Progress-focused

Many people aim to change aspects of their personality, such as becoming less anxious, more open to new experiences, or more assertive. International research shows that 60% of the world's population actively tries to influence personality traits like neuroticism or extraversion. But how do you change something as seemingly fundamental as your personality? A publication by Clifton and Crum (2024) offers a fresh perspective. They argue that our most fundamental beliefs about the world play a crucial role in shaping how we think, feel, and act. These so-called primal world beliefs may be a significant factor in sustainable personality change.

Recently I came across a case in which three assessment criteria played a crucial role in resolving a long-standing leadership conflict. At TechSolutions BV, a medium-sized technology company, tensions arose within the Software Development department over a long period of time. Several employees had filed complaints about their manager, Mark Jansen, over a long period of time. The core of these complaints concerned three main points: intimidating behavior, belittling employees during team meetings and creating an unsafe working atmosphere. Several of the employees had requested a transfer to another department out of dissatisfaction. Because the problems had been going on for a long time, Mark had had several conversations with an internal coach last year. However, two complaints recently emerged again. Management decided to start a process in which three assessment criteria played a central role.