1. To stay competitive and fulfill their missions in an increasingly challenging business arena,
organizations need their people to take initiative, innovate, and make smart decisions. Yet many
leaders lament that their people struggle with these imperatives.
One reason is that, owing to perceptual filters, people have difficulty correctly assessing what is
happening in a given workplace situation; what should they do when a key customer defects, a
project misses a critical deadline, or a negotiation shuts down. Without an accurate assessment,
people cannot identify how they should interact with others to get the results their team and
organization need. Is this the time to be forceful with a particular stakeholder—or supportive?
Would it be better to move forward cautiously with this person—or take swift action? Moreover,
too many people mistakenly assume that they have only a handful of interpersonal strengths—their
familiar, “go-to” skills—available to deploy in any situation.
These self-imposed constraints limit people’s ability to respond productively to situations and
interact effectively with others. They, their teams, and their organizations pay the price in lost
potential, mediocre performance, and poor decision-making.
If people are not interacting productively in the workplace, the organization cannot realize its
vision, achieve its objectives, or fulfill its purpose. This is true at all levels in the organization—from
executives and managers to front-line workers, from salespeople to customer service reps, from
buyers to suppliers.
Why Core Strengths?
Core Strengths™
Training:
Creating a Culture of Accountability

2. Core Strengths training helps to remove self-limiting constraints and empower people to interact
more productively. The program accomplishes this by teaching people to make more effective
choices based on more accurate assessments of high-stakes situations – understanding what is
motivating themselves and others to behave the way they do. Equally important, Core Strengths
teaches people how to draw from a full palette of interpersonal strengths and quickly determine
which behaviors are needed, when, and with whom.
The Core Strengths approach is built on a solid foundation that blends research, psychological
theory, and practical application (Fromm, 1947; Porter, 1976; Rogers, 1961). It provides a common
language that helps people discuss the needs of situations with others and take accountability
for making more productive choices in their interactions. As such, Core Strengths serves as the
“oil” that ensures that the people in an organization work together fluidly, without “squeaks”—and
without burning out and grinding to an expensive halt.
The words strengths and accountability crop up often in discussions about workplace performance.
But what do they mean, exactly? When we use the word strengths, we mean interpersonal or
relational abilities, as opposed to technical skills or subject-matter expertise.
And when it comes to interpersonal strengths, we’ve seen that there are many views of strengths—
and no shortage of advice. Some say you should focus on your strengths, and stop worrying
about your weaknesses. Some give you a test that reveals a few of your top strengths. Others
tell you that the way to workplace effectiveness is to encourage the heart or to focus on intrinsic
motivation or drive.
While we agree with the intent behind all this advice, we believe that it is incomplete. A focus on
a few strengths can be limiting; it can stop people from stretching to achieve their full potential.
It’s also unrealistic. The world doesn’t align itself to deliver only those situations where a person
can succeed by using one or two of their top strengths. People are going to face all manner of
challenges, and all kinds of people, in their everyday work lives. To boost the number of times they
can respond to a situation productively, they need to draw on a wider array of strengths.
Advice regarding focusing on the heart, or on intrinsic motivations and drives, leaves many people
wondering exactly how to do that. Tapping into the power of intrinsic motivation is difficult,
because the motives lying at people’s cores are not readily visible. We fully agree with this advice,
but before Core Strengths and the Strength Deployment Inventory (SDI), there has not been a way
to follow this advice easily. The SDI was developed precisely for this purpose—to enable people
to quickly understand their own core as well as accurately identify another person’s core. The
Core Strengths approach shows people exactly how to connect strengths to their core motivations
by empowering them to actively choose their strengths—thus fostering accountability for the
outcomes of their actions (Koestenbaum & Block, 2001). It provides a simple, easy-to-remember
method of identifying not just what they do, but why they do it—and how they could do it better.
There are also many views of accountability, and, again, an abundance of advice about how to
create more of it in the workplace. Unfortunately, most of this advice involves a one-size-fits-all
set of techniques that does not account for individual differences. At the root of most of these
techniques is the assumption that one person can hold another person accountable: “If I do or say
the right things, in the right order, I’ll get other people doing what they are ‘supposed’ to do.”
True accountability cannot be demanded or imposed. It happens only when people are free to
choose which interpersonal strengths to deploy, when, and with whom.
What Are Strengths and Accountability?

