6/11/04
Are all RANDOM ACTORS Undesirable Persons?
Introducing the CAUTIOUS INNOVATOR
There is a significant body of additional research that has taken
place since the printing of the first edition in 1997. At that time the
reader was cautioned when applying some of the theoretical concepts. As
anticipated, three years of in-the-field application have given rise to
two insights.
1. Extreme RANDOM
ACTORS (RAs)
can change. As noted in CHAPTER 12, RAs do have a Communication type, and
they may use the positive actions in their type. Additionally, RAs can
change and move to low FEARFUL or low
CONFIDENT. The most common scenario
in which this has been observed to occur is when an RA is mentored how to
make decisions out of confidence. On the surface, this may seem
simplistic, but in application, the results can be life-transforming. More
will be published on this issue with examples in the 2nd edition of the text.
2. Low RAs—those with a FEARFUL trait about 3 or lower—can actually have positive
actions in their PERFORMANCE type.
Several behavioral science
experts recommended tabling this idea, when the the original
inventory was
published in 1997, until more in-the-field, real-life observations could be made. Three additional
years of observations have confirmed several positive actions that should be added to the
list—but only for a low RA as defined above. An updated list of Random
Actor actions is provided in this addendum. Some of these positive actions
are: Cautious / Creative Team Player; Cautious / Creative
Decision-Maker.
The idea here is that when you combine low FEARFUL
actions, such as cautious, guarded, analytical, with UNPREDICTABLE
actions, such as unconventional, spontaneous, and free-wheeling, positive
actions can appear. One example of a person with these traits is a
researcher with creative ideas, and her cautious, analytical nature
feeds the desire to get it right. Examples of extremely likable and
endearing youths who are low RAs can be found in the educational video we
have produced for those who work with youths, like educators, mental
health, and law enforcement professionals—click here for information about this
video.
Another
common observation about those with the low RA traits is that the combination
of low FEARFUL with UNPREDICTABLE sets in motion a natural tension between
the traits. This person desires to be spontaneous or unconventional, while also
desiring to be analytical/cautious. Some
people handle this well—maintaining some boundaries while being
spontaneous. Others, never seem able to juggle these two traits as
they interact with one another.
3. In light of the addition of
positive actions associated with low RAs, additional descriptors
for each of the four RA PROFILES in CHAPTER 11 are provided below. While
not intended to be comprehensive descriptors, they are a good starting
point for understanding and working with the low RA. It is
anticipated that additional descriptors will be posted in the future.
4. Finally, I wrestled with a type descriptor
that could be used for a person with the low RA traits that would work
cross-culturally. After three years of trial and error in training
sessions with several thousand professionals, the descriptor that will be
used in the 2nd ed. is CAUTIOUS INNOVATOR. It has gained wide
acceptance and is actually the fastest growing type that is appearing in
the workforce. There will significant discussion about this in the 2nd ed.
as it will mean significant changes in team leadership environments.
ADDITIONAL
DESCRIPTORS FOR
CAUTIOUS INNOVATOR
(LOW RANDOM ACTOR )
COMPREHENSIVE PROFILES
SERGEANT-CAUTIOUS INNOVATOR
SERGEANT types,
who are
CAUTIOUS INNOVATORS, can often be effective
mid-level
managers who feel comfortable with change/innovation, provided they are
given time to allow their cautious decision-making style time to evaluate
the situation. Their TELL
trait, can enable them to lead, provided they are given clear direction by
their superiors. For additional positive actions of the
CAUTIOUS INNOVATOR, review the
list of CAUTIOUS INNOVATORS
type actions below.
SALESMAN-CAUTIOUS INNOVATOR
SALESMAN types, who
are
CAUTIOUS INNOVATORS,
are very similar to the
SALESMAN
INNOVATOR, as they can be socially adept and flexible team players because of
their emotive SALESMAN
actions. They also can they feel comfortable with change / innovation. A key
difference is that they must be given more time to allow their cautious
decision-making style time to evaluate the impact of change and demanding
situations. For additional positive actions of the
CAUTIOUS INNOVATOR, review the list of
CAUTIOUS INNOVATOR
type actions below.
