Some of you who have followed my writings may be familiar with my Personality quiz, It’s in the SAUCE!  I developed this tool almost thirty years ago while working with a national company hired to do management development with their general managers and sales managers.

Although I have always believed that people can change, behavior change isn’t easy or quick, and this was the kind of change these managers needed to make. Part of my responsibility as the consultant was to determine the areas of focus for their management development plans.

Many of these managers had been hired and promoted because of their ability to drive operations and sales, which at the time were necessary qualities for success. But that was changing quickly. Soon, those who would be successful would be leading knowledge workers in a collaborative environment. “Driver” behaviors would need to transition to influencing the behavior of others. This is even more true today than it was then.

One day almost thirty years ago I sat down in a conference room in one of the company’s businesses in Florida. I thought about what behaviors would be necessary for managers responsible for leading and developing others instead of controlling others. I decided to develop a quiz identifying those necessary behaviors. I wanted to keep the tool simple and quick to take. This many years later I still do not know where the twenty questions that came to me came from, other than obviously from my creative side.

The tool was then administered to the managers. This was a tool that one could not fail. Its purpose was to identify the match between the necessary behaviors and the individual managers, and then to develop a management development plan focused on the most necessary behaviors in need of improvement.

Personality profiling has its roots in early attempts to understand human behavior. Formal personality assessment tools began to emerge in the early 1920’s. These tools have been used in recent years by organizations to recruit and develop those who have the potential to succeed. They are also used by individuals interested in their own development.

There are many different tools on the market, some more common than others. Some of the tools are very complex. The strength of It’s in the SAUCE is its simplicity as well as its accuracy. Of the many people who have been tested on SAUCE, most say their data is “spot on.” One of the important aspects of Its in the SAUCE is that the individual accepts their data as valid before a plan based on the data is developed.

Individuals who take SAUCE for their own purposes can understand their talents and make good decisions regarding their careers and even relationships. After all, should we not be at least as interested in ourselves and our own development as our employer is? With more knowledge, it is possible that some would choose different employers and even different careers.

A few SAUCE questions for you to answer. One question is: “I need action more than predictability.” Another is: “The opinion of others is important to me.” Another is: “I like giving direction to others.” These three questions are some of the questions that evaluate dominance. If your answers to these three questions are yes, no, and yes, in that order, those answers provide important insight about you related to dominance. Now, don’t jump to the bottom line too quickly! You need more information to understand what your answers mean. And there is so much more.

The It’s in the SAUCE tool will inform you, enlighten you, and inspire you. It will help you find the best fit for your career, relationships, and many more aspects of life and living. I would love to show you more about it. Just let me know when you are ready.