Key Findings on Developing Ethical Leaders and Optimizing Teamwork Aided by New Personality Assessment Tool

Dallas Firm’s Innovation Influences Academic Research to be Presented at International Conference

Dallas — April 18, 2018 — Compelling new findings on ethical leadership and effective global teamwork will be presented at the upcoming Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP) annual conference in Chicago April 19-21. This new research was aided by an innovative personality assessment tool, the DRiV™, that was launched earlier this year by Leadership Worth Following (LWF), a Dallas-based leadership consulting firm.

​At an April 20 symposium titled “Identifying and Developing Ethical Leaders: Challenges and Solutions”, three research teams will present ways companies can select and develop ethical leaders, including measures of motives and values (i.e., the DRiV profile). Behavioral scientists from the University of Oklahoma will share their research that used the DRiV to predict ethical decision-making. They found that the DRiV significantly predicted whether individuals were likely to make ethical (or unethical) decisions. Of 32 drivers measured by the DRiV, the researchers found that individuals who scored highly on certain drivers – Equality, Inclusion, Purpose, Persistence, and Wisdom – were significantly more likely to make ethical decisions.

Another April 20 session, about dynamic team composition, will include findings from a research paper titled “Motive Profiles and Role Emergence in Global Virtual Teams” by Chris W. Coultas, Ph.D., LWF’s director of science and research. Dr. Coultas’ study has implications for any organization seeking to optimize the effectiveness of virtual collaborative teams – whether across town or around the world.

This study analyzed students participating in a global business problem-solving competition, called X-Culture (www.x-culture.org). Throughout the nine-week competition, students rated teammates’ behaviors such as helpfulness and leadership. These ratings were studied considering each student’s team role, time-based peer evaluation and unique DRiV profile. The study found that individuals who scored highly on certain drivers – Persistence, Loyalty, Authenticity, and Creativity – often performed at a significantly higher level than individuals who scored lower on these drivers.

“We’re gratified to see our new DRiV assessment tool applied to impactful scientific research, because that’s a cornerstone of our company’s innovative approach,” says Dr. Coultas. Based on more than 50 years of academic research on motives and values, the DRiV is designed to measure what inspires work and gives it meaning. The new research being presented at SIOP 2018 demonstrates the DRiV’s potential to support organizational leaders as they seek to select and develop effective leaders, build high-performing teams, and create ethical cultures.

LWF has already used the DRiV in a variety of ways to benefit clients. Examples include: a sales leadership team needing to understand individual motivation to improve teamwork and communication; an organization struggling to onboard a challenging new employee; a retail company striving to balance efficiency and customer service; and a corporate executive re-calibrating his expectations to foster more collaboration.

About Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP)
Dedicated to improving the effectiveness and performance of people and organizations around the world, SIOP has nearly 8,000 members in the United States and a number of other countries. Its members are primarily psychologists with a common interest in the consulting process including research, evaluation, education, and training.

About Leadership Worth Following
Leadership Worth Following, LLC (LWF) is a Dallas-based consulting firm specializing in leadership development consulting, assessment, and talent strategies that deliver results. Founded in 2004, LWF continues to hone its capabilities and expertise through research and real-world experience with varied organizations, from Fortune 500 companies to small nonprofits. In launching its proprietary assessment tool, the DRiV, LWF expands its capabilities by helping organizations discover what drives and drains their leaders, teams, and cultures.

Media Contact
Warren Djerf, Brookside Communications Group, (952) 920-3908 or warren@brookcomm.net