The resilience issue
Welcome to the first 2009 issue of OPPinions. As Barack Obama is sworn in as president of a US in economic meltdown, we've been thinking about resilience. If Mr Obama is to achieve anything, he will certainly need it.
In this difficult year, every member of the working population will need it too, and in 'Keeping your leaders on track' we talk about some of the factors that might help your leaders stay the course.
We hope you'll join us in celebrating OPP's own resilience in reaching our 20th anniversary. In 'The OPP Story', learn about Robert McHenry's tenacity in building OPP, and about the MBTI®'s journey to becoming a must-have development tool for HR departments in companies of all sorts, worldwide.
Resilience is a lot to do with being in a job that suits your own mix of skills and attributes. In OPP's paper on predicting leadership success, we look at which types of psychometric tool can best support you in this. And in our latest case study, we feature a Belgian consultancy that uses the granular analysis of MBTI Step II to increase leaders' ability to apply their individual talents and strengths.
If you can't draw strength from your team in an uncertain world, you're in trouble. The compelling MBTI Team Report has been re-launched at a price that you may find equally compelling. Designed to help teams maximise performance -and re-energise teams under pressure - this report saves you time, and now, money too.
There's much more too - we hope you enjoy this issue, and welcome your feedback.
Lucy McGee, Head of Marketing
Keeping your leaders on track in tough times
 New 16PF® research presented at the recent BPS conference
In a potentially threatening business environment, focus on organisational leadership is magnified as employees look upwards for direction and reassurance. Leaders need to raise their game - but of course it's not that easy when you're facing unprecedented challenges and mounting pressure. Derailment can creep up on leaders and do untold damage before it's even diagnosed. So how can you prevent it (and avoid the painful consequences of a cure)?
Read the full text of this article >>
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Celebrating 20 years of OPP®: discover the OPP story!
Founded in 1989 by Dr Robert McHenry, OPP® has expanded over the last 20 years from a 'cottage industry' set up in Robert's Oxford home to an internationally respected global force in psychometrics, employing over 100 staff, acting as the sole European distributor for the MBTI® instrument, and owning the international rights to the 16PF®. Its quirky history goes a long way towards explaining why OPP is not just a test publisher, training provider and consultancy company - but an organisation with a high-performance, yet familial, culture that drives its success.
How did a professor in Experimental Psychology at Oriel College become a dedicated entrepreneur and market pioneer in improving workplace relationships and effectiveness? Find out by reading the OPP story...
Download the OPP story >> [pdf]
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Case study - MBTI® Step II: high impact at the highest level
ACT Management are passionate proponents of the MBTI Step II instrument, using it almost exclusively in all their client interventions, principally executive coaching, senior teams development and change management.
Based in Belgium and working with a variety of multinational client organisations, ACT's MD Marc Potvin tells us why he thinks Step II has the edge over other trait-based measures, and how Step II complements and refines the value that Step I brings to development interventions. Sharing examples from his own experience, Marc describes how Step II's unique approach to type can reveal rich and highly specific insights that help the practitioner pinpoint and resolve complex and tenacious workplace problems.
Read the full case study >>
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Featured report: MBTI Step I Team Report - now at a substantially reduced price
The MBTI Step I Team Report is an excellent supporting resource for practitioners running teambuilding events. Administered via OPP's Scoring Bureau service, reports can be generated for each of the people in the team, and provide detailed information about how each person's individual MBTI type interacts with the overall type of the team. It's great for accelerating the progress of new teams from 'forming' to 'performing' as well as for resolving issues within teams. This powerful report is now almost half its previous price at £24.
Simply supply the best-fit types of your team to OPP and we will calculate the team type for you, generate reports for team members and supply a Workshop Leader's Report that assists you in planning for the event, with tips and hints on how to approach the session based on the team type identified. Read more...
Learn more on 01865 404657 or at enquiry@opp.eu.com.
Download the MBTI Step I Team Report datasheet for more information >> [pdf]
Download samples of the MBTI Step I Team Report and the Workshop Leader's Report >>
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MBTIbitesize - now at a new lower price
We understand that tough economic times mean that your own development can be overlooked. That's why we are making it easier for you to continue your professional development, by reducing the cost of our MBTIbitesize events to only £250. The events are perfect for MBTI-qualified practitioners who are looking for the chance to meet like-minded practitioners and share experiences, tips and ideas for practical activities, and make useful contacts. Buy online or call 0845 603 9958.
What is MBTIbitesize?
MBTIbitesize is a series of networking-style learning events, with each event structured around a particular theme: teambuilding, coaching, conflict management and careers counselling. To give yourself a development boost, book onto an upcoming event. Find out more...
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2009 catalogue now available - now in a great new online format
OPP's catalogue of products and services for 2009 is now available in both paper and online formats. Use it to discover our world-class products, find out which training course matches your own or your staff's needs, and learn more about how our consultants can help you with your specific HR or development challenge.
The online version of the catalogue now includes an exciting new way of browsing it on screen. This handy tool allows you to turn pages, jump straight to cross-referenced sections, and bookmark pages just as you would with the hard copy, as well as being an easy way to follow external links and references and see the publication overview as if you are using a website. Have a look - we think it's pretty nifty!
Browse the catalogue online >>
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OPPassessment quick tip: best-fit reports
Did you know that you can order MBTI best-fit reports for your respondents at no extra charge?
After you have ordered and paid for your MBTI report, based on the respondent's reported type, you can order a separate best-fit type report should you discover during feedback that this differs from their reported type.
Just go to the 'Order reports' page, find your respondent and choose their best-fit type from the drop-down list before adding it to your basket. The report is emailed to you as normal, but the checkout will list the price as zero.
Read the OPPassessment user guide >> [pdf] |
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New book: Making a Difference by Being Yourself, Gregory E. Huszczo
Looking at personal development from a very grounded viewpoint, this new book aims to encourage its readers to use the core features of their natural personality to 'make a difference' to the world around them - whether that be taking up a cause, helping others, being a supportive colleague or living and working in an ethical way. Huszczo argues convincingly that happiness and fulfilment come from living life with integrity and understanding how your own life is meaningful.
The author advocates the MBTI framework as a means of understanding who you are and as a structure for taking action. The argument is based on extensive research into how different types interact with their peers, families and communities, and forms a guide to using your core MBTI functions (based round the S-N and T-F dichotomies) that includes examples, exercises and assessment tools tailored to different preferences. The book encourages its readers to go beyond self-awareness around type and to take action to make a difference, every day.
Buy this book online >>
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