Sales Management and Performance

By: Gary J. Salton, Ph.D.
Chief: Research & Development
Professional Communications, Inc.

SUMMARY
This research sampled 711 Sales and Marketing people from 193 different firms. The study found a statistically significant relationship between the “I Opt” style and hierarchical rank in a firm. The study also found significant differences between sales and marketing professionals as well as between types of sales (i.e., relationship vs. transactional). Practical guidance arising from these findings are outlined.

A brief video outlining the findings of this research is available on YouTube. Click the image on the right to view the video.


SAMPLE
The data for this study comes from the “I Opt” 70,000+ person database. People whose titles clearly indicated that they were involved in Sales and Marketing were used for this study. Table 1 shows the sample arranged by organizational rank.

Table 1
SALES AND MARKETING SAMPLE

The significant sample size and the wide variety of organizations strongly indicate that the data is representative of the Sales and Marketing profession.


BASIC FINDINGS
The “I Opt” database was used to determine the mix of strategic styles being used by each person at each level. These scores were then averaged to get an overall profile of the strategic styles actually being used.

Graphic1 shows a pattern that literally jumps off of the page. There is a virtual “stair step” relationship between rank within the firm and the mix of strategic styles being used. This kind of stair step indicates that something fundamental is in operation. “Something” is causing certain styles to be favored and others to be devalued with changes in rank.

Graphic 1
STRATEGIC STYLE COMMITMENT

Strategic styles (e.g., RS, RI, HA, LP) are names given to different ways of processing information. Different styles produce predictable behaviors that effect job performance. This is easy to see.

For example, ignoring detail means that precision will be lost. It does not matter how anyone feels or what they believe. The information that precision requires is just not there. Similarly, spontaneous decisions gain speed at the cost of more mistakes. Not considering all relevant circumstances make this condition a virtual certainty.

The same phenomenon happens with every other strategic style. Every style carries with it a corollary vulnerability. It is reasonable to assume that the “stair step” is the result of different jobs that make use of particular style strengths and are relatively insensitive to their corollary vulnerabilities.


STRATEGIC PROFILES BY LEVEL
A strategic profile is just a particular mix of styles. Graphic 2 groups strategic styles by level. It immediately shows that different profiles (i.e., mix of style strengths) are being used at each level.

Graphic 2
STRATEGIC STYLE BY
ORGANIZATIONAL LEVEL

The LP (methodical action) and HA (analysis) are favored at the professional sales level (group on left). This makes sense. Persistence is the lifeblood of sales. The disciplined LP is nothing if not dogged. The logical, reasoned analytical HA addresses the other sales key—answering objections. This style mix is well suited to the demands of the average sales position.

The job changes at the executive level. Executives must plot a course over an uncertain future. Their creative RI strategy produces ideas, options and alternatives. These can be slotted in and developed as the future unfolds. It is ideal for meeting unexpected and/or changing conditions.

Executives also have another job. They settle issues that cannot be resolved at lower levels. These are typically fraught with uncertainty and which have no clear answer. The executive’s secondary RS (decisive action) style is an ideal complement to the dominant RI style. The RS shares the outline knowledge used by the RI but adds a decisive, action oriented component.

Managers (mid-level executives) have a foot in both executive and professional camps. They guide the professional while contributing to the executive’s strategic perspective. Their relatively balanced profile (middle of Graphic 2) is ideal for bridging the gap between professional and executive levels. Effectively, they have a foot in both camps.

With this reasoning, “I Opt” offers a simple explanation of why different level favor different strategic styles. Different levels do different things. These different things require different kinds of information. A solid “reason” gives confidence that the findings are not transient. They are "built in." They are here today and will be present as long as the sales/marketing structure exists. It is worth investing to optimize performance with the expectation that these conditions will persist.

What does this mean on a practical level? For one thing it means that excellence at one level does not imply excellence at another. For example, one way to negatively effect sales is to take the professional sales person and make them a manager or executive without preparation.

The loss could be more than the sales they were generating. If they apply the styles that were successful in their sales capacity they can compromise their new function. This can further erode sales—both short and long term. The value of effective training and development that addresses the style issue is obvious.

Other things also “jump out” of this finding. For example, tension is built into the relationships. What seems obvious at one level can be viewed as irrelevant at another. Management systems ignore this reality at their own peril. A small investment in tension management can go a long way.


STATISTICAL SIGNIFICANCE
Are the style differences shown in Graphs 1 and 2 are just a matter of chance? If the study were redone using a different sample would we get the same results? This is a question statistical significance was created to answer.

