Quinn Management roles, a practical approach to Management Development

The Quinn competitive values model distinguishes between four organisational modalities:
flexibility, control, internal orientation and external orientation. These succeed each other according to the circumstancxes within which an organisation operates. ‘Quinn’ is a useful model for coaching and Management Development.

Flexible styles

Managers are expected to adapt their management style to the situation at hand. A manager should be able to assume a variety of roles in order to adapt to organisational change. This implies that a manager has to be able to adapt to eight different, and sometimes conflicting, roles. Furthermore, Quinn outlines that a successful manager should be able to fulfill all eight roles to a greater or lesser degree and should be able to switch effortlessly from one role to another. Now that’s quite some challenge!

Eight roles

There are eight roles to the Quinn model: innovator, mediator, producer, leader, coordinator, controler, stimulator and mentor. All eight can be fulfilled at a strategic, tactical or operational level.

It will be clear that not everybody will be able to morph to eight different roles in a comfortable and natural manner. Situations arise in which a chosen leadership role may well be ineffective in the current state of the organisation. The resolution or prevention of such situations is often the basic learning journey of expansive personal development plans. Managers differ in the competence with which they fulfill certain roles.

Want to know more about our Quinn Management Roles test? 

Managers and their preferred roles

The fact that one person is not made of the same stuff as another is a fundamental point of departure in every psychological test instrument. People gain satisfaction from other aspects, possess other qualities and hold other preferences. Making these preferences measurable is not only intended to disclose the differences but also plays a role in revealing growing consciousness and adaptability to change!

That is why Ixly has developed the Quinn Management roles questionnaire based on demand from its own practitioners. There was a clear need for a short questionnaire that provides insight into the degree to which managers express a preference for certain management roles. Much has been written about primary and secondary preferences, and areas for improvement are naturally revealed. In addition, it is made clear how the preference relates to the degree of importance of these roles for management effectiveness in the current role.

Quinn Management roles in Management Development

The Quinn model can help in setting up a Management Development trajectory. This holds true for both the organisati0n and the individual; what do the roles mean for both the company and the manager personally? Management roles can be appointed and individual learning journeys can be framed. This offers footholds in the establishment of a management development trajectory, as this enables confirmation of the development status within important management roles.

At an organisational and departmental level, crucial future roles can be established. It becomes clear where a manager’s qualities are most evident when these are mapped onto personal preference. The organisational photo can be merged onto the photo of the management team, clearly revealing the areas of diversion and setting the direction for the Management Development trajectory.

In the Quinn Management roles questionnaire we consider two aspects, namely the degree to which someone has a preference for a particular role and the degree to which the role is important in the current context.
As the chart below shows:

This situation calls for the roles of Mentor and Stimulator, but these styles appeal less to the manager in question. Coaching can target this discrepancy. Click here for a sample report.

More information?

Should you wish to apply this questionnaire in coaching or Management Development activities, please contact us for a complimentary demonstration on 088-4959 000 or through the contact form.