One of the best read articles on this website is the article on how to identify your strong and weak points by using the Belbin model. The Belbin model is great for discovering your strong and weak points, but there is more to it than that. In order to find out what, let’s take a look at the Core Quality model by Daniel Ofman.
Step 1 – Core Quality
The model is as simple as it is brilliant. Basically it is a four quadrant model, which means you start with drawing two axes. Then enter a core quality in the upper left quadrant. For example, proactiveness is one of my core qualities, so I would enter that in the upper left quadrant.
Step 2 – Pitfall
The next thing you do is think of what too much of your core quality would lead to. This is your pitfall, something that you must be careful of not to do.
Think of what too much of the core quality can lead to. Write this down in the upper right quadrant. For example, too much proactiveness can result in being too busy.
Step 3 – Challenge
After you have identified the pitfall that relates to the core quality, you can now find your challenge. Your challenge is something which doesn’t come quite natural to you, it takes an effort. But it is very important to do.
Think of the positive opposite of your pitfall and write this in the lower right quadrant. For example, the positive opposite of too busy is taking rest.
Step 4 – Allergy
The last step in the model is to identify your allergy. An allergy is a property in people that triggers a negative reaction in you.
Think about what too much of your challenge would lead to. This is your allergy, so write it down in the lower left quadrant. For example, too much rest leads to laziness, which is then the allergy.
Note that the positive opposite of the allergy is your core quality again, which completes the cycle.
Example
Here is the example of one of my core qualities, proactiveness. Too much proactiveness leads to being too busy. The opposite of that is to take enough rest. Taking too much rest however, leads to laziness, which is indeed one of my allergies.
You can use this model to identify those properties in other people that you are allergic too. But also to find what to avoid (pitfalls) and what you must do because it doesn’t come natural to you (challenges).
It is not necessary to start from the Core Quality quadrant, but usually this is the easiest. If you want, you can start from any of the four quadrants.
December 7th, 2010 at 1:09 pm
Awesome article in its simplicity! Thanks!
May 26th, 2010 at 3:15 pm