In 1982, Ross M. Steward and Rodger C. Bailey started to commercialize the metaprogram model under the name IPU Profile through their company Biodata Inc. According to an article of that period published in the Dallas Magazine in December 1983, Ross Steward was "vice president for product development at BioData and the PhD behind the test". One of their first customers was Southwest Airlines, which started to use the LAB Profile technology in October 1982 for all its recruiting, from V.P.'s to baggage handlers. Herb Kelleher, Southwest Airlines' CEO till 2001, was featured on the early advertising for the product.

In 1986, Ross and Rodger went separate ways, and Rodger started using the name "LAB Profile", short for Language and Behavior Profile. The metaprogram model started appearing in several books, such as "Time Line Therapy and the Basics of Personality" (Tad James & Wyatt Woodsmall, 1987) and in the bestseller "Unlimited Power: The New Science of Personal Achievement" by Anthony Robbins et al (1986), essentially bringing metaprograms in the public domain. Apart from Certified LAB Profile specialists, many other people in institutes world-wide now train metaprograms (including most NLP institutes), but few do this with the rigor of the LAB Profile training programs.

In 1987, PNL-REPERE, an institute co-founded by Brian van der Horst, was granted a license to use Rodger's manual to train the LAB Profile in a large number of countries on the European mainland. Unfortunately, PNL-REPERE didn't develop the LAB Profile outside their home market (France), finally causing them to lose their exclusive rights on training the LAB Profile. Given Brian van der Horst came over from the US, PNL-REPERE needed translators. Shelle Rose Charvet was a Student at PNL-REPERE and did some translation as well.

Rodger Bailey was actively promoting the product until 1992 (mainly in the US, but also in Europe and Latin-America). Since then Rodger rarely appears in public and essentially just continues servicing his own customer base, apparently still including SouthWest Airlines. The commercial development of the LAB profile model was taken over by Shelle Rose Charvet, when she put her effort behind the product around 1991, having been authorized by Rodger Bailey to do so. Shelle founded the company "Success Strategies / Stratégies de Réussite" (based in Canada) and wrote "Words that Change Minds" (1995), which is based on Rodger's original work. It is considered to be the "official" LAB Profile book and is the only book Rodger actually "authorized". Currently, over 100 Certified LAB Profile Trainer/Consultants trained by Shelle Rose Charvet are authorized to do training and consulting worldwide using the LAB Profile.

In 2000, PNL-REPERE was briefly under management of the Integral Perspectives Group. With the aim of building synergies between the Integral Perspectives group members, jobEQ was created to build and publish psychometric instruments, including the LAB Profile. In 2001, new investors were found for PNL-REPERE and Integral Perspectives sold its shares. PNL-REPERE is now managed by Jean-Luc Monsempes, a LAB Profile trainer certified by Shelle Rose Charvet.

jobEQ & LAB today

Based on the LAB Profile technology, jobEQ developed its proprietary computer based iWAM test (short for "internet Work Attitude and Motivation"). This new product offers the powerful insights from the LAB Profile, and adds scientific rigor to the use of the tool (jobEQ adheres to the testing standards set by the American Psychology Association and has partnerships with several universities for research based on jobEQ's tools.)

Apart from the original English version (with standard groups both for the US and the UK), jobEQ first translated and calibrated the iWAM questionnaire for the French and Belgian markets (French & Dutch language). Meanwhile several other languages have been added (including Italian, Spanish, German, Danish, Arabic, ...). Also, for several countries (such as Canada, Australia & Denmark) separate standard groups are now available. Development of additional languages and standard groups is demand-driven. If you want to use iWAM for a specific country, please contact jobEQ to find out what is available or how we can help you to use thjis technology in your country.

jobEQ has worked out a partnership with Shelle Rose Charvet. Under this agreement, Shelle Rose Charvet recommends the jobEQ iWAM test and people trained as Certified LAB Profile Consultant/Trainers can offer the jobEQ iWAM full services. jobEQ recommends Shelle's training programs to those that want to make iWAM testing their business. This agreement makes it now possible to offer the iWAM product world-wide.

We suggest that you take the test and try it out for yourself.