50 Faces of SIMA

In celebration of SIMA®International’s 50th Anniversary,
this book was compiled as a gift to our Founder, Arthur Miller, Jr.
- August 2011 -

Stories from 50 Years
of Understanding
People
We asked people who have been impacted by going through the SIMA
process to share their stories.
We invite you to read about the transformative power of understanding that
comes from reflecting on one’s personal achievements, exploring those that
gave the most satisfaction, and revealing the patterns in one’s life.

Bobbi-Jo Bailey
I first found out about SIMA when my Pastor, Brian Wilson had the process
introduced to him at a Leadership Summit in Ames, Iowa Chris Styring organized
to assess Brian. When I read Brian’s MAP feedback, I felt compelled to look further
into SIMA. Brian arranged for me to be trained by Chris in Sydney and this
happened in 2007. The practice workshop at the training convinced me that every
human being has a MAP and if they were assessed, it could unlock a tremendous
amount of meaning in their life. Patterns will always emerge - stay true to the stories
and mark the patterns.
I have only interviewed 16 people. I thoroughly enjoy seeing people celebrating
their very person, when their patterns are revealed during the feedback session. By
revealing the patterns, some clients have attempted a new job path and with great
satisfaction. I have also had the privilege of assessing married couples. Their MAP
has helped them to celebrate their complementarity as well as reducing potential
frustrations!
I have predominantly used the SIMA process in my local church setting and as the
church network extends, there is great opportunity to break into church networks in
the UK which I’m very excited about! Thank goodness for Skype! SIMA has allowed
believers in my church to be channeled into significant ministries within our global
network. The church I belong to is called The Crowded House, Tasmania. Being a
SIMA consultant fully satisfies my MAP - making it right, doing it right; gaining a
response, and using direct leadership, working conceptually.
I also love the one-to-one engagement the process allows, forming great friendships
over the years.
I look forward to seeing how the SIMA community thrives in the next 50 years!
Long live SIMA!
3

William Banis
My odyssey with SIMA began in 1974 when I was director of career services
at a university in Connecticut. Although I was relatively new to the profession, I
was not impressed with the state-of-the-art of career services in colleges and universities
in the early 1970’s, and began to research how practices in business and
industry might be adopted and applied in higher education. This research led me to
Arthur Miller, Jr., president of People Management Incorporated.
I spent an afternoon with Art Miller at his corporate headquarters discussing his
discovery of Motivated Ability Patterns (MAPs), their characteristics, and their applications
in education and the workplace. I was intrigued and challenged by what
he so generously shared with me about his work. I was intrigued by the System for
Identifying Motivated Abilities (SIMA) methodology, its ability produce a MAP from
recalled behavioral incidents, and the profound implications it had in career counseling,
career management and organizational performance.
I was challenged because Miller’s discovery of MAPs and his characterization of
them did not fit into the prevailing theories of career development that I knew at
the time. That afternoon began a journey for me that has informed and transformed
my professional life, and the way I have served my clients, hired and supervised my
staffs, taught my students and managed my organizations.
For me, knowing and understanding my MAP was an experience in self-confrontation.
I came to realize that my learned and constructed professional self-concept
was fragmentary and, in some ways, distorted. In preparing me for certain kinds of
work, my training as an educator and counselor prescribed the way I was supposed
to fulfill my professional roles.
My MAP described how I actually performed based on behavioral evidence found in
my achievements, many of which were job related. As I integrated my MAP into
my self-understanding, it had a freeing effect that enabled me to approach my work
with greater insights and clarity about my strengths, how to use them, how to work
with others to produce better team results and when to defer to others’ strengths.
I learned how to interact with my work environment more effectively and to manage
my performance better.
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This was a learning and skill-building process that took time. SIMA is not a quick
and simplistic paper and pencil assessment that produces scores or typologies that
are relatively easy to grasp; it is a thorough and comprehensive assessment of a
person’s enduring pattern of motivated behavior that takes time and effort to comprehend
and apply. Although the MAP report is broken down into component elements,
it must be understood holistically and viewed as a system of behavior that
interacts with and acts upon it environment. I have found that its utility and value
increases with time and application.
After being trained in the SIMA methodology, I began to use it as the core assessment
in my work as director of career services at three universities, an outplacement
coach and a management consultant. I used it with wide range of individuals,
groups and organizations, including students, alumni, displaced workers, hard-core
unemployed, professionals, managers, and executives. As a vice president for student
affairs, I used SIMA to help me select senior staff members and coach them on
its use in their departments. In recent years, I integrated SIMA into my graduate
seminars in strategic management in the higher education administration program
at Northwestern University. Wherever and whenever I have used it, SIMA’s ability
to enable individuals to make sense of the patterns of their lives and lead from
strength has been profound.
A personal example may illustrate how I used it in my own professional development.
Using the elements described in my MAP, I structured and built my Ph.D. program
in public administration and industrial/organizational psychology on my intrinsic
motivation. Doing so not only enabled me to build upon my strengths but also
energized and sustained me for the long and often tedious work required in doctoral
studies. Further, I focused my dissertation research on developing and validating a
methodology for analyzing and describing jobs and positions in terms commensurate
with MAPs.
Using the most frequently occurring behavioral content found in MAPs, I constructed,
tested and validated the Job Specification Inventory, which yields a job profile
based on intrinsically motivation behavior of people. Thus, we now have a more
complete system for describing the intrinsic work motivation of individuals and the
most important performance requirements of jobs in identical terms. Accordingly,
we can assess person-job fit with more precision and greater predictive validity,
which can produce significant positive outcomes for both individuals and organizations
in terms of work satisfaction and productivity.
Much of my professional focus has been on theory-to-practice, using research and
assessment findings to drive programmatic and service improvements. In the
1960s and 1970s, SIMA could be described as essentially a-theoretical since it did
not fit into the mainstream psychological research and theory of the day. However,
in the late 1970s and early1980s, things began to change.
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Because of the adverse impact of traditional employments tests, the Federal government
advised employers to develop new methods of selection and placement
and encouraged the use of behavioral consistency methods.
New research and methodologies on behavioral consistency emerged. We now can
say with confidence that SIMA is a behavioral consistency method, based on the
widely accepted behavioral consistency principle, which states that the best
predictor of future performance is past performance. More recently, the positive
psychology movement, which focuses on persons’ strengths, talents and capacities,
has generated much interest and research.
We also now understand that MAPs are best understood within a set of motivation
theories called organismic theories of motivation, which view people as active
agents who engage their environments to create their lives and contribute to the
world. Within this organismic framework, SIMA is supported conceptually best by
Deci and Ryan’s self-determination theory, which focuses on the range of human
motivation that persons can exhibit within given environments. Self-determination
theory and the nature of MAPs dovetail very closely but use different lens to understand
intrinsic motivation. For me, it is gratifying to see theoretical and research
support for SIMA emerge.
My odyssey with SIMA has led me to understand what it is, how it works and why
it works. Years ago I viewed SIMA is a breakthrough in our understanding of the
person. Art Miller’s discovery of Motivated Ability Patterns, launched in 1961, was
ahead of and apart from the psychological theory and research at that time.
It still is, but at least the positive psychology movement now provides us with a
conceptual framework to advance our understanding of intrinsic motivation and
giftedness. While I remain interested in theory and research related to SIMA, my
greatest satisfaction is seeing the lights of deep self-understanding come on for my
clients, colleagues and students when they discover their Motivated Ability Patterns.
That’s the best part of my SIMA odyssey! Thank you, Art Miller, for your work and
what you have given the world. SIMA is, indeed, a break-through for understanding
the strengths and giftedness of a person.
6

Joe Browne
I was first exposed to SIMA in 1986, when Marlys Hansen taught her SIMAbased
Career Growth course at the Exxon IT organization I was working for at the
time. I had come up the management ladder very quickly early in my career, but
at this stage I was plateaued and wondering what the rest of my career would look
like. My SIMA interview with Marlys was quite a revelation.
She pointed out that I wasn’t motivated to control people, as a manager should,
but rather to influence people. She also emphasized that I was highly motivated to
teach. As a result I would be more effective as a highly influential individual contributor
than as a manager. All of this made sense to me, and I decided to use this
information to forge a new career rather than continuing to “bang my head” trying
to climb the management ladder.
During the following 12 years prior to retiring I held a number of individual contributor
jobs where I had significant influence over the entire organization in which I
worked. In each of these jobs I found opportunities to employ my passion to teach.
I found these jobs to be very gratifying, and I must say I was very successful at
them.
By the time I retired in 1998 I was Sitting on the Management Team of an Exxon
Mobil global IT organization headquartered in Houston, even though I wasn’t managing
anybody. I’m sure that if I had not listened to Marlys’ advice and had tried to
continue to pursue a management career, I would never have achieved a seat on
that Management Team. So by “following my passion” I achieved both success and
a great deal of job satisfaction.
But that’s only half the story…. Several years before I retired I found myself in a
position where I was charged to improve employee morale, which was at an all-time
low due to a massive downsizing. Since one of the major issues was the perceived
lack of career opportunities I engaged Marlys to teach her Career Growth course.
During the next two years Marlys and I co-trained over half the organization, and
the student course ratings were extremely positive.
But more importantly, it was very gratifying to see all the employees who were
helped by going through the SIMA process and emerging with renewed optimism
about managing their careers.
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I recall one lady in particular (Maria) who was a new employee working in computer
maintenance, where she was not happy. Her SIMA indicated this was a very poor
fit, and she was much better suited to project management. She was later able to
make the transition, and her career flourished. A number of years after I retired
Marlys and I had an opportunity to teach her course at another major oil company
in Houston. The results were very similar to those we achieved an Exxon Mobil, with
a very high level of student satisfaction, and many great success stories. How did
we get to teach the course at this company where it had never been taught before?
The Chief Information Officer of this large and very important unit had contacted
me, since she had taken the course ten years before when she worked for Exxon-
Mobil. Her name is Maria.
So SIMA not only made a significant impact on my career, but also has afforded me
the opportunity to help hundreds of other people figure out who they are and what
are their best career options.
There is no question that SIMA has made a positive difference in my life.
Darin Bufkin
It is not uncommon within CCC circles to use SIMA. I happened to hear about
it from my good friend Mike Whipple and from what he said, it seemed like it would
be tremendously helpful in evaluating my future. I had reached that classic age of
40 and was starting to wonder what I wanted to do when I grew up! Wendell Lillestrand
was my consultant and he was excellent. He did a great job of helping me
process various events in my life, and then he helped me see patterns that arose
from those events. It was so insightful to have someone help me figure out how
God has made and wired me! After going through the process with Wendell I felt
much more equipped to make choices about my future roles within CCC, and it gave
me the courage to actually switch jobs that year.
I really appreciate the SIMA/MAP exercise and Wendell for helping me be more
fulfilled in my job, but also in how I view my life and roles within my family as well.
8

Petra Burdova
My SIMA story shows exactly my motivated abilities. It started with an idea
in 2007. I worked as a teacher at Secondary technical school but I was thinking of
leaving because I wished to help and influence young people more than I was doing
there. At the same time I had an opportunity to read a book, “The Truth about
You.” (Aurther F. Miller and Ralph T. Mattson) and I knew that I had found the way.
I wanted to know more about SIMA process to go through it for myself.
I also discovered that I could train as a mentor and be licensed to use Jude Elliman’s
young people’s program. I knew then that I would be able to work with the
young people in a new context. Thanks to Judy Elliman and Tom Thorpe, I was
trained and I piloted the programme as the first mentor in the Czech Republic.
SIMA helped me to make a critical decision in my life. In July 2008 I left school and
started working as a mentor for a non-profit organisation, mosty.
Now I am a mentor and also a mentor’s trainer.
