PDFDOC

Sample

Jon Citizen

Executive Management - Narrative Report

Career Drives

Achievement - Primary

Jon is strongly achievement-oriented in line with other high performing executives, and he obtains satisfaction from achieving results and quantifiable outcomes. He would usually be clear in what he is trying to achieve. This clarity is likely to be communicated to subordinates, and is one of the characteristics of good leadership.

Remuneration - Secondary

For various reasons, today's workforce is more concerned with remuneration issues than traditionally. However, in line with many successful executives, responses indicate that Jon is not most motivated by money. He obtains more satisfaction from other factors at work, and probably regards money and financial remuneration packages on the basis of a fair return for results achieved. The fairness of a remuneration package is more likely to be judged on the basis of relativity to others inside the organisation, and on the open job market, rather than the quantum of the package.

Ambition - Primary

Jon has strong personal ambition to do well which usually translates into trying hard to achieve personal and corporate goals within his organisation. People with scores similar to Jon generally have high expectations of themselves, and would stretch subordinates. Jon would be willing to accept challenges and would provide a motivating environment for others at work.

Independence - Secondary

Executives usually score higher for independence than other groups. However, Jon does value independence more highly than most other executives. People who value autonomy too highly can be a mixed blessing. In times of change, or in roles where a lot of challenging of the status quo is appropriate, they have a special contribution to make. They also usually have many good and original ideas and can be very forceful in seeing them implemented. Invariably, though, they want things done their way and conflict frequently erupts unless they have learnt to respect that others may do things well a different way. When they don't get their own way they may go underground to achieve their aims. Because of their high need for independence they often have difficulty fitting into organisation life unless the role gives them the independence that they need. They may go beyond their authority to achieve their wants, and believe it is easier to ask forgiveness than to seek permission, especially if they feel the answer will be 'no'. They are likely to strongly resent any perceived interference in the way they do the job. Notwithstanding, many of these people can and do make an outstanding contribution. Many highly independent people are self-employed or consultants or similar. SHADOW SIDE - If charismatic, some of these people can tend to be empire builders in an organisation by attracting followers to their point of view. Some may develop a reputation for being rebellious and difficult to manage.

Recognition - Secondary

Responses indicate that it is extremely important to Jon to receive recognition and respect for his involvement at work. While this contributes to high quality and standards, there may be a risk at executive level that unnecessary perfectionism may cause loss of productivity and morale of staff. SHADOW SIDE - If an extremely high level of personal ego involvement is entailed, it may be perceived that a person is self-serving in their search for recognition, and this can create resentment and resistance from others. A high level of approval seeking can also interfere with actual performance and decision-making. Some such people may also be seen as using organisation resources to achieve personal recognition.

Conflict Management Style

Assertive - Secondary

Jon is sensibly assertive, and likely to notice conflict in its early stages, and become involved as soon as there is a need, which helps ensure that situations don't escalate or deteriorate. He is likely to appear appropriately confident when dealing with confrontation. Jon may choose to let others solve their own problems based on their maturity and capability to do so.

Competitive - Secondary

Scores indicate that Jon enjoys the cut and thrust of being verbally competitive, and sees most issues in terms of winning and losing. Whilst this high competivity is appropriate in dramatic and threatening situations, such strong behaviour is rarely required in day-to-day operations, especially with other co-workers. Jon needs to be aware that he is very likely to be seen by some as far too pushy, and almost certainly not a good listener. It is likely that the presence of Jon heats up debate, and Jon may benefit by genuinely trying to achieve more win/win outcomes.

Collaborative - Secondary

Jon appreciates the value of win/win outcomes, and usually tries to be collaborative in his dealing with others. This tends to generate goodwill and trust as well as optimising gains available for all parties.

Compromising - Secondary

Scores indicate that Jon is probably too willing to compromise, and would benefit by trying harder to accomplish win/win outcomes before falling back to compromising, where both parties 'lose something to gain something'. Knowing how and when to trade off concessions would help him to achieve some outcomes rather than no outcomes. The art of compromising is a useful technique in forming give and take relationships, and for strategic alliances and negotiating.

Coping

Security - Secondary

Jon has a low concern for job security in common with most people at executive level who seem confident of their skills and redeployability, and who prefer many other work conditions ahead of security. This is appropriate in freeing executives to take risks in their decision making without being paralysed by the fear of a penalty for making a mistake.

Responsibility - Primary

Jon is likely to accept responsibility, exercising appropriate judgement in accepting workloads for himself and his direct reports. Jon should welcome a challenge and the opportunity to stretch himself and acquire new skills in the process. (He/she) should display an awareness of his own capabilities and could be expected to appraise task failure in a positive and objective manner.

Stress Resilience - Primary

Jon seems to be coping with his job to the same degree as most executives, in that some stress is evident, but not enough to compromise performance at executive level. Jon probably gets adrenalin from challenges, and enjoys some pressure. In relationships with others, Jon would generally be relaxed and able to make time to listen to problems.

