Published by Success Performance Solutions, Written by Ira S. Wolfe
The Whole Person Approach To Competency ID and Employee Evaluation
Last Chance to Register - Just Say Know! How to Hire Competence
with Confidence
Don't miss How to Hire
Competence with Confidence led by nationally recognized talent
authority and author Ira S. Wolfe at the 2004 Entrepreneur and
Growth Company Day on June 3, 2004.
For more information:
http://www.super-solutions.com/remote.asp?ltk=924334_21662513
Just announced! A special
3-hour workshop on June 22, 2004 at The Hampton Inn, Lancaster
(PA)
Hire Competence with
Confidence - Participation is limited to first 20. Join Ira S.
Wolfe as leads this hands-on workshop - perfect for small business
owners and hiring managers. Only $49 which includes credit for
valuable assessments and books valued at over $250.
Call 717.656.4632 to
reserve your seat or email - allisond@super-solutions.com
Summer Internships are back - Ira Wolfe was one of several consultants
interviewed by Sherry Slater, a writer for the Fort Wayne (IN)
Journal - Gazette for a story on summer interns. To read more,
visit http://www.super-solutions.com/remote.asp?ltk=924335_21662513
Putting Observation To The Test: How Reliable Is Your
Judgment When It Comes to Hiring?
One of the most common
objections I hear about using "psychological" testing for hiring
is that it increases the risk of being sued. Since anyone can
sue anyone for anything, we'll agree the threat is real. But I
will argue that the defense of a claim based on the failure to
hire someone by "failing" a personality test is much more sound
than defending a similar action based on the interview alone.
To the first point.
You can't fail a personality test used for business. Candidates
may fail to get the job based on their fit with the job but they
don't fail the test. With the very exact same results in hand,
a candidate might be the worst fit when applying for a particular
position in one company but the best fit for the same position
in a different department or division.
Psychometric tests
designed for use in business often times are called psychological
or personality tests. The word "test" is a poor choice of words
to describe this activity. These are not really tests at all but
assessments of normal behaviors. There are no pass/fail grades,
just an indication about how your preferences compare to the rest
of the population and how they fit with the requirements of the
job. What is very important to understand is that these types
of employment screenings are based on the behaviors of normal
people. Although a manager might want to know the real scoop on
a candidate's mental health, with few exceptions, this information
is off limits. Mental illness like other health conditions is
considered a private matter and candidates are not required to
provide this information before their employment.
Psychological or personality
tests constructed for use by health care professionals, on the
other hand, are designed to diagnose clinical pathology, or what
is wrong with the person. Even if hiring managers could use these
tests legally, just because someone is mentally healthy doesn't
mean they are qualified to the job.
Although personality assessment or
employee evaluation or employee assessment conjures up a more
accurate representation of what these tests are all about, for
the purposes of this column, let's go with the flow personality
test it is.
In support of these
personality test skeptics, I'll concede that they have a point.
There are tens of thousands of tests available to use and frankly,
many of them do pose considerable risk. The reason is that managers
inadvertently or naively select the wrong test or because the
interpretation of the results require a degree of skill and experience
greater than the marketing hype represented. Using personality
tests for the purpose of selecting and promoting employees should
be done only after using due diligence. Since most managers don't
have the time nor interest in becoming test experts, many rely
on a consultant who specializes in employee assessment to help
them review the choices and interpret the results.
Interestingly enough
and unbeknownst to many human resource professionals, the U.S.
Department of Labor publication, TESTING AND ASSESSMENT: AN EMPLOYER'S
GUIDE TO GOOD PRACTICES (http://www.super-solutions.com/remote.asp?ltk=924336_21662513),
includes the interview in the same category of employee assessment
as the personality "inventory" or drug test. In fact, any tool,
inventory or procedure used to "assess" the fit of a candidate
for hire or an employee for promotion is considered a test. By
this definition, the simple act of observation as well as resume
screening, background checks and reference checking are also considered
employment assessmentsand any assessment in order to be legally
defensible must be valid, reliable and job related.
So let's look at the
manager or human resources director or corporate attorney who
views the personality test as fluff, hocus-pocus, or just plain
too risky. Instead they find it less risky to rely on the traditional
tactics of observation, interviewing and reference checking.
Let's begin with observation.
When an individual approaches you, what do you notice?
Are you turned off
by a male with a ponytail or a female with a buzz-cut? Are you
turned on by individuals with athletic builds and turned off by
anyone who is obese? How do you feel about tattoos, body-piercing
and purple hair?
