Reference Profile Series: The Analyzer Manager

Representing just 2.95% of the human population, Analyzers are the rarest personality type measured by the Predictive Index assessment. This scarcity creates unique challenges for hiring managers and team leaders trying to optimize job fit for roles where the Analyzer profile excels.

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Related TBC Episodes:

• Head, Heart, and Briefcase

1. The Collaborator Manager
2. The Operator Manager
3. The Promoter Manager
4. The Altruist Manager
5. The Strategist Manager
6. The Guardian Manager
7. The Specialist Manager
8. The Maverick Manager
9. The Artisan Manager
10. The Persuader Manager
11. The Captain Manager
12. The Controller Manager
13. The Adapter Manager
14. The Scholar Manager

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We use The Predictive Index as our analytics platform so you know it's validated and reliable.  Your Reference Profile informs you of your needs, behaviors, and the nuances of what we call your Behavioral DNA.  It also explains your work style, your strengths, and even the common traps in which you may find yourself.  It's a great tool to share with friends, family, and co-workers.

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Visit us at www.realgoodventures.com.  We are a Talent Optimization consultancy specializing in people and business execution analytics.  Real Good Ventures was founded by Sara Best and John Broer who are both Certified Talent Optimization Consultants with over 50 years of combined consulting and organizational performance experience.  Sara is also certified in EQi 2.0.  RGV is also a Certified Partner of Line-of-Sight, a powerful organizational health and execution platform.  RGV is known for its work in leadership development, executive coaching, and what we call organizational rebuild where we bring all our tools together to diagnose an organization's pres

Chapters

• 0:00 Introducing the Analyzer Profile
• 3:10 Analyzer Drives, Needs, and Behaviors
• 6:50 Signature Work Style and Decision-Making
• 10:40 Strengths and Common Traps
• 12:40 Working Well with Analyzers
• 15:10 Coaching and Supporting Analyzers
• 21:00 Episode Wrap-up and Next Profiles

Transcript

John Broer: 0:04

So good to have you back here joining us on The Bossh ole Chronicles. This is your host, John Broer, and now we're ready for the next in line of our reference profile series, and for those of you that have been following along, we have been releasing episodes on each of the 17 reference profiles that we get from the Predictive Index. Pi is one of the five diagnostic tools we use with our client work here at Real Good Ventures, and we are now on number 15, and that is the Analyzer. The Analyzer reference profile represents the smallest percentage of the human population 2.95%. So let's learn about the analyzer. The Bossh ole Chronicles are brought to you by Real Good Ventures, a talent optimization firm helping organizations diagnose their most critical people and execution issues with world-class analytics. Make sure to check out all the resources in the show notes and be sure to follow us and share your feedback. Enjoy today's episode. So today we're going to talk about the analyzer reference profile and, as I said in the introduction, this represents the smallest percentage of the human population when you look at all 17 of the reference profiles. Now where do I come up with that data? Well, over the years Predictive Index, with over 25 million assessments completed. Every few years they release the breakdown of those 17 reference profiles and we've been giving that information along with the individual reference profile episodes. And yes, the analyzer represents just under 3% of the human population. And you might think, oh well, that's interesting. It absolutely proves to be very interesting and challenging in the hiring process or in your succession planning or career pathing. Because if you create a job target that's one of the things that we do in the PI software but you create a job target and of the 17 reference profiles, the analyzer is one of the top reference profiles that is an optimized fit for that job target. You're looking for a smaller percentage of people, so it is very helpful when you are trying to optimize job fit and figure out, okay, how do we identify the people that have the behavioral wiring that increases the probability of successful performance in this particular role, and if you're looking for a very small percentage, then it does become challenging. So I just think it's really interesting. Several months ago we did the promoter and we've done the operator, altruist, guardian those represent the highest percentage. You know, promoters are just under 10% of the human population. So everything we do is through the lens of objective data and so when you're thinking about job fit, manager fit, team fit, culture fit, these numbers are pretty relevant.

John Broer: 3:01

Today we're going to talk about the Analyzer reference profile and specifically about the analyzer manager. And so what are the characteristics of a manager that has the analyzer reference profile? Well, we're going to jump into that. But we'll also talk a little bit about if you're a manager and you actually have analyzers on your team, what is the best way to approach them, coach them, help them out and empower them. That's what these episodes are all about.

