Human beings are complex.
Yet when it comes to performance assessments, performance appraisals or
psychometric assessments, we find there is a tendency to adopt a “one size fits
all” approach. Confining ourselves to assessing only one aspect of the human
condition is a disservice to the individual and counterproductive to the
organization’s human talent management goals.
For example, emotional intelligence is recognized as a key
leadership trait and in some circles the flavor of the month in assessing
managers and executives. However by itself, emotional intelligence does not tell
the whole story. How will we understand the leader’s actual behavior? Human
emotions affect human behavior and vice versa. Additionally, motivations and
decision-making styles are also intertwined with behaviors.
Working with TTI, a national assessment company, ETI has many
performance assessments that we use with all clients be they small business
owners, sales professionals or much larger organizations, depending on their
specific need. Each tool gives us another dimension of the individual. In
general, we can break this down into “What” makes them up, “How” they apply
those attributes, “Why” they do what they do, and their capacity to
interact with “Who” on a daily basis.
What: Based on the work in axiology by Dr. Robert Hartman,
we measure attributes that individuals
use in their decision-making framework.
How: Behaviors that individuals use in the workplace reflect
the degree to which they utilize their attributes. Since behaviors impact
relationships, ETI uses DISC most frequently with team-building and
communication workshops.
Why: To understand and get the most out of behaviors and attributes,
motivators and values must be examined. Leaders who tap into the motivators of
their team members are consistently some of the most successful.
Who: We measure the Emotional Intelligence to manage our
emotions and adapt to others’ emotional states
Additional assessments, like 360s, aptitude towards
learning, current job alignment, etc are available to fine-tune or highlight
specific requirements.
Performance assessments are great tools to build a
foundation from which to build and move toward the desired behaviors and
results. However, they work much better when more than one are used and there
is alignment in the organization.
