Circumplex Behaviour Scan 360° (CBS360)
Interpersonal behaviour is the building block of all relationships.
Our 360-degree feedback using the Circumplex Behaviour Scan 360° (CBS360) provides an insight into how to leverage interpersonal behaviour to influence and strengthen relationships.
Interpersonal behaviour determines whether people trust you, follow you, collaborate with you, or avoid you.
What is the Circumplex Behaviour Scan 360° (CBS60)
Measuring Interpersonal Behaviour That Drives Relationships
Many people have blind spots about their interpersonal behaviour and its impact on others. They think they’re being direct—others experience them as aggressive. They think they’re being collaborative—others experience them as indecisive.
The Circumplex Behaviour Scan 360° (CBS360) is an evidence-based, scientifically rigorous assessment that measures the full range of interpersonal behaviours across 8 distinct styles: Influential | Insistent; Initiating | Intrusive; Empathetic | Gullible; Yielding | Dependent; Withdrawn | Indifferent; Distrustful | Cynical; Antagonistic & Hostile and Forceful | Dominant.
We measure both:
- Current interpersonal style: how an individual currently behaves.
- Ideal interpersonal style: how an individual ideally wants to behave.
The gap between current and ideal reveals a development path about which behaviours to amplify and which to dial back.
THE 8 INTERPERSONAL BEHAVIOUR STYLES
INFLUENTIAL | INSISTENT
Individuals try to take the lead in conversations and meetings. They take charge by coordinating tasks or trying to convince others they are right. At normal levels, this is influential leadership. At extreme levels, it becomes insistent and overbearing.
INITIATING | INTRUSIVE
Individuals try to help others by offering assistance and giving advice. They give their opinion in a calm and respectful way. This style creates trust and people feel safe when it’s used appropriately. At extreme levels, it can become intrusive and unwanted.
EMPATHETIC | GULLIBLE
Individuals demonstrate a willingness and capacity to listen, ask open-ended questions, and express empathy. At normal levels, this builds connection. At extreme levels, people can be too trusting or gullible.
YIELDING | DEPENDENT
WITHDRAWN | INDIFFERENT
Individuals are passive and avoid contact with others. They may disengage from conversations or situations. This style creates distance and can signal disinterest or lack of engagement.
DISTRUSTFUL | CYNICAL
Individuals show they do not trust other people or their actions. They often use pessimistic and negative phrases to express themselves. This style creates defensiveness and damages relationships.
ANTAGONISTIC | HOSTILE
Individuals are insensitive or offensive in their interactions with others. Very often this behaviour is triggered by angry feelings like irritation, frustration, or anger. This style damages trust and creates conflict.
FORCEFUL | DOMINANT
Individuals put pressure on others through their choice of words, intonation, speed, or body language to get the things they want. At normal levels, this is assertiveness. At extreme levels, it becomes domineering and controlling.
Signs you might benefit from the Circumplex Behaviour Scan 360° (CBS360)
| You're developing team members | Team members need to understand how their interpersonal behaviour impacts their ability to influence, build trust, and drive performance. |
| Someone has interpersonal blind spots | They don't see how they're coming across. They need objective data on how their behaviour lands with others. |
| You're addressing specific behavioural issues | Someone is too aggressive, too passive, too withdrawn, too domineering—and they need specific feedback on what to change. |
| You're building self-awareness | High-potential employees need to understand their interpersonal strengths and development areas before they can grow. |
| You're improving team dynamics | When team members understand each other's interpersonal styles, they can navigate relationships more effectively. |
| You want feedback that actually drives change | You're tired of generic 360 feedback that says "needs to communicate better." You want specific, behavioural insight that people can act on. |
| You need to measure behaviour change | You've been working on interpersonal development and need to know if behaviour is actually shifting. |
How It Works
1. Identify Participants and Raters
- We work with you to determine:
- Who will receive feedback (leaders, high-potentials, team members)
- Who will provide feedback for each participant (manager, peers, direct reports, other stakeholders)
- Whether raters will be identified or have the option to remain anonymous (we recommend identified for maximum impact)
THE CHALLENGE
Before you can change your culture, you need to know which behaviours to target
WHAT YOU'LL MASTER
- Map reality vs values with the Circumplex Culture Scan (CCS).
- Identify unspoken behavioural norms.
- Surface behaviours blocking the desired culture.
- Understand why cultural inertia persists.
- Build a data-driven culture shift strategy.
2. Deploy the Survey
Participants and their raters complete the CBS360 online:
The Survey:
- 116 items measuring interpersonal behavior across 8 styles
- Takes approximately 20-30 minutes to complete
- Participants complete self-assessment (current and ideal behavior)
- Raters assess the participant's current behavior
- Based on the scientifically validated Interpersonal Circumplex model
THE CHALLENGE
Before you can change your culture, you need to know which behaviours to target
WHAT YOU'LL MASTER
- Map reality vs values with the Circumplex Culture Scan (CCS).
- Identify unspoken behavioural norms.
- Surface behaviours blocking the desired culture.
- Understand why cultural inertia persists.
- Build a data-driven culture shift strategy.
