Discovering your “Dotted Diamond”
Integrating GRIP and Birkman®
Your Spiritual Gifts can dynamically affect your usual behavior and can be depicted by showing how each gift moves the Diamond on the Birkman Map®. We call this the “Dotted Diamond.” Due to the powerful and complex aspect of this concept, we strongly encourage you work with a GRIP-Birkman Coach.
Defining the “Dotted Diamond”
One unique aspect of the GRIP-Birkman process is the way it separates gifting from personality—the “pull apart” process. The “Dotted Diamond” is the key linkage between the Birkman Map® and the Spiritual Gift Triangle, depicting one’s natural behavior and one’s supernatural gifting for ministry. The “Dotted Diamond” is the shift in your Usual Style, your diamond on the Birkman Map®, to a possible new location, caused by the power of the Holy Spirit working in you. It reveals how your Spiritual Gifts can change the nature and pattern of your usual style of behavior in the power of the Spirit. The Spirit’s power through His gifts literally moves your Birkman® diamond, changing your usual or effective style!
You will not fully understand certain people if you rely solely on their Birkman® data. Their Birkman® report will not adequately explain who they are, especially when factoring in their Spiritual Gifts. Many people discover that their usual behavior shifts to a different position on the grid, depending on the nature of the “power” and function of one’s spiritual gifting.
Exploring your Dotted Diamond
Consider the KEY below for the “dotted diamond” movement up or down, left or right, on the Birkman Map®:
- Equipping Gifts usually cause an upward movement toward more direct communication,
- Equipping Gifts, if they are action-oriented (i.e. exhortation, prophecy), may cause movement to the left or toward Task. Equipping Gifts that focus on loving people may cause movement to the right or toward People.
- Supporting Gifts usually cause movement to the left or toward Task. An exception would be Helps, because of its focus on People.
- Supporting Gifts may also cause a downward movement and employ more informal, indirect interaction (e.g. administration, service, giving).
Discern your Dotted Diamond: Take 15 minutes to silently reflect on what the impact might be. How does your Usual style change when the power of God rises up through your Spiritual Gifts? Consult the chart below “Dotted Diamond Movement Based on Spiritual Gifts.”
- In what direction does the Dotted Diamond move and why?
- Note that the movement of your Dotted Diamond may not be to just one point. It may be a range (depicted in the chart by an “arc” or “fan”) because of your gift combination.
- How far does the Dotted Diamond move (related to the distance and intensity of the Gift blending)?
Dotted Diamond Movement Based on Spiritual Gifts
The arc indicates the general direction in which the diamond will move. Remember, however, that the ultimate range and movement is based on the perceived intensity of the different gifts in your gift combination.
Principles for Plotting Your Dotted Diamond
In an effort toward sober estimation, make your first attempt at understanding how the Holy Spirit’s power may affect your usual or effective style.
Step 1: Using the table above, identify the range of motion for your Spiritual Gift Combination.
Step 2: Notice where your diamond is on your Birkman Map®.
Step 3: Now make your best effort to identify the potential or possible movement and new placement of the dotted diamond.
Step 4: Draw a dotted diamond at the new location on your Birkman Map®.