Assessments Today

Video Training Series on Leadership 360

I have completed four videos on Leadership 360 degree assessments with training on how to use and administer the assessment that I offer at Assessments Here. The training is over 100 minutes of straight content and almost an hour of solid information in using any 360 leadership tool.

Module 1 is about using 360s within an organizational setting and is long and more theoretical. (27 minutes)

Module 2 gives a brief overview to Leadership and 360′s and what you can expect to find out there. (11 minutes)

Module 3 is the meat and potatoes.  Here I go over the key points of administering and debriefing a 360 when you use one in coaching. (24 minutes)

Module 4, I take you through a sample Leadership 360 Assessment and talk about what it “means” and how I might debrief it.  This is the “technical” part of the training and is only necessary if you choose to use my Assessments Here profile. (42 minutes)

There are two purchase options as outlined here: http://www.assessmentshere.com/2011/07/video-training-series-on-leadership-360/

360 Degree Overview Training (video)

I have just completed four videos on Leadership 360 degree assessments with training on how to use and administer the assessment that I offer at Assessments Here. The training is over 100 minutes of straight content. Here is a two minute video highlighting what is covered.  It is now for sale as a product.

There are two purchase options as outlined here: http://www.assessmentshere.com/2011/07/video-training-series-on-leadership-360/

.

Video overview will take about 10 seconds to load.

 

Improve your brain power, mental health, learning and more (not simply IQ)

There are a number of sites where you can "test" your brain power but the best that I have come across is Lumosity. Here are ten things that they claim:

10 Things You Should Know About Lumosity.com

1. Lumosity.com has been shown to improve memory and attention in clinical trials.
2. 98% of Lumosity.com subscribers say they would recommend us to others.
3. Over 10 million people have joined Lumosity.com.
4. Lumosity.com features over 30 brain games and exercises.
5. Lumosity.com's training program only takes 10 minutes a day.
6. People from over 180 countries have subscribed to Lumosity.com.
7. Lumosity.com is the exclusive provider of healthy games for The New York Times.
8. Lumosity.com costs less than a cup of coffee a day.
9. Lumosity.com partners with healthcare providers and media outlets.
10. Lumosity.com can change your life.

Designed by neuroscientists and based on extensive research, Lumosity's training program promotes cognitive health by selectively challenging cognitive faculties. They use the Brain Performance Index (BPI) to measureeach performance in a given cognitive function.

Lumosity improves brain health and mental functioning. Their brain training program selectively addresses five main brain areas: memory, attention, processing speed, flexibility and problem-solving skills. By focusing on all five, our training exercises steer you toward your peak performance. No matter what your age or educational background, Lumosity can help you stay mentally fit and at the top of your game.

You can use BPI to track your performance, and compare your ability in one cognitive area to another.  Overall BPI is your average BPI across each of the five cognitive areas: attention, memory, speed, flexibility and problem solving. This number provides a concise measure of your overall brain performance. If you are weak in one area, it will bring down your overall score, so it’s a good idea to focus on the games where you scores are lowest.

While there are paid accounts, you can open a full functioning free one by going to their website.  I highly recommend giving it a go. These are fun free and provide one place for an overall perpective on yur brain performance.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ONe resource site that I like and have often mentioned in my blog is from the BBC Science: Human body and Mind.  One example of a memory test can be found here.  Check around there are lots more.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Perhaps slightly more functional is Gild. Gild provides you with unique tools to certify your skills, find great jobs, and advance your career all while competing and sharing with friends and peers.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

WiZiQ helps you Learn and Teach Online.

 

These are just a few of many intersting sites.  Please share any others that you think are worth a visit.

The Platinum Rule and Body Language

This is a nice short series that Tony Alessandra recently put up on YouTube that I would like to share with you. These two videos run under 5 minutes and are quite humorous.

 

I have seen Tony do this piece before but it is a very nice summary of how the visual, vocal and verbal can help you to understand others and their behaviours

How Useful is Knowing Learning Styles for Teams

Image via Wikipedia

I recently "trashed" learning style assessments on Twitter and now I am feeling a little bit badly about it.  Don't get me wrong, I am still of the opinion that in most instances the use of learning style inventories are more beneficial to the "teacher" than the actual "learner".  In a previous post from 2007, I discuss my concerns and refer to another harsher critic than myself.

@LeaderTalk put up an interesting post yesterday: Teams and Learning Styles.  Becky is using Kolb's learning styles and the inventory with her students.  Now don't get me wrong . . . I love Kolb's work as well as that of Honey and Mumford.   Peter Honey and Alan Mumford developed their learning styles system as a variation on the Kolb model while working on a project for the Chloride corporation in the 1970's. Their models and theories are invaluable.  In fact, I first offered teleclasses on learning styles back in 2001.  I think there is a place for studying learning styles in a "classroom setting" and I am sure that Becky is providing a very valuable learning opportunity.  She is so right when she says:

Differences in the way we prefer to learn and organize our work often leads to conflict on teams. Increased understanding of ourselves and others may lead to increased appreciation and cooperation among team members.