John Broer: 3:27

So let's start out with a high-level description of the analyzer. The analyzer is intense, with high standards and a disciplined and reserved personality. Now we can begin to see how that is represented in the average pattern of the behavioral wiring and the pattern that comes out when somebody completes the assessment. And remember side note go into the show notes. If you want to know what your reference profile is, go in there's a link there to do it and we'll send you your one-page reference profile description and you'll know, and then you can find the episode related to that and listen to it.

John Broer: 4:05

But when you start to think about the average behavioral pattern, the analyzer on the high side of the pattern. They have high dominance that's the A factor and high formality that is the D factor. On the low side, to the left of the midpoint, they're going to have lower extroversion, which is the B factor, and lower patience that is the C factor. And a lot of times we talk about that patience factor related to pace. You know, high pace, high patience folks like to work at a slower, more methodical pace. Low patience folks that's like me and the analyzer and a number of our other reference profiles. They like to work at a faster pace. So high dominance and high formality, and then low extroversion and low patience.

John Broer: 4:52

So how does that translate into felt needs? Remember, we talk about drives, needs and behaviors. So what are the needs that analyzers in general feel? Well, they have a need for understanding of the big picture. They do need room for introspection and that is driven a lot by that low extroversion. Low extroversion doesn't mean they don't like people. It means they tend to be more introspective and analytical in their thought process. It's like whoa, whoa, whoa. I don't want to talk about this yet. I want to think about this right now. They have a need for opportunities to work at a faster pace, like I just said.

John Broer: 5:28

And finally, they do feel the need to be free from risk of errors. That's really emphasized, or supported by that higher formality, that D-drive. They don't like to be put in a place where there is a high risk of those errors taking place. They don't like to be put in a place where there is a high risk of those errors taking place. Now, how does that translate into behaviors?

John Broer: 5:52

Well, there are a couple of key behavioral traits that can result from that. They tend to be assertive, proactive, moving forward. Let's take the initiative. They are also pensive. They like to reflect and think and analyze. Sorry, I'm using the name of it in the description. I mean they like to review, and I'm trying not to use this word analyze, but that's what they do. They can be very intense and thorough. That's the one thing in terms of working with the analyzers in my life, both professionally and personally. They are pretty thorough, they do their homework and they oftentimes are the ones that are asked hey, have you researched this or would you research this? And a lot of times they already have, or they've got a good basis for understanding a number of different topics. All right, so those are the drives, the needs and the behavior.

John Broer: 6:40

So let's talk about the signature work style of an analyzer and specifically, we talk about how they communicate, how they delegate, how they make decisions and how they deal with action and risk. So let's talk about how they communicate. They tend to be reserved and they want to take time to think. It's not that they can't react and respond to being put on the spot, but it's like if you're really going to leverage and optimize their superpowers, give them time to think about it. And they tend to be very direct in their communication and sometimes can give a good overview and more general perspective of, you know, a more general perspective in their communication. And again, we're talking about analyzers, but we're trying to keep this in the framework of an analyzer manager. So let's think about the signature work style of an analyzer manager, how they communicate. They tend to be reserved and they take time to think things through. So you may not get a lot of communication right away from an analyzer manager, but when they do, they will be direct and to the point and they will give and provide a good general overview of what you may be discussing. When it comes to delegating, they tend to be selective in delegating both details and authority because of their need for accuracy and precision and the freedom from risk and error that's going to influence how they delegate and there will be close follow-up to ensure quality, because whatever you're working on, that is attached to them, that's going to be a reflection of them, so there will be close follow-up.

John Broer: 8:21

When it comes to decision-making, they can be a really imaginative problem solver, innovative and creative ways to solve a problem and come up with a solution. They will drive to make decisions and at the same time, they might second-guess those decisions. Don't be surprised by that. There's a reason for that. It has to do with the factor combination of the dominance and the formality that A and D on the right side of the midpoint. The high factors tend to be right on top of one another, with an analyzer pattern, which means that in terms of risk, they can show up as being somewhat ambivalent, some would even say indecisive. It's like, well, wait, you wanted to do this and then you're questioning it. It's not that they don't have a strong understanding of a particular topic, it's just that they may vacillate back and forth and say, yes, this is a good idea, or well, on second thought, maybe it's not such a great idea and that can influence their decision making. Now, decision making is also influenced by the E factor, which is the modifying factor that is also measured in the PI assessment. That's going to influence their decision-making, but that dominance, that formality and the E factor will definitely show up in their decision-making characteristics.

