PRISM is a very powerful management tool that deconstructs day-to-day behaviour back to its physiological origins in the brain – just like an actual prism breaks down light into its constituent colours.
Based on some of the latest neuroscience advances, PRISM goes beyond technical abilities and reveals what really makes people tick, and how they relate to other people. It is a remarkably flexible productivity tool with many applications. The feedback generated by the tool is summarised in an easy to use graphical format with underlying detailed commentary. Click on the image to the right to see a full size version of the summary 'wheel'.
Underlying behaviour
PRISM is based on the concept that we all have a set of underlying behaviours that are ‘hard-wired’ into our brain that we have acquired as we have grown up. Whilst these are not immutable they are the underlying behaviours that will emerge either when we are truly relaxed, stress free and in a safe environment or when we are in a crisis. Understanding these underlying behaviours and preferences is important in understanding the motivations of individuals and their communication and behavioural preferences.
Adapted behaviour
We learn how to adapt our underlying behaviours in the working environment to a greater or lesser extent. These ‘adapted’ behaviours may be significantly different from our ‘underlying’ behaviours. The effort of adapting our underlying behaviours in itself may create stress, frustration and distinct behavioural traits and subsequent impact on performance.
Consistent behaviour
Underlying and adapted behaviour are constantly in dynamic tension. Consistent behaviour is defined as the behaviour traits that others see in you at work around 75% of the time.
Benchmark behaviour
Each job role will have an ideal or required set of behaviours and skills associated with it. It will also have some skills and behaviours that may be a definite disadvantage within the role. These can be profiled in the same way that we profile individuals – in effect we are saying what is the ideal individual profile for this job. We can then compare underlying, adapted and consistent profiles with the benchmark profile.
The profiling process
The personal profiling process consists of filling in a web-based or paper form that will take about 30 minutes. It must be completed at one sitting - so switch the phone off and have a cup of coffee to hand. The process now includes an Emotional Intelligence element.
For a 360 degree profile additional forms are emailed to a minimum of three nominated colleagues, ideally your boss, a peer and a subordinate. Their feedback is synthesised into one 'observed' profile.
You or your boss can also profile your job requirements using a separate form. This provides a 'benchmark' profile against which you can compare your own and the observed behaviour profiles.
Once the form filling and filing process is complete the facilitator will coach you through a feedback and insight session leading to a personal action plan.
Applications of PRISM
PRISM focuses on the balance of behaviour that can be adapted according to a situation – such as a task, job, work environment, relationship or a particular kind of customer or colleague. PRISM behaviour profiles provide a wealth of information that can be used in:
- forecasting how individuals are likely to perform in their roles
- predicting how they will get on with other people, such as customers and colleagues
- identifying their professional development needs, possible career paths etc
- profiling job requirements and assisting in the recruitment process
- informing performance management, objective setting and review processes.
Organisations as well as people change over time. So each PRISM report can be updated as a person in a particular job, a job description or a company’s structure evolves.
More details can be found on the PRISM website here.
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