and structure to
complement a tendency to make decisions based on
feelings
Showing emotion to a moderate degree, while
remaining low-key and unassuming
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Minimizing risk before taking action
Compiling data that supports your purpose and sense of
practicality
Driving Amiable (C3) Relative to other Amiables, you are perceived to make
greater use of a tell-directed approach to assertiveness and
a task-directed approach to responsiveness when
communicating with others. This means you are perceived
to be an Amiable who is:
Willing to take the initiative and exert influence in
interpersonal encounters
Willing to take some risks in making decisions
Allowing immediacy to be as important as certainty in
reaching decisions
Able to combine your people priorities with a
commitment to getting a job done in a reasonable
period of time
Amiable Amiable (D4) Relative to other Amiables, you are perceived to make
greater use of an ask-directed approach to assertiveness and
a people-directed approach to responsiveness when
communicating with others. This means you are perceived
to be an Amiable who is:
Accepting, placing a high priority on getting along with
other people
Open to, cooperative with, and supportive of others
Asking questions of others to determine how they are
feeling
Interested in minimizing interpersonal conflict
whenever possible
Expressive Amiable (C4) Relative to other Amiables, you are perceived to make
greater use of a tell-directed approach to assertiveness and
a people-directed approach to responsiveness when
communicating with others. This means you are perceived
to be an Amiable who is:
Able to blend your people concerns with an appreci-
ation for getting a job done when it needs to get done
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Able to show social initiative and take control in
personal encounters when you so desire
Interested in the personal recognition associated with
ideas, causes, and achievements
Naturally able to provide support to people, making
them feel good about themselves and their relationship
with you
AMIABLE QUADRANT
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THE EXPRESSIVE STYLE
Your references have described your behavior as tell-directed in terms of assertiveness and
people-directed in terms of responsiveness. This means they place you in the Expressive
quadrant of the Social Style Matrix.
Characterized by The characteristics attributed to you as an Expressive are:
enthusiastic, inspiring, and open about your feelings. You
are seen as often taking the social initiative and spending
time to establish rapport before moving on to the task at
hand. Expressives are usually thought of as excitable
people who use their feelings when making decisions and
who are willing to share insights and dreams.
Perceived as As an Expressive, you are perceived as achieving your
goals when you are motivated, challenged, and excited.
Once you have reached a goal or the quest loses its
challenge, you usually want to move on to something new.
When judging tasks or weighing accomplishments, you are
concerned about the people issues. You sometimes avoid
details when you find them unexciting or think they take
too much time.
Work Best When Expressives are seen as working best in an open climate in
which interactions with others are important. You appear to
like using your time to motivate, inspire, and persuade
other people. You are generally perceived as visionary and
as having little patience for structured procedures. Selling
yourself, sharing ideas, working with people, and having
fun seem to be important to you.
Strengths Expressives are perceived as having the following
strengths:
Creating excitement and involvement in the people
they work with
Making others feel good about themselves because
they feel valued
Having a natural tendency to offer reinforcement to
others
Sharing their visions as well as personal feelings, and
allowing their enthusiasm to be seen and felt by others
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Cautions In addition, there are some perceived attributes of
Expressives that people of other styles may find less
comfortable:
An excitable, futuristic dreamer may be viewed as not
very pragmatic and wasteful of time and talent.
Taking risks and relying on feelings can be perceived
as being impulsive.
EXPRESSIVE SUBSTYLES
Within the Expressive style, there are ranges of behaviors and approaches to assertiveness
and responsiveness that can be demonstrated to others.
