SAMPLE LIFO® EXECUTIVE TEAM REPORT

LIFO® Survey Results

Favorable Conditions

Ongoing Conditions - Productive Style

The most predominant orientation is Controlling-Taking Over. This should be reflected in a dynamic and intense pace of action. The members of this group like to respond rapidly to situations, utilizing their experience and judgment for decision-making. In unfamiliar areas, their approach may be more cautious until they feel familiar with the pertinent information required for solving the problem. They may be more willing, under

such circumstances to rely on outside expertise. In general, confidence and competence are likely to win their accolades. They expect managers to be alert and on top of their respective areas. It is a group that will be stimulated by challenge and opportunity - that enjoys variety, novelty and a change of pace rather than routine administrative work. Managers would be ambitious, competitive and tenacious in their undertakings.

Planning will tend to be more informal and less disciplined unless considerable risk is involved. Decision-making would be rapid when goals and values are in line. Time will be highly valued and there will be strong drives for accomplishment within given time periods.

In discussions, members enjoy expressing their ideas and probing those of others. They like to persuade others to accept their views. Thus, one can expect conversation to be spirited and vigorous. Three of the members who rely heavily on more systematic and considered approaches (B, F & J) may be uncomfortable with the general patterns of decision-making and may also find it difficult to receive a fair hearing. Yet, concerns about quality and high standards by six of the managers and flexible approaches used by four of them, may help to temper viewpoints and foster more integrated approaches. There are times, however, when their voices may get lost in the rust to act.

As bosses, this group should be highly demanding of top performance from subordinates. Since they thrive on intense and busy schedules, they will expect no less from their staffs. There will be a tendency to delegate a lot and yet, not fully so. Consequently the executives in this group could be sporadically involved in direction through reviews and consultation.

Least Preferred Style

This varies for members. For some, pragmatic and ready solutions may prevail over more idealistic and long-range ones. Training an professional development for others may not receive as much attention from them. For others,, technical matters gain most attention at the expense of concern about interpersonal ones. Thus, there is a general tendency to voice views without consideration of the impact on others - to be more task-centered than consumer-centered in approach. A more critical than complimentary mode will prevail. For a third of the group, systematic attention to details and administrative functions would get short shrift. Overall, the group does have balance, so that if various functions are highly identified and respected, a complementarity of styles will be used in its total operation. The dominant action-oriented mode can thus be somewhat tempered.

Some Possible Excesses of the Productive Style

The major style will create an overly optimistic attitude about what can be handled effectively. This could result in work overload and possible difficulties in achieving a total integration of effort. Indeed, given the dominant styles, unless there is agreement about key objectives, there could be some diffusion of effort. It would take tight control of meetings and prearranged agendas to maintain a constant focus during group discussions. Nevertheless, a thin line would have to be walked in exerting control, to assure involvement and commitment of the stronger members. Given the style emphasis, there could be incomplete consideration of alternatives, too many changes initiated, high criticality and failure to pay full attention to ideas. Minor frustrations could occasionally escalate into problems that would not occur in groups with more moderate styles.

Unfavorable Conditions

Fight Style

Conflict and critical opposition will provoke heated discussion in this group. Members are not likely to concede readily to each other. In unfavorable conditions there is a more than customary tendency to research positions and closely examine facts and information. One achieves persuasion only through better reasoning and information. Heavily polarized positions, however, can be alleviated by strong adapting-dealing away backup orientations. These will lessen intensity and provide some opportunities for compromise and diplomacy to calm tense feelings. Listening will suffer under these conditions, although four members (A,F, G & J) will provide fair hearings of ideas.

When conflict is intense, discussions could bog down in defensive justifications and counterattacks. Problem-solving could thus be blocked and forceful decision-making required to resolve issues. It is not an easy group to manage when agreement is lacking about central goals and objectives.

Stress Style

High pressure and emergency situations precipitate rapid action. There is heavy concern to restore control as soon as possible. Members feel more comfortable being busy and acting than studying and analyzing. Consequently, energy will be highly focused, demands heavy and actions reviewed repetitively until there is assurance of control. While some effort will be made to solicit ideas, the general trend will be to rely on one's own competence. Outside expertise will only be sought as a last resort or when the problem is beyond the experience and knowledge range of the group.

When heavy pressure prevails, a fair number of people will be sensitive to the necessity of maintaining a spirit of encouragement and good will. During such times, there will be a fair willingness to consider experimental and novel approaches. The group could come up with creative solutions. As stress threatens to become overwhelming, there could be more activity than results, along with a subsequent lack of integration and coordination. Despite that, optimistic forecasts for success will be made. Members will personally assume command of what is happening in their areas and be reluctant to trust the previous patterns of delegation.

Recommendations

To Communicate Effectively With the Group

Brief, well-organized and succinct communications that emphasize bottom-line implications will be received with most favor. The group does not have the patience for long-winded and abstract discussions. Concrete examples, specific information and practical recommendations will be appreciated. There are members (D, G & I) who will also appreciate concern for long-range objectives, strategic formulations and sophisticated approaches, but even those should not be lengthy. Liveliness of wit, a good sense of humor and adroitness in dealing with questions will also be helpful.

In conflict situations, several group members (especially A, B C, E & H) can be expect to "grill" a presented. While this may appear intimidating, it is also a way in which those members learn. Confidence and persistence can help. One should avoid antagonizing the group with critical remarks about their views. Present your own ideas positively without finding fault with theirs. Be wary about vested interests and present your own case as objectively as possible. Don't avoid questions but don't be intimidated by them. It will be better to answer "I don't know" than to bluff.

Increasing Communicative Effectiveness

The group needs to listen more fully and favorably to new ideas - to have the patience to explore the implications and meanings and to examine the possibilities of alternatives before stating criticisms and taking action. Morale would be improved if there were more positive feedback to each other and staff. Orienting remarks to the respective audience, researching perspectives of the audience and talking for favorable attention instead of persuasion, could provide a powerful assist to communications.

Some Additional Strength Management Recommendations

A major review of objectives and increased focus on them should occur to assure common directions and to guard against the possible excess of independent pursuit of targets. There is a need to define and recognize the need for discipline to provide thorough coverage, to permit full expression of ideas and to manage time effectively. Administrative activities may need special structures to direct full and adequate attention of group members to current issues. It would be imperative to check recognition of different orientations to make sure that the dominant thrust does not exclude possible contributions of others. In addition, the group could utilize more the different orientations to augment the major one. This is even more critical when high stress and emergency situations occur.

Fuller and more complete delegation would contribute to the development of staff as well as free time to attend to other functions (assuming available staff).

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