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LIFO® SPOTLIGHT: [Article Name]

Read our latest article written by one of our trainers/agents/licensees, a company or individual success story, a short bio on a LIFO® trainer, a personal journey story, etc. We could change this once or twice a month. We will put a process in place that requests, collects, and publishes these.

Regional User Conferences

Regional LIFO® User Conferences are open to all.

Regional LIFO User Conferences are great opportunities to explore the latest developments, applications, and approaches of Life Orientations.

Attendance at the Regional User Conferences provides a forum to ensure that you are up to date with all LIFO related products, modules, and applications. You will walk away with hard copy samples of all new products and updates.

User conferences include:

New products
Product updates
New trainer materials
New applications
Networking with other LIFO users
Networking with representatives from The Schutz Company

Call for Presentations

LIFO Licensees attending are also invited to give short-form presentations (20 minutes or less) to test out a new way of using LIFO that they have developed. Presenting at the LIFO Regional User Conference is an ideal environment to road test your ideas and receive feedback from your peers. If you are interested in giving a presentation, please submit your idea to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) at least 30 days prior to the Conference.
Locations

Conferences are held at regional locations across the United States to allow for ease of travel.

Upcoming dates: [TBD]

University Internship Program

University Internship Program LIFO® Materials Pack (UIP):

Productivity Workbook, LIFO® Online Survey/Highlight Report.

Materials Order Form

Library: Articles

Welcome to our new Library area. The following articles are currently available (in Adobe Reader format), with more coming soon:

Quick PDF Links:

Breaking the Productivity Barrier — A Few Simple Skills for Individuals and Teams
Stuart Atkins, Ph.D.

The last 50 years have seen many remarkable breakthroughs in technology, but the question remains: have we made comparable progress in human productivity? As managers and training professionals, we are still charged with the responsibility of boosting the productivity of individuals and teams. To do so, I believe there are four fundamental productivity factors that must be considered ... MORE

Bridge the Communication Gap With LIFO® Techniques for Influencing Key People
Stuart Atkins, Ph.D.

The Golden Rule is a timeless moral precept: “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.” This principle has great common-sense appeal, but ironically it doesn’t work very well as an effective guide to communication. The problem is that not everybody wants to be treated the same way—and most likely, not our way! ... MORE

Case Study: Improving Efficiency and Absenteeism at Mattel
Don Payne, Director of Human Resources Development, Mattel, Inc.

Productivity improvement — can it really be achieved through human resources development training, or is it a subject better left to efficiency experts and systems engineers? According to Don Payne, director of human resources development at Mattel, Inc., companies can achieve substantial results in productivity improvement. It is possible if they apply sound and tailored human resources management strategies. ... MORE

Case Study: Toys“R”Us Achieves Unity in Diversity—and a Dramatic Drop in Turnover
Jennifer Matterman

Toys“R”Us management was concerned that discussing diversity could be uncomfortable for some employees. To establish a high level of comfort when discussing differences, management chose to begin their Workforce Diversity Program with one day of LIFO® Training. Ten years later, LIFO Training has gone beyond the successful, turnover-reducing diversity program to take an important part in the management development curriculum, and in training line managers to facilitate LIFO Training with store personnel. ... MORE

Creating a Total Team Perspective — Managing from All Points of View
Stuart Atkins, Ph.D.

Teams are more than just a collection of individuals. For teams to be productive, they need to agree upon the values and principles that guide their work. They need common goals that support the larger organization’s mission and also incorporate members’ aims and desires. They need to inventory members’ strengths and assign tasks accordingly. They need to agree on priorities and have procedures for making decisions and resolving differences. And they need to learn how to do all this quickly and efficiently, without taking too much time away from their business goals and functions. ... MORE

Executive Coaching Using an Advanced Method of Interpreting LIFO® Survey Results
Allan Katcher and Ian Tibbles

The LIFO® Method can be a powerful tool to enhance coaching sessions with executives, managers, team leaders, and individuals who want to improve their interpersonal effectiveness. To realize the full possibilities, the coach needs to use the principles of a client-centered approach, remembering that the client is the expert on him/herself. ... MORE

Four Temptations — Excesses Under Favorable Conditions
Stuart Atkins, Ph.D.

Our favorite LIFO® Styles of living and working give us considerable pleasure. We feel like our true selves, doing what comes naturally. The temptation is to experience this pleasure and wherever and whenever we can. Ironically, when temptation takes over, we can do too much of our good thing and undermine our work and relationships. ... MORE

From Freud to Rogers to Maslow — The Origins and Theoretical Background of Life Orientations® Theory and Training Stuart Atkins, Ph.D.

Life Orientations® Training is an applied behavioral science system which fosters individual and organizational productivity. It starts by having individuals, pairs, or groups identify their basic orientations to life. These are called Supporting Giving, Controlling Taking, Conserving Holding, and Adapting Dealing. With the orientations as reference points, six LIFO® strategies for growth and greater productivity are suggested. These are called Confirming, Capitalizing, Moderating, Bridging, Supplementing and Extending. ... MORE

How To Become A Natural Leader — Six Lessons For Leaders
Stuart Atkins, Ph.D. and Allan Katcher, Ph.D.