Table 2
STATISTICAL SIGNIFICANCE BETWEEN
ORGANIZATIONAL LEVELS

Table 2 shows that all but one style difference between levels is statistically significant. The lone exception is the Reactive Stimulator (RS) scores between professional and managerial levels. The difference between professionals and mangers on the RS dimension may just be random noise. However, the RS style is not a major influence at either level and can be safely ignored for the purposes of this study.

But in 87.5% the tests (seven out of the eight) of significance equal or exceed the academic standard of p < .05 (i.e., 95 chances out of 100 that result is not due to chance). These significance tests tell us that these findings are no accident. Different organizational levels are using different profiles. The sales and tension effects noted in the previous section are real and pervasive.


SALES AND MARKETING DIFFERENCES

Sales and marketing are combined in this study because that this is the way the real world works. At the managerial and executive levels the functions are often merged. For example, the title Vice President, Sales and Marketing is among the most common titles at the VP level.

However, it is reasonable to ask whether the two functions differ in cases where the functions can be disentangled. Are sales people are fundamentally different than those in marketing? Again, statistical significance is the way to answer the question. Table 3 does just that.

Table 3
STATISTICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN SALES AND MARKETING
(using Student’s-t test)

In 10 out of the 12 test dimensions there is no difference between sales and marketing people at the same organizational level. The two functions seem to be cut from the same cloth but with a bit of a difference in pattern.

The difference in pattern is seen in two strategic styles at only one organizational level—the professional rank. Graphic 3 highlights the difference.

Graphic 3
SALES AND MARKETING PROFESSIONAL
LEVEL STRATEGIC STYLE COMMITMENT

Graphic 3 shows that the marketing professional favors the analytical HA style. Marketing’s mission is assessment. The higher HA style makes sense. The sales mission is getting buyer commitment. Providing the buyer with options and alternatives directly supports that mission. The strategies being used by both functions make sense for their different jobs.

An implication of this finding is that movement from one function to the other would benefit from some training and education. Since these two functions tend to combine at the managerial level and up, this is not an inconsequential observation. Managerial development would benefit from recognizing and preparing upcoming sales/marketing executives for this condition.


STYLE FLEXIBILITY IN RANK

The tendency favoring RI (ideas) and RS (decisive action) as a person rises is not absolute. Firms exist in many niches. Each of these can contain unique drivers. These niches create opportunity for any strategic style preference to advance.

For example, executives in stable commodity based firms typically have higher levels of LP (methodical action). High tech executives put more stress on an RS (decisive action) strategy. Graphic 4 exemplifies this condition. It focuses only on the LP style but illustrates a general case.

Graphic 4
EXECUTIVE LEVEL LOGICAL PROCESSOR (LP)
STRATEGIC STYLE COMMITMENT
(n = 97)

Graphic 4 shows that 18% of the executives (i.e., VP and up) use high levels of the LP (disciplined action) style. These levels more typical of professional levels. Yet they exist at the most senior ranks. The same condition holds for all other strategic styles.

This means is that there are organizational niches for every style. However, the odds favor people using strategies identified in the stair step chart (i.e., Graphic 1). There are more of these opportunities than there are specialty niche openings.


STYLE FLEXIBILITY BY SALES MISSION
This study treated all sales as the same. This is an over-simplification. Selling fleets of aircraft is a lot different than selling of television sets in a big box store. Does this kind of difference influence strategic style being favored?

To test this proposition a subset of 62 professional sales people from 27 different firms were extracted from the data. The data was divided into two classes. One group sold products that involved continuing involvement. This was labeled “relationship selling.”

The other product of the other group required only episodic involvement. Once the sales effort was over, there was unlikely to be further dealings. This type of selling was labeled transactional sales. Table 4 shows examples of the type of sales by category.

Table 4
TYPICAL SALES TYPE BY SALES CATEGORY

Graphic 5 shows that only one strategic style difference rose to the level of statistical significance. Transactional selling (i.e., episodic, “one time”) finds more value in the idea-oriented RI style. Relationship selling appears to put more emphasis into welding the relationship with dependable action (LP) and insightful analysis (HA).

Graphic 5
STRATEGIC STYLE COMMITMENT
TRANSACTIONAL vs. RELATIONSHIP SALES
(n = 62, Firms Represented = 27)

Once again, this condition makes sense. Buyers who expect continuing interaction are likely to put more emphasis on dependability and insight. New ideas are welcomed but of less value since they can confound the structure of the interactions. The absence of such penalty for the transactional buyer means the net value of new ideas is higher for them.

