St. Petersburg, FL, May 01, 2013 –(PR.com)– After three years of development, Eckerd College’s Leadership Development Institute (LDI) is pleased to announce the release of a new assessment instrument called the Entrepreneurial Dimensions Profile™ (EDP). Based on extensive research into the traits, motivations, and skills of today’s entrepreneurs, the EDP helps leaders and students of entrepreneurship assess the degree to which they are utilizing an “entrepreneurial mindset.”

“One of our goals in creating the EDP was to advance the science of entrepreneurship by creating a data-based assessment that can be used in multiple contexts,” says Dr. Jennifer Hall, co-author of the instrument and Director of Coaching at the Leadership Development Institute. “Although there is a high degree of interest in the topic, most of what has been written is largely theoretical or anecdotal. The EDP provides a more empirical basis for measuring yourself against two distinct norm groups – corporate managers and entrepreneurs.”

Available on-line in both individual and group versions, the EDP provides feedback to participants on 14 dimensions of entrepreneurial thought and behavior that have been found to distinguish entrepreneurs from non-entrepreneurs. Among the characteristics and skills measured by the EDP are Nonconformity, Future Focus, Optimism and Idea Generation.

“Eckerd College’s Entrepreneurial Dimensions Profile is an excellent resource,” notes Director of Innovation for Dell Services Glenn Wintrich who is based in Plano, TX. “Not only does it provide the needed analysis of entrepreneurial skills and traits, but it also gives my team a roadmap to hone our skills in the future. Whenever I look to employ a tool, I look for three specific qualities: First, the tool must be fit for a purpose—it has to get the job done. Secondly, the tool must improve the output or at least make me more efficient. Finally, it must expand my capabilities and make me better at the task. The EDP passes the ‘tool test’ with flying colors!”

The past decade has seen a striking interest in all things entrepreneurial. Entrepreneurship has been hailed as a crucial engine for innovation and economic growth, college degrees in entrepreneurship are proliferating, and even President Obama has called for “entrepreneurship” to be included with “problem-solving” and “critical thinking” as 21st century skills to be incorporated into education standards and assessments. The EDP assessment allows individuals not only to assess but also to activate their own entrepreneurial thought and behavior by providing—in addition to an individual Feedback Report—a comprehensive Development Guide, which includes suggestions for improvement and recommended resources. The EDP co-authors are currently working on a 360-degree version of the instrument which would include feedback from other sources such as bosses, peers, and direct reports.

The EDP is the second assessment tool developed by the Leadership Development Institute in recent years. The Conflict Dynamics Profile (CDP)®, a highly respected instrument used by many of the world’s leading conflict specialists, is another key component of Eckerd College’s diverse portfolio of products. Designed to provide people with a greater awareness of both constructive and destructive behaviors, the CDP helps improve conflict management skills.

The Entrepreneurial Dimensions Profile is $45 per Individual Report, $200 per 360-degree Report and $250 per Group Report. For more information or to take the EDP now, visit www.edpmindset.com

About the Leadership Development Institute, www.eckerd.edu/ldi
Since 1980, the Leadership Development Institute (LDI) at Eckerd College has delivered high-quality, assessment-based leadership programs to thousands of leaders. As a Network Associate of the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL®) in Greensboro, North Carolina, LDI serves the needs of the national and international business community.

Because of its exceptional programs, CCL ranked No. 6 overall in the 2012 Financial Times worldwide survey of executive education. CCL has placed in the Top 10 for the eleventh straight year and remains the only institution among 50 in the survey that specializes in leadership education and research.

About Eckerd College www.eckerd.edu
Eckerd College invites students to ThinkOutside. Located on 188 acres of waterfront property in St. Petersburg, Florida, Eckerd is a pioneer of innovation – developing programs that have been adopted nationwide and earning the College an international reputation for academic excellence. A private, coeducational college of liberal arts and sciences related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA), Eckerd College has a diverse student body with 1,850 students from 48 states and 32 countries and is one of only 40 schools listed in Loren Pope’s Colleges That Change Lives. In 2003, Eckerd became one of the youngest colleges to receive a Phi Beta Kappa chapter. Eckerd also serves more than 1,000 students annually through its Program for Experienced Learners. The Leadership Development Institute, Academy of Senior Professionals, and offerings through the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute and Road Scholar program identify the College as a national leader in continuing education.

Eckerd’s first priority is to teach students how to learn—at any age. And the best education is one that prepares you for the how, as well as the what, an education that teaches you to ThinkOutside.