Good Bye To A Great Leader

“If Birkman can shine a brighter light on our true selves, illuminate some ways we are both similar and distinct from others, and help people see their value, then we have good reasons to be here for another six decades.”

Roger W. Birkman

On March 26, 2014, the creator of the Birkman Method quietly passed away at the age of 95. His lifetime work helps us better understand why we act as we do and how we fit as individuals within our social environment. Only when we become aware of our strengths as individuals, our motivations and our counterproductive behaviors we can begin our journey of change and transformation. So many journeys have been made easier and more productive by the research undertaken by Dr. Roger Birkman and his team.

Dr. Birkman leaves quite a legacy. He was a World War II aviator, an inventor and innovator, a dearly loved husband, father and grandfather. A man of faith. His research led to the systemization of human behavior when nobody believed that this could be done. And he succeeded with astonishing accuracy. Even today many of my clients express their fascination for how accurately the reports define their personalities, needs, and stress – helping them to identify their strengths and blind spots. Dr. B innovated once again when he took the lead in becoming an on-line Internet based assessment tool, while maintaining the human component of his work.

It has been my honor and privilege to have known and worked with Dr. Birkman since the late 1990’s, and I truly feel that he and his methodology contributed greatly to both my professional success and personal happiness. His optimism in individuals and organizations never wavered, and his willingness to share and teach was endless. Dr. B, you will be sorely missed, but you will live on in your work and your disciples. Thank you.