Practical implications flow from this finding. For one thing it means that the type of product being sold will influence the choice of the ideal sales “style.” The overall finding of the favored sales LP/HA applies to general sales. If you knew nothing about what was being sold to whom, this would be your best choice. However, if you do know the facts of a sales situation there may be better ways of developing a sales staff.

One way of identifying an optimal sales profile for a particular product in a specific market might be to identify the high sales performers. Commonalities in their “I Opt” profile could signal an optimal strategic match. Training and management development programs could then be tailored to move the general sales force in that direction. It could be an idea worth some thought.

This finding also suggests a sales seminar strategy. Sales seminars tend to produce “tidbits” of valuable insight. But they seldom “hit the mark” across the board. The reason is that many seminars use a “one-size-fits-all” approach. This research shows that seminars could be tailored to the specific product and market niches. The strategy is likely produce consistently better learning and sales results. Given the importance of seminars in both learning and motivation, this is an option that may be worth investigation and experimentation.

City Management

By: Gary J. Salton, Ph.D.
Chief: Research & Development
Professional Communications, Inc.


INTRODUCTION
Does management differ between municipalities and corporations? Municipalities are more tightly bound by legislative mandates. In addition, cities tend to be more unionized. Labor contracts more explicitly define what can and cannot be done. These factors are enough to throw up some flags. But there is more.

Municipalities are much closer to their client base than are their corporate brethren. City employees are likely to meet their constituents on the street or even live next to them. They are subject to daily scrutiny by blogs, newspapers, radio and television stations. Few corporations contend with this kind of transparency. And there is still more.

Up until recently jobs in the municipal sector have been viewed as more secure than their corporate counterpart. The popular perception is that this causes cities to attract people who value security over opportunity. If this is true it is likely to affect the kind of management that can and should be done.


This evidence-based research tests the direction and degree of the actual differences in city and corporate management. A video that examines the city executive element of this research in some detail is available on Youtube. Simply click the icon on the right to link to it.


THE SAMPLE
This study was drawn from 19 cities in 10 states. The cities ranged in size from 824 to 751,000 people. The average size was 128,900 and have a median (i.e., midpoint) of 73,900. The city data were the “I Opt” scores for 175 executives and 72 supervisors.

The corporate sample consisted of 5,476 people (executives and supervisors) for whom titles were known drawn from about 1,000 “for profit” firms. International locations are represented but the largest portion of this sample is United States based.

Management divides into two categories. Executives have distinct groups reporting to them or they head a distinct organizational function. Supervisors lead a particular group within a function.

The research base is not a random sample. But is large enough to be considered strongly indicative. The division of people by rank is believed to be reasonable in terms of the purposes of this study.


EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT
“I Opt” scores for 175 city executives were compared to 4,963 corporate executives. “I Opt” scores translate directly into behaviors that affect management. A sampling of the behaviors predicted by “IOpt” strategic styles and patterns is shown in Table1.

Table 1
SAMPLE OF "I OPT" BEHAVIORAL CHARACTERISTICS

The average “I Opt” scores of city and corporate executives were compared. Differences were tested for statistical significance. The results are shown in Graphic 1.

Graphic 1
COMPARISON OF CITY AND CORPORATE EXECUTIVES

Graphic 1 shows that city and corporate executives are virtually identical in their decision making approach. Tests of significance confirm that both cities and firms have the same kind of people in their executive ranks. An “average” executive from either group can move to the other and—in terms of their approach to decision making—they would be indistinguishable.

Averages can hide as much as they disclose. Graphic 2 compares the proportion of city and corporate executives in three strength categories—high, moderate and low. For example, 20% of city and 15% of the corporate executives might score “high” in a style. The chart would show city employees with 33% more “high level” commitment in that style (i.e., <20%-15%= 15=" 33.3%">).

Graphic 2
CITY AND CORPORATE EXECUTIVES
"I OPT" STRATEGIC STYLE COMMITMENT

The differences in the action categories of Logical Processor (methodical action) and Reactive Stimulator (spontaneous action) are statistically insignificant. The differences could be just random variations around a common standard. Both city and corporate executives are distributed roughly equally among the three categories of strength in these action-oriented categories.

The analytical Hypothetical Analyzer (analysis, assessment, evaluation) is another story. There are more city workers with “high” levels of HA. A z-Ratio test of proportional significance shows that this difference is not a random variation. This means that if we were to take repeated samples, cities are likely to continue to have more executives in the “high” category than would corporations.

