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I recently profiled over 200 PGA pros and facilitated a workshop in Myrtle Beach. Fascinating, when you think about what it takes to work at your golf game enough to become a PGA pro. Although there were a variety of combinations of behavioral styles, one factor stood out among all others.

Not surprisingly, that one characteristic was also their biggest challenge in their additional duties as instructors and managers of others. E-mail us at service@datadome.com if you think you know what that defining characteristic is. Top answers will be discussed in the next issue. All winning responses will get: One free Golf Stroke-Saver Behavioral Insights Analysis Report!

The Apprentice

Among the rivals competing in the popular reality-tv program, it was pretty clear that "the Donald" prefers the Hi D style, even with the low C. He'll take the driving force even with the loss of integrity and ethics. Real-world it is. Wouldn't it be interesting to see the Attribute Index on every one of the losers, just to verify their seeming lack of clarity about how others see themselves and the external world. They just have no focus on others at all.

Sliding D's

We've talked for years how the D's who so naturally start up companies need to compensate for their weaknesses ASAP if they are to continue to run them. That balance of the C - the diplomacy, rules & procedures ­ are “the brakes” that become increasingly necessary.

Unexpected Benefits from Oral Drug Testing

If you've had a tougher time hiring lately, you're not alone. Overall employment is somewhat high, but white-collar unemployment is only 2.9%! Also noteworthy is the quite extensive national survey last quarter that showed 70% of current employees are waiting for the economy to improve so that can leave their current situation. That's a remarkable figure of discontent, but also shows the grass is probably not any greener...

And time is running out.

"More then 25% of the working population will reach retirement age by 2010, resulting in a potential shortage of nearly 10,000,000 workers." - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics "One-fifth of this country's large, established companies will be losing 40% or more of their top-level talent in the next five years." - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics "Nearly all of the 24 million people who stop working in this decade will be experienced employees who are headed into retirement" - The Kiplinger Letter, May 17, 2002

2004 2010

"Don't kill the messenger"! A recent headliner article in Harvard Business Revenue says it so well: "Few senior executives think of their organizations as actively engaged in suppressing the flow of information within the ranks. But if there aren't policies and processes in place to encourage employees to relay bad news or voice dissent, organizations are in effect encouraging their employees to keep vital information under wraps." Ask NASA.

That is why it is so important to go the extra steps to collect this valuable information: not to fall to the convenience of on-line surveys but to offer hard copy employee surveys. The process is so much more secure and anonymous when third party facilitation is properly executed, and studies are now numerous that show that the most vital information for a company to know is the toughest information to share, and requires the greatest care in asking and collecting.

"Every organization needs to have "arenas of honesty" - officially sanctioned events for opening up communications channels."
- HBR Christina Bielaszka-Duvernay
"How to Get the Bad News You Need"

Another unexpected consequence of customer surveys! A recent study in Harvard Business Review concluded that the simple fact of asking customers how a company was performing proved to be a great customer retention strategy by itself. The study offered multiple rationales:

• 1. Satisfaction surveys reinforce the customers desire to be coddled and reinforce positive feelings.
• 2. Surveys may increase awareness of auxiliary products and services.
• 3. Surveys induce judgments. Presenting the right questions, customers form opinions on things they otherwise might not have considered.

Finish the Puzzle     

The TriMetrix is now online. The more pieces of the puzzle, the clearer the picture. You can now define the job not just for ideal behaviors, but for motivations and attributes as well. Download a sample report here or go to our sample downloads page to obtain the report. Then compare each (or all) candidates in all three areas. Contact us to see if you qualify for a complimentary TriMetrix Job Plus report.

Now available on-line.

Certification in DISC or Values(Motivations), designed to fit your schedule. 3 sessions by phone, the remainder by e-mail. One textbook, one final exam.