Notwithstanding the many models of leadership training, the fundamental purpose of any organization’s leadership development program is to increase managers’ ability to influence others in order to achieve shared goals. The intention is not really to develop leaders so much as it is to develop more influential managers. No organization could withstand the effect of many leaders, each with his or her own vision. The question, then, is this: given a shared vision, how can we have managers lead (influence) their people to meet organizational goals? ... MORE

LIFO® Intention-Behavior-Impact — Its Unintended Impact
Stuart Atkins, Ph.D.

In designing the LIFO® Survey with Elias Porter in 1967, my intentions were to create a survey that would encourage peoples’ introspective process, helping them organize their thinking about themselves and their relationships with people who were the same or different. These similarities or differences centered on people’s Orientations to life with their values, goals, and strengths. ... MORE

The LIFO®Method vs. the Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator — Less Typecasting and More Behavioral Change

Styles-based instruments are popular training tools because they reduce the complexities of human behavior down to a manageable number of “types” or “styles.” They give people a feeling of quick insight into themselves and others. They provide a common lan- guage for talking about similarities and differences. Yet some of the best learning possibilities inherent in these instruments are often overlooked. And sometimes these instruments actually reinforce stereotypes that limit our understanding of people. ... MORE

Reliability and Validity of LIFO® Survey Results

The Life Orientations® Survey forms a key part of the LIFO® approach as it enables one to assess his or her unique profile of styles and strengths. Since the survey is part of a larger methodology, and not really a “personality test” as such, our primary interest is in the effectiveness of the total LIFO® approach. However, the Survey does provide useful measurement, and extensive research has been conducted on the properties of the LIFO Survey as a psychological instrument. ... MORE

Six Building Blocks to High Performing Teams
Stuart Atkins, Ph.D.

In the 1960s, when trainers and consultants first became involved in team building, T-groups and simulations were enthusiastically endorsed as a way of teaching teamwork to teams. T-groups soon fell by the wayside because they frequently became overly personal and participants felt threatened by negative feedback. Simulations on the other hand remained popular because they were fun and entertaining. They were great ice-breakers, and they always generated lively discussions. After working with simulated problems, it was assumed that the participants would naturally transfer their learning to their real problems and relationships. ... MORE

Some LIFO® Logic and Core Values
Stuart Atkins, Ph.D.

All added LIFO® materials or activities created by Agents, Licensees, and The Schutz Company can be gauged by the following LIFO criteria: 1. Does it Confirm and validate people with positive, non-judgmental terms, language, and labels without overt or implied criticism? 2. Does it reinforce existing behavior and accomplishments? ... MORE

Typecasting — Look Behind the Name
Stuart Atkins, Ph.D.

The trouble with typologies or classification systems is that the labels wind up making people feel boxed in, typecast, judged. Please don’t put a label on yourself. While there are hard and fixed labels, there are few hard and fixed people. We are not the same all the time. That’s why I included the “ing” suffix in thenames of the four orientations to life: Supporting Giving, Controlling Taking, Conserving Holding and Adapting Dealing. ... MORE

Win-Win Selection — An O.D. Approach
Allan Katcher and Gregory D. Metzler

This paper stresses the importance of viewing the selection and interviewing process as a basic precursor to establishing trust and positive identification with a company’s objectives. Using the LIFO® Method, it illustrates how shared information between a candidate and company can provide a good first step towards building a mutually rewarding relationship for future OD efforts. ... MORE

Licensee Resources

Articles ( I need to make sure Ethan has had a final look at Kim’s revisions before we load these)

Flyers –showcasing Materials (Kim and I are working on 3 new flyers and revising the older ones—hope to have this by weeks end)

LIFO Report Link page- creating a trainer friendly area that Licensees can go to while traveling to link into their account as well as a Client link. I will send you both those links.

LIFO Group Graph Excel file page — I have Kim updating this Exel file so that we can include on the site.

Training Highlight

Managing Differences in Relationships

By Dr. Stuart Atkins, Creator of the LIFO® Method

We seek out people who are similar to us. We have something in common, and this similar way of getting things done makes us feel more comfortable. We feel confirmed. It is easier for us to trust the person. We know things will be done the way we like, our way—the “best” way, the “right” way.

It’s not easy to see our differences. When we like people or love them, or work with them, we often take them for granted. We’re so familiar and close, that much of our thinking about them merges into a blurred photograph in our minds. We lose sight of their uniqueness and the special ways they prefer to do things. And although we know they are different from us, we still assume that they are really just like us. Love like us, plan like us, help like us, and work like us. When reality strikes us because of some disagreement, we try to convince them that our way is the best way—and all too often, the “only” way.

Watch for upcoming Training Highlights in the coming weeks ...