Analytical Expressive (B3) Relative to other Expressives, you are perceived to make
greater use of an ask-directed approach to assertiveness and
a task-directed approach to responsiveness when
communicating with others. This means you are perceived
to be an Expressive who is:
Cautious about taking risks, appearing discerning in
your approach to tasks
Willing to listen to others in order to understand, often
expressing your concern in the form of questions
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Able to combine excitement and enthusiasm with a
formal approach to the ideas of others
Organized in the way you seek support for the ideas
you generate and feel excited about
Driving Expressive (A3) Relative to other Expressives, you are perceived to make a
greater use of a tell-directed approach to assertiveness and
a task-directed approach to responsiveness when
communicating with others. This means you are perceived
to be an Expressive who is:
Able to create excitement and involvement in your
ideas
Concerned about how you make others feel when you
are directing them
Willing to listen to other options for your plan of action
Able to express your dreams in concrete terms if others
ask you to do so
Amiable Expressive (B4) Relative to other Expressives, you are perceived to make
greater use of an ask-directed approach to assertiveness and
a people-directed approach to responsiveness when
communicating with others. This means you are perceived
to be an Expressive who is:
Willing to take risks with some degree of caution and to
convey such concerns to the people with whom you
work
Able to determine and process how others feel about
the initiatives you are willing to take
Competitive, but also cooperative, in social
interactions; willing to share the spotlight with others
Willing to pay attention to the viewpoints of those
holding opinions and concerns different from your own
Expressive Expressive (A4) Relative to other Expressives, you are perceived to use
more of a tell-directed approach to assertiveness and a
people-directed approach to responsiveness when
communicating with others. This means you are perceived
to be an Expressive who is:
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Excitable, fun-loving, talkative, and enjoys telling
stories
Desirous of attention, liking to have an audience and
appreciative when others give applause and recognition
Achievement-oriented; a risk taker who is competitive
and spirited
Visionary, creative, and, at times, inspirational when
communicating with others
EXPRESSIVE QUADRANT
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VERSATILITY
What Is It? Versatility means adapting your behavior to meet the concerns and expectations of others in order to create productive relationships. When two people of different Social Styles work together, they may become frustrated or tense; their productivity may even be impaired. The reason is that they are being forced to work outside their comfort zones. That is why it is important to be able to use the skill of versatility—to show that we value and understand the concerns and expectations of others, and that we are willing to move toward what is comfortable for the other person.
Why Is It Important? Versatility influences the effectiveness of your style in specific situations. As you work toward improving your versatility, remember that each style brings unique strengths to the workplace. Having differing approaches within the workplace provides a richness and variety that creates better decisions and solutions to problems. People gain insights and ideas from each other. Changing styles, then, is not what versatility is all about. Rather, it is about appreciating other styles and becoming more versatile so that we can work better with those styles that differ from our own.
What Can You Do Perceived versatility is related to both the assertiveness and About It? responsiveness dimensions of Social Style. Using versatility
improves work communications and ultimately productivity. Since versatility is more changeable than Social Style, you can have the greatest impact on your relationships with others by focusing on modifying your behavior to better meet the expectations of others.
Style modification means adjusting one’s assertiveness and responsiveness approaches so they move toward the comfort zone of others. It does not mean crossing over into another quadrant and trying to be another Social Style. An Analytical, for example, may try to be more tell-directed (express ideas more) when relating to a Driver. On the other hand, a Driver may try to be more ask-directed (question and listen more) when relating to an Analytical. Be careful, though, not to make changes that appear insincere or make you uncomfortable. If you do, you may be doing more harm than good.
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INTERPRETING YOUR VERSATILITY FEEDBACK
The versatility feedback you receive has two parts—the Versatility Scale and
Versatility Skills.
VERSATILITY SCALE
The Versatility Scale feedback you received is recorded on a scale similar to the one
below:
W X Y Z
Each box represents 25% of the population surveyed by Wilson Learning. Low versatility
is indicated by a W or X, and high versatility is indicated by a Y or Z. On your feedback,
you will see numbers printed in some or all of the boxes. These indicate the number of
people who perceived your versatility to be in that category. Most people will see a range
of versatility scores, with numbers in several boxes.
Your profile gives you feedback on how specific individuals see you relative to the
versatility of other people. It helps you see how a variety of people in your work
environment see you as compared to others. “Low versatility” means you are not perceived
as very versatile in comparison to others; likewise, “high versatility” means you are
perceived as highly versatile as compared to others.