3. The Core Strengths approach shows people that they have a broader array of strengths available
to them. It teaches them how to choose strengths that fulfill the motivations at their core while also
producing better results for them, their team, and their organization. Choice fosters accountability,
because people feel responsible for what they freely choose (Deci, 1995). By contrast, when
people feel coerced, they may comply—but they will do so only as long as they are experiencing
external pressure. Thus their compliance is not sustainable.
Creating a Culture of Accountability
The Core Strengths model presents a set of 28 strengths that are accessible to anyone at any
time (see Figure 1). The key to selecting the right strengths at the right times is understanding the
motivations for using the strengths and the results the strengths are intended to produce.
Results are produced by what we do. What we do is preceded by our choices about what to do.
And these choices are rooted in who we are at our core. When people learn the core skills of
assessing a situation (including their own and others’ motivations) and making choices that are
congruent with their core personality, they are more able to “dial up” the strengths the situation
calls for—and thus deliver their best performance. In short, they become more mindful of all the
choices available to them, more intentional in their use of strengths, and more accountable for the
outcomes their choices produce. A
C
C
O
U
N
T
A
B
IL
IT
Y
A
C
C
O
U
N
T
A
B
IL
IT
Y
RESULTS
who
you are
core
self
core
skills
how
you choose
core
strengths
what
you do
Figure 1: The Core Strengths model
The Core Strengths Model and Methodology at the Individual Level
© 2014 PSP, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted without permission in writing from PSP. www.CoreStrengths.com

4. Core Strengths is powered by the SDI and the Strengths Portrait, two valid and reliable
assessments (Scudder, 2013) that enable self-awareness—the prerequisite to effective choices.
The SDI describes individual differences in personality from the perspective of motivations that lie
at our core. Simply stated, they are concerns for People, Performance, and Process. Everyone
prioritizes these three primary motivations differently. The SDI defines seven personality types—
called Motivational Value Systems (MVSs)—based on how these three motivations work together in
different people (see Figure 2).
People with different Motivational Value
Systems use the same strengths for different
reasons. This foundational insight constitutes
the real power behind the Core Strengths
approach. For instance, here are four
different example reasons to use the strength
“Inclusive” – each one connecting to a
different Motivational Value System:
Blue MVS (People-focus):
“I want to include others so that each
person feels valued.”
Red MVS (Performance-focus):
“I want to include others so that
everyone will be committed to
the task.”
Green MVS (Process-focus):
“I want to include others to make sure
no vital information is overlooked.”
Hub MVS (about equal focus on People, Performance, and Process):
“I want to include others because we will be more effective together.”
When people see how specific strengths can be connected to the motives within their core, they
find it easier to choose strengths that previously felt “foreign” to them because they were seldom
used. That means people can more readily draw from a wider array of strengths—while still feeling
true to themselves. They and their team or organization wins.
Effective individuals understand how concerns for People, Performance, and Process integrate so
they can intentionally “dial up” the strengths needed to deliver desired business results in high-
stakes situations. Likewise, effective teams and organizations integrate those same three critical
priorities when managers create a culture where people embrace accountability for selecting
the right strengths, at the right time, to deliver the right outcomes. Core Strengths provides the
manager-level training needed to shape such a culture in a team or organization.
When everyone in the group knows their own and each other’s Motivational Value Systems
and how their interpretations of situations change during conflict, they discover better ways to
communicate, collaborate, and work through conflict. When managers create the conditions that
encourage such accountability:
People take responsibility for deploying the right strengths, at the right time.
A “personal why”—the intent behind the choice of strengths—directly supports the team’s
and organization’s performance.
The process delivers exceptional business results.
Figure 2: The Motivational Value Systems
1 2 3
Blue-Green Red-Green
Red-Blue
RedBlue
Hub
Green
®
Example MVS
28 52 20
Core Strengths at the Team/Organizational Level
© 2014 PSP, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted without permission in writing from PSP. www.CoreStrengths.com

5. The SDI also shows how conflict
affects the way people see
situations and how they make
choices about the interpersonal
strengths they will deploy. These
differences are shown visually in
SDI results (see Figure 3).
Consider how differences in
Motivational Value Systems
may play out in a two-person
relationship. In the sample
SDI results shown in Figure 3,
Chloe’s MVS shows a stronger
concern for Performance than for
People or Process, while Susan’s
shows a relatively equal blend of
all three – with the concern for
People a bit stronger than for
Performance or Process.