LIFO® Online Survey and Reports

Strength Management® Reports

The LIFO® Report System is an online, web-based survey tool that generates comprehensive Strength Management Reports describing a person’s approach to work and relationships; it also provides individualized guidelines for improving performance.

The reports describe a person’s behavior and provide performance improvement guidelines both when things are going well and in conditions of stress or conflict.

Applications

Strength Management Reports can be used to support many training and development applications including:

Team Formation
Identifying Team Resources
Integrating New Members
Team Task Preparation
Inter-Group Team Building
Forecasting Relationship Requirements
Conflict Resolution
Self-Understanding and Communication
Executive Coaching

Sample Strength Management Reports (PDF)

LIFO® Resources for Your Organization

These are supplemental resources for the “in your organization” page, in addition to the general resources listed in the main Resources page.

Presented at the LIFO Annual Conference, October 2010.

Regional LIFO® User Meetings

Regional LIFO® User Meetings are open to all.

Whether you have been licensed for decades, or new to LIFO®, the Regional LIFO® User Meeting is a great way for you to network, learn new skills, and share in what LIFO® Community has to offer, including presentations from our worldwide network of Agents and Licensees. All LIFO® Licensees, LIFO® Agents, and those interested in getting to know more about LIFO® are encouraged to attend.

Upcoming User Meeting: September 21, 2012, Los Angeles, CA
Contact us for more information about this next Regional LIFO® User Meeting.

2010 Meeting Details

Each year, LIFO® practitioners gather to present new ways of how LIFO® is applied in organizations. This year’s theme was The Art and Science of Human Behavior.

Download a portfolio of the 2010 Meeting presentations and handouts (requires Adobe Reader 9):

LIFO_2010_Conference_Materials.pdf (~27.5 MB)

2010 Program Highlights:

Endarkenment

Presenter: Ethan Schutz — President, The Schutz Company

To practice LIFO® Method is to manage, develop, and balance our strengths. Difficulty arises when we underuse or overuse our strengths. The usual impulse is to push oneself to use some behaviors more and to stop ourselves from using some behaviors excessively. In practice, however, this is hard to do. After all, we have spent lifetimes practicing those overused strengths, and many of us do not want to hold back on something we have become so good at.

In this session, we will explore, and hopefully come to relish, those things that we do that get in our own way! We will learn to embrace our worst parts—a process called Endarkenment (the opposite of enlightenment)—in order to help ourselves moderate excesses and extend our underused parts. Along the way, we expect to have a lot of fun and to learn to take ourselves less seriously.

LIFO® Team Coaching Tool (TCT)

Presenter: Betty Forbis, LIFO® Agent for Norway and US LIFO® Master Trainer

LIFO® Team Coaching Tool (TCT) is a web-enabled tool which

Is a quick and easy to use web-based tool for the application of LIFO® Method throughout the organization.
Provides insights and suggestions for leveraging the diversity of styles in a team.
Is a resource to take team building from an “event” to an ongoing process of continuous learning and development.
Provides a quick reference for understanding the communication preferences of others resulting in more effective and open communications.
Offers the opportunity for everyone to readily analyze the diversity in a pair or a group and discover the strengths, opportunities and challenges quickly and easily.
Useful in conflict resolution to identify possible causes and offers potential solutions.
Encourages the ongoing use and integration of LIFO® Method beyond the training event and into the organization.

Sales Performance Coaching — Powered by LIFO®

Presenters: Marina Francia and Norberto Azzati – LIFO® Agents for Argentina

LIFO® Method has proved to be a surprisingly powerful tool in executive or coaching training. Our experience in putting LIFO® in the hands of Sales expert in order to lead, train or coach the sales team to improve revenue and customer satisfaction has proven to be not only powerful but indispensable.

Selling is more of a practice than it is a theory. In other words the path to nurture a successful sales representative is not to be found in the pages of any sales or marketing book. Although the theory in books and organizational selling processes could be helpful, the development will result from experience and personal insights.

This means that leadership, coaching and experiential learning workshops conducted by sales experts will provide the most effective impulse and guidance in order to promote the development of the sales team. During the presentation we will explore real case applications of LIFO® Method on high-impact sales development solutions.

We will further focus the application of LIFO® concepts and tools to help Sales Managers engage their staff on a particularly high-impact development solution: Sales Performance Coaching. Sales Performance Coaching is a transfer model individual-meetings based process, and an essential part of Managing Sales Teams, which empowered by LIFO® will allow them to effectively develop the selling skills of their staff while boasting bottom line sales results.

Using LIFO® to Help People Flourish

Presenter: Bridget Biggar, LIFO® Agent for the UK, Ireland and the Middle East; Ninh Tran

Why does working with people’s strengths make such a difference?

Bridget and Ninh will present the latest research from positive psychology and the work they have recently been doing to incorporate LIFO® Method – arguably the first strengths based instrument – into the canon of recognized self-assessment instruments. Their presentation will explain how LIFO® Method and ideas from positive psychology can be blended to create highly effective positive interventions to help individuals, teams, and organizations to flourish.

