28 year-old “Luke” increasingly impressed the senior managers of the plumbing business that had employed him two years earlier. He was hard-working, positive in his response to any new challenge put to him and he had a great rapport with managers, colleagues and customers. They had him picked as future management potential and were prepared to invest in formal management training to give him the best start. The consultant recommended profiling prior to the commencement of the course.
What the senior managers saw in the profiling results caused them to change their minds. Luke’s profile showed that he was, indeed, highly motivated but that he lacked any inclination to be in a leadership role. In addition, he preferred to avoid making decisions, was apprehensive about engaging in conflict and felt nervous about insisting upon others following rules and regulations. The senior managers had mistaken Luke’s high energy level for leadership potential.
When the results of the profiling exercise were fed back to Luke by the consultant, he agreed with them entirely and was relieved to have the truth out in the open. He had not wanted to step up but hadn’t known how to reject the opportunity put to him and said he would probably have resigned if forced into it. Wisely, the senior managers agreed to let him continue at his current level.
Luke performed exceptionally well for a further two years, before resigning to go on an extended overseas holiday.