Tripping Over the Obvious in Search of the Obscure

Sometimes, managers overlook the obvious in search of the obscure. 

Take these examples for instance.  Just this past weekend, I received a 3-page email from an employee who completed a personality assessment for a client. He wrote:

“For the record, I absolutely despised section one.  For one, my way of thinking made it very difficult to process the ALWAYS and NEVER questions.”  He continues, “I do not intend any disrespect to the layout of your study, only concern about the accuracy of its format as it pertained to me.” (I'll comment more on this later in the column.)

And at least every few weeks I also get a phone call.  It starts like this:

“We have a really good candidate who refuses to take your test. What should we do?”

This is likely what is going through the mind of the hiring manager.  “I really like this person.  He has the experience, good references and made a good impression at the first interview.  I don’t want a stupid test to stand in the way of us hiring him.”

The manager is absolutely correct.  A personality, abilities, or interest test should never – yes, N-E-V-E-R – stand in the way of hiring or not hiring (or promoting for that matter) a candidate.  Testing should be weighted approximately one-third of the total evaluation process.  That’s what the Department of Labor refers to as the “whole person approach” and what our program CriteriaOne:The Whole Person Approach is based upon. 

This is what SHOULD be going through the mind of the manager. 

Observing how an individual handles the whole assessment process, including the interview, is more important in predicting how they will fit the job and the culture than what he or she says.  That sounds rather obvious and trite but –

Here you have a candidate applying for a position in your company. The hope is that he or she will be on his or her best behavior.  Although the world is changing, you would hope that the candidate would make a best-effort attempt to present a good impression.

So what does it say when a candidate refuses to follow your selection protocol?  What if he refused to send a resume, complete the application or provide references?  What if he refused a drug test? Those answers may be rather obvious.  They don’t get the job, right?  They might not even get an interview.

When the candidate refuses the personality assessment, why do the rules change?  The manager sees a test standing in the way of a new hire. At face value, however, I observe the behaviors of an individual who is not afraid to question the established rules and protocol, doesn’t accept information at face value, and is willing to challenge the system if they go against his or her beliefs. I now recognize how this individual will respond to the first situation that goes against his disposition or values?  I see an independent-thinking and skeptical employee. 

Are these the behaviors that will drive effective performance in a particular position?  Possibly and if so, he just “passed” the assessment.  Or will these behaviors disrupt the team and challenge management? In which case, you have likely saved yourself from making another bad hire and even saved the cost of an assessment!

Regarding the individual who completed the test but responded with a 3-page email.  This individual, as opposed to the candidate who refused to take the assessment, will comply with the established rules and procedures but voice his displeasure.  His “voice” may be vocal but more than likely will be delivered to management with lengthy, detailed, and very researched written dissertations.  He will make decisions based on HIS frame of reference and how he might appear to others.  Fearful of having to admit mistakes or looking less than perfect to others will slow his decisions and the solutions he presents. 

If this individual’s job is to ensure accuracy and thoroughness while minimizing risk, he is the man (or woman) for the job.  If they are looking for an individual who accepts orders without questioning authority and plays dead for the good of the team, he will likely be considered as a disruptive, nit-picking, risk-adverse loner.

Would information like this be valuable to know before you hire or promote a candidate? 

Would information like this help you shape and create a development plan?  

Observable behavior is information that is willingly (although sometimes unknowingly) provided by the candidate and employee.  Just paying attention to the way he handles himself.  This information is predictive, reliable and legal.  And this information is very often ignored, missed or taken out of context.  And except for the few moments required to administer or deliver the instructions to complete the assessment, the cost for this information is nothing.

While looking for alternative methods to hire, promote and retain the right individuals for a job, personality tests are one of the best sources available.  But the information available from the testing goes far beyond what is delivered in written form.  Sometimes the best information about how an individual will perform in the job is FREE and right in front of you.

Sometimes, managers overlook the obvious in search of the obscure.