Tolerate and Solve Stressful Problems

Presenter: David Glowatzke, US Senior Master Trainer

Although best known for LIFO® process, Dr. Stuart Atkins also created several other programs including a problem solving approach to stress management. This program is designed to help people become empowered by stress rather than overpowered by stress.

The program includes a series of techniques to solve and tolerate stressful problems at work, at home and in life.

Learning Dynamics

Presenter: Kimberly Perry MSOD, PCC, Leadership Development Coach, LIFO® Master Trainer

On behalf of Allan Katcher, Ph.D., Founder of LIFO® Worldwide Network of Agents, we are honored to have Kimberly Perry present Dr. Katcher‘s works. Dr. Katcher regrets not being able to join the meeting this year and appreciates Kimberly for representing his work.

Through his latest book, Learning Dynamics, Dr. Katcher (with Dr. Reiner Czichos) advances techniques to enhance learning and teaching abilities through LIFO® Life Orientations Survey with the aim of helping businesses and educational institutions increase their productivity and effectiveness. Learning Dynamics focuses on the LIFO® Learning and Teaching Styles Surveys to gather insights on the factors that affect how people learn, interpret the results, and apply new knowledge to enhance personal teaching and learning prowess.

Up close and personal with the real LIFO® client

Presenters:
Deb Denis, Executive Coach & Certified LIFO® Master Trainer;
Jack Ratcliffe, Executive Director, Philadelphia Federal Executive Board & Certified LIFO® Trainer;
Charline Russo, Ed.D., President, The CampoMarzio Group;
Bob Schwartz, VP of Marketing, Comcast Spectacor Ventures & Certified LIFO® Trainer;
William Wilkinsky, Ph.D., President, The Athyn Group & Certified LIFO® Senior Master Trainer

Join us for stories from the field as clients in different industries talk about how they used LIFO® to bring their visions to life. Learn how leaders in venue management and the U.S. Government have used LIFO® philosophy and tools within their organizations, and the benefits they realized from the experience. For LIFO® practitioners — learn about the creative ways these leaders have implemented LIFO®, what worked and what didnt; invite your clients to come, participate in the discussion, and get ideas!

LIFO® iPhone Application: Relate Mate PRO

Presenter: Elizabeth Slone, The Riverbend Group

A tool to improve communication and maximize effectiveness utilizing the science and methods of LIFO®. Intended for use in organizations wanting to embed LIFO® principles into their day-to-day operations, and individuals seeking to improve their relations with others.

Selling LIFO® in the world of Organizations

Presenter: William Wilkinsky, Ph.D., President, The Athyn Group & Certified LIFO® Senior Master Trainer

The following topics will be explored:

Selling LIFO® is not the Goal ... selling you is ... Using LIFO® to sell Yourself!
Presenting LIFO® as a Critical tool for Organizational effectiveness programs
Presenting LIFO® as a Critical component of Coaching
What to do and say if an Organization is wedded to MBTI ... or DiSC ... or HBDI

Working in small discussion groups you will develop:

Your 30-second LIFO® speech
A Benefits Statement for LIFO® as a coaching Tool
A Benefits Statement for LIFO® as a team-development tool
A Benefits Statement for LIFO® as a component in an Organizational Effectiveness Program

Organization Culture Survey/Style Comparison Survey

Presenter: David Glowatzke, US Senior Master Trainer

Explore how these surveys can be added to your LIFO® Tool Kit to enhance your Powered by LIFO® offerings.

LIFO® Certification

Public Certification Workshops (USA):

June 19-20, 2012 — Philadelphia, PA
Location: University of Pennsylvania
LIFO Certification Tuition: $1,000 Contact us to register
Sept 19-20, 2012 — Los Angeles, CA
Location: to be determined
LIFO Certification Tuition: $1,000 Contact us to register

These two-day workshops will certify you to use the LIFO® Method, a foundational performance improvement method that provides strategies for greater personal productivity, increased influence with key people, and more effective teamwork. Also an effective coaching tool, the workshop serves as the core performance improvement technology for a broad range of applications that can be easily integrated into any management or supervisory development program.

Participants in the basic certification workshop learn how to facilitate three essential training modules: Build Collaborative Teamwork, Break the Productivity Barrier, and Bridge the Communication Gap. Advanced applications include leadership, coaching, selling and influencing, and managing change.

Who Should Attend
Trainers, consultants, coaches, OD practitioners, and human resource managers who want to improve the performance of individuals, teams, and organizations.

Use our contact form to inquire about upcoming public workshops, or call us toll-free at 1-800-250-5357.

For certification in other countries, contact your local LIFO® Agent

For more information, download this Adobe Reader document:

LIFO® U.S.A. Certification Workshop (PDF)

LIFO® Certification On Demand

Let us know where you are located, and we will provide you with our dates and locations of our Public Certification Workshops. Our goal is to be more available, and plan our workshops at locations that meet our trainer’s needs.

