Birkman Method

Shortcomings of Human Intuition

For most of us, success in careers and in the organizations in which we work will largely depend on how well we understand ourselves and those with whom we interact. In business today, much of our time is spent working with and through people to accomplish organizational objectives. Thus, people skills are one of the most critical tools we can develop. The alternative is intuition or “gut feeling.” Most people who rely on intuition are limited in their ability to predict human behavior with the level of skill and accuracy required in the modern workplace.

We spend our lives observing human behavior and attempting to interpret what we’ve seen. We ask ourselves why people act a certain way and then make countless efforts to try to predict future actions. Our assessments are based on the intuitive understanding we’ve developed about others, and sometimes even ourselves. These intuitive skills are inadequate because they reflect our correct perceptions (what we see or observe), but often incorrect assumptions about others (what we assume based on what we see).

Introducing The Birkman Method®

The Birkman Method® is a multi-dimensional assessment integrating behavioral, motivational and occupational data and has been scientifically developed to enhance and predict interpersonal and occupational success. The Birkman Method® gives you the edge you need to improve your people skills and the skills of those with whom you work.

Overview of The Birkman Method®

The Birkman Method® is a personality, social perception, and occupational interest assessment identifying behavioral styles, motivations, expectations, and stress behaviors. It was first developed in the late 1940s by Roger Birkman, Ph.D. For over 60 years, corporate human resources professionals, independent consultants, executive coaches, educational institutions, and non-profit organizations have used The Birkman Method® with over 3 million individuals. The assessment accurately measures social behaviors, underlying expectations of interpersonal and task actions, potential stress reactions to unmet expectations, occupational preferences and organizational strengths. The Birkman Method® has been translated into 12 languages in addition to English.

The Birkman Method®, shown to be reliable and valid, consists of a 298-item questionnaire and a series of related report formats that facilitate team building, executive coaching, leadership development, career counseling, and interpersonal conflict resolution. The Birkman Method® provides a multi-dimensional and comprehensive analysis in one single assessment, reducing the need for multiple assessments. It is delivered online, takes about 1 hour to complete, and results are available to the Birkman Certified Consultant immediately upon questionnaire completion.

Five Dimensions of The Birkman Method®

The Birkman Method® measures five dimensions:

1. Usual Behavior – an individual’s effective style and strengths for dealing with relationships and tasks.
2. Underlying Needs and Motivations – an individual’s expectations of how others should relate to and work with them; reveals what influences/motivates an individual’s behavior.
3. Stress Behaviors – an individual’s expressed less-than-effective style when underlying needs are not being met.
4. Areas of Interest – indicates the work an individual is most likely to be drawn to and enjoy.
5. Organizational Focus – an individual’s perspective on problems and solutions as they relate to organizational goals.

The Birkman Method® Reports

The Birkman Method® reports provide specific, client-centered, problem-solving prescriptions for the issues most likely to affect the client. There are over 45 report formats, available in 13 different languages. They are classified into one of three categories. Individual reports describe various behaviors and motivations and focus on the individual as compared to the general populace. Paired reports compare specific behaviors and motivations of one individual with another. Group reports either portray one individual to a specific group, or portray all the individuals within the whole group. Birkman Certified Consultants can view, print, save, or send reports online from anywhere in the world.

Applications of The Birkman Method®

The Birkman Method® provides a wide range of non-clinical applications for measuring human behavior and occupational strengths, including:

*Adapted from Birkman International, Inc. and The Birkman Method® resources and materials.