City executives also tend to clump more in the “high” category of the idea oriented Relational Innovator style (ideas, options, alternatives). The statistic just misses the academic standard (6% versus the 5% standard). However, chances are still 94 times out of 100 that the result would be the same if the sample were retaken. This is probably a real difference and is accepted as marginally significant.

The HA (analysis) and RI (ideas) are thought based strategies. The RI generates ideas and the HA analyzes them. Cities appear to attract and retain executives with high levels of this capacity. On the whole, city executives are “thinkers.”

There is another aspect of the style profile worth noting. Cities also have more people clustered at “low “ levels in these capacities (HA and RI) than do their corporate peers. Executives at opposite poles will tend to view decisions differently. For example, a person high in HA may want time to study while another low in HA could prefer to act quickly. This creates a natural source of tension as competing ideas and contesting views on the "right" way to analyze them work themselves out.

Corporate executives do not have to contend with this divergence. Their executives tend to cluster at “moderate” level of commitment. There is just less distance to bridge. This makes it easier for corporate executives to arrive at a common position. It is reasonable to expect that cities face a bigger coordination challenge among their executives than do corporations. In other words, corporations are likely to have an easier time at internal executive coordination than will their city peers.


SUPERVISORY MANAGEMENT
City supervisors differ markedly from their executive colleagues. A total of 72 city and 513 corporate supervisors were contrasted. Graphic 3 shows the results.

Graphic 3
COMPARISON OF CITY AND CORPORATE SUPERVISORS

City supervisors put most emphasis on the Logical Processor (methodical action) strategy. They exceed their corporate peers by about 14%. This is likely to manifest itself in behaviors such as greater risk avoidance, more rigidity and higher detail sensitivity. The probable behaviors also include greater precision, heightened dependability and more determination. No style is all good or bad.

The high LP commitment has a corollary. The idea oriented RI style falls about 13% short of their corporate equals. This means city supervisors are less likely to offer totally new options, engage in freewheeling idea sessions or be as tolerant of dissent.

The difference in supervisor styles are strong enough noticeable. In addition, the style differences are statistically significant. It is probable that these differences are “real” and will be “seen” in city management.

Overall, city supervisors will reinforce the popular conception of city employees. They are likely to be measured in their response, follow rules closely and be less than empathetic. Their constituents are likely to notice these qualities. The fact that they will also be reliable, stable and committed will be less visible.


OVERALL PICTURE OF CITY MANAGEMENT
City executives are likely to have more ideas than their corporate counterparts. That means more ideas competing for approval. A minority of city executives with a low inclination toward idea generation may restrain this idea overabundance. But they are unlikely to prevail. More likely, the competing ideas will have to “fight it out” for dominance. In the process, tension is likely to be generated in excess of that produced in corporations.

As matters progress, another factor comes into play—analysis. City executives appear to be over-endowed with this capacity. What this means is that the high volume of ideas will likely be subject to the full spectrum analytical options. During this stage it is likely that different analyses will compete for depth of understanding. In other words, a game of analytical “one-upsmanship” is likely to evolve. This is likely to extend far beyond that experienced in corporations. Analysis is not free. The relative cost of city decisions is likely to outpace the cost of a similar corporate decision.

And it is still not done. As proposals move from ideas to implemented programs, there is still another hurdle. City supervisors are proportionately stronger in the disciplined Logical Processor (LP) style than their corporate brethren. This is a demanding approach. The goal is “do it right, the first time and every time.” The preparation needed to satisfy this goal is also not free. Costs in terms of time and money can reasonably be expected to exceed similar programs implemented in corporations.

Is the above scenario a bad thing? Not necessarily. On important decisions that seriously affect the well-being of the cities constituencies, it could be optimal. The problem is that this is a structural condition. It will happen on even minor or even inconsequential matters. In these latter cases, city resources are being wasted.

Overall, it appears that corporations do have a structural edge. This is not because the cities lack any strategic style capability. In fact, it is just the opposite. They appear to be over-endowed with capacities in idea generation, analysis and precise execution. This extra horsepower carries with it extra costs. This includes tension in the idea phase and both time and cost penalties in the analytical and implementation phases.

Counter-intuitively, the penalties paid by cities are not due to any “weakness.” They are due to strengths. The good thing about this condition is that correcting it is only a matter of focusing and directing strength already present. This is much easier and cheaper than acquiring absent capacities from the outside.