Each Social Style tends to express versatility (high or low) in different ways. An
Analytical who has low versatility will behave differently than an Expressive with low
versatility. Consequently, for the interpretations of versatility that follow, it is important to
refer to the section that applies to your Social Style.
As you review your results, keep in mind the following points:
If your respondents provided a wide range of scores, you are probably demonstrating
more or less versatility depending on the situation. If this is the case, you will want to
examine the interactions with your respondents so you can identify and understand the
circumstances in which you are being more or less versatile.
Versatility can be learned; it is a skill, not a natural talent. Everyone can improve on
versatility by knowing when and how much is appropriate, and by then choosing to act
on that knowledge.
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VERSATILITY SKILLS
In addition to your overall Versatility Scale, you also received feedback about specific
versatility skills:
Recognizes signals that tension is increasing in an interaction
Take steps to reduce interpersonal tension during an interaction
Adapts easily to different social situations
Modifies own behavior to help others feel more comfortable in an interaction
The Versatility Scale, described above, shows how you compare to others. The Versatility
Skills feedback gives you more specific information about how to be seen as more
versatile (what behaviors you need to change). The behaviors align with the Versatility
Response model (Identify-Reflect-Modify), with the Versatility Skills focusing on the
Reflect and Modify steps.
Skills Related to Reflect
Recognizes signals that tension is increasing in an interaction: Do you recognize
the needs and expectations of others and know when they are or aren’t being met?
Takes steps to reduce interpersonal tension during an interaction: When you
perceive that you are not meeting others’ needs and expectations, do you show
willingness to move out of your comfort zone?
Skills Related to Modify
Adapts easily to different social situations: To what degree do you modify your
behavior to go outside your comfort zone in a variety of situations?
Modifies own behavior to help others feel more comfortable in an interaction: How effectively do you modify your behavior to meet others’ needs and expectations?
To what degree does modifying your behavior result in the other person feeling more
comfortable with you?
Use this information to address your overall skill improvement in the workshop, as well as
back on the job.
Social Style Profile Feedback Booklet
28 Wilson Learning Worldwide Inc. V7 WLW 52232 All rights reserved.
As you reflect on what your versatility feedback tells you, consider:
What does your feedback tell you about how you are meeting the needs and
expectations of others?
How does this impact your effectiveness, productivity, and business results?
What reactions did you have to your versatility feedback?
What questions do you have about your versatility feedback?
Your Modify strategies will be based on what you have learned about the expectations and
preferences of the different styles.
Ask yourself these four questions:
What would this person expect of me?
What would I have to do to meet his or her expectations?
What do we share in common?
What are the differences between us?
Feedback Booklet Social Style Profile
Wilson Learning Worldwide Inc. V7 WLW 52232 29 All rights reserved.
ANALYTICAL VERSATILITY
Versatility is a perceived willingness to adapt to the concerns and expectations of others to
make them feel more comfortable when relating with you. Generally, you show this
willingness through your approach to assertiveness and responsiveness within the context
of the Analytical Social Style.
W X Y Z
Low Versatility (W and X) High Versatility (Y and Z)
People who see you as Analytical
with low versatility perceive that you:
People who see you as Analytical
with high versatility perceive that you:
Maintain the same approach to
ask-directed assertiveness and
task-directed responsiveness in
all interactions, no matter what
the other person’s Social Style
Have a tendency to stick to
business, gather a lot of data,
and maintain a deliberate
approach to most situations
Have a tendency to depend on problem
analysis, conservative thinking,
modesty, and standard operating
procedures
Use your communication skills in
a manner designed to make them feel
valued as people and as contributors
Are open to the thoughts and ideas of
others
Express an “it depends” attitude
in your approach to problem
solving
Are open to negotiate when your
approach to a task is different from that
of others
Social Style Profile Feedback Booklet
30 Wilson Learning Worldwide Inc. V7 WLW 52232 All rights reserved.
As an Analytical, focus on modifying your behavior for each Social Style as shown
below:
Analyticals (working with your own style)
Ask about and provide opportunities for them
to share their expertise.
