The Role of Axiological Self-Awareness in Peak Performance

Abstract

In an attempt to identify attributes or certain axiological scores that might correlate with peak performance, we commissioned original research designed to identify any attributes or axiological scores that correlate significantly with peak individual performance. This article is the summary of a seven-year study examining the results of axiological profiles given to 197,000 individuals from 23 countries to see if any significant correlations exist in only top-performing individuals. We administered the Innermetrix Attribute Index, a Hartman Value Profile parallel form, to each individual, along with a performance worksheet completed by a consultant working with the individual's company, designed to rank them into one of five levels of performance based on set criteria. The results revealed some startling data that support the claims that their awareness and understanding of their natural talents, and their ability to incorporate that knowledge into what roles they fill and how they fill them, have the greatest impact on their level of performance. Conventional wisdom would argue that in order to improve individual performance one must fix any weaknesses. This creates the situation wherein people the world over find themselves assessing their talents against those required by a particular role and seeking then to develop any missing talents in themselves. In this situation, the job is sacrosanct, and they are sacrificial. The study shows that those who perform the best actually do very much the opposite. Their opinion is that they possess certain natural talents that are for the most part fixed. They are much more accepting of themselves, their limitations, and any non-talents they possess. These hyper-successful people turn the tables on the above relationships and view the role as sacrificial and themselves as sacrosanct. Instead of investing tremendous effort trying to change that which they are, they exert that effort on modifying their roles so they better fit the natural talents they do possess.