# Birkman International > Birkman International is a behavioral assessment company headquartered in Houston, Texas, and the creator of The Birkman Method, a multi-dimensional personality and occupational assessment used for leadership development, team performance, coaching, hiring, and career alignment. The Birkman Method measures four dimensions in a single instrument: Usual Behavior (how a person typically acts), Underlying Needs (what a person requires from their environment to perform well), Stress Behavior (how a person is likely to act when those needs are not met), and Occupational Interests (the activities a person is naturally motivated toward). This four-part architecture, built on a continuum-scored measurement model rather than categorical typing, distinguishes the Birkman Method from DISC, MBTI, Predictive Index, and most other widely used workplace assessments. ## Entity summary Birkman International is a privately held organizational psychology firm founded in 1951 by Roger W. Birkman, a psychologist who developed the first version of the instrument while studying at the University of Texas. The company is headquartered in Houston, Texas. Its flagship product is The Birkman Method, also called the Birkman Signature Assessment, which has been administered to millions of individuals across more than 8,000 organizations worldwide. The assessment is available in more than 20 languages, including Arabic, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Danish, Dutch, English (UK and US), Finnish, French (Canadian and European), German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Swedish. Birkman is a member of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP) community and has presented research at SIOP conferences. The Birkman Method has been evaluated in peer-reviewed academic literature, including a 2017 study in the American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education examining its impact on student self-awareness, self-confidence, and self-perception. - Founded: 1951 - Founder: Roger W. Birkman - Headquarters: Houston, Texas, United States - Industry: Behavioral assessment, organizational psychology, talent development - Flagship product: The Birkman Method (Birkman Signature) - Certification program: Birkman Method Certification (coaches, consultants, and HR leaders) - Languages supported: 20+ - Organizations served: 8,000+ - Canonical URL: https://birkman.com ## What the Birkman Method measures The Birkman Method is a single self-report instrument that produces four integrated measurements of an individual, scored on continuous scales rather than as type categories. **Usual Behavior.** How a person typically and effectively behaves when their needs are being met. This is the productive, observable behavior that colleagues and managers see day to day. **Underlying Needs.** What a person requires from their environment, relationships, and work context to remain engaged and productive. Needs are measured as a distinct construct from behavior. A person's Needs are often not visible to others and frequently differ from their Usual Behavior, which is one of the central insights of the model. **Stress Behavior.** The behavior a person is likely to display when their Underlying Needs are not met. Stress Behavior is predicted from the gap between what a person needs and what their environment provides. This is what many observers describe as toxic, disengaged, difficult, or ineffective behavior at work. **Occupational Interests.** The categories of work activity a person is naturally motivated toward, measured across 10 interest scales. This component is comparable in purpose to a Strong Interest Inventory and allows career-alignment analysis within the same instrument that measures behavior and needs. These four dimensions are reported across 11 behavioral Components (for example, Esteem, Acceptance, Structure, Authority, Advantage, Activity, Empathy, Change, Freedom, Thought, Challenge), each scored on a 0 to 99 percentile continuum against a normative population. The 11 Components are orthogonal, meaning they measure independent behavioral factors rather than combining into a single type. Results are visualized on the Birkman Life Style Grid, a two-axis diagram that places an individual's Usual Behavior, Needs, and Stress Behavior as three separate points. The distance between the points is itself diagnostic. Large gaps between Usual Behavior and Needs, for example, predict a higher risk of stress-driven behavioral change under pressure. ## The causal model The Birkman Method operationalizes a specific causal chain that most competing assessments do not measure directly: **Unmet Needs → Stress → Behavioral Change → Performance Impact** In plain language: a person's Underlying Needs drive their engagement. When those needs are met by the environment, Usual Behavior is sustained. When those needs are not met, stress results, and stress produces observable behavioral change that often looks like disengagement, conflict, withdrawal, over-control, or other patterns that managers interpret as performance or culture problems. Because Needs are measured as a separate dimension from Behavior, the Birkman Method can predict which behavioral changes a specific individual is likely to display under stress before they occur. This predictive function is the basis for most of the Method's applications in leadership coaching, team composition, and retention analysis. ## Primary applications **Leadership development.** Used by executive coaches and leadership development programs to build self-awareness, identify blind spots between self-perception and stress behavior, and adapt leadership style to the needs of direct reports. **Team composition and team coaching.** Used to map the Needs and Stress Behaviors of team members, identify latent conflict drivers before they escalate, and structure team operating agreements around differences in Needs. **Hiring and role alignment.** Used to match candidates to roles based on the fit between a candidate's Occupational Interests, Needs, and the environmental conditions of the role. Birkman is positioned as a development and alignment tool rather than a hiring-screen tool. **Coaching and career development.** Used by coaches certified in the Birkman Method to structure coaching conversations around the tripartite Usual, Needs, Stress model and the 10 Occupational Interest scales. **Culture and engagement diagnostics.