Show respect and support for their thinking
and principles.
Respond to their desire for more or less data.
Be aware of the possibility of getting bogged
down in unnecessary detail and analysis.
Drivers
Get to the point quickly.
Make more statements; ask fewer questions.
Volunteer information that provides evidence
of results.
Act quickly on decisions.
Use time efficiently.
Focus evidence on results and outcomes.
Emphasize the benefits of a course of action or
decision.
Provide options and choices for them to
consider.
Create opportunities for them to make
decisions and have a leadership role.
Amiables
Verbalize your feelings.
Pay personal compliments.
Be willing to discuss personal experiences
both at work and outside the workplace.
Ask for opinions, and participate openly and
honestly.
Provide support for feelings and offer
assurances.
Express your approval of their ideas.
Encourage everyone’s involvement in decision
making.
Pay attention to the impact on others.
Expressives
Volunteer information that demonstrates
business knowledge.
Be willing to express points of disagreement.
Initiate and engage in friendly conversations.
Discuss your feelings and opinions.
Offer personal compliments that recognize
their accomplishments and ideas.
Use more gestures and facial expressions, and
vary your tone of voice.
Keep discussions moving and focused, but
don’t force a process.
Avoid detail, and use testimonials and stories
as your evidence.
Feedback Booklet Social Style Profile
Wilson Learning Worldwide Inc. V7 WLW 52232 31 All rights reserved.
DRIVER VERSATILITY
Versatility is a perceived willingness to adapt to the concerns and expectations of others in
order to make them feel comfortable when relating with you. Generally, you show this
willingness through your approach to assertiveness and responsiveness within the context
of the Driver Social Style.
W X Y Z
Low Versatility (W and X) High Versatility (Y and Z)
People who see you as Driver with
low versatility perceive that you:
People who see you as Driver with
high versatility perceive that you:
Maintain the same approach to
tell-directed assertiveness and task-
directed responsiveness in all
interactions, no matter what other Social
Style is involved
Have a tendency to stick to business,
work independently, and try to maintain
control
Have a tendency to hold strong opinions
and be impatient and blunt
Use your communication skills in a
manner designed to make them feel
valued as people and as contributors
Are willing to negotiate differences in
opinion and approach
Express an “it depends” attitude in your
problem solving
Show empathy before expressing your
reactions to what others say and do
Social Style Profile Feedback Booklet
32 Wilson Learning Worldwide Inc. V7 WLW 52232 All rights reserved.
As a Driver, focus on modifying your behavior for each Social Style as shown below:
Analyticals
Slow the pace of interactions to give time for
them to think things through.
Listen without interrupting.
Pause more often.
Ask for commitments without pressure.
Ask about and provide opportunities for them
to share their expertise.
Show respect and support for their thinking
and principles.
Use a clear, logical process when
communicating and making decisions.
Drivers (working with your own style)
Focus your evidence on results and outcomes.
Emphasize the benefits of a course of action or
decision.
Provide options and choices for them to
consider.
Create opportunities for them to make
decisions and have a leadership role.
Share leadership and decision-making
responsibilities.
Amiables
Ask for opinions, and participate openly and
honestly.
Politely listen and avoid interruptions.
Provide support for feelings and offer
assurances.
Express your approval of their ideas.
Encourage everyone’s involvement in decision
making.
Pay attention to the impact on others.
Verbalize your feelings.
Pay personal compliments.
Be willing to discuss personal experiences
both at work and outside the workplace.
Expressives
Verbalize your feelings.
Offer personal compliments that recognize
their accomplishments and ideas.
Show a willingness to socialize and engage in
small talk.
Get to know them on a personal basis.
Use more gestures and facial expressions, and
vary your tone of voice.
Avoid detail, and use testimonials and stories
as your evidence.
Be flexible in your use of time and avoid being
tied to a schedule.
Feedback Booklet Social Style Profile
Wilson Learning Worldwide Inc. V7 WLW 52232 33 All rights reserved.