IMPROVING CITY EXECUTIVE DECISION MAKING
The issues identified in this research are likely to resonate within the administration of many cities. There is a generic approach that is likely to help in a material way. It rests on the fact that everyone has an information processing preference. It cannot be avoided. No one can pay attention to everything around them all of the time. We all pay attention to some things and ignore others. As we do this we develop a "typical" method of processing information. This is an "I Opt" strategic style. It is what others see and react to.

An instrument that identifies strategic styles in a non-threatening, non-invasive and work-related manner will improve city functioning. The “I Opt” individual report serves that function. People can use it to share their preferences with others. Since every perspective is valid, this helps the people involved adjust their communication with each other. Transactions are smoothed.

The reason is simple. It is in everyone’s interest. A person seeking to convince another to adopt their position stands a better chance if they speak in a manner preferred by the person being convinced. The person on the receiving end gets the information in a way that they can evaluate without having to “translate” it. The more people that adopt this strategy, the smoother will be the decision transactions in which they are all engaged. No mystery, just common sense.

The general strategy outlined above has been demonstrated effective over many years. However, it has limits. It is individually oriented. The decisions in cities are group based efforts. The specific mix of people in the group matters. Improving this aspect of city governance requires tools able to assess a group as a group. In other words, ALL of the people involved interacting SIMULTANEOUSLY. And any particular mix of people may not fully reflect the national profile outlined in this research.

Further advancing city improvement requires an assessment each particular group within city government. That assessment must be quick, inexpensive and accurate. The result should be a diagnostic uniquely targeted to the specific conditions within that group. In addition, specific actions needed to remedy that group’s vulnerabilities should be specified. The “I Opt” TeamAnalysis™ satisfies these conditions. Generic team building processes may help. But they cannot match the tailored interventions provided by “I Opt” technology.


IMPROVING CITY EXECUTIVE-SUPERVISORY MANAGEMENT
If supervisory management is included in the interventions outlined above, many of the issues involved in the relation of executives to supervisors will have been resolved. But it is likely that some will remain. Again, the issue is the strength of commitment rather than the absence of a particular quality.

The supervisory levels are characterized by a virtual unanimous subscription to the Logical Processor (methodical action) strategic style. The result is a natural dichotomy of perspective between executives and supervisors.

Executives tend to value thought, integrity, creativity and compelling logic. The supervisory elements are in pursuit of perfection in execution. They tend to value and expect explicit “how to” specification. They also need time to hone a new direction to a point where they are absolutely sure it works. Finally, they need to see how the new course “fits in” with all of the other things they have to do. When these conditions are met they are able to execute a course of action with precision.

City supervisors will probably view the executive’s efforts as a half-baked effort. For them, the job is done when detailed, step-by-step procedures are in place and fully tested. Executives are likely to believe the job done when plans have been laid, approvals received and responsibilities delegated. A likely outcome of executive-supervisory relations is tension. One party sees the job as done—only execution remains. The other sees a giant gap that remains unfilled.

Viewed in this manner it is obvious that nether city executives or supervisors are “right” or “wrong.” The issue lies in the interface between the two groups. And the gap between the groups is broader than that experienced in corporations. In corporations the groups are distinct but closer together.

Again, identifying the differences in decision making processes will help inform both parties as to exactly what is “going on” between them. Here, a little more effort devoted to why the processes favored by executives and supervisors are both necessary to effective city functioning is probably warranted. The LP style favored by the supervisors is naturally skeptical and will probably require some additional effort to actually “take.” However, once it does a new level of understanding is gained. Experience in applying “I Opt” technology almost invariably creates an insight that automatically improves tolerance for different views. This outcome alone is enough to improve the functioning and productivity of city government.

Further gains are available by helping executives adjust the nature and way their direction is given. The natural tendency will be for executives to follow the “golden rule.” It they do, they are likely to miss the mark. A better alignment of the direction to the needs of the people getting those directions can go far. This is a simple but not an obvious process. A bit of outside counsel explaining what needs to be done, why it is needed and how to go about it is all that is usually required.


SUMMARY
Cities face a managerial challenge. It exists within the executive ranks and between the executive and supervisory ranks. The difficulty is founded in strength, not weakness. The strength of all parties can make the relationship between functions and levels a challenge.

The challenge cities face is greater than their corporate counterparts. This translates to more opportunity. Improving things by 25% means more when that 25% is multiplied by a big number than a small one. This means that it is wise for cities to invest in organizational interventions to a greater extent than do their corporate kin. This is common sense, it is not rocket science.