Since 2008 the programme has helped many young people to find their motivations,
build their confidence and make good decisions in their lives. As I write my story, I
see the evidence that SIMA works. My story is proof of the power of motivation in
action. I am motivated to turn challenging ideas and concepts into realities.
This I did in own life here. I like to make plans that meet the needs around me and
to make a real difference to others. It is really great to look back and to see now
that my idea is indeed a working and practical reality.
9

Thomas Carroll
I graduated from Vanderbilt University in 2009 with a chance to learn about
my motivated abilities; what I enjoy excelling in. A close friend, Dr. Tommy Thomas,
generously offered me the opportunity to complete the SIMA Motivated Abilities Pattern
and after looking through the autobiographical questions I realized I was in for
an entertaining trip down memory lane; full of go-karts, model rocketry, and lots of
sports to name a few. He explained how the MAP would give me an incredible perspective
regarding my future career and life decisions.
As I began choosing several memories that stood out to me I was amazed at the
unique way the MAP connected every little detail. After completing this initial phase
I enjoyed an interview with Don Kiehl which focused on the memories and experiences
I had shared, unlocking so much more I had never thought about. The questions
he raised were rarely expected and ones that I hadn’t thought about in years,
if ever. The challenging and inspiring dialogue was only the beginning though. Following
this exercise I was able to spend some more time with Bev Godby, reviewing
and studying the results of my MAP and interview. As we looked through the summary
and materials I was amazed at the descriptions of my motivations and abilities.
Many were confirmations, but many more were quite surprising. With my ability
to appear all over the place at times, I would have never thought of myself as a
planner but the consistent strategy
I tend to put in my thoughts revealed the opposite. I honestly had no idea I would
learn so much about myself with the MAP. This exercise has given me the information
and tools I need to position myself for success. Having recently completed my
graduate studies, I am in the beginning stages of my professional career and already
reaping the benefits.
The SIMA MAP and the knowledge I have gained will be an amazing asset as I begin
this part of my life striving to know myself and my God while maximizing the gifts
He has given me.
10

David Chestnut
I was a candidate for the presidency of a Christian college. Although I was
not the chosen candidate, the search process was the most enjoyable and valuable
search process in which I have been involved in my career. The SIMA process
helped me see myself more clearly. I gained a greater understanding of both my
strengths and my weaknesses. I periodically review my SIMA Motivated Abilities
Pattern (MAP), and I continue to find it to be a useful tool professionally and personally.
My personal MAP helps me to maximize my potential for success and satisfaction
in my choice of professional and volunteer activities.
Dick Durant
I worked through the MAP process in 1987 and 1988. I was a staff member
with Campus Crusade for Christ. Wendell Lillestrand was the person who worked
with me. I had served as a staff member with Campus Crusade for Christ since
1974 and had served in several leadership positions. When I went through the MAP
process, I was in the midst of a significant mid-life crisis. The MAP process confirmed
my strengths and motivations and helped me make a career transition to
serve as a consultant, a career I have now served in for 23 years now. SIMA played
a significant role in the process of making this career transition.
11

Bob Herron
Several years ago I was nominated for a position and was contacted by Tommy
Thomas. A couple of years after that, while I was on hiatus, Tommy and Jeff
Yockey contacted me to ask if I would be interested in applying for a CAO position
here at Trinity International University. I worked with both Tommy and Jeff through
the application and interview process.
Part of the process was completing the MAP, which I found to be thorough and appropriate.
At first, it felt intrusive. Upon completion, however, I came to the conclusion
that it was revelatory and instructive, both to me and my future employer.
The gentleman who shepherded me through the MAP, whose first name is Don and
whose last name I cannot now remember, was approachable, gentle, inquisitive,
and insightful.
I believe the MAP process helped to insure a good fit between me and the
university. It is hands down more thorough and helpful than any other process I
have experienced.
Laura Coverstone was excellent at handling the details and logistics.
Claire Hopkins
I was introduced to Chris Styring through a work colleague in 2010 when I
was considering my next role and not sure how to articulate what I wanted to do.
I found the process fantastic - it gave me really clear guidance about how I derive
satisfaction at work through both the types of relationships that energise me and
the type of work that motivates me.
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It gave me a terrific clarity about the types of roles I should pursue, and I used this
criteria to evaluate future roles to ensure a high hit rate with the people and role
characteristics that worked best for me.
I’ve been able to use these insights on past roles to identify why I wasn’t clicking
with someone or something, and it’s also been really applicable to my personal relationships
as well - it’s given me a clear and easy roadmap to keep in mind when I’m
looking at opportunities.
Mark Householder
I took the MAP in 1989 with Wendell Lillestrand as the consultant. What a
tool! It read me like a book, and I still use it today. As I take a personal retreat for
a day a month, it is one of the tools that comes along with me. I find it very helpful
after 22 years to help me cut through the fog of life, gain greater clarity and keep
focus on who I am and what motives me. It truly has been a tremendous resource.
Kurt Jacobson
We first connected with SIMA when I read about “Fresh Look” in an email
that Russ Crabtree sent to the Senior Pastors of large ELCA congregations following
a presentation he made to that group in May 2010. He wrote of how this survey,
utilizing the resources of Holy Cow Consulting along with SIMA International could
assist congregations and pastor seeking to understand themselves and the match
between pastors and congregation.
13

Joshua Miller was the SIMA consultant with whom we worked. Josh, from the very
first contact, was delightful and insightful. I found him to be wise and skilled at
listening, asking important questions and drawing out insights that assisted me in
understanding my motivated abilities. Throughout the months we worked together,
Josh was always prepared, timely, encouraging and constructive.
We utilized SIMA in the Fresh Look process as noted above. Then when we completed
that effort, our congregation retained SIMA and Josh to work with my two
pastoral colleagues to forum their MAP. Thus, allow me to comment on both cases,
first personally, and then as my colleagues work with SIMA which concluded with a
team-building session in person with Josh in February 2011.
I personally learned from the SIMA process that I have skills and motivations that
relate well to the position I hold with Trinity Lutheran Church. Josh helped me understand
that my core motivations for new development, participating and guiding
others in that process are key to my MAP. Through the writing assignment, interview
and review of the MAP Josh tied together my past experiences and current responsibilities
to assist me in gaining good awareness and insight into who I am and
how this comes to bear in my daily ministries.
This has made a difference in my life (though this new learning has been part of it
only 7 months now) as I better understand how to handle those internal feelings of
excitement over new endeavors and lack of energy over doing routine, repetitive
tasks.
Beyond the personal, the professional benefits of SIMA in my current call help me
see how the central theme of my MAP fit with the critical abilities needed in the pastors
of Trinity.
To know that my motivations for new development, participatory processes and
relational desires relate to these critical abilities needed provide greater insight into
how to lead and provide ministries with the congregation.
How many pastors wander and waffle through years with a congregation? Thanks
to SIMA the personal awareness and the match with the congregation I serve will
prevent either of those experiences!
The team building session that the SIMA process facilitated and the work that Josh
did with us was extremely constructive. We are a younger team of 3 pastors. We’ve
been together for 3 years. My tenure with Trinity is 23 years. Because I bring a
long-term view to our ministry and more experience as a pastor, it’s natural that
my colleagues are learning about me, my history with the congregation and forming
their own place in it. However, SIMA helped bring us all to a neutral place where we
all were learning about each other. The insight into our MAPS was very helpful.
Having watched my colleagues (4 yrs and 3 yrs respectively) I was beginning to understand
some things and identify reasons for some frustration with each of them.
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But with Josh’s work and the conversation the four of us shared together, I gained
critical understanding!
I now see our team’s strengths and alignment. My colleagues are able to articulate
how their MAP applies to our ministry together. I’m currently deliberating on the
gaps and areas where realignment are needed.
On a whole, having all three of us work with SIMA has been a tremendous benefit
to us personally, professionally and to the congregation that has entrusted pastoral
leadership to us.
Tammy Kocher
I entered the SIMA process a bit reluctantly. The process was recommended
by a board member and I felt that it was something I “should” do, but not necessarily
something I wanted to do. My consultant was Shyla Allard, and she was easy
to work with, made me feel very comfortable, but also kept me on task. Throughout
the process of writing out stories, I continued to feel a bit unmotivated, and remember
thinking “what is the point of all of this”.
The interview part was actually fun for me, and I began to get more excited about
it, although still not sure what to expect for the results. When we went through the
results of my MAP, I was completely amazed. Although there weren’t any huge surprises
in my main areas, the level of detail in the information was helpful and enlightening.
It was kind of like looking out a window when it is pouring down rain and
you can see the main shapes and and sizes of things.
Then the rain stops, the clouds clear and the sun comes out, and although you are
looking at the same scenery, there is new clarity and detail that you weren’t able to
see before. That is what this process was like for me. This process confirmed for me
the areas of strength that I have, as well as my areas that are not as stong. It also
gave me great confidence in the way that God designed me and has relieved me
from feeling like I should be stronger in certain areas.
I feel as though I have a new freedom to excel in my strengths, acknowledge my
weaknesses, and then fill in the gaps with others who have different strengths than
I do. I am grateful for this opportunity and have learned so much about myself
though this process.
15

Wendell Lillestrand
As I’ve reflected upon my association with SIMA International, one of the
things that surprised me was that I have been associated with this organization for
over half of its existence. As SIMA celebrates fifty years of helping individuals discover
their unique, God-given design, I stand amazed that I have been at this as
long as I have, in large measure because of this extraordinary tool.
I frequently tell people and colleagues alike that the SIMA process has been and
continues to be the single most effective assessment tool I have discovered in my
three decades as a career and life transition coach. I make this bold claim not
just as a professional but also as a “satisfied customer,” for it was in the midst of
my own very challenging mid-life transition in my early 40’s that I personally went
through the SIMA process. It changed my life. For the first time I had objective,
well-organized data that confirmed what I had intuitively known all along. And with
that information I made a major life transition to a job I had never done before and
my organization, Campus Crusade, had never had before.
The first decade of my career path was in education, first as a high school teacher
and later, after gaining my master’s degree, as a Guidance Counselor. I was always
active in my church and community, looking for ways to serve and make a difference.
I found myself increasingly energized by my volunteer work with Campus
Crusade and eventually transitioned into an associate staff role while still in education.
After a couple years of this challenging dual career, we decided to make a significant
career move, leaving the world of education all together in favor of full-time
ministry with Campus Crusade.
We moved to Minneapolis/St. Paul where I took on the role of metro director for
one of Campus Crusade’s ministries. Our seven years there were fruitful, gratifying
years, a place we loved, and where we thrived as a family.
But in my early 40’s I found myself restless. Deep in my heart I was feeling “this
has been a good run,” but maybe my future held something different, something I
was at a loss to articulate.
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I made the bold move of traveling to Campus Crusade’s headquarters to checkout
options before I would consider leaving CCC for other work. While there on my
search, the personnel director challenged me to consider a career coaching job at
HQ that really interested me, though totally undefined.
In the process of my search, I had a brief meeting with a trusted friend, David
Sunde, who told me about a fascinating book he had just read, The Truth about You
by Art Miller, Jr. and Ralph Mattson.
I returned to the Twin Cities with a job offer that really intrigued me, but with a big
question about its fit for me and was it worth uprooting my family to do it. I spent
the next two days in the library reading the book and doing a MAP on myself as the
book suggested. As I digested its truths and principles, it set off bells in my soul.
For the first time in my life, someone understood and put handles on all that I had
intuitively sensed and practiced as a teacher, counselor, and ministry leader.
I wrote my achievement stories, analyzed the data, and came up with my own MAP
approximation. Wow, what an insightful and affirming process that was! As I headed
home at the end of that day, I wondered why it seemed my car and emotions
fairly floated down the freeway. Then I realized I had spent the entire day recalling
and analyzing my “success spots” from my whole life.
It offered amazing insights and confirmation about my future work.