Sensitivity - Secondary

Responses indicate that Jon tends to be able to remain objective and not easily upset by the situation of others. He is usually able to be emotionally uninvolved, and may often be surprised when other people seem to overreact to a situation. As a result, there are likely to be circumstances when Jon may sometimes seem insensitive and uncaring towards others.

Leadership and Influence

Power - Primary

There has been a movement towards today's executives being more willing to exercise power and authority. However, responses indicate that Jon has a very high score, and wants a leadership role, and has a high need to influence people and strongly prefers to have authority. While some others at executive level share this sentiment, there is a real risk that the injudicious use of power, will alienate other people, especially without consultation of affected parties. There is considerable evidence to support the view that the weight of other people's alienation tends to erode the effectiveness of forceful management styles. Another attendant problem is that strong use of power tends to stop the development and involvement of other people with something to contribute. Subsequently a culture dominated by the one person eventuates, sometimes upheld by those who easily submit, but consequently lacking in diversity. However, to some degree a sociable and caring attitude may serve as a counter-balance, and other compensating factors should be looked at.

Decisive - Primary

Jon usually thinks about decisions before he makes them, and obtains sufficient data without becoming bogged down. Jon can usually differentiate between the need for accuracy and expediency to the degree appropriate at executive level, and would rarely miss deadlines, and be personally productive.

Persuasive - Primary

Today's executive is very willing to use persuasion and influence. Jon probably enjoys good powers of persuasion and would be willing to influence others to achieve the outcomes he needs to be successful at an executive level. SHADOW SIDE - Because some people can use persuasion primarily for personal gain, other people may frequently suspect motives until trust is established. There seems to be increasing suspicion regarding use of persuasion and sincerity amongst the lower levels of the workforce.

Directive - Primary

Responses indicate that Jon is likely to have a strong leadership style, and be very willing to be directive, and would try hard to influence outcomes in his favour. Whilst the capability to provide leadership from the front under high levels of pressure from staff and others both inside and outside the organisation is desirable, such strong leadership at executive level should be infrequently required, as a more delegative leadership style is more appropriate when dealing with mature people. Being domineering can stultify the independence, growth and development of others, and create resentment and friction, especially if it is perceived that a person is acting out of personal ambition or excessive self-interest.

Delegating - Primary

Jon seems to understand the value of delegating, and willingly assigns tasks to others. This enables him to be free to do the really important tasks, whilst developing the potential of staff. It is important for a leader to consult with and trust others so that they can gain confidence and experience. This 'leading from the rear' is a valuable skill that is most appropriate at executive level. SHADOW SIDE - Some willing delegators run the risk of over-delegating, and of not being as involved to the degree they should. This may be seen as abdicating or avoiding of responsibility, or even laziness.

Coaching - Secondary

There is an increasing requirement for today's executive to be prepared to support, coach and mentor others. Responses indicate that Jon only rarely uses a coaching style of leadership, and he would benefit by trying to develop and use the skills of others more often by being more willing to take time to provide support, detailed instruction and explanations when appropriate.

People Orientation

Agreeable - Primary

Today's executives have generally become less sociable, with less need to be liked by co-workers. However it is still important for executives to be sensitive to the needs and concerns of others at work. Jon has a need for affiliation at work, and this should help him communicate with others, and empathise with co-workers, including those who may have a higher or lower social need. Jon may need to remember to maintain respect by prioritising achieving results ahead of being popular. SHADOW SIDE - May spend too much time socialising and talking about non-work issues, and sometimes place too much emphasis on relationships rather than on outcomes.

Teamwork - Secondary

The current workplace environment requires that executives actively facilitate teamwork, and Jon reports a willingness to forego his own agenda in support of team initiatives. He should appreciate team values such as trust, consultation and participation. Jon could be expected to support team initiatives, readily implementing teams in the pursuit of organisational goals. He should also be prepared to accept team roles other than leader. SHADOW SIDE - May need to ensure that team initiatives offer tangible benefits that appeal to more pragmatic team members.

Extraversion - Secondary

Studies show that executives tend to be extraverted, which is likely to reflect, amongst other things, the need to network and to have a global perspective. Responses indicate that Jon has a similar score to many executives, and would enjoy socialising, creating business relationships and networks. He is likely to be open, and approachable to staff, and to be aware of external factors having a bearing on the organisation. SHADOW SIDE- May tend to communicate verbally when the written form would be more appropriate. May talk too much rather than listen. May need to make more quiet time to concentrate and study important issues.

Intimacy - Secondary

Jon generally strikes a balance between forming friendships at work and remaining objective about relationship issues. At executive level, positive personal relationships can help accomplish much that may not have been possible through formal protocols.

Strategic Orientation

Goalsetting - Secondary

At an executive level it is important to value attainment of corporate goals. This is particularly true in a strongly commercial or competitive environment. People who set goals for themselves and their subordinates seem to achieve more, and typically celebrate when these goals are achieved. Jon has a low score for goal setting, and would probably benefit by establishing goal-setting practices, even if it does not seem comfortable. Knowledge and ranking of goals is a vital prerequisite for effective prioritising of issues and tasks. However, in an environment where goal setting by the individual has little relevance this factor should be put in perspective.

