MICHAEL KIRTON’S ADAPTOR-INNOVATOR

THEORY

KIRTON ADAPTION-INNOVATION INVENTORY

KAI

COGNITIVE PREFERENCES (THINKING STYLE) IN:

•PROBLEM SOLVING•CREATIVITY• DECISION MAKING

STYLE: HOW YOU PREFER TO ACT

(NOT CAPACITY OR LEVEL)

NOT RELATED TO

• COGNITIVE CAPACITY• SUCCESS IN GENERAL

(BUT POSSIBLY TO JOB/SITUATION)

Helen F. Buckley

Structurerulescontrol Unstructuredunregimented

flexible

Kirton’s KAI continuum.

Structurerulescontrol Unstructured

unregimented

flexible

Kirton’s KAI continuum.

Adaptors Innovators

ADAPTORS INNOVATORS• ACT/THINK IN

PARADIGM (THINK IN THE BOX

• EMBRACE BUREAUCRACY (WRITE DRESS CODES)

• CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

• TIGHTER STRUCTURE• FOCUS IN THE SYSTEM

• CHALLENGE PARADIGM (THINK OUT OF THE BOX)

• FIGHT BUREAUCRACY (VIOLATE DRESS CODES)

• INVENT NEW WAYS

• LOOSER STRUCTURE• FOCUS OUTSIDE THE

SYSTEM

ADAPTORS INNOVATORS

• PRODUCE A FEW (SUFFICIENT) GOOD IDEAS

• FOR SOUND, SAFE IMPLEMENTATION

• PRODUCE MANY IDEAS, INCLUDING IRRELEVANT, “BLUE SKY” IDEAS

• REASONABLE OR EASY NOT KEY ISSUE

ADAPTORS INNOVATORS

• DEFINE• REFINE• EXTEND• IMPROVE

• DETACH PROBLEM FROM ITS “COCOON” OF ACCEPTED THOUGHT.

• DO IT DIFFERENTLY• IGNORE BOUNDARIES

PARADOX OF STRUCTURE

• STRUCTURE IS BOTH ENABLING AND INHIBITING

OTHERS MAY SEEADAPTORS INNOVATORS

• OVER CAUTIOUS• BRAINSTORM WITH

FINGER ON STOP BUTTON

• DOGS (MORE LIKELY TO SIT, SHAKE & COME ON COMMAND)

• RECKLESS• BRAINSTORM WITHOUT

A STOP BUTTON• CATS (MORE LIKELY TO

IGNORE COMMANDS IF THEY WISH)

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

55 65 75 85 95 105 115 125 135 145

Kirton's KAI DISTRIBUTION

KAI SCORE DISTRIBUTION

Adaptor Innovator

KAI SCORE STRENGTHADAPTORS INNOVATORS

95-80 MILD 96-110

79-65 MEDIUM 111-124

64-50 HIGH 124-139

49- VERY HIGH 140+

10 POINT KAI DIFFERENCENOTICEABLE OVER TIME

20 POINT KAI GAP CAN LEADTO COMMUNICATION PROBLEMS

MUTUAL RESPECT, SKILL, ANDCOPING BEHAVIOR IS NEEDEDTO CLOSE THE KAI GAP

KAI SUBSCALES SUFFICIENCY OF ORIGINALITY

(SO)ADAPTORS INNOVATORS

• PRODUCE FEWER BUT WELL THOUGHT OUT IDEAS (SUFFICIENT ORIGINALITY)

• GIVE EXTRA IDEAS WHICH MAY BE “WAY OUT” AND NOT THOUGHT OUT

KAI SUBSCALES EFFICIENCY

(E)ADAPTORS INNOVATORS

• PREFER TO BE THOROUGH, METICULOUS, ORDERLY

• MAY SEEM TO BE BOGGED DOWN

• PREFER TO LOOSEN STRUCTURE AND SHED DETAIL

• MAY SEEM TO LOSE TRACK OF ESSENTIALS

KAI SUBSCALES RULE/GROUP CONFORMITY

(R)ADAPTORS INNOVATORS

• CONCERN FOR GROUP RULES AND COHESION

• (do it “right”)• PREFER TO RUN SHOW

BY CHAIN OF COMMAND (“STAY IN CHAIN”)

• CHALLENGE (OR IGNORE) GROUP RULES OR CUSTOMS

• (do it different or don’t do it)• PREFER TO BE A

CONSULTANT TO BEING SUBORDINATE (EMAIL PRESIDENT?)

RULE-GROUP CONFORMITY (R)

ADAPTORS FOLLOW RULES, POLICIES, MORES,AND CONSENSUS. (THE PARIDIGM’S SOCIAL STRUCTURE)

ADAPTORS ARE METHODICAL, PRUDENT,DISCIPLINED.

