A fundamental aspect of the SOCIAL STYLE Model is the use of norms to identify a person’s SOCIAL STYLE and Versatility. In order for each individual to fully understand their unique SOCIAL STYLE and Versatility level, they will complete a profile assessment. Each person receiving a profile is compared to others to determine where they fall and millions of people worldwide have been profiled, making the Model highly reliable and valid. This comparison group is called a norm.
But rather than using the entire database for comparison, TRACOM maintains discrete norms for specific job roles. Consider people in the job of sales. We would expect salespeople to have better interpersonal skills than many other jobs. So TRACOM offers a “sales norm” that only includes people with sales responsibilities.
Different distributions of the four SOCIAL STYLEs (Amiable, Analytical, Driving, Expressive), and varying levels of Versatility are present in different jobs and across different industries. Many times people in the same job function have similar strengths as well as weaknesses, so when assessing our Versatility, it’s helpful to compare people to their peers. TRACOM offers three different assessments for job specific norms which include; Sales, Managerial, and Universal. Learn more here.
Job-specific norms are important when it comes to understanding your Versatility relative to an appropriate peer group. Why wouldn’t you want to compare yourself to others with whom you are actually competing? For example; I am not a very good basketball player against people my own age, but when I am playing against 3rd graders, I am pretty great. This idea applies directly to Versatility assessments. You can up your game by giving yourself a realistic comparison.
TRACOM’s research has found statistically significant differences in the Versatility skills of the different job families. Sales professionals have the highest average Versatility, followed by people identified as managers or leaders. The general population (also known as Universal) has the lowest average. There is a greater need for salespeople and managers to have these necessary skills. The ability to be to be Versatile and build effective relationships is essential to being successful in their work.
Additional Norms and Comparison Groups
Similarly, The TRACOM Group uses norms in other applications such as geography. An organization can choose from more than 20 country or regional norms when generating SOCIAL STYLE Profiles. These norms reflect the cultural-behavioral patterns around the world and provide the best understanding of how a person’s Style and Versatility compare to peers. For example, the average American worker is measurably less Tell Assertive than the average German, but more Tell Assertive than the average worker in Japan. Learn more about TRACOM’s global capability.
One final comparison to consider is how the distribution of the four SOCIAL STYLEs and Versatility varies across industries. We’ve created a series of 23 infographics looking at industries including healthcare, financial services, consulting, manufacturing and technology. See how your industry compares.
