Merrill-Reid Behaviour Profiling compared with other Instruments
A study published in September 2007 by Drs Kraiger and Fitzpatrick from the Centre
for Organisational Excellence at Colorado State University, pitted 3 Inter-personal Skills training systems against each other. This was an independent study, and the findings were pretty clear cut, especially in terms of the usefulness and application of the knowledge gained by trainees.
As the growth of soft skills training expenditure has increased (soft skills training grew by 32,6% in the US from 2005-2006), so has the number of training programmes and companies eager to join the spending spree. Among these are several very good, proven and researched strategies to deliver soft skills, particularly Inter-personal Skills. Whilst analysing job competencies at 286 org
anisations, it was found that 18 of the 21 competencies that set superior from average performers apart were inter-personal in nature! Further, 726 HR professionals agreed that the top 3 most valued competencies were Leadership, Technical Knowledge and People Skills.
anisations, it was found that 18 of the 21 competencies that set superior from average performers apart were inter-personal in nature! Further, 726 HR professionals agreed that the top 3 most valued competencies were Leadership, Technical Knowledge and People Skills.This study reviewed the effectiveness of the Merrill-Reid Behavioural Styles System, the Meyers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and the DiSC Model. Involving 213 participants, all of whom were business professionals in a variety of industries, the study set out to show the effectiveness of the training programmes. Each programme was measured in terms of the Reactions of the participants, the Learning they received and the resultant Behaviour changes.
Research Findings.
1. Reactions.
Delegates on all three training programmes perceived the programme to be positive.
2. Learning.
Delegates involved in the Merrill-Reid Social Styles training programme retained 34% more information than MBTI trainees and 18% more than DiSC participants.
Therefore it is clear that Inter-personal Skills are more easily grasped and understood by delegates attending the Merrill-Reid programme. They are more at ease with the concepts than delegates on the MBTI and DiSC programmes.
3. Behaviour.
Merrill-Reid Social Style programme learners were more accurate and adept at identifying the behavioural styles or types of others. This is almost 4 times better than MBTI delegates and close to 1.5 times better than DiSC participants.
This also translates into significantly higher ability amongst the Social Style learners to work appropriately with other styles or types. The results indicate that employees who attend the Social Styles programme were significantly better at putting what they had learned into practice!