LIFO® Guided Study Certification

The LIFO® Guided Certification Program enables you to complete certification at your own pace and quickly master LIFO concepts and teaching tools by immediately applying what you are learning.

You receive:

All the trainer materials needed to conduct a LIFO® Workshop.

Applications include: productivity, team-building, interpersonal communication, leadership, coaching and more.

One-on-one telephonic coaching with a LIFO® Master Trainer

Lifetime license

Networking with other LIFO® Licensees and Agents Worldwide

Alliance Partnership privileges and perks.

Use our contact form to find out more about On Demand and Guided Study Certification, or call us toll-free at 1-800-250-5357.

Training Materials

LIFO® provides a comprehensive set of training materials in the following categories (brochures are in Adobe Reader format):

Participant Materials (PDF):

Productivity Workbook
Interpersonal Communication Workbook
Communication Strategies Slide-A-Style
LIFO® Strength Feedback Chart
Compatibility Strategies Slide-A-Style
Book: The Name of Your Game

Survey Materials (PDF):

The LIFO® Survey
The LIFO® AP Survey
The LIFO® Leadership Survey
The LIFO® Leadership AP Survey
The LIFO® Style Comparison Survey
The LIFO® Organizational Culture Survey

Leadership Materials (PDF):

Leadership Workbook
The LIFO® Leadership Survey
The LIFO® Leadership AP Survey
Leadership Strength Feedback Chart

See also: LIFO® Online Survey and Reports

LIFO® Alliance Partner Program

We are excited to introduce this program to our valued LIFO® Trainers. It allows you to earn additional income by partnering with us to create your own network of LIFO® training professionals. You will earn commissions for:

Promoting our programs and registering people in our LIFO® certification workshops
Selling to client organizations direct-delivery workshops conducted by a LIFO® Master Trainer

As an Alliance Partner you can create a growing network of LIFO® trainers and consultants. You will earn commissions both when you register people in our certification workshops and when they purchase training materials from us after they are certified.

Benefit from our Referrals to You

As an Alliance Partner you are first to receive a referral from The Schutz Company should we receive a request for training in your area that we cannot service directly.

For more information, download this Adobe Reader document:

LIFO® U.S.A. Alliance Partner Program (PDF)

Key LIFO® Benefits

Eight Reasons Why Our Programs and Materials Are So Effective

1. Progressive Mastery
Learning activities are carefully sequenced so participants build confidence as they quickly acquire relevant skills, attitudes and insights.

2. Self-Evaluation Instrumentation
Surveys, checklists, open-ended questions, and other self-evaluations enable participants to ascertain what they most need to learn.

3. A Common Language and a Conceptual Framework
Everyday language, a structured approach, and the linking of key concepts in simple patterns facilitate discussion and shorten learning time.

4. Personalized Learning
The learning tools are highly evocative. They serve as “cognitive Rorshach tests” which allow participants to learn from their own experiences rather than using abstract models, simulations, or case studies.

5. A Record of Written Responses
Participants write down their responses before discussing them. They gain a sense of ownership and clarity about their own responses and are protected from being unduly influenced by the reactions of others. This also gives them a permanent record of their own individual learning.

6. Small Group Discussions
After writing down their responses, participants break into pairs or trios for discussion. This enables them to explore their own feelings, gain feedback from others, and develop commitment to following practical action plans.

7. Our Programs Are Thoroughly Researched, Evaluated and Tested
After analyzing the needs of industries and organizations, our professional staff of instructional designers and master trainers reviews the existing literature, develops programs, tests them in pilot groups, and revises them until we know they work well.

8. Our Programs Are Designed For Both Participants and Trainers
Over thirty-five years of experience in trainer training, consulting with managers, and conducting training programs have given us great understanding and respect for the real-world requirements for effective training. We create programs that can be easily transferred to in-house trainers when that becomes the most practical method for facilitating learning in a wider audience or for follow-up sessions.

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If you feel that this company is not abiding by its posted privacy policy, you should first send an e-mail message to our Information Services Manager at info@poweredbylifo.com.

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If we decide to change our privacy policy, we will post those changes on this page so our users are always aware of what information we collect, how we use it, and under circumstances, if any, we disclose it. If at any point we decide to use personally identifiable information in a manner different from that stated at the time it was collected, we will notify users by way of an e-mail. Users will have a choice as to whether or not we use their information in this different manner. We will use information in accordance with the privacy policy under which the information was collected.

Applications and Solutions

Leadership Development

Grow effective leaders throughout your organization, leaders who will:

communicate a wide-angle vision with maximum appeal
inspire action among all types of followers
make effective decisions because they see all sides of issues

The Develop 360° Leaders course goes far beyond merely providing leaders with 360° feedback. It develops breadth of vision and behavioral versatility so leaders can provide direction to a wider range of followers and implement plans that won’t run into problems due to missing information. Participants learn how to:

direct and inspire in ways that tap into the rich variety of their followers’ values and goals.
plan and implement in ways that factor in the widest possible range of external conditions, organizational factors, and personnel resources.

