My influences: Peter Honey

When I was a few years into my career in ICL it was decided I should attend a course entitled "Profile Training". This was regarded as a privilege as it was run by an external academic, and the academic in question was Peter Honey, at the time relatively unknown but later to become internationally known as the author, with Alan Mumford, of the "Honey & Mumford Learning Styles Inventory".

As I recall it, the goal of the course was to help you understand yourself and use this knowledge to help you understand other people. I was excited to be attending but was somewhat taken aback when we were all asked to complete a series of (I think) five psychometric questionnaires. The science of psychometrics was unknown to me at the time and, working my way through the first questionnaire, I decided it had about as much credibility as those questionnaires in women's magazines of the time claiming to show you whether you were a good lover.

Peter Honey's feedback on the first questionnaire took me by surprise - it did seem to describe someone I recognised. At the end of the fifth questionnaire (the end of day two, I think) Peter took the results away with him and, early on day three, gave each participant overall individual feedback. I was shocked by mine - I had been sussed! From then on I paid close attention to everything he said.

The only thing I remember from the rest of the course is that we spent some time on Transactional Analysis, which explains how the language people use in conversations modifies the behaviours of the other participants. Tom "Big Al" Schreiter demonstrates a clear understanding of this in his books on network marketing.

But ever since I met Peter Honey I've had a fascination with anything that helps me know myself better and I still do. Thanks Peter!

https://www.peterhoney.org/