My name is Kristen and I’m a Collaborator. In my organization, my role is to assist with the hiring process. I help screen candidates on behalf of our hiring managers—initially on skills, and then based on their Predictive Index (PI) behavioral profile. After reviewing the results of their PI Behavioral Assessment and how well it matches the Job Target laid out for a particular position, I conduct phone screens with the candidates.
The most important aspects of my role are providing a service to the hiring managers and protecting the company from making bad hiring decisions. If there’s a hiring challenge, my hiring managers know they can look to me for assistance and idea generation. Although I’m not the only PI Certified Practitioner in my organization, I practice PI the most. I live and breath PI. If anyone has a question about an assessment or why someone’s behavior may conflict with their expected behaviors, I can help troubleshoot.
My behavioral pattern
The PI Behavioral Assessment™ reveals where you fall on the spectrum of four factors:
1. Dominance: Dominance is the drive to exert one’s influence on people or events.
2. Extraversion: Extraversion is the drive for social interaction with other people.
3. Patience: Patience is the drive for consistency and stability.
4. Formality: Formality is the drive to conform to rules and structure.
Here’s a snapshot of an average Collaborator behavioral profile:
My Reference Profile is Collaborator.
A Collaborator is a friendly, understanding, willing, and patient team player, who values input from others in the decision-making process.
When I first read my about my Reference Profile I was pleased with some portions and a little embarrassed by others. My drive for Patience is pretty high, which is definitely something I’m proud of and that’s reflected in my work. I associate a high Patience drive with loyalty and stability, and these are qualities I value. However, when I saw how low my Dominance drive was, I wasn’t as pleased. I don’t associate low Dominance with leadership, but I have to remind myself it’s indicating how easygoing I am, which is something I am proud of.
Overall, I feel my Reference Profile is an accurate representation of my natural drives and behaviors in the workplace.
“We swallow our pride more easily than others in order to support and find solutions that work for everyone.”
Collaborator coming through!
Collaborators are open and approachable in the workplace. My co-workers and the candidates I work with easily open up to me and often throw problems my way to see if I can come up with a solution. It’s not uncommon for a hiring manager to bounce ideas off me when they’re trying to think things through. Collaborators are also understanding, which allows us to swallow our pride more easily than others in order to support and find solutions that work for everyone.
Collaborators want to contribute to the team’s success. If a co-worker requests something of me, they can be sure I’m on it. People know they look to me for anything—whether it’s recruiting, benefits, or HR-related. No matter, what the problem is, I’m happy to help resolve it.
“Collaborators look for managers to give them the freedom to express themselves and be creative.”
The dark side of being a collaborator
My weaknesses typically stem from my low Formality drive. It’s not uncommon for me to make a mistake on an expense report or forget to bring a pen to a meeting. Earlier in my career, I would sometimes miss important information on a job posting and hit the post button before reviewing it thoroughly. It would be quite embarrassing when someone else found my mistake, so I work extra hard to be sure everything is accurate before finalizing my work.
I can also fall short in situations requiring a strong leader; Collaborators have difficulty making unpopular decisions. It’s more important to me that everyone gets along than it is for me to be in charge or have people like my idea. Collaborators are not risk-takers. I will sometimes choose not to tackle an issue head-on if I feel I will make an enemy out of it. I’d be more apt to ask someone in an authority position to handle it.
How to work with (and manage) Collaborators
I like to be managed with respect and with trust that I will complete tasks given to me. I appreciate when my manager gives me clear direction on what they want me to do. My current manager does a great job of managing me to my behavioral profile. He always involves me in the big picture. He makes himself available to me when I need to bounce ideas off him or need guidance on how to handle a unique situation. With my high Patience drive and lower Dominance drive, he understands I truly crave that extra stamp of approval on my work before it’s finalized.
When working with me, it’s important to create a stable work environment; Collaborators like stability and avoid risky situations. Although I love finding ways to improve, I prefer to have less change going on in my environment. I’m fine with having varied work and changing priorities, but moving my desk around or frequently changing my team members would leave me feeling unsettled, so give me time to accept change.
Collaborators like to keep it friendly. We are open people who love working with others, and we will avoid situations that involve any sort of competitive pressure.
“In identifying my Reference Profile, I’ve learned a lot about myself.”
Understanding that Patience is my strongest drive has helped me accept change better. It’s helped me understand why I sometimes feel more strongly about change than others. I’ve learned what skills are my strongest and which I need to work on. When certain decisions make me feel uneasy, I remember my drives and it helps me find peace with the uncertainty.