3. Analyse the Data
- We analyse results to identify:
- Self-perception vs. others' perception: Where are the gaps?
- Behavioral strengths: Which styles are working well?
- Behavioral blind spots: Which styles are overused or underused?
- Rater agreement: Do different groups (manager, peers, direct reports) see the person differently?
- Behavioral vector: The overall direction and strength of interpersonal behavior
- Development priorities: Which specific behaviors need to change?
THE CHALLENGE
Before you can change your culture, you need to know which behaviours to target
WHAT YOU'LL MASTER
- Map reality vs values with the Circumplex Culture Scan (CCS).
- Identify unspoken behavioural norms.
- Surface behaviours blocking the desired culture.
- Understand why cultural inertia persists.
- Build a data-driven culture shift strategy.
4. Debrief and Interpretation
- We facilitate debrief sessions where we:
- Present the feedback report in a confidential, supportive setting
- Help the participant understand what the data means
- Explore the gap between self-perception and others' perception
- Identify specific behavioral patterns that are helping or hindering effectiveness
- Discuss the interpersonal circumplex model and how it applies to them
- Address emotional reactions to feedback (surprise, defensiveness, validation)
THE CHALLENGE
Before you can change your culture, you need to know which behaviours to target
WHAT YOU'LL MASTER
- Map reality vs values with the Circumplex Culture Scan (CCS).
- Identify unspoken behavioural norms.
- Surface behaviours blocking the desired culture.
- Understand why cultural inertia persists.
- Build a data-driven culture shift strategy.
5. Create Development Plan
- Based on the feedback, we help participants:
- Prioritise which behaviours to change (you can't work on everything at once)
- Define specific, observable behavioural goals
- Identify situations where they'll practice new behaviours
- Plan conversations with raters to deepen understanding of feedback
- Establish accountability mechanisms and progress check-ins
THE CHALLENGE
Before you can change your culture, you need to know which behaviours to target
WHAT YOU'LL MASTER
- Map reality vs values with the Circumplex Culture Scan (CCS).
- Identify unspoken behavioural norms.
- Surface behaviours blocking the desired culture.
- Understand why cultural inertia persists.
- Build a data-driven culture shift strategy.
WHAT'S INCLUDED
Comprehensive Behavioral Feedback Report
Detailed report showing self-assessment, 360° feedback from all rater groups, and gap analysis.
Interpersonal Circumplex Profile
Visual circumplex map showing your behavioral profile across all 8 styles.
Self vs. Others Comparison
Clear visualisation of the gap between how you see yourself and how others experience you.
Rater Group Breakdown
Separate feedback from manager, peers, direct reports, and other stakeholders (if applicable).
Individual Rater Feedback Display
Unique feature: See feedback from each individual rater (if they choose to be identified), not just aggregated data.
Behavioral Vector Analysis
Understanding of your overall behavioural direction and strength across Agency and Communion dimensions.
Current vs. Ideal Behavior Gap
Comparison of how you currently behave vs. how you ideally want to behave.
Facilitated Debrief Session
Personalised Development Plan
Specific, actionable plan for which behaviours to change and how to change them.
Conversation Guide for Raters
Tools to help you have productive follow-up conversations with people who provided feedback.
What Makes the Circumplex Behaviour Scan 360° (CBS360) Different
| Rater-Identified, Not Anonymous | Most 360 tools hide behind anonymity. The CBS360 displays individual rater feedback (raters can choose to be anonymous, but we encourage identification). This creates accountability and enables real conversations. |
| Behaviourally Specific | The CBS360 measures specific, observable behaviours—not vague competencies like "communication" or "leadership." You know exactly what to change. |
| Scientifically Validated | Based on decades of research on the Interpersonal Circumplex model. It is grounded in personality and social psychology research. |
| Comprehensive Coverage | Measures the full spectrum of interpersonal behaviour across 8 styles, capturing both healthy and problematic behaviours. |
| Visual and Intuitive | The circumplex visual makes complex behavioural data easy to understand and discuss. |
| Enables Real Conversations | Because raters can be identified, participants can follow up with raters to deepen their understanding of the feedback. This turns feedback into dialogue. |
| Measures Current AND Ideal | Most tools only measure current behaviour. The CBS360 also measures how you ideally want to behave, revealing the gap between aspiration and reality. |
| Actionable | The behavioural specificity makes it clear what to do differently. You're not left wondering "how do I improve my communication?" You know exactly which behaviours to dial up or down. |
How This Integrates with Our Programs
Executive Coaching (1:1)
We use CBS360 at the start of coaching to establish baseline behavioral data, then again after 6-12 months to measure progress.
High Performance Team Sprint
We use CBS360 to help team members understand each other’s interpersonal styles and improve team dynamics.
Leadership Development Programs
CBS360 provides the diagnostic foundation for custom leadership programs, showing us exactly what behaviors leaders need to develop.
Custom Leadership Programs
CBS360 data informs program design and provides participants with personalized development focus areas..
As a Standalone Snapshot
If you just need 360-degree feedback for specific individuals without a broader program, we can administer CBS360 as a standalone assessment with debrief and development planning.
