FAQ
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How do I become an SD Partner?
Very simple: SD Partnership is included in the SD Training, whether you choose the collective or individual path. After completing the training, you become an SD Expert and have the opportunity to join our organization as an SD Partner. If you have already completed a similar training and certification elsewhere, we will explore the possibility of lateral entry together.
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What does SD Partnership involve?
As an SD Partner, you are affiliated with Spiral Drives and gain independent access to our instruments at a reduced purchasing rate. But it goes beyond that. You also gain access to our resources, our continuous education program with seminars, learning groups, and the annual partner day. Additionally, you can count on our active support for your projects. From the second year onwards, you pay a small fee for the SD Partnership, which you recoup through the advantageous purchasing rate for the instruments.
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Is an SD Partnership mandatory?
No, definitely not. If you prefer to remain independent, you can also purchase our instruments separately. However, you will pay a slightly higher price and won't have access to all our services. If you use our instruments regularly, considering your own SD Partnership is worth it due to the many benefits. We are happy to assist you in making the best decision.
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What obligations do I have as an SD Partner?
Apart from the usual contractual terms, there are no obligations attached to the SD Partnership. We do not have a minimum purchase requirement, and there are no mandatory trainings or meetings. You only purchase what you need for your projects with your clients.
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How do I terminate the SD Partnership?
The SD Partnership runs on a calendar year basis starting from the second year. Termination can be done easily via email before the next expiration date.
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A completely different question: how did you come into existence, actually?
Since the early 2000s, we have been passionately engaged in conducting our own research, development, and design of Graves-based instruments and tools. In 2005, we started as an independent organization under the name "WaardenManagement." Not affiliated with any other organization, we have been operating entirely on our own strength since then. In the year 2020, we transformed into Spiral Drives, a name that better suits us in this era. With this transformation, we also introduced the Collective drivesDNA™️ and our 3-layer approach, which has since become our most distinctive feature.
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And how do you keep the SD Partnership up to date?
As passionate developers, we never stand still. Our transformation into Spiral Drives and the introduction of new instruments prove this. Your SD Partnership also remains in motion. We constantly stimulate and inspire through new developments, driven by our vision and the needs of our SD Experts. Some examples of this are the introduction of the Collective drivesDNA™ and our 3-layer approach. In this way, we create the opportunity for you as an SD Partner to grow along with us.
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How do I become an SD Expert?
To become an SD Expert, you will complete the SD Training. This training covers everything you need to get started, whether as an independent professional or within the organization you work for. We delve into the theory of Prof. Clare W. Graves and the practical application of the drivesDNA at the individual or collective level.
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What are the admission requirements?
Our instruments are focused on development. We expect demonstrated relevant knowledge and experience to guide this process carefully. We will teach you how to work with our instruments, as a complement to your existing knowledge and experience as a coach, counselor, career advisor, trainer, or consultant.
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How can I work on all 3 layers?
Supplement your training with our compact modules, targeting the missing layers. Avoid redundancies and work efficiently and purposefully towards your desired goal.
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And what if I have already been trained elsewhere?
If you have been trained elsewhere at the individual and/or team level, you can usually join directly after a short tailor-made program. However, for the Collective drijfverenDNA™️ and our specialization instruments, an additional training or module is typically required, taking your prior knowledge into account.
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What does your Individual drivesDNA™️ encompass?
Our Individual drivesDNA™ is our basic instrument. It measures preferences using a forced-point distribution between 7 answer options (ipsative measurement method), similar to that of our competitors. It serves as input for development processes, to explore together. The instrument measures all measurable drijfveren from purple to turquoise. The report includes standard graphs and a personalized report, based on a knowledge system with over 500.000 interpretation possibilities, gathered from years of experience.
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Does your Team drivesDNA™ use a separate questionnaire?
No, the Team drivesDNA™ is simply the aggregation of Individual drivesDNA's into one image, similar to our competitors. It adds a new perspective for teams. In addition to the average, it primarily displays a dispersion graph, revealing the strengthening points and potential tensions among team members. The Team drivesDNA™ focuses exclusively on team dynamics. An average of individual scores does not provide insights into the culture of a group; for that, we explicitly refer to the Collective drivesDNA™.
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What makes your Collective drivesDNA™️ so unique?
Our Collective drivesDNA™ focuses on the shared culture and energy at the collective level. We use a specific instrument that directly measures the deepest undercurrent of the team or organization. Only this way can we reliably measure culture and energy, as it goes beyond the mere sum of individual team members. The measurement method of Collective drivesDNA™ differs from the Individuael and Team drivesDNA™. We don't measure preferences but the absolute presence of all 7 culture elements. We even provide information at a highly detailed level, allowing you to precisely identify the emphasis within the prevailing culture. Although Collective drivesDNA™ depicts an absolute culture image, its primary purpose is process-oriented work. The focus lies on mutual dialogue and development towards the desired culture and energy.
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Why do you have a specialization instrument?
Existing instruments use a fixed number of points distributed among 7 answer options, the ipsative measurement method, to measure personal drijfveren preferences. The total score is always 100%, making this method effective in development processes as it is free from judgment. That's why these instruments are popular. However, they provide less concrete guidance compared to traditional psychometric instruments. To address this gap, we have developed specialization instruments based on classical psychometrics. These instruments use a 5-point Likert scale, a representative norm group, and valid construct correlations, providing both qualitative and quantitative insights. These unique specialization instruments require new knowledge and experience to use them responsibly and effectively. They are the result of years of collaboration with our affiliated (test) psychologists and are only available in Dutch.
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What are other characteristics of your instruments?
Here are three characteristics of our instruments: 1) A comprehensive integrated offering across the three layers: collective, team, and individual. 2) An inclusive approach that considers all the drijfveren from Graves' model, including beige and turquoise. 3) Extensive personalized reports at the individual level based on our advanced knowledge system, tailored for each candidate to encourage development and professionally printed through our Printing On Demand Service.
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What sets the Spiral Drives apart from other suppliers?
The best and most honest answer to this question can be found with our SD Experts. We would be happy to connect you with them. In general, we often hear that our personalized approach, service, fair rates, innovation, extensive product range, focus on nuance rather than simplistic interpretations, and inclusivity (including beige and turquoise) characterize us and reflect how we prefer to work.
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In what ways do your instruments align with other suppliers?
The starting point for all suppliers is the research of Professor Clare W. Graves, supplemented by the color-coding of Don Beck and Chris Cowan, authors of the book "Spiral Dynamics." Based on this foundation, all suppliers use the ipsative test method in their individual and team-oriented questionnaires. As a result, they not only measure the same aspects but also in exactly the same way. This makes their approach comparable and interchangeable, most notably at the individual level, with minor variations in interpretation.
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How do your rates compare to those of other suppliers?
We maintain relatively low rates for products with high professional standards. We have no external investors or debts with banks. We are also not interested in expensive lease cars or luxurious office buildings. We are a solid company that attracts customers through word-of-mouth referrals. We do not believe in expensive marketing campaigns. What we do believe in is a good and fair offering: top-quality products and excellent service at reasonable prices. Modular, so you only pay for what you need, whether it's education or products.