Metaprograms is a term used in Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) to describe unconscious and habitual filters we have learned to apply to our experience of life.

Understanding people’s metaprograms at work will enable contact centres to provide the right mix of individuals, team, manager and tasks to help the organisation succeed.

SAM’s Performance Management Services has selected eleven pairs of metaprograms; each pair forming a continuum. The metaprogram pairs are grouped together in four major groups. Each metaprogram describes the behavioural and thinking characteristics of each preference

Self with others

Independent Likes to ‘go it alone’ when making decisions and may not share the credit	Dependent May check out stuff with others first and be swayed by their opinion
Concern for People Interested in people and could ‘lose the plot’ when things go wrong	Concern for Task Revels in systems and processes and can appear insensitive to others

Decision Making Style

Naïve Assumes the best in others yet can be manipulated and exploited	Sceptical Cautious and politically aware and appear unfriendly to others
Action Orientated Action-orientated and swift yet may make self-enforced errors in judgement and action	Planning Orientated Thoroughly evaluates before deciding but may miss the moment or depend on others to get the ball rolling

Thinking & Planning

What's Possible Highly visual and intuitive yet may disregard facts which 'spoil their picture'	What's Practical Demands evidence to support decisions not mere hunches!
Towards the Goal Risk-taker, motivated by commission and ‘blind’ to things that may stop them	Avoiding Problems Trouble-shooter, motivated by minimising risk and looks for what may go wrong
Likes Stability Likes stability and is uncomfortable with change or new situations	Likes Change Relishes change and motivated by variety but may induce change just for the sake of it!
Looking for Options Good at creating new approaches and considering the options but may waste time on unnecessary alternatives	Maintaining Procedures Thrives on working within set procedures and ‘the right’ way to do things. However, may be stuck for ideas when there isn’t a set way of doing things

Doing the Work

Big Picture FIRST Grasps the concept before the detail to get things done and can be bored or distracted by too much detail	Detail FIRST Motivated to action by getting to grips with detail and be frustrated if they can’t get the detail they think they need
Perfectionist Sets very high standards to get things ‘just right’ which may mean they don’t know when to let go and start another task	Pragmatic Enjoys the doing the work as much as the end result and may lower the standards in order to deliver a project
Finisher Resilient and determined to see things through to completion and will feel frustrated if they are instructed to move on to something else	Instigator Happy to multi-task and handover the end of a project for others to complete. May create distractions to avoid deadlines