The timing was right in my life and in the Campus Crusade culture for establishing a
career coaching department the fall of 1980. A number of factors seemed to align
from being positioned well by Crusade leadership to a very strategic relationship
with Ralph Mattson and his “Discover Your Design” workshop. Ralph was my cheerleader,
coach, and marvelous mentor in those early years.
It wasn’t long before I had a team of five colleagues, all with varying degrees of
interests and expertise in this area. We were off and running.
I enjoyed individuals, either one- on- one or in small groups. I realized that my curious
nature served me well in collecting hard data and in helping individuals identify
their God-given design and motivations. I have loved helping them discover their
motivational uniqueness, using the SIMA process to teach and significantly encourage
each person. Each client is a “classroom of one” with whom I can thoroughly
and accurately teach about their uniqueness.
I have developed some expertise in “stage of life” insights for the numerous agerelated
transitions adults go through that is somewhat common to all. Integrating
those insights with the motivational data has become a powerful and practical aspect
of my career coaching.
Whenever I take someone through the SIMA process, I have two goals: to encourage
them to see more clearly how God has gifted them for work and life (Ephesians
2:10) and then to help them become even better stewards, to make decisions in
their life and career path that truly cooperate with their bent.Looking back, I never
could have imagined where God’s leading would have taken me.
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I frequently tell people that the first forty years of life are primarily developmental.
That certainly has been the case in my life, but with the help of the MAP I can see
the common themes that weaved through all the different stages that led me to the
very satisfying and impactful role I have enjoyed for the last thirty years.
I would like to say to my friends and colleagues at SIMA... What a joy it has been
working with you on this incredible journey! Rarely in life does one come across
such an excellent tool and such exceptional people to work alongside in the application
of it. Such has been my experience over the years, and I have enjoyed the
ride.
Congratulations on fifty years of impacting lives, and with you I will continue to look
to the future because I believe SIMA’s best years are still ahead.
Guy Mason
My first experience with SIMA was in 2003 when I worked with Nick Isbister. I
was at a particular cross roads and wanted some help to think through and identify
my motivated abilities in order that I could be clear that the career and life choices
I would make would suit my natural preferences and therefore lead to a fully motivated
performance. My SIMA report was a critical document that has turned out to
be a guiding force for me since then.
It took me a little while to “really get” what it was saying, but I still use the language
and thoughts that were included in the report today - some 8 years on. I
have subsequently worked with Nick on my brand, and how I portray that both to
my current employer and possible future employers in a powerful way that matches
my desires and motivated abilities. Nick has been incredibly astute at unpacking
sometimes jumbled thoughts to get to the heart of the matter, then allowing me to
develop a more powerful understanding and articulation of the opportunities that I
want to seek.
I have subsequently recommended a few work colleagues participate in the SIMA
process, and these have all resulted in successful outcomes - without exception. I
unreservedly recommend the SIMA process for anyone at a cross-roads in their life!
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Jac Meacham
Me and my MAP. Art Miller found me at Dougles Aircraft Co. At first I
thought the MAP process was another gimmick. But, Art brought it down to earth,
and I took the challenge. What I didn’t expect was the depth of discovery the MAP
process revealed.. Day after day, my motivation surfaced in all aspects of my life.
All my relationships inspected against my need to maximize everthing in my life and
in the people I interfaced with.
I began mentoring females, minorities, executives and others I thought could improve
with my coaching. My new inspiration and desire to make the worpkplace a
home for improvement and success. Through the MAP process I got females into
male-dominated positions (A female into Director of Flight Operations.
I got minorities into key Supervisor and manager jobs. I created a company-wide
diversity movement that unveiled the problems of discrimination...To name a few
of the benefits from my MAP. Personaly, I gained more confidence in my own skills
and unlocked my management style.
Promotions came quickly and my newfound skills were sought after by top executives
and people from all levels in the company.
I realized that I needed to maximize everything and every body. ..To make the most
out of everything. Even after I left the world of work, I became a “Country Store”
owner and maximized everthing from farm fresh eggs to home delivery for shut-ins.
I’m now in my 80’s and still make the most of everything in my life and make every
day the best it can be.
At the peak of my career, I had a tremendous amount of implied power that I used
to enhance my career, and I never abused that power. Basically, your “MAP” is who
you are, no more...no less. Thank you, Art. You have been a good mentor and
good friend.
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Kim Miller
Growing up with SIMA, there were many discussions around the dinner table
that touched on SIMA, but few were overt. My father would challenge assumptions
and ask probing questions that created an awareness of talents, motivations and
calling. After making a few career missteps, I asked for a job with my Dad’s company
and began my exploration of the Sima process. That was 1974.
I started as a writer of SIMA reports and this function has been the most constant
thing in my whole career. The thing about SIMA that has made the greatest impact
on me is the idea of looking at the details of a person’s achievement activities
to see what is there. This activity has both scientific purity and potential for great
complexity and wonder.
People are worthy of such individual treatment and I am proud to have the chance
to attempt to unlock the mysteries of any individual’s motivated abilities.
I have learned that the craft is always fresh and that there are always unexplored
frontiers.
Glenn Mills
Things don’t always work out the way you expect. I went to SIMA to get advice
about moving on from my company and ended up buying it instead!
As General Manager of a medium sized engineering company whose owner-managers
were selling and retiring, I had hoped to move into the MD’s office on his
departure.
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It became apparent that new owners might want to install their own person, so I
sought advice about finding a new position.
My wife recommended Sima, having found them helpful during an outplacement
process a few years earlier. Nick took me through the process by which I developed
a better understanding of what I enjoy, what I am good at and perhaps most importantly,
what I wanted.
It was a sign of how entrenched I was in a particular mind-set that when he asked if
I had thought about a management buy-out, I thought he had lost his senses. Nick
put me in touch with people who could advise me on how to overcome the business
obstacles, but the more important hurdle for me was whether I could see myself as
a business owner, rather than an employee.
The SIMA process and Nick’s careful encouragement enabled me to move into a different
sphere and after many set-backs I completed the MBO.
Mike Milton
SIMA’s work is critical as you help to align gifts and goals, stories of grace and
dreams of service, and all with a deep principled approach that is so often lacking in
today’s world. SIMA goes beyond being a business.
SIMA is a ministry unto itself, helping to create synergy between human beings to
fulfill higher purposes in the world. Having been a part of your process in coming to
Reformed Theological Seminary, and having our Board to benefit, also, from your
work as I moved from President of the Charlotte campus to the Chancellor the seminary,
I can speak with personal experience.
I commend SIMA to others with great joy and confidence. This is not a “recruiting
firm.” This is truly a movement of dedicated, peerless professionals who are interested
in doing the Lord’s work in helping people and organizations to realize their
God given potential. I truly know of no other association like them.
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Lori Neal
In elementary school, I was the kid who always volunteered to do the bulletin
boards. I always won the poster contests in 4-H. Throughout school, I carried a
notebook with me everywhere so I could sketch dresses and other things. I made
my Christmas presents. I was creative.
I came to Union University as a freshman on a softball scholarship. I was undecided
about my major but I was considering business or something like physical
therapy (because my mother wanted me to). During the spring of my freshman
year, I participated in Discovering My Design. I was asked to tell four stories that
reflected times that I had been involved in activities that I enjoyed and felt like I
had done well.
Keep in mind as you read my stories that I have played 3 sports most of my life.
I am in college on an athletic scholarship. There have been district championships
and game winning plays but not one of these made my list of stories.
Story 1…I wanted a Maui Barbie swimming pool but my parents wouldn’t buy one
for me. I went into the back yard and dug a hole. I lined the hole with tin foil so
the water would not leak. Then I built a mound, from dirt, and I put a water hose
at the top to create a waterfall. I took flowers and lined the edge. Mine was better
than the real thing because mine was actually underground!
Story 2…I used to walk the railroad tracks at my grandmother’s house. At the
same time every afternoon, I would hear the train whistle in the distance. At that
moment, I would begin to place rocks on the track, one by one. Each day I would
try to beat my record from the previous day. When the train got so close that I felt
alarmed, I would jump off of the track and run back to my grandmother’s yard.
Story 3…I was in an interior design class in high school. Our last project was to
design the blueprints of a house and to make decisions about the interior of that
house. This included picking wall colors, baseboards, carpet, fixtures, lamps, accents
etc. I went all out! I found myself staying up all night looking through magazines
choosing what I wanted for my house.
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I presented all the images on large, black boards. At school, I realized that I had
done much more work than any other students. They all commented on the fact
that I had way too much work. But I had never felt like I was working. I loved it!
Story 4…One summer I was bored so I went to Wal-Mart and bought cake decorating
supplies and a book. I taught myself how to make and decorate cakes. I began
to sell birthday cakes and wedding cakes. I still enjoy doing this.
After completing my interviews and my inventory, it was obvious to me that I was
most happy when I was making things and being creative.
During the following summer, I volunteered at a physical therapy clinic because my
mother really wanted me to try it. I was miserable that summer except on Tuesdays
when a little girl came for therapy. A part of her therapy included using a
balloon and each week I drew on her balloon and each week the drawings became
more and more elaborate. I loved making her smile with my artwork.
One Tuesday afternoon, I showed my parents my results from the Discovering
My Design process. Even though I had always known that I was creative, I never
dreamed that I could make a career from something I loved to do so much. For
the first time, I had something on paper to show my parents and help them to
understand my desire to use my gifts. It was hard for them to understand. I had
never taken an art class yet here I was telling them that I wanted to be an art major.
When I came back to Union in the fall, I dropped my chemistry classes and my
business classes and I took art classes. I graduated from Union as an art major.
I have recently been notified that I will be published in the largest world-wide publication
for ceramics. I am attending graduate school at Alfred University, in Alfred,
NY, the most prestigious ceramics school in the country.
The SIMA process gave me the confidence to pursue the thing that I love. The process
guided me to recognize that God not only gifted me for a purpose but also that
I could spend the rest of my life doing what I enjoy most.
God gave me artistic talents in my design as a gift to me. My gift to Him is to use
those talents to glorify Him.
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Jim Page
Our congregation completed a Fresh Look survey in September of 2010.
Alongside that survey, our church council approved that I, along with my two pastoral
colleagues, complete the SIMA process with consultant Josh Miller. Our lead
pastor, Kurt Jacobson, learned of SIMA through his connections with other pastor
who served in large congregations. Pr. Jacobson has served this congregation, Trinity
Lutheran Church, for 23 years. My colleague, Pr. Heather Wigdahl, has been at
Trinity for 3 years and I have been at Trinity for 4 years.
Given the wealth of information gained from the Fresh Look survey, we regarded
the SIMA process as being a key addition to our overall long range planning. Given
the varied gifts and interests among the three pastors, SIMA would help us discern
the proper fits of ministry leadership given such factors. Fruitful ministry occurs
when one is placed in a context where one’s interests are applied thus alleviating
ineffectiveness and frustration.
Unlike the Myers-Briggs format which is rather general, I found this process to be
greatly insightful regarding my personality, interests, and goals. The lengthy format
of writing was at first not appealing. Yet, upon further reflection and discernment
regarding the material that was needed…I found the task of writing my memories to
be rather easy and enjoyable.
I soon realized that I was participating in a detailed, in-depth, and focus analysis
that would prove to be effective and fruitful. With that mindset, I had the renewed
conviction to write concisely about key events in my life. It was those events that I
found pleasure in writing about while giving thanks for such events in shaping who I
am today.
After my wonderful conversation with Josh Miller, it was a pleasant reward to receive
the final report. Needless to say, I was pleasantly overwhelmed at the level of
insight and professionalism in how the material was presented and shared.
In taking my material alongside that of my colleagues proved to be one of the best
things our pastoral staff could do for our shared ministry and leadership of this
congregation. Being mindful of another person’s intricacies, interests, and passion
helped shed light on his/hers individuality.
