The Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument for Teambuilding
In comparison to the DiSC Personality Survey and the MBTI
The components of each individual profile will be described in brief and then a general
summary will describe the recommendations of Positiveworks with regard to teambuilding,
team coaching and individual one-to-one coaching.
The Herrmann Thinking Preference Profile
This profile measures thinking preference, and helps to identify the dominant ways individuals
are using their brain and what they like to think about.
Based on the activity of the human brain as it thinks, the methodology used to access this
information was developed by Dr Ned Herrmann in the USA on the basis of detailed brain
research into thinking and creativity. Dr Herrmann was particularly interested in why certain
teams are more creative than others and researched the difference between homogeneous
and heterogeneous teams.
The colourful visual format of this profile makes it a powerful instrument of self-knowledge for
individuals and for teams. The profile’s graphic simplicity enables people very quickly to
understand the concept of the information and to relate it to their specific personal and team
situation so as to develop goals and actions to develop latent potential.
It is generally a significant performance measurement tool, demonstrating areas of strength
and identifying development topics.
Identifying thinking preferences can help us to understand ourselves, our colleagues and
clients, as well as help us to develop our own thinking capabilities. Preference influences
communication style, time management, performance capability, problem solving, decisionmaking and stress. Areas of non-preference have been found to impact avoidance of certain
tasks and activities.
This survey is not a measurement. It reflects preference rather than capability. The profile is
designed to encourage understanding of individual diversity and to enhance a group’s
thinking, learning and communicating abilities. It is recognised by the Education Training
Board as a valuable psychometric indicator and has been used by over 3 million people
worldwide.
Examples of the Profile:
Positiveworks Limited, 40 Clonmel Road, London SW6 5BJ
Tel: 020 7736 1417 Fax: 020 7731 5399
Company No: 3901341 VAT No: 656 7673 86
info@positiveworks.com www.positiveworks.com
Positiveworks Limited, 40 Clonmel Road, London SW6 5BJ
Tel: 020 7736 1417 Fax: 020 7731 5399
Company No: 3901341 VAT No: 656 7673 86
info@positiveworks.com www.positiveworks.com
Retail Store Managers
48 Individuals
Copyright, Herrmann International 1997
Herrmann can be introduced with the interesting and stimulating card game called ‘Diversity’.
This interactive game involves the whole group and enables people to enhance their
understanding of colleagues. It also develops a light-hearted but purposeful environment in
which the group can begin to accept one another’s differences in order to build on unique
strengths and talents that are relevant to their business targets. The team will close a session
by agreeing actions and behaviours that stimulate greater creativity and increase
performance.
Positiveworks Limited, 40 Clonmel Road, London SW6 5BJ
Tel: 020 7736 1417 Fax: 020 7731 5399
Company No: 3901341 VAT No: 656 7673 86
info@positiveworks.com www.positiveworks.com
DiSC Personality Survey
The DiSC Personality Survey is one of the most powerful methods available of assessing
behaviour in the workplace by measuring people's personality. Easy to understand, it has put
the use of psychometric management tools within the reach of the properly trained lay
manager. The profile measures:




D
I
S
C
DOMINANCE the
INFLUENCE the desire
STABILITY the desire to
COMPLIANCE the
desire to
to
Take charge 
of one's
environment
Win, excel, 
conquer
To take

power and control
over own
environment
To affect
own future
desire to

Cause others
to act to further

own aspirations
Be liked and 
accepted
Project good
personal image

The Profile assesses:
 Basic character
 Motivational Factors
 Potential Strengths
 Potential Weaknesses
 Learning Style
 Questioning Method
 Capability for Organisation and
Planning
 Management Technique
 Decision-Making Style
Maintain
things as they are 
Be secure,

work slowly
Be

reasonable and
sincere
Question and
gather information








Have an
ordered society
Have clear
rules and criteria
A system
developed through
perfect logic and
analysis
Acceptance of Managerial
Responsibility
Response to Technical and Sales
Environments
How Relate to People
Response to Authority
Factors that threaten self-esteem
Time-Scale
Factors which demotivate
How to manage effectively
It is therefore a powerful personal development tool as well as being a helpful tool to enhance
the effective management of direct reports.
The profile was developed by Willian Marsden, Professor of Psychology as a result of a direct
request from the Military who asked: “Why is it that despite identical training regimes, intakes
of recruits behave differently? It is expensive when we recruit the wrong people.” After 10
years research Marsden published “The Emotions of Normal People” but it was in 1950
that the psychologist William Cleaver developed the ideas from this previous research into the
DiSC profile. This profile has now become one of the most powerful methods available to
assess behaviour by measuring people’s personality.
Positiveworks Limited, 40 Clonmel Road, London SW6 5BJ
Tel: 020 7736 1417 Fax: 020 7731 5399
Company No: 3901341 VAT No: 656 7673 86
info@positiveworks.com www.positiveworks.com
MBTI
The Myers-Briggs profile is based on Carl Jung’s theory of personality types. Katharine Cook
Briggs and her daughter Isabel Briggs Myers studied and elaborated the ideas of Jung and
applied them to human interaction. Following World War II Myers developed the Indicator to
give individuals access to self-understanding for the purposes of developing potential.
The MBTI helps people to identify strengths and personality type, promoting self-acceptance
and cooperation. Self-knowledge can also promote productivity and help people to
understand and accept the differences between themselves and others.
The profile identifies whether a person is:
 Extravert or Introvert
 Sensing or Intuitive
 Thinking or Feeling
 Judging or Perceiving
The resulting combination of 16 specific types enables people to understand their likely
approach to people and situations. It is used widely throughout the world to enable people
understand how to focus on strengths. The profile identifies general tendencies and is not
specific to the workplace.
Understanding MBTI type is self-affirming and encourages co-operation with others. When
individuals are facing change, feeling stuck, under performing, seem unhappy in a team or
simply need to refocus, individual training using MBTI can help move that person through
problems. Conversely, talented individuals can be trained to take on more responsibility in a
team.
General Summary
Each of the above profiles is excellent in their own right. They all measure different aspects
of a human being. The Herrmann profile measures what a person prefers to think about and
how they like to use their brain. The DiSC Personality Survey measures likely behaviour in
the workplace. The MBTI measures personality type in a general sense that can be applied
both to work, career development and life.
Helen Whitten
Managing Director
Positiveworks Limited
www.positiveworks.com
Positiveworks Limited, 40 Clonmel Road, London SW6 5BJ
Tel: 020 7736 1417 Fax: 020 7731 5399
Company No: 3901341 VAT No: 656 7673 86
info@positiveworks.com www.positiveworks.com