“I Opt” technology is designed to be accessible to everyone. However, city executives and supervisors have much to do. Spending time personally assessing the implications of their strategies is bound to be low on the “to do” list. Providing them help in condensing, digesting and implementing effective improvement strategies would seem to be a smart. A small investment can yield high and continuing dividends.

The benefit for the organizational intervention strategies will accrue to all involved. Things get done faster and at less expense. City workers get a more hospitable, effective and efficient environment. Citizens would see a workforce more attuned to their needs. The investment in improving organizational functioning is small. Yet it could be one of the most effective tools available for helping cities meet the challenges of difficult economic times.

Alcoholic Recovery: Changes In Worldview

By: Gary J. Salton, Ph.D.
Chief: Research & Development
Professional Communications, Inc.


INTRODUCTION
Organizational Development focuses on how the individual contributes to organizational goals. But the current in this stream also runs the other way. Organizations can affect the individual.

This study focuses on 103 recovering alcoholics who are members of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). They agreed to participate in the research on an individual basis. In compliance with the traditions of AA, there was no participation by the organization itself in any form whatsoever.

The study finds a statistically significant relationship between the length of sobriety and the information processing strategies being used to navigate life. The degree of direction and degree of change are both predictable and explainable.

This study is the evidence-based foundation of a three
research blog series. Research blogs covering the 12-Steps and another addressing AA organizational factors are available in the Applied Research listing on www.iopt.com. A video summary of all three research blogs in this series can be found at www.iopt.com in the "Coffee Break
Videos" section or by clicking the icon on the right.



PROCESS
Alcoholism is a bio-chemical dependency. It is not a behavioral defect. Information processing elections did not cause the condition and changes in it cannot “cure” the dependency. However, knowledge of the processes involved may help to manage it.

Any form of control is predicated on the information processing strategies. No control system will work if the subject is not paying attention to the control variables. This applies to external controls and those created for self-control by the individual themselves.

Alcoholism is supported by the information processing strategy being used. The strategy consists of accepting a particular form of input, processing (i.e., interpreting) it in a specific way and issuing behavior (i.e., output) of a typical character. Repeated application of this mechanism produces beliefs (e.g., things that continue to work are deemed “true") and values (e.g., the frequency with which a behavioral option tends to be used evidences perceived value).

This process can create “worldview” which is compatible with alcoholism. A change in worldview is an often cited as a condition of maintaining sobriety(1). This is an implied recognition of the centrality of information processing in successfully recovering from alcohol dependency.

The concept of “worldview” is expressed in this study using the term "I Opt" strategic profile. A strategic profile has a specific meaning that can be measured, quantified and tested. It is a superior research tool to the more nebulous concepts of “worldview” that rely on adjectives and analogies for definition.


GENDER DISTRIBUTION OF THE SAMPLE
The research sample included 45 women and 58 men. Graphic 1 compares these proportions to a national sample of about 7,500 members published by Alcoholics Anonymous (2004) (2).

Graphic 1
GENDER COMPARISON OF RESEARCH SAMPLE TO
NATIONAL ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS SAMPLE

A z-ratio test for the difference in proportion indicates that gender differences do not rise to levels of academic significance. It is reasonable to judge that the sample to be representative of the roughly 60%-40% split of the larger AA population.

The strategic profiles of males and females within the research sample were compared. The results are shown in Graphic 2.

Graphic 2
MALE AND FEMALE STRATEGIC STYLE COMMITMENT

On average, the two genders are virtually identical in the “I Opt” strategies that they use. Therefore it is reasonable to assume that any discoveries made in this research are equally applicable to both genders.


AGE DISTRIBUTION OF THE SAMPLE
The age distribution of both the research sample and the national Alcoholics Anonymous sample are shown in Graphic 3.

Graphic 3
AGE COMPARISON OF RESEARCH SAMPLE TO
NATIONAL ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS SAMPLE

Graphic 3 shows a clear distinction between the sample and the AA population. The average age for the national AA sample was 48 years while the research sample respondents averaged 26.4 years old. This is a marked difference. It gives rise to a key question. Is age related to the choice of the strategic styles used to navigate life?

One way of approaching this issue is to plot age against the strength of a strategic style. Graphic 4 shows the result of this comparison applied to the LP (i.e., disciplined action) style.