Many different assessment tools or models can provide this kind of insight: MBTI, DISC, Social Styles, KBDI, Birkman , I could go on and on.  I have found using Thinking Styles InQ  and the Kolbe particularly useful in this way.  Some of these models are more applicable in the work environment.  Some are more "sticky" than others.  In my experience (generally speaking), learning styles (whether it is Kolb or VAK or others) are much lest applicable in the moment and certainly not as easily remembered.

In summary, I remain unconvinced that knowing the learning styles of team members has any practical application.  However, appreciating our different preferences - in learning, thinking, communicating is extremely valuable.  And ensuring that a variety of styles is represented is critical to high performing teams.

While a little dated, I still find the following a great summary resource on the topic: Conner, M. L. "Introduction to Learning Styles." Ageless Learner, 1997-2007. http://agelesslearner.com/intros/lstyleintro.html

A One Two Punch - Good pairings for the MBTI and DISC

Image via Wikipedia

Normally I don't recommend giving clients more than one assessment.  It is a bit like overload and you end up spending a heck of a lot of time on debriefing the data than getting on with the learning. 

That said, there is in my mind an excellent match for each the MBTI® and the DISC.  First, let me be VERY clear that I do not recommend using both the MBTI and DISC together.  Nine times out of ten it will only confuse the client.  They will ask you to correlate their results which is rather tricky since they  measure different things. The MBTI is a preference assessment and the DISC is a behavioural (observed) how assessment.  Second, I will assume that you are properly trained and certified in the instrument of your choice.

MBTI® and Firo-B®

Clearly, I am not the only one who thinks this is a great combination. For quite sometime the CPP in the US and Psychometrics in Canada have offered a combined MBTI® / Firo-B® Online Report.  I have always liked the Firo-B ^® and was glad to see it come back into vogue in the late 90's in leadership development programs.  It does have a strong "psych"flavour and needs to be used properly. "The Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation-Behavior ™ (FIRO-B ^®) assessment has helped people around the world unlock the mysteries of human interaction at work and in their personal life. This instrument quickly gathers critical insights into how an individual's needs for inclusion, control, and affection can shape his or her interactions with others."  Here's what they say on the web site:

Leadership Report Using FIRO-B ^® and MBTI ^® Instrument 17 pages

The FIRO-B and MBTI instruments tap into key aspects of personality and behavior in areas such as communication, problem solving, decision making, and interpersonal relations. The instruments are also quite distinct, each providing a view through a different window of the client's leadership personality. Together, they complement each other and provide rich information of use in a personal, ongoing leadership development program.

DISC and Values (Spranger and Allport's Motivators)

I knew of two different vendors offering this combination and I am now pleased to report that their is a third one on  the market.  All of them are based on the research of Dr. Eduard Spranger and Gordon Allport who looked into what drives and motivates an individual. The seven dimensions of value discovered between these two researchers help map the reasons that drive an individual to utilize their talents in the unique way they do. These assessment helps clients understand  motivators and drivers and how to maximize  performance by achieving better alignment and passion for what they do.

The three that I know of are:

1. The PIA&V (Personal Interests, Attitudes and Values™ from TTI Performance Systems. TTI along with Inscape is a recognized source for solid DISC instruments in the personal and business coaching communities and is also the distributor of PIAV which is a nice companion tool with the DISC.
   
   

2. The founder of Maximum Potential co-created the PIAV with Bill Bonnstetter of TTI. He has the rights to a similar product.  Maximum Potential uses more business language but unlike the PIAV, it does not have normative data.
   

3. My new portal Assess Yourself will be offerning the Online Assessments from Tony Alessandra. The Online Values Assessment measures seven dimensions of motivation (and similar to those above) as outlined below:

• Aesthetic - a drive for balance, harmony and form.
• Economic - a drive for economic or practical returns.
• Individualistic - a drive to stand out as independent and unique.
• Political - a drive to be in control or have influence.
• Altruistic - a drive for humanitarian efforts; help others altruistically.
• Regulatory - a drive to establish order, routine and structure.
• Theoretical - a drive for knowledge, learning and understanding.

Do you work with a difficult person? Try the Dimensional® Model of Behavior™

Image via Wikipedia

Psychological Associates has a created great little online questionnaires that only takes a few minutes to help you size up the behavior of the people you work with — your boss, peers, direct reports, even your customers.  Best thing?  It is free to try out for yourself.

Quick. Simple. Useful - Give it a go.

Theses questionnaires are based on the Dimensional Model of Behavior, a scientifically-proven means of simplifying and categorizing human behavior.  It was developed by Victor R. Buzzotta, Ph.D., and Robert E. Lefton, Ph.D., and is based upon research at the University of California and at Harvard.  It is a four quadrant model that measure two similar but slightly different continuum from the Platinum Rule.

