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From the desk of PI Midlantic’s Client Success Team 

It’s hard. 

Being a manager in today’s fast-paced workplace. 

You’re expected to be a coach, a strategist, a mediator, and a motivator — often all in the same day. 

And that’s not even counting your actual job responsibilities. 

Many managers know the Predictive Index offers valuable insights, but they struggle with actually applying those insights consistently in their day-to-day work. 

“I took the assessment. I understand my team’s profiles. Now what?” 

This is what we hear time and again from well-intentioned leaders who want to leverage PI but don’t quite know how to weave it into their already full days. 

The Hidden Barrier to Behavioral Intelligence 

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: having access to behavioral data doesn’t automatically make you a better manager. 

It’s like having a high-performance sports car but never taking it out of first gear. 

Most managers find themselves in one of these situations: 

• They reference PI during onboarding or when team conflicts arise, but otherwise, it sits unused 

• They know their team’s patterns in theory, but struggle to adapt their approach in real-time interactions 

• They feel overwhelmed by the information and aren’t sure which insights to prioritize 

The problem isn’t a lack of value in behavioral data — it’s the gap between knowing and doing. 

Bridging the Gap: PI as Your Daily Management Companion 

What if I told you that PI isn’t just a tool for special occasions, but a lens that can transform every interaction you have with your team? 

Because that’s exactly what it is. 

The most successful managers I work with don’t see PI as something extra they have to do. 

They’ve integrated it so seamlessly into their workflow that it becomes second nature — as automatic as checking their email. 

5 Ways to Make PI Part of Your Daily Management DNA 

1. Start Your Day with Quick Profile Reviews

Before your morning meetings, take 2 minutes to review the PI profiles of the people you’ll be interacting with. This small habit creates a powerful mental framework for tailoring your communication style. 

A manager at one of our client organizations keeps a virtual “cheat sheet” with key behavioral insights for each team member. Before every 1:1, she glances at it and mentally prepares how to adapt her approach to best connect with that person. 

2. Use PI to Prepare More Effective 1:1s

One-on-one meetings are your most valuable coaching opportunities. PI’s platform can generate conversation starters and coaching approaches based on each team member’s behavioral pattern. 

For high-dominance team members, focus your 1:1s on results and challenges. For high-extraversion folks, allow time for relationship building and verbal processing. For highly patient team members, avoid abrupt changes and provide stability. For highly formal individuals, come prepared with detailed information and clear expectations. 

3. Let PI Guide Your Communication Channels

Some team members process information better through detailed written communication. Others prefer quick verbal updates. Some need time to reflect before responding. Others make decisions rapidly. 

A sales director at a PI Midlantic’s client company was frustrated with a team member who never seemed to respond to his impromptu strategy discussions. After reviewing their PI profiles, he realized this high-formality team member needed time to process information before discussing it. He started sending meeting agendas in advance, and suddenly their interactions became dramatically more productive. 

4. Leverage PI Perform for Meaningful Performance Conversations

PI Perform doesn’t just track goals — it infuses behavioral awareness into your performance management process. The platform helps you: 

• Provide feedback in a way that resonates with each team member’s behavioral pattern 

• Set goals that align with intrinsic motivations 

• Recognize achievements in personally meaningful ways 

• Ensure accountability in a style that works for each individual 

5. Use PI for In-the-Moment Adaptability

The real magic happens when you can adjust your approach in real-time based on behavioral insights. 

Is your highly analytical team member asking lots of detailed questions? That’s not them being difficult — they process information through careful examination. 

Does your high-extraversion direct report seem to go off on tangents during meetings? They’re not being unfocused — they process information through verbal exploration. 

By recognizing these patterns in the moment, you can adapt rather than react, turning potential friction points into opportunities for connection. 

The Compounding Returns of Behavioral Intelligence 

When behavioral insights become part of your daily management practice, the benefits compound over time: 

• Communication becomes more efficient and effective 

• Trust deepens as team members feel truly understood 

• Coaching conversations become more targeted and impactful 

• Team conflicts decrease as people develop greater empathy for different working styles 

• Decision-making improves as you leverage the diverse thinking patterns on your team 

One manufacturing leader who works with PI Midlantic estimated that integrating PI into his daily management practice saved his team at least 5 hours per week in miscommunications and rework. That’s 260 hours per year! 

Your Next Steps: Making PI Part of Your Management DNA 

Start small. Pick just one of the strategies above and commit to implementing it consistently for the next two weeks. 

Notice how it affects your interactions, your energy levels, and your team’s response. 

Then build from there. 

Remember: Exceptional management isn’t about grand gestures. It’s about bringing a deeper level of understanding and intentionality to the hundreds of small interactions you have with your team every week. 

The PI Midlantic consultant team is here to help integrate these practices into your unique workflow. Reach out anytime for personalized guidance and support. 

Here’s to making every interaction count, 

PI Midlantic’s Client Success Team 

 

PI Midlantic partners with organizations to uncover insights about people and teams, helping them make better hires and inspire their workforce to achieve business goals. Learn more at pimidlantic.com.