The two women may work well
together, or they may be in
conflict. But more likely, there is
some of each condition in their
work relationship. In good times,
Susan may appreciate Chloe’s
desire to get things done, and
Chloe may appreciate Susan’s
desire to include people and
consider multiple perspectives.
It may cause conflict if Chloe
perceives Susan’s option-seeking
as a lack of focus, or even a
lack of loyalty. Similarly, Susan
may experience conflict if she
views Chloe’s competitiveness as
fighting, or as an unwillingness to
consider others’ ideas.
If these perceptions cause
conflict, Susan will likely want to
slow things down and analyze
the situation, while Chloe will
probably want to speed things
up and take action quickly.
Awareness of each other’s
motivations when things are going
well and during conflict can help
them understand and appreciate
each other – and interact more
effectively.
Figure 3: Sample Conflict Sequence results:
Two-person relationship
Figure 4: Sample Conflict Sequence results:
Group relationship
© 2014 PSP, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted without permission in writing from PSP. www.CoreStrengths.com

6. Differences in MVSs also play out in group relationships (see Figure 4). For instance, in the sample
conflict sequence results shown in the exhibit, there are many relationships (including the one
between Susan and Chloe). Just as with individuals and dyads, a team or entire organization may
work well together, or may be in conflict. But more likely, there is some of each condition in the
group.
When things are going well, the group shown in Figure 4 has at least one person in each MVS. This
does not necessarily mean the group is integrating People, Performance, and Process effectively.
The group’s diversity in motivation may serve as a source of productivity, but it may also be the
basis for conflict. When there is conflict, some members start Analyzing (arrowheads in Green),
while others begin Accommodating (arrowheads in Blue), or Asserting (arrowheads in Red). These
movements influence which interpersonal strengths each person decides to deploy. Their choices
may help to resolve conflict – or they could make things worse. When members can draw on
their understanding of their own and each other’s MVSs and how their motivations change during
conflict, they can select strengths more intentionally and interact with maximum effectiveness.
In the sections that follow, we consider the Core Strengths training and development experience
from the perspective of learners and facilitators.
Learners
The learner experience is a half-day (4-hour) course preceded by preparation and followed by
ongoing reinforcement and learning opportunities.
Preparation: Learners are invited to the program and provided with links to complete the
SDI and Strengths Portrait online assessments. Assessment results are given to learners
during the course.
Course modules: The course is presented in 5 modules:
1. Unlocking Your Strengths: Learners receive their Strengths Portrait results and are
introduced to the Core Strengths model. They begin developing an action plan (below)
by identifying a high-stakes situation at work and two stakeholders of the situation.
They do further work on this plan in each of the remaining four modules. Learners
are introduced, by video, to three characters—a programmer, a manager, and an
architect—who will be featured in subsequent videos.
Core Strengths Training in Action
Stakeholder #2
Name:
MOTIVATIONAL VALUE SYSTEM
Known Assumed
CONFLICT SEQUENCE
Known Assumed
- -
Myself
Name:
MOTIVATIONAL VALUE SYSTEM
My MVS is:
CONFLICT SEQUENCE
My CS is:
- -
Stakeholder #1
Name:
MOTIVATIONAL VALUE SYSTEM
Known Assumed
CONFLICT SEQUENCE
Known Assumed
- -
ADAPTABLE
I adjust readily to
new or modified
conditions.
AMBITIOUS
I am determined
to succeed and to
get ahead.
ANALYTICAL
I dissect and digest
whatever is going on.
CARING
I concern myself
with the well-being
of others.
LOYAL
I remain faithful to the
commitments I make
to others.
METHODICAL
I am orderly in
action, thought, and
expression.
MODEST
I play down what I
am capable of doing.
OPEN TO
CHANGE
I consider different
perspectives, ideas,
and opinions.
OPTION-
ORIENTED
I look for and suggest
different ways of
doing things.
PERSEVERING
I maintain the same
course of action in
spite of obstacles.
PERSUASIVE
I urge, influence, and
convince others.
PRINCIPLED
I follow certain rules
of right conduct.
CAUTIOUS
I am careful to
make sure of what
is going on.
COMPETITIVE
I strive to win
against others.
DEVOTED
I am dedicated
to some people,
activities, or
purposes.
FAIR
I act justly, equitably,
and impartially.
FLEXIBLE
I act in whatever
manner is
appropriate at
the moment.
FORCEFUL
I act with conviction,
power, and drive.
HELPFUL
I give assistance
to others who are
in need.
INCLUSIVE
I bring people
together in order to
reach consensus.