Build Teams that Work

create a climate of trust
resolve ongoing conflicts and unproductive disagreements
fill in group blind spots
stimulate the open flow of information

The Build Teams that Work workshop utilizes the LIFO® Method to help teams set priorities and maximize the contributions of all team members. It encourages real problem-solving and real teamwork without creating hassles, hard feelings, or harsh confrontation. It creates long-lasting results by enabling participants to:

see situations from multiple points of view
take advantage of diversity, rather than resist it

Make Communication Pay Off

Stop wasting time because of misunderstandings
Avoid errors due to faulty or incomplete information
Make sure others get your message

The Bridge the Communication Gap course enables people to get through to others more easily, obtain agreement with less effort, and get things moving quickly. Participants learn how to:

recognize other people’s most preferred channels of communication
translate their messages so they answer the key questions uppermost in other people’s minds.

Break the Performance Barrier

LIFO® Productivity Skills help you:

recognize other people’s most preferred channels of communication
build confidence and self-esteem
consistently produce your very best work
manage a wider range of situations more effectively
avoid wasting time in personal productivity traps
fill in your blind spots for better plans and decisions

The Break the Performance Barrier with LIFO® Productivity Skills course empowers people at all organizational levels to consistently produce their very best work. Participants learn practical skills for managing their performance that really make a difference. They learn how to:

eliminate time-wasting work habits by learning how to set priorities, set limits, get focused, and get going.
develop a 360° perspective while gathering information, for more effective planning and problem-solving.
accomplish tasks more quickly and completely, by utilizing a wider range of talents and strengths.
work with greater enthusiasm and mutual regard to accomplish shared goals.

Coach Breakthrough Performance

The Performance Coaching Training program will enable you to:

quickly diagnose developmental needs
cut through resistance to change
develop easy-to-implement improvement plans
deliver in Person or by Guided Self-Study

The skills and understanding you will develop in our Performance Coaching Training Program will enable you to identify core performance issues, set goals for change, and effectively monitor progress. You will be able to provide valuable advice about how to handle challenging situations as well as difficult relationships.

Are you aware of your special approach to leading others? And are you aware of alternative approaches that could be even more effective in certain situations? To determine the approaches that you are most comfortable with — and those that you need to master to become even more effective — contact us today.

Find a Local Agent

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The History of LIFO®

Dr. Allan Katcher -and- Dr. Stuart Atkins

In 1967, first the LIFO® Survey originated as a positive and structured tool to supplement organizational development efforts and group dynamics training. The LIFO® Survey helped people to understand their behavioral preferences, as well as how to improve themselves, and improve relationships by studying the interaction of each other’s personal styles and strengths.

Responding to the feedback and research provided by groups, Dr. Stuart Atkins, principal author of the Life Orientations Survey, developed the instrument along with his business partner Dr. Allan Katcher, and with consultant Dr. Elias Porter. It was based on the work of Erich Fromm (including productive and unproductive character orientations, and that strengths can become weakness when overused), Carl Rogers (Client-centered Counseling, congruence between what people think, feel, say and do, which led to the LIFO® concept of the congruence between intention, behavior and impact), and Abraham Maslow (self actualization theory and Humanistic Psychology).

People were fascinated with the non-threatening, easy-to-accept interpretation of their survey results and were delighted with the objective way in which they could now talk to each other about their strengths and behavioral styles, as well as to manage behavior more effectively. After the positive experience of classifying their behavior, the respondents wanted to know what they could do with their newfound self-awareness and understanding.

To answer these questions, Dr. Atkins created the Life Orientations Method to go beyond analysis of the LIFO survey results to include six developmental strategies for performance improvement: Confirming, Capitalizing, Moderating, Supplementing, Extending, and Bridging. Atkins and Katcher also focused on the fit of the LIFO® Survey with other instruments such as Hersey & Blanchard’s Situational Leadership, Dr. Will Schutz’s FIRO-B (now Element B), which were other instruments used in Dr. Atkins’s and Dr. Katcher’s various programs.

To simplify and aid memory, the Life Orientations trademark was shortened to “LIFO® Method”, using a contraction of Life Orientations. Atkins and Katcher soon found the demand for the LIFO® Survey and the LIFO® Method outstripped their delivery capacity, so they started licensing organizational trainers in the LIFO® Method and developing workbooks to accelerate learning.

In 1977, Dr. Katcher began to focus his LIFO® practice internationally. Influenced by Peter Drucker (Strength Development and Strength Management), he expanded on the work, modifying the questions in the LIFO® Survey to tailor them to specific training topics such as sales, leadership, executive coaching, teambuilding, and for organization development applications. Today the LIFO® Method includes many topic-specific surveys including Leadership Styles, Selling Styles, Coaching Styles, Stress Management Styles, and Learning Styles.

By appointing agents in many countries, Katcher spread the LIFO® Method to over 30 countries in many different languages and created a worldwide network of LIFO® practitioners and agents.