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It is often that those seemingly small details of difference can cause friction in a
team setting. Yet, our MAP’s shed light on our difference while affirming our many
similarities.
Finally, I was affirmed in my various gifts for ministry, my previous successes, and
the items that I can focus upon to further strengthen my ministry and, more importantly,
my leadership. Vision, goals, and intentional items for growth were attained
from my MAP.
In ministry, one can easily become complacent, discouraged, and overworked in an
effort to attain results, affirmation, and an overall sense of self-validation. These
factors can be realized in an exponential fashion when one is mis-guided and applying
themselves in ways that do not serve them as individuals gifted by God.
Ordained ministry is a classic field where the influences of others can easily sway
one’s direction based on meeting another’s needs/goals.
The SIMA process gave me a greater understanding of who I am. This may seem elementary
yet reflection upon one’s interests, goals, and personal life mission rarely
happens unless an intentional effort as made. SIMA provided insights into my role
not only professionally but also as a father, husband, friend, and child of God.
These many ‘a-ha’ moments affirmed my past, enlightens my present, and will be
an on-going framework for my future.
Debs Porter
As a Physiotherapist I was respected, in a secure career, doing something
worthwhile and that I was good at but, I was exhausted. Learning about motivated
abilities was revolutionary to me. I didn’t enjoy being a clinician, it never energized
me and eventually exhaustion led to a diagnosis of Glandular Fever as I found it
difficult to generate enough energy to live a normal life. Now, work doesn’t feel like
work, it feels like second nature as I play to my strengths.
Whilst Nick Isbister was coaching me through SIMA I found the courage I needed to
hand in my resignation and look for a new career.
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My SIMA Personal Report gave me vast amounts of insight into who I was and how
I worked best, providing very specific details about the actual process that enables
me to work to my full potential. This gave me the confidence to seek that work out
and I was very up-front with potential employers as to what type of role I was looking
for, able to reassure them that I would be great at it!
After trying my hand at a few things I now work in Corporate Relations for a fast
expanding debt counselling charity that allows me to be, me. I love initiating my
own projects, driving through change and influencing others in the context of the
‘big picture’.
Nick taught me to listen to myself and to seek out work that gave me ‘a buzz’ infusing
me with energy as opposed to sapping it. I now apply these SIMA principles to
every area of my life and feel it has helped me make wise decisions about where to
live, what hobbies and interests to pursue and even who to marry!
I have a renewed sense of purpose and live life as if it is a gift to enjoy and share
when it often used to feel more like a chore. I will always be grateful to the friend
who lent me the book ‘Who do you think you are’ that led me to Nick and to Nick
for his generosity in coaching me through SIMA. How blessed I am.
Elizabeth Rodriguez
I first learned about SIMA through Arthur Miller Jr’s granddaughter, Amy. I was
probably around 20 when she talked about “People Management.” I was fascinated.
A couple of years later, she and I looked into having a SIMA consultant train us to
do MAPs for the internal use of our organization. Unfortunately, our proposal was
deemed out of our budget. We were both disappointed as we realized the fruit this
could have borne in so many lives.
I gleaned what I could from reading one of Art Miller’s books and the concepts
resonated with my experience as well as my beliefs about the dignity and uniqueness
of the human person. After a tumultuous transition in my life, Josh Miller offered
to do my pattern to help me discern what my next step might be.
The MAP was an encouragement and a confirmation of my personal strengths.
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I don’t believe I had ever articulated my primary motivation in the same way -- that
was most impacting aspect. It provided a lens with which to look at myself and
the decision I make in life. Over the years, as a friend of the Miller family, I would
engage various Millers involved in SIMA in discussion about the process whenever
I could. I dropped hints for years about how much I would enjoy learning how to
MAP. A couple of years later, on a sunny day in June, seemingly out of the blue,
Josh called and asked if I would be interested in training to do patterns to help him
in his work. I was so excited that day. So for the past year, I have been training,
learning how to MAP and perform interviews.
This June I will begin doing patterns solo. I look forward to seeing others strengthened
and encouraged by this process as they seek the most fulfilling job and life fit.
Phil Rogers
I first encountered SIMA as part of a career planning workshop offered by
consultants Marlys Hanson and Matt Juechter at Exxon Corporation, where I worked
at the time. The year was around 1987. I came out of the SIMA MAP process with
a 130-word run-on sentence that perfectly described “my ideal job.” This was a
true revelation as it helped me understand why I liked some of the assignments I
had more than others and how I would inevitably try to transform the basic nature
of my job responsibilities into work that would tap my motivated abilities.
Even more importantly, it helped me get a better understanding of the relationships
I had with the succession of supervisors I have had in my career. I got along great
and loved working with supervisors who had a pattern that complemented my pattern.
More specifically, I thrived where I could operate as a “spark plug,” communicating
new ideas, visions, concepts or activities to others with the hope of convincing
them that the ideas I had conceptualized should be implemented.
So when dealing with a supervisor who had a pattern that featured a curiosity and
desire to learn and understand new concepts, we got on famously, for my enthusiasm
found a willing audience that would be excited and interested in what I had to
offer. On the other hand, when dealing with a supervisor motivated to micromanage
and “get things done,” someone with little imagination or intellectual curiosity,
the relationship would founder.
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I would be frustrated by my not being able to excite him with my ideas and he
would be frustrated that I had little interest in doing what I perceived to be mundane
accounting tasks with little added value. With this understanding of the dynamics
driving the relationship, I found it easier to avoid resenting the manager
personally and see the root cause in the difficulties in our relationship as being the
differences in our patterns.
[Footnote: I would have loved to have shared with him the insights I had, but
that would have been a case of my having to share my insights (expressing things
through my motivated abilities) with someone where considering new ideas was
totally absent in his motivated abilities pattern.]
Besides getting a better understanding of relationships I had with supervisors at
work, I also gained an understanding of how I would inevitably transform the basic
nature of my job assignments into activities that would tap into my motivated abilities.
And I would look for ways to make use of what I had learned about the SIMA MAP
process at work. One example that stands out was arranging for Marlys Hanson to
conduct many workshops at Exxon Chemical (where I was a manager) so that the
SIMA MAP process would become a lingua franca that all supervisors and the employees
working for them could use to achieve better job matches.
Another example was considering the best way to allocate responsibilities of a
large-scale team effort involving many people and many tasks. We looked for ways
to ensure that people had tasks that would be consistent with their motivated abilities.
When I retired from Exxon in 2002, I went on to teach at the University of Houston,
where I essentially found my ideal job, for I was able to create courses that enable
me to be a spark plug to 100’s of MBA and undergraduate students, exciting them
about the aspects of business modeling and decision making that are of interest to
me and that I like sharing with others.
And I continue to look for ways to spread the word on the importance and value of
finding one’s MAP so that students who are presumably seeking degrees to improve
their career prospects will be doing so in jobs that match their MAP.
I guess I might make a good example of what can happen when someone is placed
in his/her ideal job as this year, I was selected for a prestigious Teaching Excellence
Award. Along with the honor of having been selected came a nice trophy and an
$8,000 prize.
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George Sanker
The SIMA MAP process played a significant role in helping me to understand
myself as a leader. Over the past six years I have served as a leader in three different
public charter schools as the head of the school. While I believe God has used
me to serve each these communities well, I have always felt that I have not fully
realized the goals I sought to accomplish when I started in these positions.
In particular, I found that after a few years of relentless effort and work, I was
burned-out and had not fully achieved the goals that I had set for myself or the
school. Through the SIMA MAP process, however, I have gained valuable insight
into how God wired me, giving me a greater understanding of my leadership shortcomings
in the past, but more importantly, giving me a clearer picture of how I
need to lead to be successful going forward.
Through the SIMA process, I realized that when I approach a new project, I am
motivated by my need and ability to fully comprehend the environment I
am in, taking time to get a full lay of the land before I am able to develop a strategy
to effectively pursue the mission and vision. Interestingly, each of my past roles
over the past six years have been start-up entities in which I carried the full administrative
load, so I have never had adequate time or resources to fully evaluate the
situation.
This has forced me to move forward when I am not mentally ready to do so. Understanding
this through the MAP process, I have greater confidence in how to
strategically begin my role as Headmaster of The Covenant School, allocating the
needed time and energy to effectively assess the school in order to develop a fullyinformed
plan of action.
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David Schmidt
My first encounter with SIMA (then known as People Management) was in in
the fall of 1979. I was a newly wed and it had been a year and a half since I had
graduated from college. I was struggling with how I could get my career launched.
I knew that I had had a number of valuable skills and experiences, but I could not
quite figure out how to leverage them into a satisfying career path.
I was very open to new perspectives.
The SIMA workshop was exactly what I needed. Through a series of autobiographical
reflections I was able to collect the data necessary to identify my motivated
abilities. I was asked to focus on a variety of activities over the course of my life
that I had enjoyed doing and, equally important, where I believed I had performed
well. The workshop then provided a method to analyze those experiences.
Out of that analysis emerged a clear pattern that I had not seen before. It was one
of the principle pivot points of my life. After the workshop I received a personal Motivated
Abilities Report. It identified my core motivation, a list of abilities that I am
most motivated to use, and the social and work environments in which I am most
effective.
Over the years what I have learned from that SIMA workshop has helped me make
long-range plans, choose between job options, and identify ways I can achieve
greater performance and satisfaction in my career.
I would be remiss if I failed to mention that going through the SIMA process
strengthened our marriage. My wife participated in the same workshop that I did.
What she had discovered has been very valuable to her, but that’s her story.
The insights we gained have helped us to be supportive of each other, especially
through the inevitable times of frustration and disappointment. It has given us
more to celebrate as we see endeavors of our lives come into alignment with our
motivated abilities.
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Lou Schnorr
My first connection with SIMA International came in 1998 when I was 41
years old. Up until that point I had been very satisfied and contented in my career
with Campus Crusade for Christ International. As I entered my early 40’s however,
the intense, fast paced life that used to intoxicate me, now only left me feeling
tired. I could feel the “fire in my belly” slowly going out.
Because of my waning enthusiasm, several trusted colleagues suggested that I
make an appointment with Wendell Lillestrand, Campus Crusade’s internal SIMA
representative. Wendell was very professional and reassuring when we met and encouraged
me to complete a Motivated Abilities Pattern summary.
Working through the MAP process was very enlightening and affirming. One of the
things I appreciated the most was that it gave me some objective “handles” to grab
hold of that helped me understand how I prefer to accomplish my work. Understanding
my unique bent enabled me to more clearly articulate myself to others in a
way I previously was unable to do.
As I began to understand my motivational tendencies, it allowed me to release
some of the unrealistic expectations that I had placed upon myself or had allowed
to be placed on me by Campus Crusade. Equipped with this new information, I felt
more confident in articulating exactly what I was looking for and evaluate job offers
more objectively as they were presented to me.
I still meet with Wendell periodically and regularly pull out my MAP as I am faced
with major decisions. Wendell has been a pioneer in the field of Life Transition
Coaching where he masterfully applies the truths discovered about an individual
from the MAP process with his other passion of helping individuals understand normal,
age related life transitions.
By combining one’s unique motivational bent with an understanding of adult human
development, Wendell has created a very insightful teaching platform that allows
individuals to be better stewards of their life and giftedness regardless of their age
or station in life.
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In closing, I’d like to say that the MAP process has been a life changing experience
for me and working with Wendell has introduced me to not only a trusted professional
but also a valued friend.
The essence of any organization is its people, and if all of SIMA’s consultants are of
the caliber of Wendell Lillestrand I can see SIMA International thriving for another
50 years!
Grace Showan
Having an introduction to SIMA was a breath of fresh air. My name is
Grace Showan and I am a Corporate Trainer/ Motivational speaker and Author. My
professional world was enlivened through the introduction to SIMA and its benefits.