What makes it a little different from the other behavioral style assessments is that you get to assess how you think your customers are perceiving you by looking at how they interact with you.  Suggestions on how you should adapt are provided. Adapting your behaviour in an emotional intelligent manner is really what it is all about. The Corporate Platinum Rule Assessment through AssessmentsNow does this and more.  Platinum Rule actually seeks feedback for the groups of people that YOU are most interested in finding out about. That said, I like the aspect of this tool to look at customers as well as the traditional work relationships..

Assessments have more in common with games than tests.

Image via Wikipedia

Over the years I have learned a lot about myself from both the types of games I enjoy playing AND how I behave when I play games. I like strategy games and have always enjoyed chess. I have difficulty playing a game for fun and easily get very competitive.  If you are experienced with either the MBTI or DISC - then this should share some insights into my own "personality".  Would studying the results from either of these assessments help me more than the questions around these behaviours and interests?  I don't think so.  However, we generally don't ask these types of questions.  Nor do sit usually sit down with a client and play a game with them.

In my previous post, I talked about the dangers of bad design in tests.  Some 'tests" don't pretend to be scientific then I don't have any objections  Many of these are meant to be fun and entertaining.  If they can create some awareness and possibly a change in behaviour - all the better.  Normally I don't include them here on any regular basis but I may refer to them on occasion and I haven't considered"games" in this category.  Earlier this year, The New York Times posted an interactive game on "Gauging Your Distraction".   I liked that they called it a game - it implied fun and not truth.  I must admit, figuring out how the interactive elements made me feel rather dunce.

Here is how they described it:

New studies show that drivers overestimate their ability to multitask behind the wheel. This game measures how your reaction time is affected by external distractions. Regardless of your results, experts say, you should not attempt to text when driving.

They go on to say " as with all games, intense levels of concentration or repetition can lead to more successful outcomes."  I love this because this is true of the kinds of assessments we use in coaching and training engagements.  Tests do have a right and wrong.  They are used by different types of professionals for different purposes.  As a coach, I believe that assessments should only be used in developmental contexts.  Some individuals may have additional education and certifications that they use for different specialties.  These types of tests are for the most part beyond the scope and intention of this blog.

Meanwhile, maybe as coaches we could be even more effective if we were more playful with our clients. (And I certainly do not men "played games" with them!)

TypeLabs presents Let's Split the Difference / Q & A with Susan Nash

"Most people confuse the instrument with the theory."

In a follow-up to my previous post, I am so glad to not only tell you that the interview with Susan Nash was recorded but I am able to present it to you here below:

This is a very valuable presentation if you have some solid understanding of the MBTI or Type.  I loved Susan's comparison of using three lens.; very helpful understanding some of the nuances of differences.  While I haven't purchased the book (to date), I think this is a must have for one's bookshelves.

Writing Employee or Customer Surveys

Image via Wikipedia

What are you trying to achieve?  And more importantly why would someone want to complete "your" survey?

Without sounding flaky, I do find that things happen in threes. Whether it is self fulfilling prophesy, synchronicity or serendipity, it isn't too far from the truth. What has been reappearing for me this past month centres around questions that I have received on creating surveys. I have had clients and colleagues approach me on the issue of creating a "follow-up" survey.  In some ways this is a continuation of an earlier post, "How Employee Opinion Surveys Relate to Employee Engagement" with some specific suggestions.

So it is fortuitous that this excellent blog post that came across my desktop. It covers the issues in a way far better than I could: "How To Write Great Surveys with Actionable Data Results"  You will find some other excellent links on the site as well.

Ben Yoskovitz's seven points as a "lay person" are bang on and aren't the typical recommendations you might receive. Please check it out. While I take a small exception with his views that length is a key factor in completion rates, he is right on one thing.  

it’s not the length that matters as much as the quality and effectiveness of the content.

I think that Ben is implying that if a questionnaire is well designed that others will complete it.  This may help the process but I would add  . . . What is in it for them?  So I will add a forth point to the list. Keep answering this question: Why would I want to complete this survey? With opinion surveys, employees are expecting / hoping to see positive changes.  I was recently involved in a survey where less than one third of the typical response rate was achieved. These particular employees did not believe that anything would come about from the survey.

Image via Wikipedia

Customer surveys are a bigger challenge.  You want a good response rate, meaningful data and a broad sample base.  Is there something that you can offer to your customers to make it interesting for them to complete? Please keep in mind that what you offer may influence the results.   Some ideas to consider if they fit for you:

• coupon
• discount
• summary report
• white paper
• "gift" or bonus
  
• donation to a cause
  

I know of a case where a week after the survey, the company sent out a coupon to everyone regardless of whether they completed the survey or not.  Now that's class and you guessed it; they already had a great loyalty and investment from their clients..