The SOUP Model

In the past, many organizations have relied on genericfor the staff.
personality profiling tools to assess, recruit and manageFor example, if the majority of the sales agents learn
their employees. Though these tools have garnered abetter through drawings and diagrams, a Sales Training
certain measure of success, there were many flawsprogram should avoid being too wordy, which may
that needed to be addressed for increased workplaceconfuse them in their learning process.
relevance.3. Diversity of SMARTS, United as ONE. The success
In view of these concerns, First Quatermain hasof a company's project management would require a
developed THREE tools and has blended them into anmelting pot of a variety of intelligences.
integrated schema known as the SynergisticFor example, the effectiveness of a marketing project
Organization of Unique People (S.O.U.P) Model.team will depend on the team's make-up of the
This integrated model has been developed holisticallydifferent kinds of SMARTS. A GREAT marketing
for application in a workplace context. The three toolsteam would usually comprise of members who are
are:People-Smart (knowing how potential customers will
feel and response), Word-Smart (how to write catchy
1. WorkACTIONS Mapslogans and taglines to attract the attention of the
2. WorkSMARTS Mappotential customers) and Logic-Smart (the
3. Nature of Effective Organization (NEO) Profilestep-by-step process of executing the plan).
Brief DescriptionsNature of Effective Organization (NEO) Profile
WorkACTIONS Map:The Nature of Effective Organization (NEO) Profile
The WorkACTIONS Map was developed based onserves as a 360° Feedback Survey for senior
the premise that a human resource profile tool must:management to understand how their employees view
1. Be Relevant in a Workplace Context. It wastheir organizations, the management and its operations.
discovered that there is a degree of dissimilarity in aUsing similar profiling framework as WorkACTIONS
person's attitudes and behavior when at work, asMap, this organizational profiling tool provokes a
compared to outside the workplace.company to rethink the way they lead and manage
For example, an employee who is very passionatehuman resources.
about playing golf may not necessarily bring thisTo be more specific, there are various points of
passion and enthusiasm into his/her workplace.strategic reflections that would hasten senior
2. Focus on the Line of ACTIONS rather than justmanagement to use the Nature of Effective
Personalities. In most profiling tools, potential employeesOrganization (NEO) Profile as an information-gathering
are selected, based partly on the assessment of theirtool. The following points of strategic reflections include:
suitable personalities. Though this can help increase the
success of recruiting suitable talents, it is still rather1. High Turnover Rate. Many leaders and senior
myopic in nature.management of organizations tend to (or choose to)
In contrast, the Map's emphasis is on analyzing theignore the feelings/views of their employees. Many
individual's thought processes and the line of actions hegood employees have left their organizations to chart
she will undertake in problem solving.their career paths successfully with other companies
3. Support Organization's Strategic HRM Framework.(usually with their previous firm's competitors) partly
The WorkACTIONS Map (as part of the holisticdue to this reason. If companies do not act fast to
SOUP Model) was developed to facilitate strategiccurb the employees' perception gap, this usually leads
human resource management within an organization.to a high turnover rate, notably in respect of the firm's
For example, senior management can use the Map tobest talents.
select suitable personnel when building project teams.2. Lower Productivity & Profits. In general, when
As different strategies and environments call for aemployees perceive that the organization does not
certain mix of people in a team, the Map can heightenlisten and response to them effectively, distrust and
the success rate of choosing the right people for thelow morale will ensue. This will affect the employees'
right situations.motivation and decrease productivity and eventually,
WorkSMARTS Map:lower profits.
Based on the seminal research work by Harvard's3. Strategic Mis-Communication. As the employees on
Prof. Howard Gardner, First Quatermain has adaptedthe ground are the true experts in their specific areas,
and re-defined the concept of Multiple Intelligences forthey are the best people to understand and response
workplace relevance.to market changes. With the absence of good
Prof. Gardner's research states that there are severalcommunication outlets between the employees, senior
kinds of intelligences (or SMARTS) inherent andmanagement may not be able to develop sound
nurtured within an individual. This set of intelligences willorganization strategies for market relevance.
determine the individual's ways of carrying out certainThe Confluence of the Three Strategic Tools
tasks, learning styles, job preferences and more.The rationale of fusing the three tools as an integrated
WorkSMARTS Map consists of these FIVE types ofmodel is simple and direct. With WorkACTIONS &
Intelligences. They are:WorkSMARTS Maps, an organization is well equipped
- Logical/Mathematical Intelligenceto assess and employ new employees, and also to
- Visual/Vision Intelligencemanage the existing human resource adaptively.
- Interpersonal IntelligenceWorkACTIONS + WorkSMARTS =Putting your
- Intrapersonal IntelligenceEmployees' SMARTS to ACTIONS!
- Linguistic IntelligenceWhile the following tools can help narrow the risk of
WorkSMARTS Map was developed for organizationalerrors in personnel recruitment and strategic
use based on the following factors:management of talents, it is only half the battle won.
More importantly, how does an organization retain the
1. Different SMARTS for Different Job Functions. Withtalents that they have carefully selected and trained?
the application of WorkSMARTS Map, an organizationBy using the Nature of Effective Organization Profile, a
can place the right people with the appropriate mix ofcompany can better understand their employees and
intelligences for specific job functions andresponse effectively to their needs. This will help in
responsibilities.retaining and motivating the best talents through
2. Unique set of SMARTS, Unique way ofdeveloping appropriate corporate culture and working
Organizational Learning. This realization will enable anenvironments.
organization to disseminate information effectively andIn a nutshell, the S.O.U.
develop appropriate corporate training methodology