My clients in the private and public sectors in Barbados and across the world have
become more focused because of the intervention of Coaching.
I have added this as a new dimension to my training offering and the results have
been intensely greater.
The ability to go beyond the ordinary by delving into ones’ past achievements has
been valuable in moving my clients who range from entrepreneurs to experienced
professionals to new levels of attainment.
In my own life, it is gratifying to be able to trace my own development from three
years of age when I said my first poem publicly, to this date; I have never left the
stage! Through the mapping system offered by SIMA I have been able to identify
the accomplishments and avoid repetition of the pitfalls. As I write, I say it is an
eternal intervention strategy as your steps become fortified and secured because
you know ‘who you are’! It is included in the training systems and all programs I
write and deliver.
It is useful in CUSTOMER SERVICE training as the ability to be aware of one’s self,
one’s potential and possibilities opens for the service provider a route of discovery
that engineers a resolute stand in the presence of customers.
Within SUPERVISORY MANAGEMENT; it activates creative interventions in dealing
with Subordinates and certainly becomes a gentle tool in the transformation of
behaviors.
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In LEADERSHIP training it provides the leader with specific self management information
which is comparable to DNA and enriches the leadership style and ushers
determinants that are aggressively honed but temperately applied.
In the spiritual realm of my life, I am a Reverend simply known as ‘Rev. Grace’ and
the increase to my Ministry and TV Broadcast is solidified as I add to the preaching
of the Word of God the ability to unravel the mind and set a course for unusual
success. This has established quite profoundly a Brand for me lodged in the roots of
birthing and implementation of innovative transitions.
I complement highly the conception and the introduction of SIMA and its bi-products.
My meetings with Judy Elliman from SIMA held in Barbados shall never be
forgotten or replaced. Those days of introduction, introspection and decision, enhanced
only by the lovely clay covered hills overlooking the Scotland District and
the interviews withJudy as we sat on the white sands of the West Coast tipped by
the aquamarine waters, where we sipped the tropical delight of Virgin Pina - Coladas
and enjoyed the tasty Barbadian delicacy of ‘fish cakes,’ ushered the richest
defining moments of my life!
Thank you SIMA, I salute Judy Elliman, may God continue to bless you and the
leaders of SIMA as through all of your clients you touch the world passionately!
Haley Smith
A couple years ago I found myself lost in a job that was draining any sense of
motivation and creativity I had felt that I had after graduating college.
I was continually discouraged and hopeless that I would ever find a job that I would
truly enjoy. Around this timy my dad suggested that I go meet with Bev Godby of
SIMA in Dallas. He had been through the SIMA process years ago and said that it
had really made an impact on his choices from that point on.
I set up my first appointment with Bev and knew immediately that I liked her.
She was kind and comfortable to be around and most importantly listened.
The entire process of writing out motivational stories from your life and then
explaining them was incredibly therapeutic for me.
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I love telling stories so this came easily to me but what surprised me is what was
able to be derived from those stories. Bev did not push me for answers but simply
observed what seemed to be my motivation in finding fulfillment from each of these
situations. When it came time to actually work through the results of my MAP I was
both encouraged and surprised. I knew that I was a people person but I never realized
that I’m actually an “Individual Collaborater,” meaning I love to work in groups
with people that I admire but I need to have my own specific role. This was a revelation
to me because I never really understood how necessary it was for me to have
my own space carved out.
What I loved most about walking through my MAP was being able to understand
that this was the way that God had actually created me. I didn’t have to apologize
for certain things that I had found hard and I had a better knowing of what my
struggles and strengths were. From that point on I found myself more confident in
making decisions that were best for me and the way I interact with people. I now
had a knowing of what to stay away from which is incredibly helpful when it comes
down to making a decision.
Since that time I have been able to meet with Bev to talk through different opportunities
or decisions that I am struggling with and she always helps me revert back
to my MAP and how I am intrinsicly designed. I am now working to get my Masters
in Theology and Ministry at Fuller Seminary and have somewhat of a better knowing
of what area that God has created me to work within.
I absolutely loved being apart of the SIMA program and would recommend it to
anyone, whether struggling with finding a career path or simply wanting to have a
better understanding of themselves. I am continually grateful for the opportunity.
Fred Smith
A friend recommended I use SIMA in 1984 when I was living in New York and
working at a boarding school. It was easy for me to drive over to Simsbury and
meet with Ralph Mattson. What did I learn? I learned three things. I should never
be a part of any organization that is slow to change, highly traditional and short on
money for new ideas.
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Ralph helped me see that I was a total misfit for a boarding school! In other words,
SIMA saved my life. While it did not point me to a specific career, it actually gave
me the encouragement I needed to step away from what I was doing and pursue
a fit. It not only showed me the misfit in my then current situation but helped me
shape what the right fit would look like.
The fit came six months later and it was perfect. It was a new organization that was
almost completely undefined, open to daily change and not lacking resources for
new ideas. Since then, I have benefited constantly from SIMA and had many opportunities
to pull it out and review it as I make decisions.
Dick Staub
My personal process of discovering my unique God-given design started back
in 1979 when two distinguished -looking men from Connecticut walked into my
office, threw their Brooks Brothers topcoats over a chair, and changed my life.
Art Miller and Ralph Mattson had just published a book titled “The Truth About You.”
After thirty years of preparing in-depth assessments of a diverse pool of over thirtythousand
people, they had made some important discoveries. First, each person
they interviewed possessed a cluster of unique abilities.
Second, each person worked best in certain circumstances, when dealing with certain
subject matters, and while relating to other people in a certain way. More importantly,
they were each motivated to use those abilities to accomplish a specific
purpose.
Art and Ralph identified five dimensions (-motivation, abilities, subject matter, circumstances,
and operating relationship with other people) -and found that taken
together, these dimensions formed a distinct, integrated pattern. They observed
that when examined in detail, no two patterns were identical. Furthermore, each
person’s pattern emerged early in life and expressed itself irresistibly and irrepressibly.
The more I listened to them the more I became convinced that they were describing
a process that reveals the distinctive elements of God’s image imprinted on
each person.
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They had found a way to identify God’s handiwork as it is uniquely crafted in you
each of us. They told me that most people are not harnessing their unique talent,
but instead are trying to conform to the expectations of their parents, spouse, society,
their teachers, their peers, or the dictates of their occupation, manager, company,
or industry. Many people ignore the irrepressible genius within them and instead
fall into the trap of believing they can become anything they desire to be by simply
by taking classes, reading books, or trying harder.
So the daughter who hates math becomes an accountant because her accountant
dad says it will offer steady work, or the shy son who can’t stand talking in public
tries to become a teacher because that is where the jobs are and it is a noble
cause, or the team player tries to become a manager because that is the way to the
top. I understood exactly what they were talking about.
I had been convinced by a friend and mentor to leave a Ph.D. program in communications
for a management position. By the time I met Art and Ralph, I had managed
people in both a large corporate and a not-for-profit setting.
I was successful, but was frustrated in my work. Using their sophisticated system
for identifying what individuals do well and enjoy doing, Art gathered information
about my specific enjoyable accomplishments and then produced an individualized,
customized motivated abilities pattern (MAP) to guide me towards work that celebrated
rather than suppressed the person God made me to be.
By revealing my unique motivated abilities pattern (MAP), they showed me why
what I was doing professionally was a good fit, but not the best fit, for me.
Once I got a clearer sense of my own uniqueness, I set about tailoring my life and
work to better express the way God made me. I moved out of day-in, day-out management
and into broadcasting as on on-air radio talk show host. The difference
was remarkable! I had always been passionate about my work, but now my energy
was focused not just on good work, it was focused but on the best kind of work for
me.
Knowing what you do well and enjoy doing, then doing it, is the pathway to the
highest and best stewardship of the talents God has trusted to you.
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Rob Stevenson
It was 1981 and I was finishing a “tour of duty” as a Special Assistant to
Governor Al Quie in Minnesota. I had been transitioning during the four years toward
human resources as a career knowing that politics as a focus was not my life’s
work. The Governor introduced me to Arthur Miller Jr., founder of People Management,
now SIMA® International. Art was visiting Governor Quie, they had worked
together in Washington DC.
We met for a half hour and Art began to tell me about the System to Identify Motivated
Abilities®, SIMA® and I was instantly taken with the concept. I had experienced
many assessment processes over the years and SIMA® sounded very different.
I stepped out of the meeting called my wife Heidi, my closest confidant and
arranged a dinner with Art.
After that dinner and in about three weeks, Heidi and I flew to Connecticut to go
through the SIMA® system. When we got the report written just for us by a case
writer, we were stunned with its accuracy and impact.
This was the beginning of a 30 year adventure for us using the SIMA® process and
expertise acquired in organization and leadership development that brings encouragement
to people and clarity to decisions that individuals and organizations make
about fit and performance.
Working in healthcare, corporations, ministries, churches, with individual career
searchers, colleges and universities, SIMA® has allowed me to understand issues,
be creative in consulting and finding solutions to problems that seem intractable.
The search to understand human motivation and giftedness is never ending.
As people suffer through normative, psychological testing, confused ideas about
who they are and how they can be anything they want to be, SIMA® offers clarity
in understanding individual design and the resulting satisfaction that comes from
using one’s motivated abilities.
It is revolutionary when an individual sees and understands that there is a “pattern”
to their most satisfying work behaviors and actions that awaits their discovery, their
use and their joy.
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The description of that unique pattern and its practical use as an “ideal job description”
has saved immense heartache and provided a literally saving understanding
that leads to effectiveness and personal satisfaction. No other approach that I have
been exposed to has an impact like the practical life-changing potential of SIMA®.
Peter Stork
In the 1970s I was managing a middle-sized Australian mining company that
had discovered a significant uranium deposit. Since it was an ‘Australian first’, there
was little local expertise available. It fell on me to immerse myself in the technical
and commercial complexities of the nuclear fuel cycle. Alongside my other duties, I
read scientific papers, sought counsel from the Atomic Energy Commission, studied
the market, and visited nuclear utilities in Europe, Japan, and the USA.
Perseverance paid off and three years later I landed the first Australian uranium
sales contract in Japan for the entire future mine production. A few years later I
ventured into consulting offering my expertise to other Australian companies who
too had entered the uranium business. Yet this venture was not to last. A newly
elected government banned future uranium exploration. Business prospects vanished
overnight and at fifty five I needed to start from scratch.
In roundabout ways this crisis brought me to SIMA. Christian friends introduced me
to Art Miller’s and Ralph Mattson’s book Finding the Job You Can Love. It opened my
eyes to the reality of ‘motivated abilities’, why certain activities and contexts were
so satisfying while others left me cold. The authors also shone light on those times
when I seriously doubted the usefulness of my life simply because job and motivation
did not match. What I was reading made not only a great deal of sense but also
seemed to be pregnant with a new opportunity. I needed to discover more.
In 1985, during a week-long visit at the Simsbury office, Ralph Mattson, Kit McDermott,
and Dick Staub introduced me to the operational side of a SIMA-based consulting
firm. Although Tom Marshall of New Zealand held the license, there was no
effective SIMA presence in Australia and I longed to change that. After further training
and with Tom Marshall’s blessing I began to market SIMA down-under in the
following year.
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My best start-up prospect was Merck, Sharp & Dohme, Merck & Co’s Australian
subsidiary, who wanted to hone the edge of their sales division. They invited Marlys
Hanson and her splendid presentation opened the door for a company-wide SIMAbased
recruitment and development program which I had the good fortune of implementing.
Its internal success resulted in several spin-offs. Eventually we were
working also with AMRAD, MSD’s joint venture partner (where Chris Styring was
sales manager), Merck’s subsidiaries in Hong Kong and Manila.
Often expertise in high-level ‘pattern recognition’ was useful in broader ways. Two
instances stand out: helping top managers to understand organizational behavior
patterns based on the styles of key individuals; helping MSD directors to recognize
their collective decision style from on-the-spot observable behaviors.
