Understanding and managing behavioral differences: New York Chapter.

• Position: Chapter News

On May 6, TEI's New York Chapter hosted a joint training program with the Internal Revenue Service on "Understanding and Managing Behavioral Differences." A similar program was presented at the 2007 Region II Conference, and has also been used by many companies. Following that program, Deborah Nolan, formerly LMSB Commissioner, suggested that it be presented as a joint TEI-IRS program. The board of directors of the New York Chapter agreed, concluding that it represented a natural extension of the IRS-TEI "Getting to Yes" program on negotiation, which began in the New York Chapter about 10 years ago, and which has been repeated by the IRS throughout the country (with assistance of TEI's local chapters).

The behavioral differences program can benefit participants both professionally and in their personal life. Essentially, the program helps participants recognize the four basic social styles--Amiable, Analytical, Driving, and Expressive--and to use that knowledge to:

(1) Enhance interpersonal relationships;

(2) Understand one's own behavior and learn how to make reliable assessments of other's...