Origin and Development
Dr. Roger W. Birkman’s wartime experiences as a pilot in World War II led him to create the Birkman Strategy in 1951. During his service, he observed how each pilot and crew member reacted completely differently to the same training. These differences got him thinking about why people manage stress in their own ways.
Your first look at the Birkman Strategy’s roots takes you back to the late 1940s at the University of Houston. Dr. Birkman worked alongside scientists who needed better ways to choose the best Air Force pilots through psychology tests. This useful teamwork kicked off what would grow into the Birkman Strategy test.
The original version (known as the Test of Social) looked at how you can see yourself and the people around you. While working toward his psychology doctorate at the University of Texas, Dr. Birkman kept refining and improving his ideas. His hard work paid off in 1961 when he completed the official Birkman Strategy as part of his doctoral research.
You can see how the strategy evolved from basic personality testing into something way more – a complete toolkit for human behavior. The test shows how people act when everything’s going well and when stress hits hard. You’ll find what each person needs to stay motivated and productive at work.
The workplace has evolved since the 1950s, and the Birkman Strategy has kept up every step of the way. Modern versions give you color-coded results that stick in your mind better than raw numbers ever could. You’ll find everything from basic personality plans to complete plans about career interests and what drives people.
Since its creation, millions of people worldwide have found plans about themselves through the Birkman Strategy test. Serious businesses depend on it when they’re building teams and making hiring decisions.
Methodology and Components
You’ll learn quite a bit about yourself through the Birkman Strategy test. It asks you nearly 300 questions about your personal thoughts and behaviors. The test moves right along fast, too. Just answer some true/false questions and multiple-choice scenarios. You’ll be done in about half an hour since it’s all done online!
Your complete results will show four areas that shape how you act at work and in your personal life. The test figures out what naturally interests you and the type of work that would make you feel fulfilled. You’ll also find what you need from others to feel supported and to perform at your absolute best.
The Birkman Strategy will show you your common behaviors, too. Those useful ways you act when everything’s going well and your preferences are met. It also will show your stress behaviors that can pop up when life isn’t giving you what you need to grow.
Scientific analysis turns your answers into complete personality profiles. You might get anything from a quick overview to a complete report that needs a professional to explain. Most people start with the color-coded personality map. It can give you a quick and clear snapshot of who you are.
The test draws on decades of research and millions of replies to paint an accurate picture of who you are. You’ll learn about your social style, emotional patterns, and decision-making strategy. The results show how you see yourself and how you like to view the people around you.
Unlike other tests that box you into rigid categories, the Birkman Strategy uses flexible scales for a more natural view of your personality traits. You’ll find what drives you forward and how you’re likely to manage different situations that come your way.
It has a massive database – the Birkman Strategy expertly connects you to careers that match your personality. You’ll see which work environments help you grow, and which jobs might give you that sense of satisfaction you’re looking for. You’ll learn to be more effective with your team and address those workplace challenges that come up.
The Features of the Birkman Method
Unlike other tests that box you into strict categories, the Birkman Method measures different aspects of who you are. You’ll find how you act when you’re feeling good and when you’re under stress, too!
The test can give you 300 questions about different parts of your personality and behavior. You’ll answer half about yourself and half about other people which helps show your conscious and unconscious thought patterns.
What makes this test unique is how it gets to the root of what drives you and what you need. Your results will show why you might act one way in some situations but completely differently in others. Plus, you’ll see how your behavior changes when your preferences are being met versus when they’re not.
The Birkman Method focuses on your strengths instead of pointing out your weaknesses – this positive approach makes it useful when you’re planning your career path. Your results will point you toward jobs and work environments where you’ll naturally grow.
A few areas come up in your results like your social energy levels, emotional responses, and how assertive you like to be. You’ll also find your stress triggers and what gets you motivated. All this information explains why you’re great in some situations while finding others more challenging.
The whole thing started back in 1951 with Dr. Roger Birkman, who drew from his time in the U.S. Air Force. He wanted to find out how people would manage pressure-filled situations. Now, the test has grown into something much bigger – a tool for workplace success and personal development!
Interpretation of Results
The Birkman Map will show your test results in a clear visual layout with four colored sections representing personality types and behaviors. You’ll quickly see how red, yellow, blue, and green each point to traits that make you.
As a red personality, you flourish on taking action which makes snap decisions and working with your hands. Your yellow side works through complete analysis and creates organized systems and follows clear steps. When you tap into your blue traits, you’re great at innovative thinking, idea generation, and future planning. Your green properties emerge through natural communication skills and an ability to connect with and inspire your team members.