What was satisfying in these years? Apart from successful completions, I recall two
dimensions: the longevity of a unique consultant-client relationship ‘at the hub’ that
lasted for more than ten years, and the precious memory of annual SIMA Conferences
in Florida. Here we encountered the genius of SIMA in each other.
Then there was the exchange of ideas with those who had so audaciously pressed
through conventional boundaries and in so doing discovered and applied this extraordinary
way of systematizing our motivated behaviors. Many names come to
mind: Steve Darter, Marlys and Merle Hanson, Nick and Jude Isbister, Don Kiehl, Art
Miller Sr., Art Miller III, Kim Miller, Joshua Miller, Rob and Mark Stevenson, Tommy
Thomas, Rick Wellock.
Upon my retirement from business in 1999, a most capable and passionate champion
of SIMA, Chris Styring, succeeded me in Australia. In the years that followed,
many opportunities presented themselves to counsel young people informally about
their motivation and gifts. Besides, my own motivational pattern of studying, reading,
comprehending, analyzing, conceptualizing, articulating complex matters and
teaching worked itself out in predictable ways. Before long a third career was in the
making, this time in theology, leading to a PhD in 2006 and a subsequent academic
teaching role at ACU where I continue to be involved as Hon. Research Fellow.
Let me close by suggesting a link between the language-based nature of SIMA and
a musical metaphor. According to the Christian tradition, in the act of creation divine
speech flared forth bringing about material reality. In an originary sense then,
spirit and materiality are one. Not only that, but now a linguistic character inheres
in all reality which likewise engages in non-verbal, inaudible acts of speech: “The
heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament declares his handiwork.
Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge. There is
no speech, their voice is not heard; yet their voice goes out throughout all the
earth” (Ps 19:1-4a). Thus, in the great symphony of creation, every created object
‘sounds’ forth its own unique note passing it on inaudibly from one to the other, day
to day, night to night, particle to particle, molecule to molecule, star to star, galaxy
to galaxy.
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On this view, would it be too bold to suggest that SIMA exists as a form of ‘musical
notation’ articulating what would otherwise be only aurally perceptible? And bolder
still, that someone with special gifts - like Guido D’Arezzo of old (995 - 1050) who
paved the way for the modern form of written music - was listening and able to
make semantically accessible the non-verbal melody of the spheres that echoes in
each of us?
To those first brave ‘listeners’ and to those long-time practitioners of this unique
method of notation I pay my heartfelt tribute. To those who once so generously
shared their insights with a novice, I say ‘thank you’. And those who now stand on
their shoulders, I cheer on. Happy 50th Anniversary, SIMA!
Don Sweeting
Even if RTS had not offered me the job, I’d still be grateful for my SIMA experience.
It took me to new levels of self awareness-giving me insights that at one
minute seemed like career counseling, another minute like career coaching, and still
another minute like, well.... marriage counseling! I’m not kidding.
I made the journey from being a pastor for 22 years to being a seminary president.
I did not want to make that jump without some level of assurance that I was wired
to do this.
The testing, interviews and analysis helped me become more objective about myself-
summarizing life achievements, underlying tensions, learning patterns and
deep motivations. One of my coaches said something like “if there is one word that
summarizes your life it is.......” and then he concisely described who I was. “This is
what your core seems to be,” another SIMA coach said. “This is how you prefer to
be managed.” “This is what keeps you motivated.” In other words, they helped me
become better acquainted with my God designed uniqueness.
On top of all this, my advisors offered to help me in the future. In a leadership job
where the pace is fast and the stakes are high, it is good to know I have a few people
out there with a knowledge base of who I am that I can call on for help.
Thank you SIMA.
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Tommy Thomas
My early vocational life is a prime example of how some young people make
college and career decisions. I had been raised in a rural Alabama community. My
dad worked for the local utility company so by the time I was a teenager, I had met
countless electrical engineers – most from Auburn and a few from Georgia Tech. I
had reasonably good high school grades in math and science, my dad wanted me
to study engineering and these men seemed to be living a rural Alabama version of
the American Dream.
At that time, this seemed like a good reason to study electrical engineering in college.
By the time I was a junior at Auburn I realized that I did not like engineering
and wished that I had majored in something else, but I didn’t see anything else that
appealed strongly enough to me to cause me to change majors so I stuck it out and
in March of 1973 graduated from Auburn with a Bachelors in Electrical Engineering.
Fast forward to 1983. I was working as a software engineer for TRW Defense Systems.
TRW had been good to me and was a very good company to work for, but I
found myself restless. I was frustrated with my job and felt that the time was right
to make a change. TRW was talking with me about a project management career
track but I wasn’t sure I wanted to commit to that. The question was “what would I
do?”.
It was at that time that I read an article by R. C. Sproul. I don’t remember the specifics
of the article, but it had something to do with how God has designed each one
of us in a unique way. He discussed at length how the System to Identify Motivated
Abilities® was a very good way to explore one’s uniqueness.
I was fascinated with what the notion that people are created uniquely, and that if
one understands and accepts how God has wired them, they can make much more
informed career decisions. I contacted the People Management (the name of the
company at the time) office and inquired about SIMA®. They connected me with
William Banis, one of their consultants who was also the Director of Career Development
at Old Dominion University. As I talked with Bill, I became more intrigued
with SIMA® and ultimately entered into an agreement with Bill where he would
take me through the SIMA® process and continue with some career counseling.
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SIMA® wasn’t as much a revelation to me as it was a confirmation or explanation.
Through SIMA® I discovered why I had excelled at certain things and why other
aspects of my life and work career had been boring and at times, a total bust.
So what did I get from SIMA® that changed my life…….
All of my life I had imagined that I would grow up and become a manager of some
sorts. After all, isn’t that what most people did?
As I wrote about times in my life when I was really enjoying what I was doing and
thought I was doing a good job, it was interesting that there were not any stories
in which I was doing anything that remotely resembled managing people. As I got
deeper into this, I could see that I didn’t have any motivation to supervise people.
Instead, I learned that I was pretty good in organizing and managing projects. I
accepted the fact that it was OK if I didn’t follow a track that led me to departmentor
division-level management.
One of my early jobs had been marketing engineer with Alabama Power Company.
Alabama Power was (and still is) one of the great companies to work for in Alabama.
However, I learned that I didn’t fit the culture. Through SIMA® I learned
that I need to work in environments where there is always something new, novel
and different; where there is always a new project or challenge. Alabama Power
didn’t provide that for me. I didn’t understand at the time, but after SIMA® I could
reflect back and understand this.
In the mid 1980’s I did a stint in commercial real estate. I really enjoyed commercial
real estate and did well financially but when the recession of 86-87 hit, I had to
ask myself if I wanted to take a chance on exhausting my financial resources while
waiting for the economy to recover from the recession, or did I want to do something
else. From SIMA® I knew myself well enough to know the types of careers
and organizations that would draw on my strengths. Through some encouragement
from my wife, I explored the field of executive search and ultimately landed a job
with a local search firm. Twenty-five years later I am still thriving in the executive
search field.
So, how did SIMA® change my life?
Through SIMA® I gained the confidence to be the person that God created me to
be. I realized that I am motivationally wired a certain way and when I work in environments
that primarily draw on my motivational wiring to get the job done, I do a
much better job and am far more satisfied in my work.
The world is full of people who are ready to give you advice on who you should be,
what career you should pursue, and what you should strive for. I had experienced
my share of these people, and thus far their advice and counsel hadn’t been very
satisfying or fulfilling. SIMA® gave me the freedom to be myself; the freedom to
follow a career track that more closely reflects the totality of “who I am” and “how I
am motivationally wired”
42

Tom Thorpe
I had been a scientist all my life and had the privilege of enjoying working in
several challenging and important areas. However, for several years I had felt ‘out
of place’ with where I was working, despite having acquired international recognition
as a leading expert in my field. In trying to discuss this with my managers, it
seemed that I could not explain exactly what was wrong. Hence, I decided to give
SIMA a try – more with resignation - “Why not?” - than with any expectation that it
would be of help.
Despite this negative attitude, Jude Elliman agreed to help me. Within four minutes
of Jude giving me feedback on my SIMA profile, I was astonished by the insight that
she and the SIMA process gave me – the picture of me that she presented felt so
right! At last I could see clearly why things had become increasingly difficult at work
but now I also had the vocabulary to explain why to my managers.
I had hoped that this would remedy the situation but, even after explaining clearly
the changes that I needed, no changes were made – that’s how things are sometimes.
It was clear from the SIMA process that the situation could only get worse
for me, so I took the difficult step of leaving a well-paid job (at the age of 49!) with
an index-linked pension for a precarious life as an independent consultant. It was
the best decision of my working career, because I could now take assignments that
were a good fit to my SIMA profile and my enjoyment of work and my new role increased
immesurably.
The change for me was so marked that I did a ‘Victor Kiam’ – I didn’t actually buy
SIMA International but I did become a SIMA practitioner and have derived immerse
fulfilment from helping others find greater satisfaction and pleasure from their
work.
43

Rick Trotter
It was back in mid 1992 that I was introduced to SIMA thru my Brother-inlaw.
Having become frustrated with my current employment situation and career
of more than 15 years, my Brother-in-law encouraged me and my wife to have a
SIMA. After spending hours writing my life history, and hours of phone interviews
my SIMA was completed. As I read thru the findings, I commented to my wife, “it’s
as though this guy Miller has been living inside of me!”
As I was reading the results it was like reading my own writings, as it was explaining
things inside of me that no one, not even my wife, could know. As I continued
to digest the material, I could feel my frustrations of many years being explained
to me in detail. It was the satisfaction of having someone explain these unexplainable
questions and feelings, that had become part of my everyday life for so many
years, that was like turning the light on.
Suddenly, I was beginning to see and understand that my motivational abilities and
my career path went in two different directions. While I enjoyed my career, and
some amount of success in that field, it was not something that motivated me day
in and day out. My MAP said that I had been trying to “put a square peg in a round
hole,” and it was then that I decided I had to make the career shift.
I moved my family half way across the country to begin a business venture that has
brought satisfaction and success for the past 19 years. I cannot imagine my life if I
had not had my SIMA results, and to this day I still will pull it off the shelf and read
parts of it as a reminder of how God created me. My wife’s SIMA, in much the same
way, confirmed what her motivations were and over the years have assisted her in
making career and life choices. We are both so Thankful to God for allowing our
path to cross the path of Art Miller and the wonderful blessings from the SIMA staff
and our personal MAPS.
Being the parents of three boys, as our boys got to high school and were trying
to decide on colleges and careers of interest, we knew the importance of getting
started on the right path from the beginning. Just after high school, we insisted our
oldest son Chase take a SIMA. After going thru the process and reading thru his
results, we were almost laughing out loud at some of the “good fit” careers that
were listed for him.
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Medicine was one of the professions that was strongly recommended for consideration
and this was the kid who always hated the biological sciences...not to mention...he
could not stand the sight of blood! I specifically remember Art III telling
us Chase would not be happy unless he was a specialist or at the top of his field in
whatever he chose to do or become.
Because of his dislike for science, Chase did not take any science courses for the
entire first year of college. At the end of that first year he informed us he had decided
to go for a pre-med degree. We laughed...even louder...because of his dislike
for science, not to mention his less than stellar grades that first year. Today, Chase
is a published Cardiology Fellow at Texas A&M and is consumed with being the best
heart doctor God created him to be!
Four years later our number 2 son, Zachary was in his later high school years.
Once again we insisted on a SIMA for Zachary. It was so amazing to read that
military and law were ranked high among his good fit scenarios and motivational
patterns. We knew Zachary had always had an infatuation with the military but the
depth of the drive and desire were not known to us. During Zachary’s senior year
of high school he was awarded a Congressional Appointment to the U.S. Military
Academy at West Point. We were so excited for him as he had achieved the ultimate
gift of scholarship granted to anyone desiring a military career.
