History of The TRACOM Group

In 1964, Dr. David W. Merrill, an industrial psychologist and university professor, began researching predictors of success in selling and management careers. Through his empirical studies, Merrill found that people tend to display consistent, observable behaviors, and that others consistently agree on words to describe each behavior. This work became the foundation of the Social Style Model™, and the beginning of The TRACOM Group.

The original Social Style profiling instrument was a list of adjectives developed from an initial pool of more than 2,300 words. Study of these words revealed adjective clusters that measured dimensions of human behavior. Through extensive factor and reliability analyses, a total of 150 adjectives measuring three scales were finalized and labeled Assertiveness, Responsiveness and Versatility. By combining the two dimensions of assertiveness and responsiveness, four patterns of behavior, or Social Styles, were identified: Analytical, Driving, Expressive and Amiable.

Since its creation, millions of satisfied participants have used the Social Style Model and associated courses and instruments to improve their workplace performance. TRACOM has furthered enhanced interpersonal and team development training with the introduction of instruments such as the Tri-Dimensional Model Of Team Development™ and the Interpersonal Feedback Report.

TRACOM offers a variety of 360 degree feedback tools including the Interpersonal 360 and Leadership 360.  TRACOM continually updates its product suite based on current research and customer experiences.

While offering a full suite of off-the-shelf programs and assessments, TRACOM has performed custom projects since its inception.  The Performance Consulting Division helps organizations develop great leaders, engage employees and improve individual and organizational performance.

In recent years, TRACOM has released a number of resources which teach how to apply Social Style concepts in specific workplace situations.  These include guides and courses for managers, sales professionals and a universal audience.  The company also publishes guides on using Style to minimize conflict, improve team performance and support coaching.