John Broer: 9:35

Now, what about taking action and dealing with risk? They drive to initiate action because they tend to be proactive and task-focused. However, they can be risk-averse. They want all of the answers before taking action. You would say, well, that's a great thing, that's a good thing, and at the same time because, remember, we don't look at this through the lens of right, wrong, good or bad what it does is it can actually slow down the process. You may have enough information, but they may hesitate or pause and tap the brakes a little bit because of that factor, combination of dominance and formality. It's like tapping the brakes and stepping on the accelerator, maybe at the same time, and it feels a little uncertain. So they like to take action, but that risk factor will always play a significant role in how they take action. So let's talk about their strengths overall.

John Broer: 10:32

As an analyzer, what are the strengths of analyzers and specifically analyzer managers? They are disciplined and they are strong on execution, okay, and they will get frustrated when things slow down. We'll talk about common traps sometimes, but I mean man discipline and let's move, let's make this happen. Innovative and self-motivated. They don't need a whole lot of prodding from other people. That's, that's that proactive nature of you know, of their wiring. And finally, data-driven and analytical. If you come to them with an idea that isn't supported or substantiated by reasonable data, or that you've done your homework, it's not going to resonate with an analyzer. It's got to make sense.

John Broer: 11:16

Now, what are some of the common traps, or their potential kryptonite? They can be seen as a perfectionist with high standards and again you would think, well, that's a good thing, right? Well, you know, all of these traits and characteristics can be great until they become a liability. And sometimes it's like are we looking for too much perfection? Are our standards perhaps too high? And it's slowing up our decision making. They may be skeptical if they don't have enough information, all right. So if you work for an analyzer manager, you better make got 60%, 70% of the information we require. That is sufficient to make a realistic and reasonable decision. So let's move forward. And sometimes analyzers might say, nope, I need more to make that decision, and that, again, can be seen as a barrier for them to act upon something that needs action.

John Broer: 12:39

So how to work well with analyzers. If you work for and report to an analyzer manager, this is going to be so helpful for you, and if you are an analyzer manager, this is beneficial because it's going to help you create a deeper sense of self-awareness and start to adapt and try to avoid those common traps. Leverage your strengths and superpowers, but make sure this self-awareness allows you to mitigate those traps. So now let's say you are a manager any kind of manager but you have an analyzer working on your team. How do you work well with them? Well, give them room. Don't micromanage them.

John Broer: 13:10

Analyzers like to express and implement their own ideas. Again, they can be very creative, so leverage that creativity. I would also suggest is we want to be careful not to pressure analyzers to make quick decisions. Even though they are proactive by nature, they need the information. They tend to feel more comfortable when the decision is within their area of expertise, work that they know and that they can manage the risk involved and then, finally, bring challenges to analyzers. They like opportunities to showcase both their expertise and their creative problem-solving abilities. And I can tell you that is absolutely the truth.

John Broer: 13:51

In our family we have an analyzer and whenever anybody has a question about a product or a service or something needs research, it is very common for us to go to our analyzer and say have you looked at this, have you researched this? And a lot of times he has. You will find that analyzers absolutely lock into that research and will give it a thorough assessment and then provide you with information. So again, this is just part of how they're wired, part of the gifting and the really cool attributes they bring to an organization and to a team. So let's shift gears a little bit. Let's say again you're a manager but you have an analyzer on your team. Or you're a senior leader and you've got You've got a manager that is an analyzer.

John Broer: 14:39

How do we motivate and recognize them? How do we provide direction, delegate and coach? These are aspects that we've been including with all of these reference profile episodes. But in terms of motivating and recognizing them with an analyzer, provide private recognition for their depth of knowledge and tangible results achieved. Sometimes we think, oh no, we got to do this publicly. You can. It's not that they wouldn't appreciate it. But they will definitely, based on their wiring, appreciate that one-on-one recognition and appreciation given to them, give them opportunities to show off their knowledge and creative problem-solving skills and let them have control over their own activities and implement their own ideas. When you take that away from them, then you will frustrate an analyzer and actually you will do that if that happens to a number of our reference profiles, that that happens. So you have to think about how we are guiding them or shepherding them with their particular work. Now that also relates that's also related to providing direction and feedback.