After going to West Point for a time, Zachary decided to make a change and pursue
a different path. Yes, you guessed it...Law. Zack graduated from Vanderbilt Law
School a couple of months ago and is now preparing to take the BAR...with a job
awaiting. Thank God that SIMA was instrumental in Zack’s decisions over the last 7
years of college.
Lastly, son #3, Barrett came along about 4 years later and the SIMA was a must for
him. Trying to discuss career interests with Barrett was like pulling teeth and he
honestly had no interest in anything but athletics. After the process of interviews &
phone consultations, Art told Barrett that he would always have to feel like he was
involved in a “team concept” with specific goals of achievement in place. He told
Barrett that he would find satisfaction in taking a plan and a road map, and putting
it into place for the sake of the team! Some good fit careers mentioned was Youth
Ministry or Coaching.
Today Barrett is a Quarterback at Auburn University and currently finds himself
speaking at FCA / Youth functions. Additionally, the past two summers has led the
Summer Team Field Workouts for the Offense at Auburn. While his career is yet
to be determined, it appears that he is right in the middle of his motivations that
his SIMA suggested. I wish it were possible for every College Freshman to take the
SIMA.
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The direction it has offered to me and my family has been a wonderful blessing for
our entire family, and especially beneficial to me and my wife Lynn in understanding
our boys and knowing how to respond in certain situations they encountered
concerning life choices! I would encourage every parent to make it happen for their
children...even if it meant sacrificing in order to see it thru.
I guarantee you, the heartache and frustration it will save will be well worth it. It
only makes sense when you are on a journey, or more importantly sending your
kids on a journey...to uncharted waters...to have in your possession a MAP?
Especially when that journey...is life!
Scott Walters
I worked first with Laura Coverstone and then went through the MAP process
with Don Kiehl. I was fascinated by the process, although at first I was skeptical. I
remember thinking that this is some sort of parlor game with no real science or reality
to base the process on. However, as the process progressed I began to clearly
see and understand some of the recurring trends in my life. Specifically, I found
myself truly understanding what I enjoy out of life and perhaps more importantly -
why I enjoy specific tasks, activities or challenges.
I came to realize that my motivations in life were a great fit as I considered the
sought after position not merely as a job but rather as a means to help me realize
my calling.
46

Jack Welty
Several years ago, I was facing tough decisions as my business was faltering.
I had left a comfortable, stable position in a major U.S. corporation to set up a
retail business that was more in tune with my interests - and one that seemed to
meet the needs of my community.
This retail hardwood lumber business was prospering, and I was able to take time
for a number of lay ministries, as well as
community and self-improvement activities. But competition grew and eventually
made me face a tough decision: should I ‘hang on’ to my business and watch it
continue to decline, or sell it to one of my competitors in the hopes that my
employees would be taken care of? And how would I find ways to pursue the other
interests that had developed in my middle age?
A friend from church, Wendell Lillestrand, introduced me to SIMA and led me
through the MAP process. Through this, I was able to identify personal interests
and strengths - as well as understand areas of vulnerability - which led me to
further career growth in a new company. My life was more settled, and I was able
to find outlets in other ways for the interests that weren’t served by the new position.
Wendell and the MAP process were invaluable in helping me ‘find’ myself in a
middle-age time of uncertainty. I thank God for him, and for the SIMA organization,
for providing this at a time I needed it most!
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Nelson Wood
I first connected with the SIMA Motivated Abilities Pattern (MAP) Process
through my family. All 4 of my brothers and I worked very closely with SIMA consultants
Bill Hendricks and Bev Godby here in Dallas, TX. Personally, I completed
the process near the end of college, which proved itself a very formative time in my
trajectory as an individual. The most interesting thing that stood out to me in the
process was how similar each brother’s stories seemed to one another on the input,
but how different and unique each of our motivated abilities patterns were on
the outputs. For example, we all talked very explicitly about building forts together
in our back yard growing up; and yet, each boy had different natural skill sets that
contributed to those endeavors and different motivations for being a part of the
time together and the tasks at hand.
Above all, after completing the SIMA process and hearing my personal feedback,
I felt that the SIMA consultants and the process itself had “read my book”. They
knew the real me and put so many detailed characteristics of my natural behavior
into words that completely resonated with the ways I had experienced them in my
life for so many years up to that point. The SIMA process gave me a clearer track to
run on. I felt better equipped to understand how I would approach situations, work,
relationships, communication, and so much more. It gave very detailed indicators
to the kinds of things I would enjoy doing, as well as the things that would inevitably
bog me down over time. In fact, I found myself returning to Bev and Bill often
over the coming years to continue to decipher how my MAP might be a guidepost in
certain life and vocational decisions.
SIMA has made a very impactful difference in my life. It’s benefited the way in
which I approach my work and the associated tasks of each day; it’s clarified the
areas of strength in my relationships and the manner in which I gravitate towards
certain interactions over others; and though it’s not critical in it’s nature, it’s pointed
out areas where further discipline would be required on my part to overcome hurdles
in order to arrive at attainable and worthwhile milestones in many areas. It’s
a process that I’ve recommended to a number of close friends and colleagues, and
one that I know has benefited them as it has me.
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Phillip Wray
My first introduction to SIMA was through one of my Regional Sales Managers.
I was at that time a National Sales Manager for a rapidly growing organisation.
We grew the organisation from a sales force of around 20 to an organisation over
100 within 2 years. The RSM had experience with SIMA and had previously worked
with Chris Styring, the owner of SIMA in Australia. Clearly our challenge was to
ensure consistent and successful recruitment, ensuring we could identify the right
candidates for our needs.
At that company, Chris was utilised for the SIMA psych testing, and eventually
played a much greater role in our recruitment and selection process. The company
managed to increase sales greater than 40% per annum over the following 3 years,
and staff turnover was reduced dramatically as the fit of the individual to the organisation,
role, and sales team was improved dramatically. My next involvement with
SIMA was with a Medical Device company specializing in high tech devices (pacemakers/ICDs
etc).
The investment required to train the sales organisation is tremendous, making the
need to ensure motivational fit for the role so much greater. We worked with Chris
to assess the motivational characteristics of our top performing individuals to help
map out the characteristics we would be looking for with new hires. The whole project
was seamless, with several key characteristics identified to fit our specific industry
needs. Our results were significantly better after adopting SIMA.
Our success with recruiting high performing individuals who could get through the
training cycle faster was very positive. Our staff turnover decreased, and our sales
performance improved dramatically.
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Martha Wright
I was introduced to SIMA through Dr. Tommy Thomas. I was seeking God’s
will for a ministry change and after a few phone conversations, I was able to meet
Dr. Thomas personally when I was in Nashville. We kept in contact for several years
as I continued reading the SIMA job postings from time to time. During one visit to
Nashville, Dr. Thomas and I discussed the MAP process. The SIMA consultant who
worked with me was Don Kiel. It turned out that he and I were at Simpson College
(now Simpson University) at the same time years before! It was great to work with
him. The SIMA MAP process was fascinating. I realized that certain patterns of
behavior are established in one’s childhood and are evidenced in the teen years and
into adulthood. We are “wired” a certain way and therefore are attracted to certain
types of work or ministry.
Finding one’s “niche” is very important for personal satisfaction and for the organization
for which the individual is working. Down through almost 38 years of ministry
I have seen many people in positions for which they were not suited. I have
also seen many of them fail and leave their positions--a few by choice and others
because they were forced out. This resulted in discouraged or wounded workers. I
wish they could have gone through the MAP process so they would understand their
strengths and what positions or jobs they should avoid.
SIMA made a difference in my life. As I considered various positions during my transition
period in Christian ministry, I read and reread my MAP to make sure that the
positions I was exploring were a good fit. My profile was one of a pioneer, a person
who innovates and thinks outside of the box and needs freedom to carry out assignments.
My MAP confirmed characteristics that I had already recognized in myself,
but there were other things that were brought to my attention. I particularly appreciated
the section on jobs or positions to avoid.
Last year I accepted a position as Executive Director of CEF for the state of Maryland.
The ministry had really gone down for lack of leadership in the past two years.
God has called me to rebuild the ministry in certain areas of the state and to pioneer
most of the 23 counties. I am used to having a team to work with but I began
with only one other person who God called to work along with me.
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We are in the process of building a ministry team. God is blessing and after about
eight months of getting to know the area and some people, we are identifying certain
individuals to take a greater part in the ministry.
I am making sure that they are suited for the specific ministry in which they will
be involved. I’m in my “niche”. I’m grateful for the MAP process that guided me to
assess the new ministry before I accepted it and cautioned me against accepting
other opportunities that would not have been a good fit and would have caused failure.
Congratulations, SIMA, on your 50th anniversary! You have touched thousands of
lives and made a major impact. May you have many more years of helping people
to find the right match for their life’s work or ministry!
Shawn Carroll
I met Art Miller back in 1992 in while I was working with the American Quality
Foundation ( AQF ) on a project called “The Stuff Americans are made Of “ My
role at AQF as the EVP of market development was to take research that had been
done by the foundtaion and work with partners to operationalize the research into
programs for american business leaders. “The Stuff Americans are Made Of” project
targeted the “Human Side of Quality” in American business. We partnered with Disney,
GM, and other fortune 500 companies to launch this natinal project that looked
at quality based on the Employee’s cultural archetye ( American ) AND the employees
individual “Motivated Abilites Pattern” ( the SIMA process ! ) I immediatly gravitated
to Art Miller’s passion, wisdom and the God Given calling that he had for this
work.
The notion of a specific “Gift Set” that was endowed by God in each individual that
was unique and drove the persons performance was amazing ! It was the “secret
sauce” that helped explain life both in the workplace and personally for me. We
incorporated a version of SIMA into the “Stuff Americans are Made Of” program BUT
I was also blessed to have a friendship / mentor in Art. I will always remember the
dinners, seminars, confernences and most of all the times in Connecticut at Art’s
house talking about life.
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Art offered to do my “MAP” in 1993 and I took full advantage of his generosity.
I wanted to understand this technolgy personally and see if I could put it to use in
my own life. But , be carefulof what you ask for ! Since the day that I discovered
that my Central Motivation is “test the limits” , Break into new dimension, display
resourcefullness, and to “Pull it Off “my understanding of self was forever changed!
This understanding has given me amazing insight into my gifts and the associated
“challenges” of dealing with these passions. My work with Art both on a professional
and personal level has made a huge difference in my life’s work. It’s much easier
to navigate life when we know WHY we are driven to do certain things, with certain
relationships for a specific payoff.
I wish that I’d stayed closer to him these past years as my adventures took me to
Florida and multiple “careers” not just jobs in the same industry since 1992.
That MAP thing is hard to push back on ! Too many things to try in life. Sima has
been a blessing to me however, the notion that you are “built” a certain way sometimes
is hard to navigate. My risk tolernace ( God Given & unchanging ) has given
me BOTH amazing successes and amazing failures these last 20 years.
This “TRUE NORTH” of life also comes with the responsibility of understaning that
OTHERS are wired very differently ! My bumping up against stiff organizations that
don’t allow me the freedom to move about and test, try, learn & lead has constantly
been in the forefront of my being since going thru the SIMA process.
One big impact for me has been that no matter what the circumstances, my
“STUFF” is always active & driving me to move in a specific way in order to feel
alive and fulfilled. Often times during my life i’ve wondered WHY I could not just be
“comfortable” in a certain role even while I was achieving great success......being
number #1 etc.
When I get restless I know that it’s time for me to move on to that next challenge
no matter how much it seems to NOT make sense to others ( most of all not making
sense to my wife of 30 years who has very LITTLE need nor capacity for risk &
change in life ) So now as I move into my 50’s I appreciate that all I can GIVE is
what God put into me. I can’t be a different ME.......for that I truly thank Art Miller
and SIMA.
