:: STRENGTHS PERCEPTION MODEL

ALEC MCPHEDRAN

SKILLS CHANNEL TV

Strengths Perception Model

The Strengths Perception Model was developed by Alec McPhedran, a creative sector coach and trainer, to explain how our strengths can be perceived in different ways by others. The model also highlights why we too may become frustrated in trying to communicate in a way completely opposite to our preferred strength. The Strengths Perception Model helps identify opportunities to change communication styles and control the balance between your strength and use of differing behaviours.

Strengths Perception Model

Steps to completing the modelStep One - Strength: Identify your key strength. Ideally this should be one word. Use any word appropriate to you. Step Two: - Perception: Imagine that key strength and how it could be perceived by other people based on their own preferred communication styles. If your style is used too much, how could it be perceived in a negative way? What word would you sue to describe that perceived behaviour? For example a delegative manager could be perceived as an abdicating (responsibilities). A big picture thinker could be seen as unrealistic or not pragmatic. Step Three: - Awareness: Once you are aware that your strength may well be being perceived in a negative way what would be the opposite behaviour to that perceived negative behaviour? Is this a possible change of approach you may well have to take? This is where we may well start to feel uncomfortable with the style we might need to flex too. Step Four: - Control: The behaviour you have identified in ‘awareness’ is a style you that you might feel negative about yourself. What word, if felt negatively, would you use to describe it? The ‘awareness’ style may well be needed for effective communication with the other person. This is the control bit – where you control your feelings and behaviours in order to change to a more appropriate style. However, to you, it may feel uncomfortable. The word you use may well also be the complete opposite to your strength hence the possible uncomfortableness.

STRENGTH PERCEPTION AWARENESS CONTROL

Strengths Perception Model

STRENGTH PERCEPTION AWARENESS CONTROL

Creative Flighty Controlled Rigid

Organised Controlling Flexible Casual

Detailed Insecure Confident Intuitive

Team Player Needy Self Reliant Independent

Challenging Pushy Relaxed Laid Back

Listening Disengaged Engaged Talkative

Focused Inflexible Flexible Meandering

Strength Perception

Control Awareness

Using with others

Strength Perception

Control Awareness

OrganisedControlli

ng

FlexibleCasual

Your strength

Your behaviour of discomfort you need to control

Their possible perception

Your awareness of where you need to change behaviour to

Using with others

For more information

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