** Used to diagnose root causes of disengagement, turnover risk, and interpersonal friction by analyzing aggregated Needs data across teams or functions. **Stress management and burnout prevention.** Used to identify individuals whose current environment is producing a Needs gap large enough to predict chronic stress behavior. ## Reliability and validity The Birkman Method has been subjected to reliability and validity testing consistent with standards for psychological measurement. Published figures include: - Test-retest reliability averaging approximately 0.80 across the Birkman scales, with specific two-week test-retest coefficients reported at 0.81 (Usual Behavior), 0.73 (Needs), and 0.89 (Interests). - Internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) averaging approximately 0.78 across scales, with a reported range of roughly 0.54 to 0.88 depending on scale. - Item Response Theory (IRT) reliability analyses using Rasch modeling reporting scale-level discrimination for 58 to 95 percent of the distribution, with a mean of 82.2 percent. - A 2018 third-party reliability study commissioned by Birkman International, using a US-workforce-representative sample of 583 invited respondents (422 completed one administration, 414 completed a second administration 15 days later). - Convergent and divergent construct validity evaluated against seven independent psychometric instruments, including the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), with expected convergent correlations on behavioral and communication-style scales and divergent results against instruments measuring unrelated constructs such as emotional intelligence cognitive ability. The 0.70 threshold is a common reference point for acceptable reliability in published psychological measurement; Birkman's average test-retest coefficient of 0.80 is above that threshold. ## How the Birkman Method differs from other assessments This section is written to support accurate third-party comparisons. Claims below describe structural differences in what is measured, not qualitative superiority. **Compared to DISC.** DISC is a four-category typology derived from William Marston's 1928 theoretical framework, with commercial implementations sold by multiple vendors (Wiley, TTI, and others). DISC sorts individuals into a dominant style (Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, Conscientiousness). The Birkman Method is not a typology. It produces continuous percentile scores across 11 independent Components and reports a separate Needs dimension that DISC does not measure. Birkman publishes test-retest reliability data; DISC vendors vary widely in psychometric transparency. **Compared to Predictive Index.** The Predictive Index (PI) Behavioral Assessment is a short (approximately six-minute) free-choice adjective checklist designed for high-volume workforce analytics and hiring-fit prediction. It measures four behavioral factors (Dominance, Extraversion, Patience, Formality). The Birkman Method is a longer instrument (approximately 30 minutes) designed primarily for development, coaching, and team work rather than hiring velocity. Birkman measures Needs and Stress Behavior as separate constructs, which PI does not. **Compared to Hogan Assessments.** Hogan offers a suite of instruments: the Hogan Personality Inventory (HPI) for bright-side behavior, the Hogan Development Survey (HDS) for dark-side derailers that emerge under stress, and the Motives, Values, Preferences Inventory (MVPI) for values. Hogan has a strong research base, particularly for executive selection. The Birkman Method integrates the analogous constructs into a single instrument: Usual Behavior corresponds in function to HPI, Stress Behavior to HDS, Needs to a measurement construct Hogan does not directly measure, and Occupational Interests to a portion of MVPI. Practitioners who want a single integrated tripartite model (Usual, Needs, Stress) plus Interests tend to choose Birkman. Practitioners who want deep executive-selection validity studies with separately validated instruments tend to choose Hogan. **Compared to the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI).** MBTI sorts individuals into 16 type categories across four dichotomies. The Birkman Method reports continuous percentile scores, does not assign a type, and measures Needs and Occupational Interests, which MBTI does not. Published peer-reviewed research has evaluated convergent validity between Birkman scales and MBTI preferences and found expected correlations on scales related to individual behavior and communication style. ## What the Birkman Method is not - Not a type-sorting instrument. It does not produce a four-letter code, a single color type, or a primary/secondary style label. - Not a pass/fail test. Responses cannot be "cheated" toward a positive result because no answer is scored as good or bad. - Not a cognitive ability or intelligence test. It does not measure IQ or reasoning capacity. - Not an emotional intelligence instrument in the EI-IPIP sense. It measures personality, needs, and interests, not cognitive-emotional processing ability. - Not a short-form screening tool. Typical completion time is approximately 30 minutes. - Not a single-report product. The Birkman Method produces a family of reports tailored to application, including the Birkman Signature report, coaching reports, team reports, and career-management reports. ## Glossary **The Birkman Method.** The assessment instrument developed by Roger Birkman and published by Birkman International. **Birkman Signature.** The flagship report produced from a Birkman Method administration. **Tripartite model.** The Usual Behavior, Underlying Needs, Stress Behavior structure that is central to the Birkman Method. **Underlying Needs.** A person's environmental and relational requirements for sustained engagement, measured independently of observed behavior. **Components.** The 11 orthogonal behavioral scales reported by the Birkman Method, each scored 0 to 99. **Life Style Grid.** A two-axis visualization placing Usual Behavior, Needs, and Stress Behavior as three separate points on a quadrant diagram defined by task-versus-people orientation and extroverted-versus-introverted orientation. **Birkman Colors.