About SPARK Principles™
Do you have all the skills and personality traits you need to be successful in reaching your goals? Knowledge and desire are not enough to guarantee success.
SPARK Principles™ are based on the belief that the more you have of the five key elements, the more likely you are to succeed.
Does that mean you can’t be successful if your score is low?
No, it means that once you identify where you score high or low, you can compensate by playing to your strengths and if you want to, you can concentrate on improving the lower scores. Some people are naturally blessed with more of the traits and success can come easier for them. The rest of us have to work a bit harder.
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How Does it Work?
You’re probably already aware of some of your strengths and limitations. You may have been told since childhood, by parents, teachers, friends and siblings. Typical accusations are: You’re unorganised, you need more confidence, you’re lazy. These are all global terms that are self-defeating and unhelpful. SPARK Principles™ works to break down personality traits and characteristics into small blocks to build new layers.
If you think about improving your confidence, the task is too big and vague. When you break it down into all of the components that make up confidence, it becomes easier. You can focus on the smallest aspect and build on it. SPARK Principles™ teaches you how to do this. It provides the tools and advice you need to understand yourself better, set achievable goals and identify areas for improvement. As you learn new skills and strategies, it becomes easier to build your strengths and be more successful.
Success is defined by you and is relative to the area you want to be successful in.
SPARK Principles was originally developed for self-employed home improvement salespeople. Big companies take on hundreds of inexperienced trainees every year, give them product training and let them sink or swim. Very few make a success of it.
Why?
The answer is simple. Knowledge is not enough. The distribution numbers are taken from the sales team at a national fitted furniture company.
Rather than take on everyone that applies, they could decide that all trainees should meet the minimum criteria of 500 to ensure that they are capable of making a living.
Traits are divided into 5 sections
The traits are grouped under the headings of Skills, Personality, Attitude, Resilience and Knowledge. The initials for the five headings form are an acronym for SPARK.
Our GIF logo represents the five groups coming together to make a fully-rounded person.
Are SPARK Principles based on the Big Five Personality Traits?
No reference has been made to the big five personality trait groups. SPARK Principles takes the view that each trait can be learned or improved on and that trait groups depend on circumstances and goals. We change our groups depending on the goal.
We also do not take the view that people can be distilled down into five groups or that traits remain consistent throughout a lifetime. They may also be different depending on the environment and other factors.
Are SPARK Principles based on Myers Briggs
No reference has been made to Myers Briggs. We don’t believe in 16 groupings either, any more than we believe that people are divided into 12 horoscopes.
We believe that people are more fluid. You can use your Myers-Briggs indication as a starting point to see which traits you would like to work on.
SKILLS
The Skills section contains all of the elements required to create order. These skills are not just essential for business. They are also attributes that contribute to an organised life to reduce stress and overwhelm.
If you are not naturally good at creating order in your life, it would be optimistic to assume that you could create order in a business without becoming aware of these Skills and making deliberate plans to create good habits.
PERSONALITY
Personality is the set of psychological characteristics that distinguish one person from another. Personality can be defined as a combination of one’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviours.
There are many different theories about personality, but most agree that a combination of genetic and environmental factors influences it. Some personality traits are considered to be more stable than others, while others are more likely to change over time.
Understanding and developing one’s personality can contribute significantly to personal growth, self-awareness, and interpersonal relationships.
ATTITUDE
Attitude refers to a person’s thoughts, feelings, and beliefs towards a particular situation, object, or individual. It is an integral aspect of one’s personality and greatly influences their behaviour and actions.
Attitudes can be positive or negative, and they are often shaped by an individual’s experiences, culture, upbringing, and environment. A positive attitude can help a person to achieve their goals and overcome challenges, while a negative attitude can hinder their progress and limit their potential. It is essential to develop and maintain an attitude that serves you. In success terms, that is usually termed as a positive attitude, which involves having a growth mindset, being open to learning, and focusing on solutions rather than problems.
Understanding attitude can be useful in various contexts, including education, career development, and personal growth.
RESILIENCE
Resilience is the ability to withstand and recover from difficult experiences, such as trauma, loss, or stress. It is the ability to maintain a positive outlook and to keep moving forward, even when faced with obstacles or setbacks.
Resilience is not a fixed trait – it can be developed and strengthened over time. It involves building skills and abilities that enable individuals to cope with difficult situations and come out stronger on the other side.
Resilience is important because it enables individuals to overcome adversity and achieve their goals, even in the face of challenges. Research has shown that more resilient individuals are more successful in their careers, have better mental and physical health, and experience greater overall well-being.
KNOWLEDGE
Knowledge refers to the understanding, information, and skills that an individual has acquired through experience, education, and learning. It encompasses many subject areas and can be both practical and theoretical.
Knowledge is acquired through various sources, including direct experience, observation, reading, listening, and interacting with others.
Knowledge can be explicit, formally taught and easily transferred from one person to another, or tacit, meaning it is more subjective and difficult to articulate or transfer.
Additionally, knowledge can be specialised, focusing on a specific subject area, industry, or general, meaning it is more broad and applicable to various situations.
In Spark Principles, the type of knowledge required to score well will depend on what the knowledge is required for. In the workplace, the knowledge will differ depending on the industry.