AMIABLE VERSATILITY
Versatility is a perceived willingness to adapt to the concerns and expectations of others to
make them feel more comfortable when relating with you. Generally, you show this
willingness through your approach to assertiveness and responsiveness within the context
of the Amiable Social Style.
W X Y Z
Low Versatility (W and X) High Versatility (Y and Z)
People who see you as Amiable with
low versatility perceive that you:
People who see you as Amiable with
high versatility perceive that you:
Maintain the same approach to
ask-directed assertiveness and people-
directed responsiveness in all
interactions, no matter what other Social
Style is involved
Have a tendency to work through
relationships and feelings
Have a tendency to use an indirect
approach to problem solving,
giving the appearance that you
have all the time in the world to
find a solution
Use your communication skills in a
manner designed to make them feel
valued as people and as contributors
Are flexible to the work preferences of
others
Express your ideas with conviction, and
in a timely manner
Offer support for the ideas of others
Social Style Profile Feedback Booklet
34 Wilson Learning Worldwide Inc. V7 WLW 52232 All rights reserved.
As an Amiable, focus on modifying your behavior for each Social Style as shown below:
Analyticals
Avoid small talk early in the relationship.
Talk about the task.
Ask about and provide opportunities for them
to share their expertise.
Show respect and support for their thinking
and principles.
Use a clear, logical process when
communicating and making decisions.
Ask for commitments without pressure.
Drivers
Get to the point quickly.
Focus your evidence on results and outcomes.
Act quickly on decisions.
Use time efficiently.
Emphasize facts over feelings.
Be logical when communicating.
Use fewer gestures and facial expressions.
Avoid small talk early in the relationship.
Emphasize the benefits of a course of action or
decision.
Provide options and choices for them to
consider.
Create opportunities for them to make
decisions and have a leadership role.
Amiables (working with your own style)
Ask for opinions, and participate openly and
honestly.
Provide support for feelings and offer
assurances.
Express your approval of their ideas.
Work together to make sure the important
controversial issues are addressed.
Expressives
Volunteer information that demonstrates
business knowledge.
Be willing to express points of disagreement.
Initiate conversation.
Be flexible in your use of time and avoid
being tied to a schedule.
Keep discussions moving and focused.
Offer personal compliments that recognize
their accomplishments and ideas.
Avoid detail, and use testimonials and stories
as your evidence.
Feedback Booklet Social Style Profile
Wilson Learning Worldwide Inc. V7 WLW 52232 35 All rights reserved.
EXPRESSIVE VERSATILITY
Versatility is a perceived willingness to adapt to the concerns and expectations of others to
make them feel comfortable when relating with you. Generally, you show this willingness
through your approach to assertiveness and responsiveness within the context of the
Expressive Social Style.
W X Y Z
Low Versatility (W and X) High Versatility (Y and Z)
People who see you as Expressive
with low versatility perceive that you:
People who see you as Expressive
with high versatility perceive that you:
Maintain the same approach to
tell-directed assertiveness and people-
directed responsiveness
in all interactions, no matter what other
Social Style is involved
Have a tendency to use feelings
and emotion, rather than facts and logic,
to convince others to take quick action
Have a tendency to use praise,
enthusiasm, and optimism in almost all
your interpersonal encounters
Use your communication skills in a
manner designed to make them feel
valued as people and as contributors
Are open to the thoughts, feelings,
actions, and concerns of others
Are willing to engage in
negotiations when you sense that your
approach to problem solving differs
from others
Offer energy and support for the
creative effort of others
Social Style Profile Feedback Booklet
36 Wilson Learning Worldwide Inc. V7 WLW 52232 All rights reserved.
As an Expressive, focus on modifying your behavior for each Social Style as shown
below:
Analyticals
Slow the pace of interactions to give time for
them to think things through.
Listen without interrupting.
Pause more often.
Use fewer gestures and facial expressions.
Avoid small talk.
Talk about the task.
Ask about and provide opportunities for them
to share their expertise.
Show respect and support for their thinking
and principles.
Use a clear, logical process when
communicating and making decisions.
