Yes, in that, to the best of our knowledge, the
Achievement Profile is the only profiling tool that has an output
directly linked to a process; in this instance a process for getting things done
and achieving goals (The Achievement Model).
A robust and proven
toolset
The Achievement
toolset has been developed and refined over a period of 30
years. The original research and early applications were
developed by Peter Millburn, an Industrial Psychologist, who pioneered project
leadership techniques for software development teams. The foundations of Peter’s
work include group dynamics, connectivity, social networks and conation
(described earlier). Peter references over 50 sources for his early research
including Moulton and Blake, J. M. Carroll, Kurt Lewin, Hershberger, and
Kolbe. Today, we find much in common with Jim Collins and recommend his
book ‘Good to Great’ to our coaches, consultants and clients.
In the 1970’s software
engineering projects too often came in over time, over budget and failed to meet
the expectations of the commissioning clients. Peter Millburn’s
projects were the exception. His methods were adopted at the time by a leading
computer manufacturer’s International Training Centre for Europe. Peter remained
an academic at heart. Throughout his career he maintained his links with
Templeton College, Oxford and Brunel University. Together, they researched
and tested his theories and early applications of what we now refer to as the
Achievement Profile and Achievement Model.
In the early 1990’s Peter Millburn teamed up with a team
of experienced UK management consultants led by Terry Murphy, now the publisher
and process leader of the Achievement toolset. Terry and his colleagues created
the first commercial application of Peter’s work. Within a year there were over
a 100 consultants using what was to become the founding Achievement Toolset.
Just before his death, Peter passed on the development reigns and ownership to
Terry Murphy.
In the last 15 years the
toolset has been enhanced and extended and made richer by an international team
that included UK, South African, US and Australian consultants, coaches and
clients. Over 15,000 people have completed the Achievement
Profile. The Achievement Model has been applied to coaching, change, leadership,
project management, recruitment, and team development needs in over 500 clients
in 15 countries spread over 5 continents. Clients have ranged from
multi-national corporations, public service providers, professionals practices,
schools and colleges through to SME’s and home-based, micro
businesses.
Barbara Craven (Australia, New
Zealand and SE Asia)
Tony Ericson (UK and Ireland)
Steve Woods (Southern Africa)
Terry Murphy (USA and Canada)
Development
references
The following books, manuals and
journal articles were used when designing The Achievement
Process.
1. Adronach, B. (1992), ‘Just about
Managing’, London Voluntary Service Council, Spider Web, July 1992, pp.30-34.
2. Belbin, M., (1993), ‘Team Roles at
Work’, Butterworth-Heinemann 1993.
3. Burnett, D., (1994), ‘Exercising
Better Management Skills’, Personnel Today. Jan. 1994, pp.43-46.
4. Courlay, R., (1995), ‘The Growing
Business’, Management - Financial Times, Sept. 5th, 1995, p.14.
5. Cunningham, I., (1994), ‘Against
Team Building’, Organisation and People, 1994, 1:1, pp.13-15.
6. Davis, J., Millburn, P., Murphy,
T., Woodhouse, M., (1992), ‘Successful Team Building’, Kogan Page, 1992.
7. Dubrowski, K., (1995), ‘How to
Improve Cross-Functional Teams’, H. R. Focus, August 1995, pp.3-8.
8. Dulewicz, V., (1995), ‘A
Validation of Belbin’s Team Roles from 16PF and OPQ using bosses ratings of
competence’, Journal of Occupational and Organisational Psychology, 1995,
pp.81-99.
9. Margerison McCann (1990), ‘TMS -
an overview’, Prado Systems Ltd., 1990.
10. Margerison McCann (1992), ‘The
Team Profile Hand Book’, J. W. Bullivant & Son, 1992.
11. Meyer, C., (1994), ‘How the Right
Measures Help Teams Excel’, Harvard Business Review, May-June 1994, pp.95-102.
