The Individual Directions Inventory (IDI) is used to reveal underlying motivations and untapped sources of emotional energy, helping individuals develop a more nuanced understanding of how they approach their world. Learn how the unique questionnaire design yields revealing and reliable data. Explore case studies that illustrate how the IDI can be applied individually, in teams, across organizations, and alongside other assessments to unlock deep insights about drivers that are often buried below the surface.

1. Using the IDI to Reveal
Motivation and Unlock
Potential
Tools of the Trade

2. A Brief Introduction
Tricia Naddaff, MS
President, MRG
Maria Brown, Ph.D.
Head of Research, MRG
Drew Rand, Ph.D.
Consulting Psychologist, MRG

3. Our Agenda for Today
1. Introducing the IDI
– History, Description and Psychometrics
2. Using the IDI to help clients gain new self-insight
– Using the IDI in Coaching
– Using the IDI with Teams
– Using the IDI for Leadership Development

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Introducing the IDI
History, Description and Psychometrics

6. History of the IDI
More than
50,000
taken
Used in
100+
countries
Created in
1987

7. Individual Directions Inventory:
What is it telling us?
Measuring what situations and behaviors are most
emotionally satisfying to the individual.
Question prompts:
I feel best when…
I am most proud of…
I gain the greatest pleasure from…
I feel most fulfilled when…

8. Individual Directions Inventory™
Designed to reveal:
• What gives an individual emotional
energy
• Where an individual may lose energy or
feel drained
• Energy patterns that reinforce each other
• Energy patterns that may be in conflict
with each other

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Using &
Interpreting
the IDI

10. Affiliating
• Giving
• Receiving
• Belonging
• Expressing
Challenging
• Maneuvering
• Winning
• Controlling
What does the IDI measure?
Perceiving
• Creating
• Interpreting
Mastering
• Excelling
• Enduring
• Structuring
Attracting
• Gaining Stature
• Entertaining
Maintaining
• Stability
• Independence
• Irreproachability

11. How is the IDI used?
On its own to dive deep into what drives the
individual.
As a complement to other instruments to get
to the why behind the results.

12. Specific Projects
Candidate
Selection
Individual
Development
Executive
Transition
Job
Fatigue
Organizational
Change
New
Opportunity
Team
Dynamics
Position
Fit

13. What does the IDI measure?
The Five Components of the IDI Report
1. Feedback on the 17 IDI variables
2. Narrative interpretation of the strongest directions
3. Narrative interpretation of the lowest directions
4. Exercises to explore insights
5. Deciding where to go from here

14. They represent the level of emotional energy.
Therefore:
High scores are not good.
Low scores are not bad.
What do IDI results mean?

15. “ We have used the IDI around the globe, on nearly every
continent.
No matter the country or the circumstances, this assessment
has led to some of the most fundamental and
important moments of discovery in people’s lives.”
— DR. FEENA MAY, DBA, PHD, HEAD OF LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT
INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE RED CROSS, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

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Psychometrics,
Testing and
Validation

17. Anchored Rating Scale
Least
like me
Not
much
like me
Neutral Fairly
like me
Most
like me
In supervising
people, I am:
1. Tactful 1 2 3 4 5
2. Demanding 1 2 3 4 5
3. Easy to please 1 2 3 4 5
Ipsative (forced-choice)
Rank order the following statements by
indicating which is most like you, next
closest to you, and least like you
In supervising
people, I am:
Rank Order
1. Tactful most
2. Demanding least
3. Easy to please next
Traditional Questionnaire Formats
Potential issues:
• Response sets
• Social desirability responding
Potential issues:
• Shows relative order but
not magnitude
• Difficult to compare
individuals

18. In supervising people, I am: MOST NEXT
1. Tactful 5 4 3 2
2. Demanding 5 4 3 2
3. Easy to please 5 4 3 2
The IDI’s semi-ipsative format
Why a semi-ipsative format:
• Reduced rater bias
• Allow comparisons within the individual and with the norm group
• Reliable and valid

19. Normed Scoring
Our research has demonstrated that geographic and
gender differences in motivation are much more
pronounced than other differences.
17
Norms specific
to 17 countries
& regions
7
Gender norms
available in 7 of
the regions
5
Norms updated
every 5 years

20. Psychometrics
Low interscale correlations
Mean absolute correlation = 0.16, SD = 0.11
Test-retest reliability
Median r = 0.82 (Pearson Product-Moment Correlations)
Content
Validity
Criterion
Validity
Construct
Validity

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Using the IDI
Helping clients gain new self-insight

22. Using the IDI – Case Studies & Exercise
1. Coaching
– Coaching with the IDI within an
organizational development program
2. Teams
– Applying the IDI to Team Development
Engagements
– IDI Exercise
3. Leadership Development
– Combining the IDI with a leadership
behavioral assessment

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Case Study:
Coaching
Using the IDI

24. People have stopped checking
their personalities at the door
when they come to work.
They want to be acknowledged
for their whole self – not their
work self.

