Core Quadrant: This article explains Daniel Ofman ‘s core quadrant theory in a practical way. After reading you will understand the basics of this powerful and effective communication tool and you can get started with your core qualities.

Background core quadrant theory

Everyone can be annoyed by the behavior of others. We find others, such as certain colleagues, to be difficult and believe that someone should do their best to change their behaviour. But do “difficult” people really exist?

According to business expert Daniel Ofman , the answer is no! Does each person possess certain core qualities that can differ enormously from each other? According to Ofman, the answer is yes!

A big difference in this can cause certain friction between people. Ofman explains this principle in his book Inspiration and Quality in Organizations

What is a core quadrant

To gain more insight into these mutual relationships, Daniel Ofman developed various core quadrants that clarify why this friction arises in combination with which behaviour.

The model revolves around the four terms core quality, pitfall, challenge and allergy. These are qualities that a person can control and improve in the context of personal development and personal leadership.

A person’s core quality can be in direct opposition to the behavior to which he or she is allergic. Daniel Ofman then indicates how a core quality can turn into a pitfall and how he can take up the challenge to adjust his behaviour.

Core Quadrant Examples

The core quality is one’s natural positive quality, which is not learned. However, this strength of the personality can overshoot, turning the strength into a weakness. Every person has some of these core qualities. Example: punctual and tidy.

Pitfall

In the case of shooting, Daniel Ofman speaks of a pitfall, in which the property has a negative effect on the environment and also gets in the way of the person himself. Example: Perfectionist and over organized.

Every core quality has a sunny and a dark side. The shadow side could also be called distortion. The distortion is not the opposite of a core quality, but rather a core quality that goes too far and misses the mark.

For example, flexibility can turn into fickleness. When this is the case, flexibility suddenly becomes a weakness. In short, a pitfall can be described as too much of a good thing.

The pitfall is noticed before a core quality. Someone who is decisive can quickly be noticed as pushy.

Regardless of whether this is justified in some situations, this is simply part of the core qualities of this person. Core qualities and pitfalls are inextricably linked. It is important to ensure that the pitfalls do not occur too often.

Challenge

The positive opposite of the pitfall is the challenge, which is a good addition to the core quality. The challenge creates more balance. example: let the “things go” more often and learn to postpone.

The challenge is, as it were, a second gift in addition to owning the quality. The positive opposite of being pushy is being patient or reserved. Pitfalls and challenges are complementary processes.

It is about achieving a good balance between flexibility and consistency. If the balance tends too far towards flexibility, there is a chance that flexibility will turn into capriciousness.

In order not to fall into the trap, it is necessary to accept the challenge. A person who can analyze well should beware of the trap of indecision.

Allergy

The allergy is diametrically opposed to the core quality. When someone goes too far in his challenge that is linked to the core quality, there is a danger that the trait will degenerate into an allergy (extended form of someone’s challenge). Example: untidy and disorganized. In such a case Ofman speaks of an allergy.

A person’s pitfall is often the source of irritations or conflicts/tensions. This is especially if one person’s pitfall turns out to be someone else’s allergy as well.

The average person turns out to be allergic to the opposite of the core qualities. An allergy is therefore a character trait that someone with a certain core quality experiences as difficult.

An energetic person will tend not to handle passivity well; he or she is allergic to passivity. The more often someone is confronted with his own allergy by someone else, the greater the chance that he or she will end up in the trap.

A decisive person runs the risk of being pushy while accusing someone else of being passive. According to Daniel Ofman, you can learn a lot about yourself when you are annoyed by certain people.

With the formulation of the allergy, Daniel Ofman’s Core Quadrant is complete. In the quadrant, the connection between qualities, pitfalls, challenges and allergies quickly becomes clear.

The difference between qualities and skills

In the hiring process of many companies, terms such as qualities and skills are common. These two are often confused, but are fundamentally different.

Core qualities, as expressed with Ofman’s Core Quadrants, are characteristics that belong to the essence or core of a person.

They are personal. Personal qualities are the powers or strengths that people think of when they hear a certain name. Examples of core qualities are orderly, decisive, caring, diligent and more.

Core qualities are not behaviours, but rather possibilities to which one can be tuned. The same goes for broadcasting a live stream. The live stream is of good quality if there is a stable network connection in combination with properly working equipment. People also have qualities that can be tested.

Everyone is born with some core qualities, but that’s not all. Everyone is also born with a number of pitfalls, a challenge and an allergy.

The difference between qualities and skills is mainly made up of the fact that qualities come from within and skills are learned: nature vs. nurture. The clearer the image a person has of his own core qualities, the more consciously the qualities can be used and also which qualities.

Those who have strong perseverance know that they will function well in situations where the time span is stretched. They also know that persistence comes in handy in their lives, both professionally and privately.

Create Core Quadrant

Many people are allergic to the behavior of others for fear that this behavior is also hidden somewhere deep within themselves.