To our male readers,
do you prefer buxom, petite, and perky blondes to chunky, outspoken
middle age women? Do you feel uneasy around other men who walk
with a swish and speak with a lisp?
To our female readers,
are you attracted to tall, dark and handsome hunks or short, bald
and chubby men?
Do you notice if other
people are wearing a crucifix, Star of David, or a mezuzah around
their neck? Do large black men intimidate you? Are you at ease
when you are the only English speaking person in a room of foreign-speaking
people?
If you observe any
of these things, then these situations likely make an impression
upon you one way or the other. Whether we intentionally or unintentionally
do it, we all have our biases. We respond to the information we
receive by valuing some of it positively and judging the rest
of it negatively. Like it or not, we all have our preferences.
Those things we value more or less bias our observations and therefore
impact how we respond to different situations.
In addition to looking
through our own rose-colored glasses, how likely is it that our
mood at that moment in time might affect our ability to interview
fairly and without bias?
Continued Next Week
- The Interview - Not As Reliable As Your Think
Reduce your risk and
hire competence with confidence. Visit our assessment center at
http://www.super-solutions.com/remote.asp?ltk=924337_21662513
For more information
specific assessments such as DISC, Business Values and Motivators,
and TotalView, visit http://www.super-solutions.com/remote.asp?ltk=924338_21662513.
Summer 2004 Workshop and Speaking Schedule
June 3, 2004 How to
Hire Competence with Confidence, 2004 Entrepreneur and Growth
Company Day, Radisson Penn Harris, Camp Hill
For more information:
http://www.super-solutions.com/remote.asp?ltk=924334_21662513
June 14, 2004 Understanding
Business Values and Motivators, National Rural Electric Cooperative
Association, San Diego, CA
June 22, 2004 How to
Hire Competence with Confidence, sponsored by Success Performance
Solutions, Hampton Inm Lancaster. Limited seating. 8:30 to 11:30
AM. Only $49. Call 717.656.4632 to reserve your seat today.
July 26, 2004. Recruiting,
Training, and Retaining a Diverse Nursing Workforce, Sponsored
by Healthcare IQ, Radisson Hotel, Chicago, IL http://www.super-solutions.com/remote.asp?ltk=924339_21662513
August 18-20, 2004
- CriteriaOne Train-the-Trainer: How to Identify Competencies
and Use Assessments for Hiring, Promoting, and Managing Performance.
Hampton Inn, Lancaster, PA. Call 717.656.4632 for more information
and to reserve your seat. Limit - 10.
Perfect Labor Storm Alerts #171 to #175
Fact #171
In 2000, 4 million Americans were age 85 and older, the part of
the population most in need of long-term care. By 2040, that number
is projected to more than triple, to 14 million. Source: U.S.
Census Bureau. (2000)
Fact #172
More than 13 million Americans need some level of long-term care,
but only a fraction of those, about 1.6 million, receive that
care in nursing homes. Source: Facts on Long-term Care, 1997.
http://www.super-solutions.com/remote.asp?ltk=924340_21662513
Fact #173
While most individuals who need long-term care are over 65, 40
percent are adults younger than 65, and 3 percent are children.
Source: Facts on Long-term Care, 1997. http://www.super-solutions.com/remote.asp?ltk=924340_21662513
Fact #174
By the year 2020, the number of Americans 85 and older will more
than double to 6.4 million. The number of people 65 to 84 will
almost double to 47.1 million. Source: U.S. Census Bureau. (2000)
Fact #175
If obesity trends continue through 2020, without other changes
in health behaviors or medical technology, the proportion of people
50-69 with disabilities (those who are limited in their ability
to care for themselves or perform other routine tasks) will increase
by 18 percent for men and by 22 percent for women between 2000
and 2020.
"The Perfect Labor Storm Fact Book: Why Worker Shortages Won't
Go Away" is HERE! Order your copy today - $7.95 includes no shipping
costs for limited time only.
http://www.super-solutions.com/remote.asp?ltk=924341_21662513
SELECT!
A pre-employment screening tool to identify work-related behaviors
such as Positive Service Attitude, Accountability, Frustration
Tolerance, Acceptance of Diversity, Multi-tasking and more....
plus a Validity Check and Integrity Index.
Each customized report
includes a step by step interview guide including recommended
interview questions.
SELECT is scored on-line
but can be administered on paper or computer.
The following report
versions are available:
Thinking Clearly and Analytically
This questionnaire has been designed
as a self-scoring management effectiveness instrument to help
individuals understand more about their relative abilities. The
twelve key managerial competency areas listed above under four
clusters (representing a complete model of managerial effectiveness)
are treated separately and then combined to create the individual's
overall profile.
