Motivation vs. Behavior
One of the key benefits of the SDI is its focus on the Motivation behind Behavior. Your challenge as a facilitator is helping them to understand this difference and avoid getting the dreaded: “That is not what I do!”
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Leading by Color
A common misperception by people first exposed to Relationship Awareness is that the Reds are the “born leaders.” But as any good SDI facilitator knows, great leaders come from all parts of the triangle. We break down the leadership styles most often used by leaders within the various MVS groups.
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How Does the SDI Correlate with the MBTI?
As many adult learners do, people who ask this question are trying to relate something they are learning to something else they already know. And since the MBTI is the most widely used personality assessment in the US (and many other countries), we are faced with this question often. Here’s the long and short of it…
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United Airlines’ Use of the SDI Featured on TV
Personal Strengths appeared on World Business Review with General Alexander Haig. The segment highlighted how United Airlines has used the SDI as a key relationship component of their Crew Resource Management training.
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The Evolution of Relationship Awareness Theory
There’s a reason the Strength Deployment Inventory consistently achieves Face Validity ratings over 99%. The validity, simplicity, and memorability of Relationship Awareness Theory is a direct result of the psychological science at its foundation. The following article discusses the theoretical and structural influences of Sigmund Freud, Erich Fromm and Carl Rogers and how the Theory’s author, Elias Porter, was able to construct a self-discovery tool that was “for people, rather than about people.”
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VA Hospital saves $335,000 after SDI empowers team to “self-medicate” conflict pains.
This article shows how the SDI was used to avoid grievance filings at the Veterans administration
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Porter and the Missing Link (to Freud)
The cover story of the March 27th issue of Newsweek featured Sigmund Freud. In the article, the author illustrates the impact of his influence on some of the major movements in the field of psychology. Missing from this family tree of modern Psychology is the important branch originating from Erich Fromm’s expansion of Freud’s theories on motivation.
Here’s our letter to the editor...

Is this group normal?
“We seem to have a lot of people in the Hub, is that OK?”
“Why aren’t there any Blues in our group?”
“Which MVS is the most common?”
“Which is the least common?”
“Are we normal?”
A few answers and some food for thought on MVS...

Relationship Awareness Empowers Young Adults
This article shows how the SDI is well suited to the youth market.
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Sample Arrow Interpretation: NOPITA Corp.
This article is an educational case study of a fictional team from a fictional company whose arrows reveal very real potential for relationship problems. Let’s explore a sample team using the four steps of “Arrow Dynamics;” (1) Motivational Value System and Valued Relating Style, (2) Arrow Length, (3) Conflict Sequence, and (4) Relating Motivational Value System to Conflict Sequence.
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Using Relationship Awareness to Ease Culture Clash
This article is about how the SDI was used to merge cultures in New Zealand.
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Downsizing, Rightsizing, Redundancies-Any Way You Say It, You've Lost Your Job!
This article shows how the SDI was used within Northrop Grumman to help relocate displaced workers.
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Great Balls of Conflict!!!
MVS Color Balls change their color under stress. These are a great visual metaphor for the second premise of Relationship Awareness.
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