Graphic 4
AGE VERSUS LOGICAL PROCESSOR STRATEGIC STYLE

Visually there is no apparent relationship between age and the LP style. An R2 statistic confirms this. R2 describes the degree that a variable (e.g., age) can be used to predict another (e.g., LP style strength). In Graphic 4, age predicts (“explains” in statistic jargon) about 1.5% of the Logical Processor variation. Table 1 shows that the remaining styles also minimal effect.

Table 1
INFLUENCE OF AGE ON STRATEGIC STYLE (R2)

While not conclusive, the data strongly suggests that age and strategic styles are unrelated. This view is confirmed by experience in over 200,000 measurements conducted using “I Opt” technology. It is reasonable to conclude that the age distribution of the research sample will not be an impediment to the conclusions of this research.

SOBRIETY AND “I OPT” STRATEGIC STYLE

The research compared the average strategic style profiles at different lengths of sobriety. The results are shown in Graphic 5.

Graphic 5
STRATEGIC STYLE PROFILE BY LENGTH OF SOBRIETY

Graphic 5 immediately reveals that a systematic process is in operation. For ease of reference, a circled number has been included on Graphic 5 to identify style.

The spontaneous RS (circled 1) column shows a drop (21%) as a person moves from short to mid term sobriety. Disciplined action LP (circled 2) picks up most of this drop by increasing its strength by 43%. This makes some sense. A greater shift to the analytical HA (circled 3—11% increase) would not be of great value to a mind clouded by alcohol. HA understanding must await effective computational resources. Similarly, idea generating RI (circled 4—a 4% drop) is not much affected in this initial phase. It still has value. For example, ideas can be generated showing to how the new LP behavior “fits in” to the person’s life.

Moving from mid to long-term sobriety the average strategic profile changes further. The quick acting RS (circled 1) drops still further but it is NOT picked up by the disciplined LP (circled 2). This again makes sense. At this stage the structured processes of the LP have already been installed. The mind is clearing. Now understanding is needed. The HA strategy responds (circled 3) with a large 36% increase in strength. With this knowledge, the person can fashion strategies that meet the unanticipated challenges that bio-chemical dependency will undoubtedly present in the future.

There is also a drop in the idea oriented RI (circled 4) as a person moves from mid to long-term sobriety. This is probably a secondary effect. Both the RS and the RI operate using unpatterned (e.g., spontaneous) input. The large drop in RS withdrew some of the “raw meat” that the RI needs. Without this “food source” the RI strategy drops in value. Hence the decline in usage.

The fact that there is systematic process is beyond challenge. However, there is a legitimate question as to whether this is just happenstance or if it betrays a fundamental underlying process. This is a question statistical significance is designed to answer. The results are shown in Table 2.

Table 2
STATISTICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF STYLE CHANGES
t-Test Assuming Unequal Variances

The significance tests bear out the logic outlined above. The shift from short-term RS to mid-term LP and HA styles stand out. Similarly, the shift from mid to long-term in the increased use of the analytical HA strategy fits in. The insignificance of the RI change appears to conform to the judgment that it is a derivative outcome. It is not in the causal chain.

The change in profiles describes a change in worldview. Different inputs are accepted, different processes (e.g., interpretation) are employed and different behaviors (output) are issued. A question remains. How does this fit into the Alcoholic Anonymous recovery program?

FIT WITH ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS

The famous AA 12-Steps are literally an exact fit to the results of this study (3). A full specification of the fit is beyond the scope of this evidence based research blog. It is addressed more thoroughly elsewhere (http://garysalton2.blogspot.com). For purposes of this research the logic is just outlined.

The 12-steps can be seen as a blueprint for the design, installation and maintenance of a control system. This perspective fits. AA does not claim cure, just control. Stripped of doctrine and viewed as staged process the 12-steps become guide to control individual information-processing strategies.

Table 3
ORIGINAL 12-STEPS OF ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS(3)

Steps 1 through 3 call for surrender and acknowledgment of a knowledge source that is outside of oneself. Accepting these prescriptions mean that addiction can be controlled and there is a way to do it. This is fundamental. Without this belief there would be no motive to abandon the strategy now being used.

Step 4 and 5 call for an inventory identifying behavioral shortcomings. These are to be specified EXACTLY. The BEHAVIORS that require change are firmly targeted. This is ground prep. It will become the scaffold for the structures used by the LP strategy to be adopted. Steps 6 and 7 continue this theme by obtaining an agreement that the identified behaviors require replacement, not just modification.