The Management Effectiveness
Profile is available on paper or online and in a self, 180-degree
and 360-degree format.
To view a sample report,
http://www.super-solutions.com/remote.asp?ltk=924343_21662513
NEW! What Interview Questions Can You Ask?
What Questions Are Not Legal to Ask?
Download Our SPS Interview
Guide here.
http://www.super-solutions.com/remote.asp?ltk=924344_21662513
***NEW Article Published:
Online Recruiting Cuts Time to Hire
http://www.super-solutions.com/remote.asp?ltk=924345_21662513
Useless Facts
***For the first 17
years that Life Savers candy was made, there was no hole in the
middle.
***Campbell's (Mm,
Mm Good) is a name associated almost exclusively with soup these
days. But of the first 200 canned products offered by the company,
not one was any variety of soup.
***The oldest bookstore
in the United States can be found in Bethlehem, PA. It has been
in operation continuously for nearly 260 years.
CriteriaOne.: The Whole Person Approach to Competency Identification
and Performance Management
The identification
of essential and crucial competencies for consistent top performance,
although challenging, is do-able in today's workplace. But competencies
are like a carpenter's tools. An individual may own the best tools
but he/she still may not be considered a craftsman.
One of the most meaningful
advancements in shedding light on worker's emotional intelligence
has been the development and validation of the Big Five approach
to personality. Cross-cultural research has affirmed the reliability
and validity of this model in predicting job performance across
a wide variety of managerial and technical positions.
Personality alone however
does not pre-destine an individual to success or failure. It does,
however, predict the "natural" fit for a job and how easy or difficult
it will be for an individual to perform routine functions, manage
unanticipated challenges, and sustain top performance over time.
In addition to personality
- the core of an individual - behavioral styles and individual
values will affect the ultimate effectiveness and efficiencies
of an individual's performance. Behavioral styles indicate how
individuals deal with problems, influence people, manage pace,
and comply with procedures. These styles are observable and often
called the 4 Ps of human behavior.
These behaviors are
driven by individual values. Research has narrowed these belief
systems into six values clusters. By identifying and appreciating
how each of these values impact behaviors, managers can reliably
understand why people perform the way they do.
Recognizing that one
"test" does not accurately or completely encompass an individual's
potential to be competent (i.e. showing proficiency in a competency)
and following the "whole person approach" recommendation of the
U.S. Department of Labor, Ira Wolfe, founder of Success Performance
Solutions, developed and blueprinted the CriteriaOne. process.
By utilizing a Big Five instrument, managers can follow the CriteriaOne
process and match employee personality traits that drive or challenge
successful performance. By adding behaviors and values to the
mix, managers are able to determine how an individual will use
these competencies. If change or learning is required for performance
improvement or career advancement, managers can assess how much
effort an individual might put forth and how consistent this effort
might be.
In addition, CriteriaOne.
assesses an individual's ability to cope with change and everyday
challenges, as well as, predicting his/her mental load. In other
words, how quickly and accurately can an individual respond to
unfamiliar or complex situations when urgency is critical.
Become a certified
CriteriaOne consultant. The next Train-the-Trainer will be held
from August 18-20, 2004 in Lancaster PA.
Register online at
http://www.super-solutions.com/remote.asp?ltk=924346_21662513
or call 717.656.4632.
Consultant's certification plan pays off
In the Sunday Patriot
News (May 24, 2004), columnist Azriela Jaffe wrote: "When I lived
in Lancaster, I met a business consultant, Ira Wolfe, who ran
a consulting firm, Success Performance Solutions. I was curious
how he was faring these days."
Read the full column
- http://www.super-solutions.com/remote.asp?ltk=924347_21662513
Contact Information:
Success Performance Solutions, 2481 New Holland Pike
Suite 2, Lancaster, PA 17601
email: iwolfe@super-solutions.com
voice: 717.656.4632
web: http://www.super-solutions.com/remote.asp?ltk=924348_21662513
To learn more about Success Performance Solutions or read back
issues of The Total View, stop by our website at www.super-solutions.com.
Order your personal
copy of Understanding Business Values and Motivators at
http://www.super-solutions.com/remote.asp?ltk=924349_21662513.
Order your personal
copy of The Perfect Labor Storm at
http://www.super-solutions.com/remote.asp?ltk=924350_21662513
Ira S. Wolfe 2004 - All Rights Reserved.
Reprints and other distribution by permission only.
