In this blog series, we take a look at the similarities and differences of many employee assessment instruments and how you might use them – individually and together – to achieve your business and talent development needs. For this post, we discuss the LSI™ (Life Styles Inventory) and how it compares with Whole Brain® Thinking and the HBDI®.
What is the LSI?
The LSI is a psychological assessment tool used primarily in organisational development and leadership training. Developed by Dr. J. Clayton Lafferty, the LSI is designed to help individuals understand and improve their thinking and behavioural patterns, which in turn affects their effectiveness in both personal and professional contexts.
The LSI categorises personal thinking styles into three clusters:
- Constructive Styles
- Achievement: Focuses on setting and accomplishing challenging goals.
- Self-Actualising: Emphasises self-fulfilment and personal growth.
- Humanistic-Encouraging: Involves encouraging and supporting others.
- Affiliative: Centers on building relationships and collaborating with others.
- Passive/Defensive Styles:
- Approval: Seeks validation and approval from others.
- Conventional: Adheres to established norms and resists change.
- Dependent: Relies on others for guidance and decisions.
- Avoidance: Avoids responsibility and decision-making.
- Aggressive/Defensive Styles:
- Oppositional: Tends to be critical, sceptical, and confrontational.
- Power: Focuses on controlling and dominating others.
- Competitive: Driven by a desire to win and outperform others.
- Perfectionistic: Strives for flawlessness, often leading to stress.
The LSI has a Self Description and an Others description. This 360-degree feedback provides an external perspective on how the individual is perceived by others.
