The Basadur Profile, developed Dr Min Basadur, is a tool that helps individuals understand how they approach problem solving. Unlike other personality tests, this approach does not measure skill. Instead it focuses on which stage in the problem solving process your energy surges. Individuals are then mapped under the following four categories:
Generator – this person enjoys seeking our new problems and coming up with lots of ideas.
Conceptualiser – this person enjoys defining problems.
Optimiser – this person enjoys turning ideas into practical solutions.
Implementer – this person enjoys getting things done.
Unlike the Meyers Briggs test, one’s position can move over the course of their career. For instance, they may shift from a Generator to an Optimiser.
Now you may be wondering why possessing these insights is so powerful? Understanding how you approach problem solving, and how those who you work with do, will enable one to:
- Understand which of your teammates are strong in each of the stages of a project.
- Understand where potential conflict arises. Tension can often arise between generators and optimisers as well as between conceptualisers and implementors.
- Understand your own problem solving style.
- Appreciate their teams’ different styles of thinking, and utilise this to foster innovative thinking and collaboration.
- Help a leader understand their team.
Using the Basadur Profile and capitalising on the insights can help a team boost their levels of creativity and foster collaboration.