Drivers
Emphasize facts over feelings.
Focus on problem solving with a businesslike
attitude.
Be logical when communicating.
Use time efficiently.
Focus your evidence on results and outcomes.
Emphasize the benefits of a course of action or
decision.
Provide options and choices for them to
consider.
Create opportunities for them to make
decisions and have a leadership role.
Amiables
Ask for opinions, and participate openly and
honestly.
Slow down the pace of the interaction.
Politely listen and avoid interruptions.
Ask for commitments without pressure.
Provide support for feelings and offer
assurances.
Express your approval of their ideas.
Encourage everyone’s involvement in decision
making.
Pay attention to the impact on others.
Expressives (working with your own style)
Offer personal compliments that recognize
their accomplishments and ideas.
Listen to them and avoid interrupting.
Share leadership and decision-making
responsibility.
Take responsibility for managing time and
schedules if they don’t.
Feedback Booklet Social Style Profile
Wilson Learning Worldwide Inc. V7 WLW 52232 37 All rights reserved.
SOCIAL STYLE DISTRIBUTIONS
People are naturally curious about how the distribution of Social Styles differs across
industries, organizations, and jobs. The following pages summarize the results of some of
the analyses of Wilson Learning’s Social Style database. Social Style and versatility
distributions are analyzed for:
Overall Population
Industry
Functional Area Within Organizations
Since these data are derived from Wilson Learning’s U.S. client database, they do not
represent a random sample. Nonetheless, the size of the sample is large enough to suggest
that significant differences do exist. While the differences are worth noting, it is equally
useful to recognize that all styles are represented in significant numbers in each group.
Some patterns that are apparent in these distributions include:
Slightly more than half (59%) of the surveyed populations were Analytical or
Expressive, with a corresponding lower frequency of Drivers and Amiables.
About 46% of the surveyed population was rated as having high versatility
(Y or Z).
Some findings regarding differences among industries are:
The insurance and investment industry had the highest percentage of Analyticals.
Retail, wholesale, and trades had the largest percentage of Drivers of any industry.
Government and banking industries had the largest proportion of Amiables.
The pharmaceuticals industry had the most Expressives.
The industry with the greatest percentage of people with high versatility (Y or Z) was
pharmaceuticals.
Some findings regarding differences among functional areas include:
The sales and marketing function of organizations had the largest percentage of
Expressives.
The personnel, training, and development function had the highest proportion of
Amiables.
The highest proportion of Drivers were in production/manufacturing and the research
and development areas of client organizations.
Social Style Profile Feedback Booklet
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Data processing and research and development had the highest proportion of
Analyticals.
About 58% of the participants from sales and marketing were perceived to be highly
versatile, the highest of the functional areas.
Understanding, appreciating, and adapting to Social Style differences is essential to
effective relationships in any group or organization.
SOCIAL STYLE DISTRIBUTION
For Overall Population
(77,254 Participants)
Social Style
Versatility
The overall population here is from Wilson Learning’s U.S. client database and represents
all of the people receiving Social Style Profiles over a five-year period. As such, it is not a
random sample of U.S. business or the general population. It is a recent representative
sample of the total population of people surveyed by Wilson Learning Corporation, which
exceeds one million people.
Feedback Booklet Social Style Profile
Wilson Learning Worldwide Inc. V7 WLW 52232 39 All rights reserved.
SOCIAL STYLE DISTRIBUTION
By Industry
Social Style Profile Feedback Booklet
40 Wilson Learning Worldwide Inc. V7 WLW 52232 All rights reserved.
SOCIAL STYLE DISTRIBUTION
By Industry
Feedback Booklet Social Style Profile
Wilson Learning Worldwide Inc. V7 WLW 52232 41 All rights reserved.
SOCIAL STYLE DISTRIBUTION
By Functional Area
Social Style Profile Feedback Booklet
42 Wilson Learning Worldwide Inc. V7 WLW 52232 All rights reserved.
SOCIAL STYLE DISTRIBUTION
By Functional Area