Innovation - Primary

Jon is likely to take a big picture view and should enjoy creating new ideas and taking an innovative approach. The current workplace is associated with an increasing pace of change and level of ambiguity and consequently, the need for innovation is becoming greater, particularly in achieving competitive advantage in the market place. Jon may display a strong need for variety in his role and should appear flexible and comfortable juggling multiple tasks. He may bend the rules and take risks to achieve a worthwhile objective. At an executive level, this flexibility should enable him to objectively evaluate competitive forces and change factors impacting the organisation. SHADOW SIDE - Jons strong need for variety suggests he could give up on tasks too readily when faced with resistance. Individuals with comparable scores may appear too ready to bend the rules, particularly if motivated by personal gain.

Proactive - Primary

It is important for executives to plan ahead with a strategic perspective, to foresee problems, and to consider the alternatives and consequences of actions in advance. Jon values planning, and would tend to be a proactive manager who responds to threats and opportunities, and is likely make a strategic contribution, whilst sensibly monitoring implementation and activities.

Analysing - Primary

Today's organisations and their operating environments are becoming increasingly complex and it has become evident that senior executives need the intellectual capacity to deal with this. An indicator of this capability is a person's aptitude for being analytical and solving problems. Responses indicate that Jon has little interest in being analytical or problem solving, and this could give him difficulties at executive level in most organisations. This may also translate into having difficulty with complex situations or concepts, and adequate comprehension of high technology. However, formal education qualifications and work achievements may negate this, and should be discussed before making conclusions based on this report.

Values

Altruism - Secondary

Individuals with scores comparable to Jon may maintain a degree of professional distance and are unlikely to regard the workplace as an appropriate environment for emotional interaction or the discussion of personal issues. He may prefer to make decisions on the basis of objective, verifiable information, and may sometimes overlook human issues or potential impacts on others, and be unlikely to demonstrate significant concern or caring for the welfare of others.

Trust - Secondary

Trust and openness has emerged as quite an important issue to many people in today's workforce. In relation to others, Jon has a normal score for this category. This is likely to mean that Jon regards trust and openness at work as important. Jon is likely to be generally willing to trust, but others may have to earn that trust first.

Loyalty - Secondary

In relation to others Jon has a normal score for this category. This is likely to mean that issues of loyalty at work are of some importance to him, and he is likely to consider loyalty when making decisions on other people.

Conforming - Secondary

Jon has a normal score for this category. This is likely to mean that he balances being pragmatic with conforming to the views of society.

Workplace Management

Conscientious - Primary

In line with other high-performing executives, Jon reports a low need for structure, rules and guidelines and may often pursue unorthodox methods if he believes this will achieve a preferable outcome or a more timely solution. Jon is likely to welcome the challenge posed by multi-tasking and may feel frustrated by bureaucracy and red tape. As such, he may be disinclined to show respect for authority. However, he is likely to act as a champion for continuous improvement and advocate best practice at an executive level. SHADOW SIDE - Individuals with comparable scores may sometimes be perceived by large organisations as an irritation, since they are likely to criticise existing methods and propose new ones. Jon may benefit by demonstrating greater perseverance with non-preferred tasks, and may require the assistance of strong support team.

Detail - Secondary

By focusing mostly on the big picture, and by separating unimportant detail from important detail, Jon leaves himself free to concentrate on being effective, rather than efficient. Whilst Jon does not prefer detail, at an executive level, he needs the ability to concentrate and work with detail when required, especially for any compliance elements. Jon would tend to have a forgiving attitude towards mistakes, unless they are mistakes of a vital nature that should not have been made. SHADOW SIDE - People with similar scores may be careless or unable to concentrate, and subsequently make too many mistakes. Unlikely to be suited to positions involving protracted detail.

Self Organisation - Secondary

The multiplicity of demands in today's workplace requires executives to be more highly self-organised than in the past. Jon places value on being organised, as do many other successful executives. Jon would generally place more priority on getting the job done than on merely being tidy.

Unusual Answers Score

Unusually Low Answers - 'Primary'

Answers to the low scoring questions are in the normal range, and consistently agree with what most people choose.

Unusually High Answers - 'Primary'

Answers to a number of high scoring questions are in the normal range, and consistently agree with what most people choose.

Disclaimer
The Apollo Profile reports are compiled from the responses of the candidate compared with others, and is intended for use as a *guideline only* for career assessment and development purposes. Inaccuracies of description may unavoidably be present, and comments should always be verified from other sources. Users are cautioned to ensure that they comply with relevant laws and regulations. Further interpretations to those provided in the reports may only be made by an accredited interpreter in accordance with the Apollo Profile Interpreter’s Manual. Whilst care has been taken with the design and information contained in the Apollo Profile, the Apollonean Institute Pty. Ltd. deny any liability for incidental or consequential damages resulting from the use of the Apollo Profile.
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