ACCOUNTANT-CAUTIOUS INNOVATOR
ACCOUNTANT
types, who are
CAUTIOUS INNOVATORS,
can be effective team players in non-leadership roles because of their less
demanding social style. They usually wear well under pressure as long as
they are not pressed to make decisions. Like the other RA profiles, they can
feel comfortable with change/innovation, provided they are given time to
allow their cautious decision-making style time to evaluate the situation.
For additional positive actions of the
CAUTIOUS INNOVATOR,
review the list of CAUTIOUS INNOVATORS
type actions below.
ARTIST-CAUTIOUS INNOVATOR
ARTIST types,
who are
CAUTIOUS INNOVATORS,
can be effective team players in non-leadership roles because they often can
express empathy for others/causes through their less demanding social style.
They usually wear well under pressure and yet can feel comfortable with
change/innovation, provided they are given time to allow their cautious
decision-making style time to evaluate the situation. For additional
positive actions of the
CAUTIOUS INNOVATOR, review the list of
low
CAUTIOUS INNOVATOR Type
actions below.
CAUTIOUS INNOVATOR
TYPE ACTIONS
Positive Actions (only when low FEARFUL)
Creative / Cautious Decision Maker
Creative / Cautious Team Player
Creative / Cautious Problem Solver
Can adapt to change given time to evaluate situation
Other Tendencies
Impulsive
Hard to read
Rigid / Unbending (more likely if a person has CONTROL trait)
Dependent
Seeks protection through control
Devil's advocate
Updates Prior to 6/11/04
Additional Descriptor for Negative Unpredictable
An additional descriptor for the negative use of the
UNPREDICTABLE trait is
"anarchistic."
Compare Your Reads to the Extreme Ends of the Gauge
The Korem & Associates faculty has trained over
25,000 professionals across several countries during the last several
years. It has been observed that if you simply think, "Is
Joe CONTROL or EXPRESS?", your accuracy will be 15–20% lower than if
you ask, "Is Joe more like Queen Elizabeth II or Robin Williams?" It is
one of the most common errors made by people when learning to use the
gauges. The reason we want to use to the extreme examples is so that we
have a concrete representation of the end of each gauge, rather than an
abstract notion. By consistently using the same extreme examples, we will have a standardized gauge that we can use in all
situations which will help us avoid stereotyping and improve our accuracy.
Additionally, under pressure, we are more likely to let our own
prejudicial judgment interfere with making sound reads. It is
easier to make an accurate read when comparing someone to the extreme
standards than to think: ASK or
TELL?
Suggestion: Carry a little card
on which is listed each gauge, the extremes you have chosen, and the list
of actions for each gauge, such as CONTROL-EXPRESS, and so on. Then force
yourself to quickly assess who your subject—in
this case Joe—is more like. That's it. In most cases we find people do
better than taking a long time to mull over the decision. This is of
course not appropriate in all situations, but is especially helpful to get
you up and running during your first two or three months of practice and
trying to apply the gauge. IFP now has available all the gauges, extremes,
and type actions conveniently on a letter-sized, laminated sheet. For
more information.
A Common Misconception About the PREDICTABLE-UNPREDICTABLE Gauge
What we are trying to read here is if someone prefers to operate
more conventionally and in-the-box or more unconventionally and
out-of-the-box. Think of the difference between an audit unit in an
organization (in-the-box) and research and development (out-of-the-box).
This gauge is not trying to predict whether or not it is
easy to predict a person's behavior.
Using the CONFIDENT—FEARFUL Gauge
It is important that one reads how a person makes decisions separate
and apart from one's natural talents, area of expertise, and
training. Gifted athletes or musicians may be confident in their
ability, but can this
person make basic everyday decisions out of confidence? A computer
programmer may have confidence in his/her training, but how does this
person make decisions on a committee at his/her child's school apart from
his/her training? To get an accurate read, we are looking for how a person
makes decisions on a day to day basis, apart from an area of natural or
learned strength and understanding. A common mistake made by human
resource managers is to assume that because a candidate is confident in
his/her ability, that this person will be confident during a reshuffling
of a department or when an important tactical decision must be made that
will affect his/her career. For this reason, it is always wise to make
reads apart from natural talents, area of expertise, or training.
