Core qualities are expressions of the Self that generate inspiration. They are not so much characteristics as possibilities that can be ‘tuned in to’. Just as radio sound quality is partly determined by fine-tuning it to the right wavelength, so, too, does a person become more inspiring when he [or she] is tuned in to his [or her] own core qualities.

Ofman, 2002

What’s it all about?

A core quality is one of your specific strengths. Something you are particularly good at and which others would use to describe you positively, such as decisiveness, consideration, flexibility and so on. The core quadrants approach goes beyond simply identifying your strengths. It encourages you to think about what too much of a good thing might look like and what that means for your interactions with others. It also looks at what qualities you might be lacking and those qualities you find irritating in others and yourself.

What’s it for?

The Core Quadrants Model was devised by Daniel Ofman (2002) as a way of identifying your key strengths. The tool encourages you to think about your core qualities from different perspectives. It looks at both the strengths and weaknesses of possessing a particular quality. It is divided into four quadrants:

• Core quality
• Pitfalls
• Challenge
• Allergy

Using the tool

This tool provides you with a quick assessment of your core strengths. It can be done on your own or with people who know you well.