Birkman Method
Articulate … Negotiate … Take Responsibility for Getting your NEEDS Met

The Birkman Method® combines motivational, behavioral and interest evaluation into a single assessment that provides a multi-dimensional and comprehensive analysis, thus reducing the need for multiple assessments.
Use the Birkman Method® for:
- Career Counseling
- Coaching
- Interpersonal Conflict Resolution
- Job / Occupational Suitability
- Leadership Development
- Mentoring / Networking
- Professional Development
- Relationship Management
- Succession Planning
- Team Building

A key benefit of the Birkman Method® is delineating the gaps between what you do and what you need. It identifies your usual-adaptive behaviors (often a personal strength), your needs, and likely behaviors you exhibit when your needs are not met (stress).
The Birkman Method® is one of the best ways to gain insight into and provide non-judgmental language for articulating, negotiating and taking responsibility for getting your NEEDS met.
THE BIRKMAN METHOD | LEARNING APPLICATIONS

Many assessments describe socialized, visible behavior. The Birkman Method® reaches further to analyze and report what drives and motivates behavior. We call these “Needs” — the expectations one has about relationships and situations in a social context. These Needs motivate personal actions and behaviors. When Needs are met, they drive behavior in positive and productive directions. Unmet needs can create potentially negative and less than productive behavior (Stress).
This short video introduces you to The Birkman Method.
Birkman Reports are particularly valuable for actual and aspiring managers in business environments because they are used most often with that population. After taking ONE Birkman online assessment, Birkman can provide over 40 different reports that can be tailored to the needs of the individuals, teams, and organization using the Birkman Method.
Most of Dr. Robin’s clients start with a Signature report that includes a summary Birkman Map of their motivating interests, personality, needs and stress behaviors. Each individual’s report will go into detail about the degree to which a range of interests (Musical, Artistic, Literary, Administrative, Numerical, Scientific, Outdoor, Technical, Persuasive, and Social Service) motivate them. This information, along with the other information in the Birkman assessment, contributes to their Career Exploration Report. Even if you are not trying to choose a career at this phase in your life, the Career Exploration Report can help you manage the projects and activities you do in your work-life to increase your career satisfaction.
Nine Personality / Relational Components are Core to Birkman:
- Social Energy | Sociability, approachability
- Physical Energy | Preferred pace for action
- Emotional Energy | Openness and comfort with expressing emotion
- Self-Consciousness | Sensitivity / diplomacy in one-on-one communications
- Assertiveness | Exercise of authority, verbal dominance
- Insistence | Approach to details, structure, follow-through, routine
- Incentives | Drive for personal rewards or preference to share in group rewards
- Restlessness | Preference to focus attention vs. seek varied activities
- Thought | Decision-making process, time to decide, concern for consequences of your decisions
For each of these components, your Birkman report will describe your usual behavior, your internal need in regard to that component, and possible causes of stress for you as well as likely stress reactions if your needs are not met in that area.
Dr. Robin’s reports also usually contain several Birkman Insights pages in everyday language addressing topics that are helpful in establishing mentor-mentee relationships, team-building sessions, peer-to-peer conversations, manager-direct report expectations / performance management / feedback conversations, etc.
Favorite Insights Topics Include:
- Accountability
- Biggest Mistakes Others Can Make with You
- Handling Commitment
- Handling Conflict
- How You Prefer Others Work with You
- Motivating You for Best Performance
- Relational Disruptors
- Trust
- Your Leadership Style
- Your Possible Ineffective Tactics in Meetings
Combined with the Birkman Map — a summary of each person’s motivating interests, strengths, needs and stress behaviors — these Birkman Insights topics provide actionable data for professional development.
Watch this short introduction to the Birkman Map video.
The Birkman Method | Participant Comments:
Dr. Robin’s clear and thorough understanding of the Birkman assessment was both evident and thought-provoking.
Loved her examples of application of the component scores to real life.
Liked the opportunity to see the difference in dynamics of usual vs. needs.
THE BIRKMAN METHOD | COACHING APPLICATIONS
Assessment Process
Dr. Robin works with Birkman International to authorize you to take the Birkman Method Assessment. The questionnaire contains approximately 170 items. It has strong psychometric properties, has been used globally, and is validated by the U.S. National Science Foundation.
- The questionnaire is delivered online and should take about 30 minutes to complete.
- In order to take it, Dr. Robin will need your email address and payment.
- When you have completed the assessment, Birkman will notify Dr. Robin, and she will have your report prepared and emailed to the address you provided when you took the assessment.
- Dr. Robin will also provide you with some guidelines on where to focus your attention while reading the report, some prep work, and ask you to contact her to schedule a debriefing conversation.
While it is possible to take the assessment in 24 languages (you choose when you start taking it), all reports at this time will be delivered in U.S.-based English.
Please contact Dr. Robin HERE if you would like to take the Birkman Method Assessment.
If you are working with Dr. Robin in a coaching capacity, most likely she will ask you to use her Working the Birkman Method workbook to explore how to use the Birkman information effectively. Coming soon!
The Birkman Method materials are available in the following formats.
You can find more information about each in the tabs below.