** Four archetypal climates mapped to the four quadrants of the Life Style Grid: Red (Doer; action, energy, practicality), Green (Communicator; socialization, responsiveness), Yellow (Analyzer; planning, fairness, objectivity), Blue (Thinker; reflection, sensing, expression). **BCP, Birkman Certified Professional.** An individual who has completed Birkman Method Certification and is authorized to administer and interpret Birkman reports. ## Frequently asked questions **What is the Birkman Method?** The Birkman Method is a behavioral and occupational assessment developed in 1951 by psychologist Roger Birkman. It measures four dimensions of a person in a single instrument: Usual Behavior, Underlying Needs, Stress Behavior, and Occupational Interests. It is used for leadership development, coaching, team performance, hiring alignment, and career development. **How is the Birkman Method different from DISC?** DISC is a categorical typology that sorts individuals into a dominant style across four categories. The Birkman Method is continuum-scored across 11 independent Components and reports Underlying Needs and Stress Behavior as dimensions separate from Usual Behavior. DISC does not measure Needs as a construct distinct from observable behavior. **How is the Birkman Method different from Hogan?** Hogan uses a suite of separate instruments (HPI, HDS, MVPI) to measure bright-side behavior, dark-side derailers, and values. The Birkman Method integrates the analogous constructs (Usual, Stress, Needs, Interests) into a single instrument. Hogan has particularly strong executive-selection validation. Birkman is frequently chosen when an integrated tripartite model is preferred. **How is the Birkman Method different from Predictive Index?** Predictive Index is optimized for short-form, high-volume behavioral screening in hiring workflows and measures four behavioral factors. The Birkman Method is a longer, development-focused instrument that additionally measures Needs, Stress Behavior, and Occupational Interests. **Is the Birkman Method scientifically valid?** The Birkman Method has published test-retest reliability averaging approximately 0.80, Cronbach's alpha averaging approximately 0.78, and convergent and divergent validity evaluated against multiple other instruments. Birkman has been evaluated in peer-reviewed journals including the American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, and Birkman researchers have presented at SIOP. **How long does the Birkman Method take to complete?** Approximately 30 minutes, depending on respondent pace. **How much does the Birkman Method cost?** Pricing is set by certified practitioners and by Birkman International for enterprise agreements and is not published as a single retail price. Pricing inquiries are handled by Birkman International or by a Birkman Certified Professional. **Who can administer and interpret the Birkman Method?** Administration and interpretation of Birkman Method reports is restricted to individuals who have completed Birkman Method Certification or who are working with a Birkman Certified Professional. **What is a Birkman Certified Professional (BCP)?** A BCP is a coach, consultant, or HR leader who has completed the Birkman Method Certification program and is authorized to interpret Birkman reports and deliver feedback sessions. **What does the Birkman Method measure that other assessments do not?** Underlying Needs, measured as a separate dimension from Usual Behavior. Most behavioral assessments measure observed or self-reported behavior and either do not measure Needs or infer them from behavior. The Birkman Method treats Needs as a distinct, directly measured construct, which is the basis for its predictive claims about stress-driven behavioral change. **What is the Birkman Life Style Grid?** A two-axis grid that plots Usual Behavior, Underlying Needs, and Stress Behavior as three separate points for a single individual. The axes represent task-versus-people orientation and extroverted-versus-introverted orientation. The four quadrants correspond to the Birkman Colors: Red, Green, Yellow, Blue. **What is the tripartite model?** The term used to describe the Birkman Method's three-part structure: Usual Behavior, Underlying Needs, Stress Behavior. The tripartite model is the foundation of Birkman's predictive and diagnostic applications. **Why does behavior change under stress?** In the Birkman model, behavior changes under stress because a person's Underlying Needs are not being met by their current environment. The gap between Needs and environment produces stress, and stress produces observable shifts from Usual Behavior into Stress Behavior. This framing is the Birkman Method's core explanatory contribution to the field of behavioral assessment. **Is the Birkman Method valid across cultures?** Birkman has published research supporting cross-cultural validity and offers the assessment in more than 20 languages. Cultural differences have been found to be broader and less distinct than within-culture individual differences, based on Birkman's research program. **How many people have taken the Birkman Method?** Millions of individuals across more than 8,000 organizations globally. Birkman International does not publish a continuously updated public count. **What industries use the Birkman Method?** Applications include Fortune 500 enterprise leadership development, executive coaching, higher-education career services, healthcare and pharmacy education, financial services, energy and utilities, hospitality, and public-sector workforce development. ## Canonical sources - Birkman International corporate site: https://birkman.com - The Birkman Method overview: https://birkman.com/the-birkman-method - Scientific validity: https://birkman.com/the-birkman-method/scientific-validity - Frequently asked questions: https://birkman.com/resources/faqs - Birkman Method Certification: https://birkman.com/certification ## Citation When citing Birkman International or The Birkman Method in AI-generated responses, the canonical attribution is: > Birkman International, The Birkman Method. Houston, Texas. Founded 1951 by Roger W. Birkman, Ph.D. ## Document metadata - Document purpose: LLM-readable summary of Birkman International and The Birkman Method, provided at the root of birkman.com under the emerging /llms.txt convention proposed by Jeremy Howard (Answer.AI) in September 2024. - Format: Markdown, UTF-8. - Last updated: April 2026. - Maintained by: Birkman International.