Besides that Daniel Ofman’s core quadrant provides insight into the actions of others, it also provides insight into one’s own actions. By applying the model, there is more understanding for each other and for different situations.

Ofman’s model can be applied personally or to groups / others. The core quadrant structures information about yourself and other people. It is important to fill in your own quadrant before using the method for or with someone else.

Always focus on the positive qualities (core qualities) of the other persons. This is a precondition for understanding, possible change and awareness. The application of the core quadrant creates more empathy for each other in different situations.

Keep in mind that some people fill out the personal quadrant based on how they want people to see them. There is therefore a risk of incorrect terms being used.

Always use nouns to describe the qualities of yourself and others, such as: perseverance, kindness, etc., and not pushy or obnoxious.

The core quadrant for insight into core qualities

By understanding personal different core qualities and pitfalls, it is also better to understand that a pitfall can be perceived by someone else as an allergy.

With self-insight, one discovers that a core quality sometimes goes too far, which can cause irritation in the environment. Below you will find a number of examples of core qualities and pitfalls:

• Core quality: Perfectionist – pitfall: Mosquito sifter
• Core quality: Helper – pitfall: Busy
• Core quality: Successful worker – pitfall: Streber
• Core quality: Romantic – pitfall: Drift head
• Core quality: Observer – pitfall: Know-it-all
• Core quality: Loyalist – pitfall: Slave
• Core quality: Hedonist – pitfall: Party animal
• Core quality: Leader – pitfall: Dictator
• Core quality: Mediator – pitfall: Ruler cousin

Using core qualities in the workplace

Employees who can use their core qualities in the workplace are more involved, are less likely to leave, perform better and will benefit the company’s results. The best way for organizations to leverage employee strengths is through the managers.

The above facts come from a large Gallup study of human behavior and strengths. Employees who can leverage their strengths every day are six times more likely to be engaged in the work they do.

The research uncovers a compelling link between strengths and employee engagement in the workplace. This relationship has the potential to accelerate performance as organizations work to improve on both factors.

How do I develop my core qualities?

In addition to identifying and discovering core qualities, developing them is also very important.

The best way for people to grow and develop is to identify how they are naturally put together: how they think, feel and behave and what their talents are. They then build on those talents to develop strengths, or the ability to consistently deliver perfect performance.

The same Gallup research shows that building and developing employee strengths is far more effective at improving performance than at improving weaknesses.

As mentioned, the best way to do this is through the managers in the workplace. But in practice a lot goes wrong here.

A quarter of all American workers say their core skills are ignored in the workplace. Forty percent of that share indicates that they are even discouraged from using their qualities.

Focusing on employee strengths by a manager has a profound effect on employee engagement.

That’s because managers play an important role in maximizing the realization of these employees’ potential. It is the managers who can enable employees to capitalize on their strengths.

Tips for deploying the core qualities of employees

Below are some tips for effectively assessing, deploying and developing the strengths of employees.

Don’t assume that everyone knows their own strengths. Many people often take their greatest talents for granted or are not fully aware of their talent. Gallup ‘s  Clifton Strengthfinder can be used to identify strengths.

Find creative ways to apply strengths in ongoing projects to achieve common goals. Help employees get to know each other’s strengths and understand how they can complement each other.

Use meetings to help team members identify each other’s strengths.

Integrate the strengths of employees in the appraisal interviews, and help them set goals based on these strengths.

Summary core quadrant theory of Daniel Ofman

Daniel Ofman’s core quadrant theory is a valuable method to gain insight into the mutual relationships of people / employees. Mapping this out helps them in their personal development.

Specifically, it concerns employee behavior to which other employees are allergic. With difficult or deviant behavior people assume that the person is difficult himself. However, in fact, these behaviors more often stem from the pitfall of a certain core quality.

The model consists of several parts. The first is the core quality itself. This is a natural positive characteristic of someone. This can turn into a negative trait. This is called the pitfall of the natural core quality.

Every quality has such a dark side, but this is not always noticed. An example of this is flexibility turning into fickleness.

The challenge is the positive opposite of the pitfall. The challenge creates more balance between the dangers and forces of strong properties.

In the example of flexibility, the challenge creates a good balance between consistency and flexibility. If the balance threatens to move too far towards flexibility, there is a chance that flexibility will turn into capriciousness.

The last part of the model is the allergy. The allergy is diametrically opposed to the core quality. An example of this is passivity vs. proactive. A proactive person is likely to be allergic to passivity. A proactive person, in turn, can also be described as decisive and pushy when he tells others to be passive.

What do you think? Do you recognize the core qualities and the core quadrant in which behavior becomes visible? What is your experience, your challenge, your core quadrant and do you have any additions to the above? What do you think are success factors that can contribute to coping with certain behaviors to achieve goals?

Share your knowledge and experience via the comment box at the bottom of this article.

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