Easy symbols on the map show different facts about who you are. Your asterisk points to activities you naturally like. A circle shows what you need from others and your surroundings to feel completely supported.
The square symbol helps you become aware of your stress reactions. These reactions help you find the moments when you need extra support. Those two intersecting lines on the map also show if you like to be more outgoing or like keeping to yourself.
The map guides you toward work environments and roles that match your natural talents. Businesses use these plans to build useful teams and help employees grow in their careers. You’ll find your natural strengths and situations that might push you out of your comfort zone.
Your Birkman results show more than 40 different report types. Some reports start with personal development while others improve team effectiveness. Most people display a combination of all four colors in their personality. They tend to lean more heavily on certain traits.
Your personal Birkman profile unlocks better ways to collaborate with colleagues and address workplace problems. This deeper self-awareness can give you stronger work relationships and more real conversations throughout your day.
Tips for Taking the Test
You need to take the Birkman Strategy Test with a clear and honest mindset. Even though it might feel intense at first, most people naturally want to show their best side during these tests. But that strategy won’t help you get accurate results.
The test analyzes your behaviors in usual and high-pressure situations. You’ll need to think about how you respond during a normal workday and when things get stressful. Try viewing all sides of your personality when answering each question. Your stress-related behaviors aren’t always negative traits, either.
People waste time looking for perfect answers on the Birkman test. But that’s not how it works. Your real replies will give you the most useful plans about yourself. Quick gut reactions tend to be more useful than spending too much time overthinking each answer.
The Birkman test explores four main facts about who you are and how you behave. You’ll find what drives you forward and see your self-image, too. The questions also show how you view others and your general idea about life. Each part can add another layer to your personality.
You should move through the questions at your own pace since there’s no time limit on the test. Start with your workplace behaviors instead of personal situations when reading each question. This strategy will create more useful professional plans.
The best results come from answering based on who you are right now in your life. Don’t try to find out what employers might want to hear. Start with your actual replies to situations instead of imagining the good choice reactions you wish you had.
Feeling comfortable with personality questions first helps. You might want to try some practice assessments to warm up your self-reflection skills. Keep in mind that the Birkman Strategy follows its own format, which won’t match these practice tests.
Compared to Other Assessments
The Birkman Strategy works differently from other personality tests because it shows the deeper parts of your personality. The test tracks your normal behaviors, figures out what drives you and teaches you how you manage tough situations.
You’re probably familiar with Myers-Briggs which places you into one of 16 personality boxes based on four basic scales. The Birkman Strategy goes deeper by looking at nine different parts of who you are and can give you some plans about each area.
You’ll answer 258 true-false questions plus 58 multiple-choice questions about what you want in your career. Once you’re done, you’ll receive up to 40 complete reports about your results. Each report shows something new about your personality and how you work best.
The Birkman Strategy groups people into four color categories. If you’re a Blue type, you flourish in creative thinking. Red types love to get things accomplished. Yellow types are great at jumping into facts. Green types naturally connect with people around them.
Businesses all over the world depend on the Birkman Strategy to create better teams and grow stronger leaders. Managers use it to know how their employees perform at their peak. They also find the best ways to support their team members during stressful times.
Unlike DISC or Big Five tests, the Birkman Strategy will teach your outward traits and what drives you deep down. You’ll find what you need to stay motivated and productive at work. The test comes in 21 languages and draws from decades of proven research.
Teams favor the Birkman Strategy because it shows how people will work together. You’ll spot potential conflicts early by seeing how different personality styles might clash. The test explains why some people click while others have a hard time finding common ground.
Grow Your Organization
Your personal growth and your team’s development go hand in hand. The more you can learn about different personalities and work styles, the better you’ll connect with your colleagues! You’ll unlock many new ways to work with people who think differently than you do.
Today’s workplace needs some fresh approaches to collaboration and teamwork. You can create a more positive and welcoming work environment just by taking the time to know your coworkers better. The right insights about work styles help you lead better and support your team members in ways that matter to them.
HRDQ-U is ready to support your professional growth with our learning community. You can find practical resources like webinars, podcasts, and blogs that enhance your HR and leadership abilities. We add new content each month. Our webinar, Kindness at Work: Creating a Supportive Workplace Culture, has some great tips about creating an inviting workplace for everyone that you won’t want to miss!
Our What’s My Style course can give your team adaptable ways to work better together. Start your learning process with us and watch your skills flourish!