Workbook

Video

eLearning

Books / Reports

Assessment

Coaching
WORKBOOK

ELEARNING
Connie Charles, author of The Magic of The Method: How the Birkman Profile Can Be Your Power Source for Success has developed a tool called “iMapMyTeam” that provides great self-paced, eLearning using the Birkman Method.
Contact me HERE for access to this tool.
ASSESSMENT
- The questionnaire is delivered online and should take about 30 minutes to complete.
- In order to take it, Dr. Robin will need your email address and payment.
- When you have completed the assessment, Birkman will notify Dr. Robin, and she will have your report prepared and emailed to the address you provided when you took the assessment.
- Dr. Robin will also provide you with some guidelines on where to focus your attention while reading the report, some prep work, and ask you to contact her to schedule a debriefing conversation.
While it is possible to take the assessment in 24 languages (you choose when you start taking it), all reports at this time will be delivered in U.S.-based English.
Please contact Dr. Robin HERE if you would like to take the Birkman Method Assessment.
If you are working with Dr. Robin in a coaching capacity, most likely she will ask you to use her Working the Birkman Method workbook to explore how to use the Birkman information effectively. You can purchase her Working the Birkman Method workbook below.
VIDEOS
- Click HERE to watch Dr. Robin’s Introduction to the Birkman Method video.
- Click HERE to watch Birkman’s Introduction to the Birkman Method video.
- Click HERE to watch Birkman’s Birkman Method Map video.
- Click HERE to watch Birkman’s Introduction to the Birkman Method: Measuring More Than the Obvious video.
BIRKMAN RESOURCES | BOOKS | REPORTS

- Sample Birkman Method Signature Report | Click HERE to download the “John Q Public – Signature Report”
- Sample Birkman Method Insights Report | Click HERE to download “Sample Insights”
For More Information
- To learn more facts about the Birkman Method, click HERE to download “Birkman.pdf”
The Birkman Method Books | Purchase
- Working the Birkman Method … my workbook will supplement the information you will get from your personal Birkman report. You can purchase the workbook below.
- The Birkman Method: Your Personality at Work
Written by Sharon Birkman, the daughter of Roger Birkman, who developed the Birkman Method. She is the current CEO of Birkman International. Click HERE to purchase. - The Magic of the Method
Written by Connie Charles, a Birkman consultant,. Connie makes the information from the Birkman Method actionable. She has a strong practical approach to using the information. The first half of this book is still very helpful. When Birkman changed the names of the components, it made the second half of this book more confusing to use for people who are unfamiliar with the earlier names used for those components. Nonetheless, the actionable suggestions she gives for those components continues to be helpful. Click HERE to purchase.
COACHING | INFO & RESOURCES FROM DR. ROBIN
Request Information / Resources from Dr. Robin
To schedule a conversation with Dr. Robin to request information on the Birkman Method, click HERE.
Birkman Questionnaire Fee | $150.00 |
Birkman Coaching Session | $300.00 per session |
Birkman Group Session | Call (760) 699-7279 or email Dr. Robin HERE |
Working the Birkman Workbook | Automatic download after payment |