The Strengths Perception Model from Alec McPhedran is a great communication tool. It helps in reflecting potential communication issues and why you might need to change your behaviour. It also clarifies why you might feel uncomfortable with the new behaviour yoiu have used.

1. :: STRENGTHS PERCEPTION MODEL
ALEC MCPHEDRAN
SKILLS CHANNEL TV

2. Strengths Perception Model
The Strengths Perception Model was developed by
Alec McPhedran, a creative sector coach and
trainer, to explain how our strengths can be
perceived in different ways by others. The model
also highlights why we too may become frustrated
in trying to communicate in a way completely
opposite to our preferred strength. The Strengths
Perception Model helps identify opportunities to
change communication styles and control the
balance between your strength and use of differing
behaviours.

3. Strengths Perception Model
STRENGTH
PERCEPTION
AWARENESS
CONTROL
Steps to completing the model
Step One - Strength: Identify your key strength. Ideally this should be one word. Use any word
appropriate to you.
Step Two: - Perception: Imagine that key strength and how it could be perceived by other people
based on their own preferred communication styles. If your style is used too much, how could it
be perceived in a negative way? What word would you sue to describe that perceived behaviour?
For example a delegative manager could be perceived as an abdicating (responsibilities). A big
picture thinker could be seen as unrealistic or not pragmatic.
Step Three: - Awareness: Once you are aware that your strength may well be being perceived in
a negative way what would be the opposite behaviour to that perceived negative behaviour? Is
this a possible change of approach you may well have to take? This is where we may well start to
feel uncomfortable with the style we might need to flex too.
Step Four: - Control: The behaviour you have identified in ‘awareness’ is a style you that you
might feel negative about yourself. What word, if felt negatively, would you use to describe it?
The ‘awareness’ style may well be needed for effective communication with the other person.
This is the control bit – where you control your feelings and behaviours in order to change to a
more appropriate style. However, to you, it may feel uncomfortable. The word you use may well
also be the complete opposite to your strength hence the possible uncomfortableness.

4. Strengths Perception Model

5. STRENGTH
PERCEPTION
AWARENESS
CONTROL
Creative
Flighty
Controlled
Rigid
Organised
Controlling
Flexible
Casual
Detailed
Insecure
Confident
Intuitive
Team Player
Needy
Self Reliant
Independent
Challenging
Pushy
Relaxed
Laid Back
Listening
Disengaged
Engaged
Talkative
Focused
Inflexible
Flexible
Meandering

6. Using with others

7. Using with others
Your strength
Your
behaviour of
discomfort
you need to
control
Their possible
perception
Your awareness
of where you
need to change
behaviour to

8. For more information
Visit www.skillschannel.tv and click on
downloads