12. Marshall, E., (1995), ‘Creating
Collaborative Teams’, H. R. Focus, April 1995, p.5.
13. Millburn, P., (1995),
‘TEAMBuilder - the guide book’, Illumination Publishing Ltd., 1995.
14. Parkinson, R., (1994), ‘Belbin’s
Team Role Model: A Silk Purse from a Sow’s Ear?’, Organisation & People,
1994, 2:1, pp.22-25.
15. Wetlanfer, S., (1994), ‘The Team
That Wasn’t’, Harvard Business Review, Nov-Dec., 1994, pp.22-38.
16. Taken from: ‘Creating a team of
individuals, Journal of Management Development, Vol.14, No. 9, 1995,
pp.25-28
Background
1. Millburn, P., (1995), ‘TEAMBuilder
- the Consultant’s Reference Book’, Illumination Publishing Ltd., 1995.
2. Davis, J., Millburn, P., Murphy,
T., Woodhouse, M., (1992), ‘Successful Team Building’, 1992, p.145, Kogan Page.
3. Belbin, M., ‘Team Roles at Work’,
Butterworth-Heineman, 1993, pp.1-20.
4. MargerisonMcCann, (1990), ‘Team
Management Systems - An Overview’, 1990, Prado Systems Ltd.
5. Op cit. (1), (1995).
Literature
Review
6. Wickens, P., (1993), ‘Lean
Production and Beyond: the system, its critics and the future’, Human Resource
Management Journal, Vol. 3., pp.35-90.
7. Wickens, P., (1987), ‘The Road to
Nissan’, London: Macmillan, 1987.
8. Newell, J., (1994), ‘Group
Dynamics: a profile’, Personnel Today, 25th October, 1994, pp.22-23.
9. Wheatley, M. Szwejczewski, M.,
‘How Teams Score’, Human Resources, Autumn 1994, pp.29-34.
10. Parker, M., Slaughter, J.,
(1988), ‘Choosing Sides: Unwins and the Team Concept’, Boston Labour Notes,
1988, p.4.
11. Mullins, L., ‘Management and
Organisational Behaviour’, Pitman Publishing, Ed.3, 1993, p.646.
12. Drucker, P., (1988), ‘The Coming
of the New Organisations’, Harvard Business Review, Jan/Feb 1988, pp.45-53.
13. McNerney, D. J., (1994),
‘Organisational Development: The Facts of Life for Team Building’, H. R. Focus,
Dec. 1994, pp.12-13.
14. Belbin, M., ‘Team Roles at Work’,
Butterworth-Heineman, 1993, p.92.
15. Margerison McCann, (1990), ‘Team
Management Systems’, Prado Systems Ltd., (TMS U.K. Ltd.), p.6.
16. Taken from ‘Personal feedback
document given to the team participants in the TEAMBuilder programme’,
Illumination Publishing Ltd.
17. McCrimmon, M., ‘Teams Without
Roles: Empowering teams for greater creativity’, Journal of Management
Development, Vol. 14, No. 6., 1995, pp.35-41.
18. Whitfield, J., Anthony, W.,
Kacmar, K., ‘Evaluation of Team Based Management in a case study’, Journal of
Organisational Change Management, Vol. 8, No. 2, 1995, pp.17-28.
19.Houlder, V., - taken from ‘New Age
Dawns in the Boardroom’, Management - Financial Times, Jan. 30th, 1995.
20 Stoodly, M., ‘Organisational
Development, The Facts of Life for Teambuilding’, H. R. Focus, Dec. 1994,
pp.12-13
21 Ghauri, P., Gronhaug, K.,
Kristianslund, I., (1995), ‘Research Methods in Business Studies’, 1995, p.65,
Prentice-Hall.
22 Hammersley, M., (1992),
‘Introducing Ethnography’, Sociology Review, Nov. 1992, pp.18-23.
23 Op cit., (22), p.65.