Dr. Atkins’ LIFO® programs in the United States included Fortune 500 companies, small business, government agencies, religious organizations, universities, and hospitals. The programs emphasized the developmental strategies applied to management training, teamwork, individual productivity, and communications. He named this developmental emphasis LIFO® Training.

To date, over nine million people in 20,000 organizations have used the LIFO® Method and LIFO® Training worldwide. One of the earliest agents, Business Consultants, Inc. (BCon) grew to be among the largest consulting firms in its country, Japan, and one of the largest users of LIFO® Training in the world. In 2001, Business Consultants, Inc. purchased the two LIFO® companies, Allan Katcher International Inc. and Stuart Atkins Inc. in order to integrate the worldwide reach and expertise of both companies. In 2009, BCon appointed The Schutz Company as the LIFO® agent for the United States, and the manager of the LIFO® business for the Americas, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.

Questions & Answers

What is a Personal Style Survey? How does it work?

The standardized Personal Style Survey used by LIFO® trainers is a quick, straightforward way of finding out each person’s preferred way of doing things. It is a survey, not a test - so there are no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answers. The feedback after you complete the Survey is completely non-judgmental. It simply highlights how each individual behaves, both in normal circumstances and when under stress.

The feedback that you receive will classify your behavior as falling mainly into one or two of four basic orientations or styles.

How do I know that the results of my LIFO® Personal Style Survey are accurate?

You will recognize your behavior very strongly in the feedback!

The Personal Style Survey is constructed as a “forced choice ranking” of four different endings to each statement. The process of forcing the person completing the survey to choose between 4 behaviors quickly is designed to access the individual’s sub-conscious self-understanding and to bring it into conscious understanding through feedback and discussion of the survey results.

Because the process is non-threatening it is possible to openly discuss and confirm the survey findings with the client - “Does this feel or sound accurate to them?” The licensee can encourage them to discuss and validate the findings with friends and colleagues. It is important to ensure that they choose someone who they trust to know them and to have a constructive opinion to offer. If necessary, they should be allowed to modify the findings to create a “best fit” profile of their behavior. However, some aspects of traditional reliability and validity measures are helpful.

How can the results of a Personal Style Survey lead me to improve my teamwork, management skills and so on?

The feedback will give you unique insights into how you behave under different circumstances. Guided by a LIFO® trainer, you can explore how to make more of your strengths, recognize what prevents you from achieving more highly and minimise ineffective behavior. The feedback also points you towards ways of getting on better with other people; and how to make the most of their strengths.

You will find that the feedback can have a powerful effect on you. Imagine how it could work if your entire team completed the survey. Because the feedback is completely objective, people feel comfortable discussing the survey findings and their implications and developing positive ways to respond to each others’ strengths, supported at every step by LIFO® consultants.

The LIFO® method seems to be similar to the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). Do they work together?

The LIFO® method and MBTI measure different aspects of human functioning. They can be used for similar purposes, but the outcomes will be different.

Both instruments can be used to create self-awareness. Both can be used to create the ‘Aha!’ moment, when a person suddenly realizes how they fit into the world. Thereafter, LIFO® provides more opportunities for individuals to take steps to make personal changes.

Would there be any point in using LIFO® with our organization’s competency framework? We don’t want our employees to be modeled to within an inch of their lives!

Overlaying a person’s LIFO® profile over your competency framework will be a really useful starting-point for that individual to celebrate their strengths. They will also be able to ask themselves: ‘Given my strengths, which competencies will I achieve naturally? Which will I find difficult? And which will be completely unnatural activities for me?’ Overlaying LIFO® profiles over the competency framework will enable you to analyze the way your people operate in the workplace - starting from looking at their strengths.

Is LIFO® applicable to everyday life, outside work?

Most definitely! LIFO® has lots of ideas for using the method to make daily life smoother by communicating better. It can also help you to deal with stress. We also offer courses on LIFO® and parenting — contact us for details.

I still have a lot of questions about LIFO®. How can I find out more?

Please look through this website for more in-depth information about LIFO® and how it can help you and your organization. If you still need answers, contact us.

LIFO® Worldwide

LIFO® Worldwide:

Countries served (click to visit website):

For the USA and countries not listed here, contact us directly by telephone or email, or via our contact form.

USA and all other countries
Contact us via this website

Canada:
Shirley Murray and Associates

Norway and Sweden:
Barnum Associates International

United Kingdom:
Life Orientations Limited

Middle East:
Management Consulting Middle East

Australia and New Zealand:
Life Orientations®
+61 7 5578-9400

China and Taiwan:
East-West Management Consulting

India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand:
Inicio Consultants

Japan:
Business Consultants, Inc.

Korea:
Business Consultants, Inc.

