5 Dynamics

Sartaj mentioned in his email in advance of Tuesday's conference call that I've arranged for the availability of a simple assessment tool from a company called 5 Dynamics (at no charge to us). I was first introduced to this tool in the formative stages of a group of coaches and OD specialists here in Palo Alto. In that group, we found that it can be quite useful in helping members of a group that's forming understand some of the heterogeneity that's present in the group and how that might affect group dynamics. It also has value in understanding how the composition of a group can affect its future ability to execute projects effectively. It also facilitates discussion by providing a shared vocabulary and model.

The 5 Dynamics model is a simple process model. Each "Dynamic" is a phase in the process. Dynamic one is "Explore" - the search for ideas and possibilities. Dynamic two is "Excite" - generate enthusiasm and build support. Dynamic three is "Evaluate" - assess alternatives and create feasible plans. Dynamic four is "Execute". Dynamic five is evaluation - look back and see what you learned. Think of a project as a not-well-defined task to be performed. In this model, creation and launch of Begumpura is a kind of "project". The claim is that availability of sufficient energy for all four dynamics greatly enhances the chances for a successful project.

(For those of you with familiarity of Richard Strozzi-Heckler's concept of the Rhythm of Excitement, the four energy phases in his model appear similar to the first four dynamics in the model underlying the 5 Dynamics tool).

The assessment tool itself is taken on-line and comprises 18 forced-choice questions where you must choose between each of two word pairs. This should take no more than two minutes of your time. The results are available immediately on the 5 Dynamics website. The report generated describes how your energy tends to rise or fall in each of the dynamics. The range is from Extreme (high levels of energy in this dynamic, to the point where you have difficulty leaving it) down to Stress (high levels of stress and anxiety created if you are forced to remain in this dynamic too long). To simplify, the results describe which dynamics you naturally gravitate toward and enjoy, which you can do when you must, and which you find aversive tend to avoid.

In addition to mapping energy onto the four dynamics, the report you'll get gives you a fairly comprehensive narrative description of your learning and working tendencies. Other reports that I can create describe relationship dynamics between specific colleagues or between coach and client. There are also team reports that look at collective energies for the team, based on the results of the individual assessments of team members.

Of course, taking the assessment is completely optional, and the group can decide whether time should be allocated in West Virginia to present and discuss results. On an individual level, the results are easy to interpret. The simplicity of the model and ease with which the results can be interpreted and used are real virtues (certainly compared to something like the MBTI).

I will generate 5Dynamics logins for each of you over the next few days, and you'll each receive an email from 5Dynamics with instructions for logging in and taking the assessment. I'll be notified when each assessment is complete, and I'll subsequently send you some additional background material that I think you'll find useful in understanding the model and results.

The results will all appear in my coaching account on 5Dynamics as well.

Thanks to Leslie Eveland of 5Dynamics for making the tool available to Begumpura retreat participants at no charge.

I'll wait until after the conference call before I do anything further, so please offer your questions or concerns. Plans can change.

Thanks,


Gary Herman