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Marlys Hanson
I learned about SIMA in 1976. I had started a new position (with a new title -
a Career Development Specialist) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.(LLNL)
This national laboratory had just suffered its first major cutback in funding and
several hundred scientists and engineers had been involuntarily terminated...laid
off, as it is now called. These employees were primarily Ph.D’s from the nation’s top
universities. Most had firmly believed they would spend their entire career at LLNL.
But the real problem quickly became the low morale with the remaining employees.
The Lab Director was prompted to write an article for the local paper, discussing the
need to better prepare employees for a “changing world of work” where every individual
would need to take responsibility for his/her own career management - and
not expect that their employer would be able to provide life-long employment He
must have had a very clear crystal ball! I got my job at LLNL by responding to his
article, congratulating him for his insights.
Previously, I had been involved in generating federal grants for K-12 Career Awareness
programs. Some of these ideas had already started to percolate in those programs.
I had also just completed my Master’s Degree Counseling Psychology with
specialization in Career Development.
I was most anxious to put it all to work helping the remaining LLNL employees cope
with this “new world of work.” One of my colleagues had heard Dr. Arthur F. Miller,
Jr. discuss SIMA at a conference and suggested that we bring him to the Lab to
speak to our Director and his management team. The invite was arranged - but I
was not invited to this prestigious gathering. I asked my supervisor, the Employee
Development manager, if I could attend. He was surprised that I would even ask.
In 1976 at this organization, there were very few if any women in the executive
ranks or even present in the meetings. So I accepted my fate - even though my curiousity
had been totally peaked by the pre-reading material provided by Dr. Miller.
However, on the day of Dr.Miller’s presentation, I “just happened to be” strolling
by the briefing room and I noticed that there was an empty seat in the back row.
The room was filled - all men. I remember thinking “No one will have the nerve to
tell me to leave.” And no one did - although, if looks could kill, I would have died a
thousand deaths.
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I remember very quickly not even thinking about what anyone thought about my
being there. Dr. Miller’s presentation was making much more sense than all of those
theories I had studied in comparative and developmental psychology. And best of
all, the managers (all scientists and engineers) were totally engaged with the concept
as well! As a result, Dr. Miller was retained to help us develop one of the nation’s
first employer-sponsored career development programs for employees. And
I did not lose my job - although I did hear about it and firmly told not to let that
happen again.
All was soon forgotten when I designed a SIMA-based career development workshop
that was a real hit with all our analytical employees. My contribution was to
engage the employees in Identifying the recurring “evidence” that told the story of
innate talents.in their own achievements. These recurring themes then served as
“internal guidance systems” for more informed job/career strategies and decisions.
The workshop designs and instructional materials that were created for that audience
formed the foundation for my work with SIMA for the next 35 years.
Clients have included many Fortune 50’s - with a fifteen-year contract with Exxon
and ExxonMobil, and multiple-year contracts with Glaxo, Merck, DuPont, McDonnell
Douglas, BP, the Defense Intelligence Agency, the Department of Education, etc. I
published follow-up studies on the impact on employee performance and retention
rates gathered by these clients.
All this activity (including a great deal of international work for multi-national clients)
resulted in my election as National President of the American Society for
Training and Development (membership 65,000) and more foreign travel to represent
the Society abroad. And more importantly, SIMA helped me in my personal
life. I came to better understand and appreciate my husband. As we celebrated our
53rd year of marriage, I can honestly say that I doubt I would have ever stopped
whining about his forgetting birthdays and anniversaries without my SIMA insights!
SIMA also helped both of us to better support our son and daughter when their
motivations took them in entirely different career directions that either of us would
have chosen.
It did really all start in that briefing room when I heard Dr.Miller tell the ever-socompelling
SIMA story. And he is still telling the story, assisted by the countless
supporters who are witnesses to its powerful impact - and you do not even need to
steal your seat!
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Tim Richardson
I first encountered SIMA when I was invited to write an article for a magazine
and interview Art Miller in the mid 1990s. I spent a wonderful lunch with Art
and was inspired to find out more about this process as it seemed to me to resonate
fabulously with my own values and views on people. Art insisted that I meet
Nick Isbister who was the UK main contact and he persuaded me that I should go
through the process myself.
I met with Nick soon thereafter and it became obvious that we had a lot in common
and that we were destined to be good friends. Our values, our view of the world and
people development was very consistent. Moreover as I had been working in the
learning and development space for a number of years inside a large organisation
and had now set up as an independent consultant, it seemed to me that the SIMA
process and tool would be a wonderful technique to add to my repertoire.
Nick Isbister took me through the process himself and I found it affirming and liberating.
At this point I was in my mid 30s and had been unclear about my overall
career direction - or where I would find my best fit. I had done a number of roles
within a major financial services business and was still asking questions about how I
could play better to my strengths and find fulfilment.
SIMA shone a light clearly on the important ingredients that make me me and also
confirmed why I had found some roles deeply frustrating and others deeply frustrating.
Since then, I have developed personally as a leader in business and as an
Executive Coach. Moreover, I became a convert to SIMA and have introduced the
process into some major businesses in the UK including PWC where I was Head of
Leadership and Talent for a number of years.
I also saw the value of this for members of my team and managed to get many of
them trained up in the process so that they could incorporate it into their practice.
Between us we began to transform the way development was viewed and done in
PWC (and other organisations) such that the whole approach to Talent Management
has become strengths based rather than competency based. I continue to use SIMA
with coaching clients and organisations, and I find it one of the most uplifting and
rewarding processes to use.
A privilege indeed.
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Paolo Ferraris
I was patterned by Joshua Miller two years ago for my current position; he
conducted the SIMA assessment on behalf of the non-profit organization I serve,
World Vision International. What I liked about the SIMA process was that Joshua
took the time to know me better. After I completed an autobiographical questionnaire
he followed it up with an excellent interview.
He asked me stories about my life and I was able to illustrate my past experience
this way. We immediately connected and I appreciated the report I was sent. It
gave me a lot of insight into my life and professional experience.
Going through the report, I was able to see an unbiased evaluation of my past performance
and my current potential and I was pleased to see it documented in a
transparent way. The motivational pattern report was very useful to me in that I
had key words that essentially described who I was and what my leadership style
was. This way I could share with my peers and relate our experiences using the
same terminology. I can only say that my success in my professional life has been
fairly foreshadowed in this accurate assessment report.
I highly recommend the SIMA assessment for recruiting not only senior leaders but
also middle management as well.
Tina Aguirre
I was first exposed to SIMA in the mid 90’s. First, after taking the class it
confirmed what my motivated abilities were although I had never been exposed to
SIMA and this was such an eye opening (that those things that I enoyed very early
in - I was still enjoying later on in life).
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The most significant event was when I was asked to step-in and be team lead. Up
until this point, I did not aspire to be a team lead or lead people (although my SIMA
indicated that this was one of my motivated abilities). My manager at that time
(also familiar wtih SIMA) when she asked me to be a team lead, she asked if this
was something that had surfaced in my review and I told her yes, but pehrphas
internally I was afraid to take that risk (having to lead people and very likely taking
more risk and making mistakes).
So she enouraged me to take the role. I did and this was the most significant discovery
of my life! It was difficult for the first 6 months, but after that role - that is
what I enjoy most and what has helped my career as this is something I absolutely
love to do! As a result of this, I now share my story with others and ask that they
first find out waht motivates them and then find a role that matches their motivated
abilities - it will change their lifes forever.
Just in the last few years, I have been teaching a mentoring circle at work and several
of my students have also benefited from SIMA just as much as I have.
Martin Kalunga-Banda
There were two main reasons why Oxfam advised that I get myself coached
and then trained in SIMA. First, I had just taken up a new role as Leadership and
Capacity Adviser for the Global Centre of Learning on HIV & AIDS. It was felt that
I would be more effective in my work if I had a better understanding of myself, and
if I had a really robust coaching process. In this role, I traveled and worked with
Oxfam leaders and program/ humanitarian staff in Zambia, Angola, Mozambique,
and Oxford. The feedback I got through this work was that my engagement with
my ‘clients’ allowed them to become more aware of “what else was possible in their
circumstances and how to go about tapping into that possibility”.
I guess this was because I created the space in which individual and group stories
came to the surface and my currency was asking questions that enabled my ‘clients’
dig deep in the wealth from within themselves. This is the SIMA process. The other
reason I was encouraged to do SIMA was because I had just been asked by the
then Zambian President (Levy Mwanawasa) to help him set up the role of Chief of
Staff in the Presidency.
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This meant that I played the role of Chief of Staff myself and then helped the President
learn how to work effectively with such a role. This often involved me spending
a lot of time mirroring to the President the world he was dealing with. As I had
learnt from my SIMA training, this was mainly about I listening so intently that the
President found answers to his own questions.
After leaving Oxfam, the SIMA process has helped me in the way I am supporting
leaders in government, business and civil society. I have further learnt that the
SIMA technique of story telling - for those high level leaders who do not have the
time to sit down and write their stories - can still be used by simply engaging leaders
in conversation. Over time, leaders share their stories that reveal the abilities
that truly motivate them. Simple as it sounds, we all come alive and become much
more effective in whatever we elect to do once we are using our strongest points or
qualities.
Jim Meisner
I connected with SIMA through my friendship with Don Kiehl. I was quite
impressed with the results! Prior to consulting Don I had taken other career tests/
personality tests and most of them were very accurate, at least in general terms.
However, SIMA surpassed them all in breadth and detail. As a result, I came away
with a much better understanding of my unique personality traits (warts and all)
and what truly motivates me. I was and still am amazed at a lot of the details about
myself that Don was able to uncover; things that I never thought anyone would
ever know or I was only vaguely aware of about myself.
For example, Don accurately figured out that I can be inarticulate when I’m uninterested
in what I’m doing. Additionally, he correctly told me I can be very articulate if
I’m passionate about what it is I’m involved with. He also gave me other important
feedback on how I’d be happier having my own area of expertise within an organization
and the corporate philosophies that would fit me the best. He even knew
I like to be selfish about sharing information! So, I would say all of this feedback
helped me form a more comprehensive idea of what I’m like about what I want out
of a job than any other source, by far.
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How did SIMA make a significant difference in my life? I plan to change careers in
the near future and I think SIMA’s helped me focus on what’s important to me in a
career. Other career programs/tests/tools were helpful, but left me with vague ideas
about what would be best career wise for me.
SIMA was clearer and more precise. It’s good to know I have a good handle on
what I want out of life. From a personal growth perspective, it made me realize that
I’ve got certain personality traits that are hard-wired and there’s not much I can do
about it. So, without going too Oprah Winfreyish on you, its helped me accept who I
am (the good and the bad) and thats just how it is.
Maria O’Neill
My first experience with SIMA was in the mid 1990’s when I worked for ExxonMobil.
I went through a career development workshop led by Marlys Hanson. I
can honestly say that the SIMA survey and the workshop changed my life. I was
doing what I thought was a very boring job and I was seriously considering leaving
the company. After the workshop and the SIMA survey, I realized that it wasn’t
the company that I hated, it was that the work I was doing was not aligned with my
motivated abilities. Once I moved to a different position, I started loving and excelling
at my job.
Years later I was the business unit CIO for one of BP’s divisions. In this role I heard
a lot of complaining about the lact of career development within the IT department.
I remembered Marlys and the SIMA process. I looked Marlys up and invited her to
come and take all of my employees through this workshop. About 100 employees
went throught the SIMA evaluation.
The feedback we got from the employees was very positive and to this day, I still
hear from some of them about how this process impacted their careers. I continue
to recommend Marlys and the SIMA process to people I know who are in leadership
positions.
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