As progress proceeds though Step 7, behaviors have begun to be modified. Identifying something as “wrong” creates a tendency toward avoidance. Avoidance is a behavior change. Steps 8 through 10 require making amends to the specific people who have been harmed. This is a gut wrenching process that burns in the consequences of the “wrongs” that have been done. A person’s emotional systems are engaged in a massive way. The rational has now been combined with the emotional. The whole brain is now engaged.

Early in this process a sponsor was acquired as a guide to and guardian of the steps. They help insure that self-deception is kept to a minimum. Sponsors offer experience-based options and alternatives. They provide encouragement and act as stimulants to progress. Effectively, their role is to help a person begin to self-construct a behaviorally based framework on which they can rely.

Steps 11 and 12 now kick in. Step 11 calls for knowledge and understanding. To this point “reasons” have not been stressed. During the Phase 1 stage behavior is guided by the sponsor and by inference from the stories in the “Big Book.” The relatively small 11% change in the analytical HA strategy between the short and mid-term stages reflects this lack of “why” emphasis. The picture formed to this point is the installation of a practical behavioral framework fashioned by the individual to meet their own immediate situation.

Step 12 provides a motive continuing the quest. Knowledge is the vector on which the message mandated by Step 12 will be carried. Further, teaching someone else is the surest way of learning yourself. These two steps—11 and 12— almost mandate the use of the analytical HA strategy. And this is exactly what happens. Between the mid and long-term phases of the thought-based HA style increases 37% while the action based LP remains at its higher level without change. The scaffold had already been created. Now it is a matter of strengthening it.

Strategic styles can respond to persistent influences from any source. The 12-steps have built-in methods of controlling for these external influences. Step 10 calls for repeated behavioral reassessment and adjustment. Step 11 creates a continuous process of ever increasing understanding. Step 12 insures that the entire AA process remains engaged on an active level.

There are other tools embedded in the AA arsenal. The participation in AA meetings reinforces as well as introducing elements of social control. The 12-traditions limit external influences from both outside and within AA. The AA system is designed to give the individual an environment in which they can construct their own personally tailored solution.

SUMMARY

This study has provided evidence-based support for the veracity of the AA 12-step system. It has also shown how that system works to produce a systematic change in the way people perceive, understand and operate in the world—a change in worldview (4).

It has shown how the 12-steps can be stripped of their doctrinal element and viewed as a formula for the construction and maintenance of a self-constructed management system. This view does not negate the religious overtones of AA. It just introduces another dimension. Both views can coexist. Acceptance of one does not exclude the other.

Programs trying to emulate the success of AA can benefit by an understanding offered in this analysis. For example, in the AA the subject selects the sponsor themselves and the sponsor agrees to the undertaking. This automatically ensures both parties will understand each other. Non-AA programs tend to rely on assigned counselors. The degree of “fit” between the counselor and client is a matter of chance. We now know how information processing works (i.e., input>process>output) and can measure it. This means that the selection of counselors can be refined with a likely improvement in sobriety outcomes.

Charities and government agencies supporting the recovery of alcoholics might also benefit. They now must rely on a “one size fits all” approach. By introducing measurement, this study offers a vehicle for judging the resources required for a particular person or group. For example, it can be reasonably anticipated that someone highly committed to the spontaneous RS strategy will require support longer than another person who is less RS committed.

The understanding contributed by this research is judged to be material. However, in closing homage must be paid to Alcoholics Anonymous. It is a system that guides a person toward to constructing their own individually tailored solution to help control their affliction. The 12-Traditions protect the process itself from being “taken over” by either internal factions or external agencies. Regardless of the iterative manner in which it was constructed, the work of Bill Wilson and Bob Smith in creating AA bears the mark of genius.

REFERENCES

(1) Referencing the Google Search Engine will produce hundreds of thousands of examples. Citing specific authors to lend credibility or authority to this statement of worldview change in the recovery from alcoholism is superfluous.

(2) Alcoholics Anonymous 2004 Membership Survey. Alcoholics Anonymous World Services' General Service Office. 2005. http://www.webcitation.org/5lyIHfv6f. Retrieved 6-27-2010.

(3) Alcoholics Anonymous (June 2001). "Chapter 5: How It Works" (PDF). Alcoholics Anonymous (4th ed.). Alcoholics Anonymous World Services. ISBN 1893007162. OCLC 32014950. http://www.aa.org/bigbookonline/en_bigbook_chapt5.pdf.

(4) The self-imposed brevity of Research Blog studies preclude elaboration on the implications of these findings. They are set out in greater length on the Applications Research Blog at www.garysalton2.blogspot.com.