John Broer: 15:41

So just be super clear on your expectations of what is necessary. I think if you go to an analyzer and you just say, hey, whatever you come up with is fine, it's a blank slate. You know, I don't care. Whatever you do is good. They're creative enough and assertive enough to come up with something. But I would also caution you on that. They may find that to be too vague and too ambivalent and it's like, no, come on, I mean, what does good look like? Give me some clarity of expectations here. Help ease their sensitivity to criticism by keeping feedback work-related and backed by examples. They put a lot of pride in the accuracy of their work and if it is called into question and it's not backed by evidence, there's a degree of sensitivity associated with that that you need to be aware of. And then assure them that it is okay not to be perfect, because they do hold themselves to a very high standard.

John Broer: 16:40

And then, as we talked about before, when delegating, just be cautious not to delegate repetitive work or work that needs decisions made quickly or under pressure. I actually think that they are good with consistent work. I think, when we think about repetitive work, if it's sort of like piecemeal and they perceive it as being somewhat meaningless and boring, perhaps you want to delegate work to them that leverages and sort of feeds the creative and proactive traits in analyzers, and delegate work that is data-driven and analytical or shows off their expertise. Because, once again, if you really want to dig into some of those nuances of detail and analysis, again, this is really where you leverage the superpowers of the analyzer. So what about coaching? And again we always emphasize that coaching is different than managing.

John Broer: 17:36

They need to develop their coaching skills more than anything else, because this is where you understand how you begin to draw out these capabilities of your individual contributors. That's why they call them individual contributors, because each one is unique, and that's why we do the work that we do, be supportive, offer support to help them move forward when they feel stuck, especially during situations where their need for action is matched with their need to be cautious. Be mindful that that cautious nature may slow them up. So coach them to move forward and perhaps not have all the information they need and realize that you're not hanging them out to dry. You are there to support them. Have them verbalize the impact and risk associated with decisions that need to be made quickly, helping them to see that the upside of a quick decision will likely outweigh the downside that they are considering. And again, it all has to do with the speed of decision making and the quickness.

John Broer: 18:40

Once again, this seems like a contradiction. You know this person is proactive, yet they are cautious with making decisions quickly. Well, it has to be backed by validity and it has to be substantiated and an accurate decision. Well, sometimes we can't achieve that level of accuracy or detail. So you can coach them through that process and then finally have them find ways, or give them ways, to help express their ideas before they are fully baked, by offering the opportunity to work with you or others early in the process so that progress can be made more quickly, versus waiting for the right decision or the perfect decision.

John Broer: 19:21

Now, this actually relates back to the trait of them comfortable working by themselves and gathering information. It may not feel natural for an analyzer, because they are so task-focused and so introspective. It may not seem natural for them to draw other people in so a good manager can coach them to start to include others and access the input of others in a way that seems natural. That is an adaptation for them, because I think a hard thing for analyzers is to put them in a position where they are going to have to dial up that extraversion, which they can do. I mean, they absolutely can do that, but it sometimes just feels artificial and it's like you know what I can do? This work on my own and in reality, from a coaching perspective, they do need other people. So you could position yourself and others to help early in the process and perhaps truncate or shorten that decision-making process so that you can get to a decision faster, which again will help an analyzer. So there you have it.

John Broer: 20:26

That's number 15 out of the 17 reference profiles, the analyzer reference profile. Make sure you check out all of the information of the other ones and by all means go into the show notes and download and share all of the other episodes for the reference profiles. We'll be wrapping this up, probably within the next 30 days. The last two we're going to be talking about are the Individualist and the Venturer, both of which offer really unique characteristics. But that will round out all 17 of the PI reference profiles. Thanks so much for listening in. Keep checking back for more episodes and we will see you next time on the Boss Hole Chronicles. Thanks very much for checking out this episode of the Boss Hole Chronicles. It was so good to have you here, and if you have your own boss hole story that you want to share with the Boss Hole Transformation Nation, just reach out. You can email us at mystoryatthebossholechroniclescom. Again, mystoryatthebossholechroniclescom. We'll see you next time.