25. The Case
The Client
• International Committee for the Red Cross
• Working with personnel at all levels of leadership
The Challenge
• Assist with the development of a multi-year, multi-module
leadership development program
• Utilize an assessment tool that deepens awareness,
supports coaching, and is applicable across immensely
diverse population
The Goals
• Develop self-awareness and strengthen leadership skills
• Through assessment and coaching, support participants in
the beginning of their leadership development journey
The Tool: the IDI

26. The Intervention
Participants complete IDI
Feedback session with coach
Face-to-Face development week
Follow-up session with coach
If participant continues their
development journey, they do so
with the same coach

27. The Work
We had a diverse group on multiple
fronts: nationality, leadership experience,
tenure within ICRC, exposure to
assessment, coaching, and leadership
development.
Bring awareness to what’s
motivating them
Understand how this impacts
their leadership approach
Support them through the
beginning phases of their
leadership development journey

28. The Work
In what ways am I behaving
that are consistent with my IDI?
In what ways am I behaving
that are inconsistent with my
IDI?
Which IDI variables do I want
to understand and explore more
fully?

29. The Results
Participation
ICRC’s response
What’s changed
What have we learned

30. Additional Findings

31. “To see my life from a different
angle…
this journey has had a positive
impact on my personal behavior and
working relationships.”

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Developing
Teams
Using the IDI

33. One of the most difficult aspects of working
in a team is not knowing how others prefer
to work or are motivated.
Sure, we can listen and observe, and from
this surmise what people prefer most…
….but what if we really knew what was
“under the hood” for those we worked
closely with? How might that influence how
we work with them?

34. Summary of the IDI Team Report Content
Personal Motivation and Biases
Team Motivation and Biases
Team IDI Themes (up to 8 out of 20)
Overall Action Planning

35. Trying the IDI on for Size
Please answer the question for each of the directions we’ll describe in just
a moment using the following scale:
How emotionally satisfying is it for you to / how much energy do you
get from ….
I gain a lot of energy/satisfaction
I gain a moderate amount of energy/satisfaction
I gain a small amount of energy/satisfaction

36. IDI Predictions for…
Belonging
Being accepted by a group, feeling connected to a team, being a good
team member, having close friendly colleagues
Independence
Being free from outside interference, highly self-sufficient, self-reliant,
having lots of freedom, doing things your own way
Enduring
Being persistent, determined, showing endurance and courage, being
strong-willed, demonstrating stamina and strength, will power, inner
toughness

37. A Sample Result…

38. “I looked at ‘us’ from a whole new
perspective, with greater appreciation for
our differences.”

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Case Study:
Leadership
Development
Using the IDI with Behavioral
Assessments

40. Interpreting motivational drivers
alongside behavioral indicators can be
a powerful combination.
Where is there alignment? Where is
there not? And how is it all playing
out? These questions can significantly
aid understanding and development.

41. The Case
The Client
• Large Insurance Carrier
• Territory Enrollment Manager
The Challenge
• Dissatisfied with work and approaching burnout
• Felt unappreciated and not valued
The Goals
• Determine if she should attempt to salvage current situation
or move on
• Provide unbiased opinion on current situation and help
understand underlying motivations and perceptions
The Tools: IDI with LEA 360™

42. The Intervention
Participant self-selected into
coaching
She completed IDI and the LEA.
Had her observers complete
LEA as well
Individual feedback delivered to
participant
6-month coaching engagement

43. Less Energy for:
• Supporting others
• Striving to achieve and excel
• Recognizing and capitalizing on
opportunity
• Having authority, being in charge, and
demonstrating influence
More Energy for:
• Being part of a team or group
• Intellectual stimulation, both creative and
analytical
• Organization, process, and efficiency
• Free of outside interference
• Doing things the “right way”
LEA 360™ Highlights
• Strong agreement across self and observer
perceptions
Demonstrating Less:
• “Playing nice with others” behaviors
Demonstrating More:
• Knowledge-based and strategic behaviors
• Willingness to make a decision
• Structure and process behaviors
• Command and control behaviors
IDI SCORES:
WHAT’S DRIVING HER?
LEA 360™ SCORES:
WHAT IS SHE DOING?

44. Connecting
Motivation & Behavior
Has a strong desire to be a part
of the team, experience
camaraderie, and make
personal connections
Is not demonstrating any
behaviors that are conducive
to this, therefore not being
perceived as someone who
wants to get along well with
others
IDI:
DRIVING
LEA:
DOING

45. Connecting
Motivation & Behavior
Has little desire to be in charge
of others, be in a position of
influence and power, or tell
others what to do
Demonstrates strong
command and control
managerial behaviors
IDI:
DRIVING
LEA:
DOING

46. Connecting
Motivation & Behavior
Has a preference for process,
procedure, and doing things
the “way they should be done.”
Doesn’t appreciate the “art of
the sale.”
Works in an environment
where rules get bent all the
time to make the sale (e.g.,
promises are made to client
that can’t be delivered upon)
IDI:
DRIVING
LEA:
DOING

47. The Results
Adding motivation brought behavioral
conversation to a deeper level and provided
significant insight
Looking at both revealed some critical
misalignments that explained some of the deep
dissatisfaction she was feeling.
Helped her process how she was feeling and aided
in her decision-making moving forward (i.e., she
knew what she was contending with)

48. “Is it me or is it them?”
Decided to stay in her current position
Arrived at a place of recognition and
greater sense of own value

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Concluding Thoughts

50. We’ve really just scratched the surface.

51. If you want to dive deeper...
take the IDI for free.
 Chat with any member of the MRG
team here at SCP/SPIM.
 Visit connect.mrg.com/IDI.

52. If you want to dive even deeper...
get certified in the IDI at a special rate.
 Special rate for SCP & SPIM
members and attendees.
 Classes held online throughout the
year. Talk to us or visit
MRG.com/calendar for details.

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Thank you.
Stay in touch.
clientservices@mrg.com