QUICK TO ACT
I get things started
without delay.
RESERVED
I practice self-
restraint in
expressing thoughts
and feelings.
RISK-TAKING
I take chances on
losses in pursuit of
high gains.
SELF-
CONFIDENT
I believe in my
own powers and
strengths.
SOCIABLE
I engage easily in
group conversations
and activities.
SUPPORTIVE
I give
encouragement
and help to others.
TOLERANT
I respect differences,
even when I don’t
agree.
TRUSTING
I place my faith
in others.
THE 28 CORE STRENGTHS
To choose the right strength at the right time, consider all 28 strengths available to you.
ACTION PLAN
Describe the situation:
Deemed important to me and the organization
Something I’m currently engaged in (or will be in the coming months)
Measurable outcomes
Involves working closely with other stakeholders
What results do I need to achieve?
Top Strengths
What is the impact
of my MVS filter?
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
Is he/she currently
in conflict?
Yes No Unsure
If yes, why?
___________________
___________________
___________________
What is most
important to him/her
in this situation?
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
Top Strengths
What is the impact
of my MVS filter?
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
Is he/she currently
in conflict?
Yes No Unsure
If yes, why?
___________________
___________________
___________________
What is most
important to him/her
in this situation?
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
Next Steps: Next Steps:
What are the best strengths to use with him/her in this situation? What are the best strengths to use with him/her in this situation?
My Top Strengths
What could I be
missing due to my
MVS filter?
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
Am I currently
in conflict?
Yes No
If yes, why?
___________________
___________________
___________________
What is likely to
trigger conflict in me?
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
What is most
important to me in
this situation?
MY PATH BACK TO MVS
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
My High-Stakes Situation
© 2014 PSP, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted without permission in writing from PSP. www.CoreStrengths.com
®
A complete redesign of the company’s website needs to be completed
by the end of of next month. We are behind schedule because I don’t
have agreed-upon content from Marketing and Sales, and there are still
questions about some of the design elements. Everyone is really busy,
and each time I have called meetings to discuss, a critical stakeholder
year’s product launches depend on this site redesign, so it is extremely
important for our business.
By May 1st, I must deliver a new website that looks great and meets
the needs of the organization for the next year. To do this, I need
to get input and buy-in from the VP of Marketing and the VP of Sales.
The website must also appeal to our customers and generate 100 new
leads per month that our Sales team can pursue.
Inclusive
Caring
Option-Oriented
EXAMPLE
X
Others might
expect me to be
more proactive and
make decisions on
my own; to move
quicker. I hesitate
without getting
complete buy-in
from others.
No progress!No
consensus. Am I the
only one who cares?
When people aren’t
contributing — not
being good team players.
ALSO, closed-minded
people.
Having a great website
that serves everyone’s
needs. I want everyone
to be proud of what
we put out.
36 33 31
RED BLUE GREEN
HUB
45 35 20
GREEN BLUE RED
G B R
Eileen
Ambitious
Competitive
Analytical
Cautious
Reserved
Quick to Act
Forceful
Methodical
Analytical
Supportive
Mark (VP of Sales) Ann (VP of Marketing)
Red Green
R ? ? G R B
X X
X X
X X
He’s really pushing me
to get this done. More
assertive than usual.
Needs sales leads
for his team — 100
new leads per month
beginning in May.
It has to be right
(perfect) with every
detail and possibility
addressed.
Mark wants action, so he might view our past
meetings as unproductive (since we really didn’t nail
down decisions). I need to clearly communicate what
decisions need to be made, summarize all decisions in
follow-up memos, and provide weekly progress updates.
Ann needs to know that we’ve thought everything
through and our decisions are sound. I will provide her
with the research data, give her some time with it, and
then check in with her to see if she wants to discuss
any of the details. Make detailed agendas!
He’s brash and a poor
listener. In reality, he
might just want to
see us take action and
move ahead.
She’s hard to read.
seems hard to please.
Wants it to be right,
so perhaps hesitant to
move without time to
digest.
© 2014 PSP, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted without permission in writing from PSP. www.CoreStrengths.com

7. 2. Understanding Your Core: Learners receive the MVS portion of their SDI results and
engage in experiential activities to reinforce the MVS concepts. Videos in this segment
use the architect’s story to summarize key concepts. Learners receive an SDI Quick
Guide and use it to develop their action plan.