CriteriaOne: The Whole Person Approach is a blueprint for selecting and developing the right people for the right jobs.  CriteriaOne provides the insights and tools to identifying the behaviors, attitudes, interests, abilities, competencies, and motivations that are required for productivity and efficiency.  For more information about CriteriaOne, click here or scroll down and register for our October 31 workshop.

The Early Bird Gets The - 

Employee!  Or maybe it's the chicken or the egg. 

Remember when pre-determining the sex of your to-be-born child was far out, hocus-pocus?  With employee shortages in several industries at the crisis stage and only predicted to get worse, genetic engineering for career choices has had to cross the minds of our business leaders

In the meantime, while Chambers of Commerce, trade associations, and community colleges are attempting to collaborate with private industry to "invite" potential employees to their party and learn new skills, several industries are not waiting to find out if anyone RSVPs.

Hospitals in the Pittsburgh area are recruiting and enticing students as young as 10 years ago to career path toward health care positions, especially nursing.  The construction industry has also introduced new elementary school programs to introduce the trades as a respectable and viable career.

What's next? Career night at the pre-school?

       Success Performance Solutions invites you to attend 

The Whole Person Approach 
to Hiring The Best Employees and Keeping Them 

• Build a reliable and defensible "whole person approach" selection and succession plan

• Learn the pros, cons and myths about employee testing

• Easily and accurately assess qualities such as diplomacy, dependability, diligence, trustworthiness, coping skills, sociability, and leadership potential.

October 31, 2002
Eden Resort Inn and Conference Center
8 AM to Noon

Only $65 
(includes continental breakfast, books, CDs and Free Personality Tests valued at over $250)

To register click here.

Visit our new website at www.online-personality-tests.com

Congratulations!

Ira S. Wolfe, founder of Success Performance Solutions, has received the 2002 President's Award from Maximum Potential and the 2002 Associate Merit Award from HRD Press.

The Business Accelerator Boot Camp

At last, a hands-on seminar that will teach you how to turn YOUR business into a profit-making machine ... learn marketing, sales, recruiting, hiring and retention, technology solutions from the best.

December 6 - 7, 2002
8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Presenters:
Eric Dombach, Action International
Ira S. Wolfe, Success Performance Solutions
Rich Landis, Technology Solutions Associates, LLC

You’re invited to a Preview Seminar…Free!
Come and see for yourself how you could benefit from attending the 2 day boot camp. The Preview Seminars are information packed, so your time will be well invested.

When:  
Wed., November 13, 7 to 9 p.m. (evening)
Wed., November 20, 7 to 9 p.m. (evening)
Thurs., November 21, 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. (morning)

Where:   Lancaster Host Resort & Conf. Center

Click here to reserve your seat (space is limited) at the Preview or Boot Camp or to request a brochure.

Corporate Meetings, Keynotes and In-House Training Programs

Break Through to Success
Our most popular program and combines the best of Dynamic Communication and Your Attitude is Showing into a single event.

Build a Team That Clicks, Not Cliques

Building a Winning Sales Presentation

The Perfect Labor Storm: Why This Labor Shortage Will Not Blow Over

Managing to Excel
First-line supervisory training from time management to team building to thinking analytically

The Lancaster Chamber of Commerce 
November 19, 2002 - Appraising People and Performance, 8 AM to Noon

December 10, 2002 - Disciplining and Counseling, 8 AM to Noon

You're Invited to a  FREE Preview!  Managing to EXCEL 2003 
at the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce
November 13, 2002 - 7:30 AM to 9:30 AM

Managing to Excel is a collection of 12 half-day workshops, each dedicated to the development of a single critical supervisory competency.  The competencies are grouped in four primary clusters:

Relating to Others
Managing Your Job
Thinking Clearly
Building the Team

Reserve your seat today by clicking here.

To learn more about Managing to Excel and get a preview of one of the workshops, contact us today or click here for more information.  

Managing to Excel is also available as an off-the-shelf program for  consultants and organizations.  
Click here to request more information about our purchasing from one to twelve Managing to Excel modules for your in-house training.