ADAPTORS SOLVE PROBLEMS BY THE RULES.

ADAPTORS GENERATE IDEAS ACCEPTABLE TO THE GROUP

RULE GROUP CONFORMITY (R)

INNOVATORS CHALLENGE RULES

INNOVATORS WILLING TO SOLVEPROBLEMS AT THE EXPENSE OFTHE RULES OR GROUP COHESION

INNOVATORS ENJOY BREAKING RULES

MAN WHO SHOOK BUSH’S HANDHACKERS

KAI SUBSCALE DATA

SUBSCALE RANGE MEAN STD.DEV.

13- SUFFICIENCY OFORIGINALITY (SO)

17-63 40.78 8.89

7- EFFICIENCY (E) 7-33 18.82 5.59

12- RULE/GROUPCONFORMITY (R)

14-56 35.39 8.56

TOTAL 45-145 94.99 17.90

TEAMWORK AND KAITHE CLOSER YOUR KAI SCORES,THE MORE YOU FEEL YOU “FIT”

THOSE WITH CLOSER “SO” SCORESFEEL THAT THEY COMMUNICATEWELL WITH EACH OTHER

PEOPLE CLOSE ON “E” SUBSCALE FEELTHEY WORK TOGETHER WELL

PEOPLE CLOSE ON “R” SUBSCALE FEEL THEYTRUST EACH OTHER WELL

“WE NEED TO GET RID OF THOSEWHO DON’T “FIT THE MOLD.”

WHY DON’T THEY TRY HARDER?

WHY AREN’T THEY LIKE ME?

I AM NEVER A MISFIT--BUT I DOTRY TO PROVIDE THE GROUP SOME VERY NECESSARYDIVERSITY OF VIEW. PITY ITIS NOT ALWAYS VALUED--THEY LACK INSIGHT.

STRESS AND KAI>20 POINTS KAI DIFFERENCEREQUIRES COPING SKILLS

WHERE YOU FEEL DIFFERENT,YOU FEEL STRESS

THE LESS TOLERANT YOU ARE(LESS COPING SKILL), THE MORE YOU FEEL STRESS

A GROUP THAT LOSES DIVERSITYMAY FEEL MORE “COMFORTABLE.”

THIS MAY NOT BE A MAJOR PROBLEMUNTIL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES OCCUR THAT ALTER THE RANGEAND NATURE OF THE WHOLE JOB--THE COMFORT TENDS TO EVAPORATE.

KAI MANUAL, PAGE 54

OCCUPATIONAL DIFFERENCESKAI MEAN OCCUPATION

94-95 GENERAL POPULATION

80-90 BANK MGRS, CIVIL SERVANTSMFG MGRS, PLANT MGRS

91-92 SECRETARIES, NURSES

93-97 TEACHERS

95-96 ENGINEERS, MILITARY OFFICERS

104-110 MKT’NG, FINANCE, PERSONNEL

COPING SKILLS:

LISTEN TO OTHERS THEY WAYTHEY SPEAK

“SEEK FIRST TO UNDERSTAND” (Covey)

COMMUNICATE WITH OTHERSAS THEY WOULD LIKE TO HEAR(Platinum Rule)

KIRTON ADAPTION-INNOVATION INVENTORY

KAI

BOTTOM LINE:

UNDERSTAND AND ACCEPT DIFFERENT STYLES

EXPECT TO FEEL DIFFERENCES >20

DEVELOP AND USE COPING SKILLS

KIRTON ADAPTION-INNOVATION INVENTORY

KAIBOTTOM LINE:

VALUE ADAPTORS; WE HAVE TO GET THINGS ORGANIZED AND DONE.

VALUE INNOVATORS; WE NEED NEW WAYS TO COPE WITH LIFE.

WHAT IS YOUR KAI PREFERENCE?

ADAPTIVE INNOVATIVE

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

55 65 75 85 95 105 115 125 135 145

Kirton's KAI DISTRIBUTION

LAIGNAIPPE:EPMC KAI PREFERENCE DATA

KIRTONRANGE

SO13-65

E7-35

R12-60

KAI32-160

KIRTONMEANStd. Dev.

40.88.9

18.85.6

35.48.6

9517.9

EPMCMEAN 47.5 19.5 36.5 104.8

LAIGNAIPPE:EPMC KAI PREFERENCE

SO E R KAI

IND USAF NAVY ARMY

47.57 47.59 46.20 47.15

19.46 19.79 18.99 18.93

38.07 37.39 36.23 37.68

105.4 104.63 102.59 104.34

EPMC ALL KAI MEAN

47.31 40.8

19.37 18.8

37.61 35.4

104.24 95