3. Interpreting through Filters: Learners explore the idea that, owing to filters in their
MVS, the same strength can have many different meanings. This section includes a
video depicting how filters manifest themselves in an example from the programmer’s
life. Leaners apply their new knowledge of filters to their high-stakes situation by
completing the next steps of their action plan.
4. Navigating Conflict: Learners are introduced to the idea that changing motives
during conflict is part of their core personality. They receive the Conflict Sequence
portion of their SDI results and engage in experiential activities that help them deepen
their understanding of the concepts. A video featuring the manager ties all of these
ideas together with a clear example of the way conflict begins, progresses, and is
resolved. Learners conclude by considering the existence or potential for conflict in
their high-stakes situation and documenting their commitments in their action plans.
5. Putting Core Strengths to Work: The Core Strengths model is used to summarize
the workshop and to clearly and compellingly show the link between choice and
accountability. Learners are then encouraged to make mindful selections of strengths
to manage their high-stakes situation and their relationships with their stakeholders.
The final video shows how each of the three characters has put his or her core
strengths to work. Post-course reinforcement and learning opportunities are described
(included in the course without additional charge).
Reinforcement and Continued Learning: Each learner is provided access to
LearnerSource, where they can print a certificate of completion, access documents for
continuing education credits, watch additional videos, reprint their SDI and Strengths
Portrait results, and download SDI images to add to their e-mail signatures or social media
profiles. Through LearnerSource, they can also choose to give an SDI and Strengths Portrait
to another person. Most learners opt to share this link with a person outside their work
environment, such as a spouse, a family member, or a friend. All of this access is opened to
learners after they complete their course evaluation.
Resources Provided to Learners:
Strengths Portrait (online assessment and results)
Strength Deployment Inventory (online assessment and results)
Core Strengths Workbook
SDI Quick Guide
Working with SDI (book)
Access to LearnerSource (online resources)
Guest access to one SDI and Strengths
Portrait (with an online learning module
for the guest)
© 2014 PSP, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted without permission in writing from PSP. www.CoreStrengths.com

8. Facilitators
Each organization has a unique culture and training needs. Thus, training may work best when
internal facilitators deliver it. The Core Strengths training program is designed to be delivered by
internal certified trainers.
To become certified, aspiring facilitators attend a half-day public Core Strengths Workshop. These
workshops deliver the full Core Strengths program and are offered in many cities across the United
States.
They then attend a two-day Facilitator Certification Course, where they:
Learn how to deliver the Core Strengths training program in their organization
Practice facilitation and program delivery skills
Gain access to the Core Strengths training community and trainer resources
Attendees leave the course prepared to immediately deliver Core Strengths training and to join a
community of more than 4,000 certified Core Strengths facilitators.
Resources Provided to Facilitators
Complete set of Learner Resources (described above)
Facilitator Manual
Access to FacilitatorSource (to administer online assessments, and to receive updates
and additional resources)
USB remote and key: this custom interface allows seamless access to the presentation
platform. It includes the ability to display group results, present the slide content, play
the videos, and operate on-screen timers for activities and breaks.
Getting Started
Each facilitator is authorized to present the
Core Strengths content under an organizational
license. Each is expected to provide this learning
experience to at least 50 people within the first
year of certification, and this is part of the
organizational license.
References
Deci, E. (1995). Why We Do What We Do:
Understanding the psychology of self-
motivation. New York, NY: Penguin Books.
Fromm, E. (1947). Man for Himself: An inquiry into
the psychology of ethics. New York, NY:
Henry Holt and Company.
Koestenbaum, P., & Block, P. (2001). Freedom and
Accountability at Work. San Francisco, CA:
Jossey-Bass/Pfieffer.
Porter, E. H. (1976). On the Development of
Relationship Awareness Theory: A personal
note. Group & Organization Management,
1(3), 302-309.
Rogers, C. R. (1961). On Becoming a Person. New
York, NY: Houghton Mifflin.
Scudder, T. J. (2013). Personality Types in
Relationship Awareness Theory: The
validation of Freud’s libidinal types and
explication of Porter’s motivational typology.
(Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation), Fielding
Graduate University, Santa Barbara.
Copyright © 2014, PSP, Inc. All rights reserved by Personal Strengths Publishing, Inc. Core™, Core
Strengths™, Core Strengths Accountability™, SDI®, Strength Deployment Inventory®, Strengths
Portrait™, Relationship Awareness®, and the SDI triangle (patent pending) are trademarks and part of
the trade dress of Personal Strengths Publishing, Inc.
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