Running a team workshop with a preference assessment
A preference assessment helps a team talk about how each person likes to think, decide and act. Here is a 90-minute plan, with the ground rules that keep it useful and fair.
Before the session
- Make taking part voluntary, and say so.
- Ask each person to take the assessment privately beforehand; the free ICA takes about 15 minutes.
- Let people choose what they share. No one should have to show their full results.
- Agree the purpose: working better together, not judging anyone.
A 90-minute plan
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 0–10 min | Purpose and ground rules |
| 10–25 min | The model in plain terms: four dimensions, three faculties, no better or worse profile |
| 25–50 min | Pairs: each person describes a recent decision and how their top preference shaped it |
| 50–75 min | Whole team: where the team is strong, where it is thin, and what that means for current work |
| 75–90 min | Two concrete agreements on how the team will work differently |
Questions that work
- When does our team move too fast, and when too slowly?
- Whose way of seeing a problem do we tend to skip?
- What does each of us need before committing to a decision?
Mistakes to avoid
- Labeling people ("she's just a Feeler")
- Using results to assign or deny roles
- Comparing scores between people: ICA scores show each person's own order of preferences
- Treating results as fact rather than a starting point. See the Barnum effect.
Who should facilitate
Anyone careful can run the plan above. A certified ICA practitioner is trained in interpretation, group presentation and responsible use.
Questions
Can a manager facilitate their own team?
Yes, with care. An outside or certified facilitator can make it easier for people to speak openly.
Keep reading
Certify your teamCertify several people in the ICA: what each certification includes, what the practitioner license adds, and the cost for a team.Appropriate useWhere the ICA fits (development, coaching, teams, education) and the rules for using it anywhere near hiring: one input, accommodations, local law.The ICA modelThe ICA model: four dimensions of behavioral preference in three faculties, Thinking, Feeling and Willing, with 24 profiles.The professional pathThe professional path for the ICA: certify once ($1,998), then license yearly ($998) to use it with clients and teams.
Take the next step.
How to run a team workshop with a behavioral-preference assessment: a 90-minute plan, ground rules, discussion questions and the mistakes to avoid.