Philippines:
ACG Human Capital Solutions

Singapore:
SOS Consulting

All other countries
Contact us via this website

The Four Orientations

Supporting-Giving — key word: excellence

Characteristics:

important to feel is a worthwhile person, ‘doing their bit’
trying to be responsive and co-operative
likes to feel others think of them as trustworthy
belief that others are fundamentally good
having ideals and living up to them are very important
feels personally responsible for any difficulties
reluctant to engage in emotional confrontations

Typical behaviors:

listens to what people have to say
appreciates others’ problem-solving abilities
provides resources for others to get things done
encourages others when they meet difficulties
removes obstacles to others’ achievements
‘lends a hand’
anticipates others’ needs; and taking care of them in advance
co-operates and collaborates to make a task easier or more fun
gives advice when asked
emphasizes the importance of having goals and values
helps others to develop
trusts other people

Controlling-Taking — key word: action

Characteristics:

important to get things accomplished, quickly
believes that problems can be solved by dedication, energy and imagination
likes to seize opportunities
trusts their own instincts
loves a challenge
believes in taking responsibility
handles conflict confidently: actively enjoys working towards resolution.

Typical behaviors:

communicates desires clearly to eliminate confusion
tells others exactly where they stand
expresses confidence that the other person can deliver what is requested
makes decisions quickly
takes action to show what is needed
gathers resources to tackle a task
willing to take risks
confronts differences as they arise
takes the initiative
acts independently

Conserving-Holding — key word: reason

Characteristics:

likes to minimise loss, optimise gains
interested in getting things done accurately and thoroughly
attention to detail
likes rigorous documentation and information retrieval systems
very attentive to facts and accurate information in conflict situations
slow, deliberate and analytical approach
prefers long-term solutions to immediate relief.

Typical behaviors:

establishes a clear structure for projects
sticks to policies and procedures
analyses carefully what is involved before taking action
documents what happens
makes sure instructions are clear
adheres to schedules and budgets
double-checks facts and details
keeps calm and objective in a crisis
behaves consistently

Adapting-Dealing — key word: harmony

Characteristics:

loves to be liked and admired
enjoys working with others and tuning into their needs
likes networking
understands that social acceptance is key to getting things done
is flexible and willing to try new experiences
likes to negotiate, happy to give and take
generous with compliments and appreciation
positive and optimistic.

Typical behaviors:

expresses appreciation for others’ efforts
is sensitive to others’ feelings
takes time to build harmonious and friendly relationships
listens to new ideas in a positive way
is willing to see the other side of an issue
is enthusiastic
often sees the lighter side of situations
adjusts behavior according to what other people need
is tactful when dealing with delicate situations.

Books

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Key Principles

LIFO® key principles are based on sound behavioral science theory designed to enhance performance by enabling individuals to make the most of their own strengths and to understand and appreciate the strengths of others, whether operating in favorable or unfavorable conditions.

Life orientations are the ways each of us lives our lives to achieve our goals and how our game plans work or don’t work for us. It tells us where we are going wrong and offers workable suggestions on how to put it right. The LIFO® Method unlocks the hidden potential of individuals and teams to achieve maximum performance by exploring how people:

work together
make decisions in good times and when times are stressful
implement plans
manage their time
deal with stress
work in teams
lead teams
prefer to be rewarded and encouraged

LIFO® eStore

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OVERVIEW: What is LIFO®?

LIFO® Training Helps People Manage Their Strengths

LIFO® Training focuses on strengths — on what’s right about leaders, teams, and individuals. It begins by identifying each person’s basic orientation to life and work. Based on this information, it offers powerful learning strategies for greater personal productivity, increased influence with key people, and more effective teamwork.

The LIFO® method has been used for over thirty years in over thirty countries around the world and in more than eighteen different languages.

The LIFO® Method consists of a paper-based and on-line survey and support materials that can be used in resourcing, team and individual development
A practical methodology that describes human behavior and its drivers based on the work of Erich Fromm and Carl Rogers
Identifies four distinct orientations with different drivers and motivations that generate different behavior patterns.
indicates behavioral strengths and weaknesses in normal and stressful circumstances
identifies gaps in skills
identifies potential stressors
identifies ineffective strategies.

The LIFO® Method as a training or coaching tool has many benefits.

It leads to a path towards effective and lasting high performance
It is non-threatening
It accepts people as they are
It focuses on:
- maximizing your strengths
- managing your potential weaknesses
- has a common language
- values individual differences

For more information, download these Adobe Reader documents:

Bridge the Communication Gap

Breaking the Productivity Barrier

Guided Study

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On-Demand Certification

Become a Trainer

On-site Workshops

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Case Studies

LIFO® in Your Organization

Client List & Testimonials

Master Trainers

Blog

This is the blog page

Resources

This is the resources page.

News

This is the news page. Yes.

Strengths, In Balance.

It’s not enough to be strong.

It’s knowing which strengths are within you, which ones you favor, which ones you use too often, and which lay dormant.

It’s learning to leverage the right strength at the right time, recognizing the styles in your colleagues and business partners and helping them use their strengths to communicate their needs and stretch to go beyond their goals.

We help you find your balance and keep it.

New to LIFO®?

Find out more about the Key Principles and the Four Orientations, and learn about becoming a LIFO® trainer.