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Category Archives: Employee Assessments

Developing People

NYC Executive Coaching avatarPosted on October 10, 2024 by Doug BrownOctober 10, 2024

From my associate, Dan Elliott.

‍We all have or have had that one person who we thought was going to bring so much to the team. Everything about them exuded promise. They were sharp and engaging during the interviews, they grasped concepts quickly and were conversant.  It was clear they were going to be a great hire and like a new piece of fancy software, we installed them into the organization and went on about our business.

‍Fast forward a year, and the reality is disappointing. Our star hire hasn’t lived up to the anticipated potential, mirroring the software that failed to deliver on its promises. What went wrong?

‍The issue probably stems from a variety of factors. One might be that our ego saw something of ourselves in them, and that similarity bias made them feel like a good fit. While this is likely to be true, it doesn’t explain why they are underperforming.

Typically, employees under perform for several reasons – they are in the wrong role, poor job design, ineffective orientation or training, unclear expectations (often due to ineffective communications or insufficient performance feedback), or a lack of rewards or motivation.  An overarching term for this is poor employee development.  When we fail to learn more about them beyond the interview, we have failed them, not the other way around. Maybe it’s a wake-up call to invest more in understanding our employees.

‍Everyone, whether new employees or seasoned business professionals, needs development. By utilizing the assessment tools available through Paradigm Associates, we can gain valuable insights into their personal skills, behaviors, and drivers/motivators, as well as the keys to effectively motivating and managing them.  Armed with this valuable information, we can begin to tailor a development plan best suited to the individual.  However, there remains a core set of fundamentals that must be followed.

‍Make sure they are in the right job: Confirm that the job is best suited to their skills and abilities, aligns with their interests and personal motivators, and has clear performance expectations and outcomes.

‍Providing them with clear goals and objectives: Establish specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals to guide development and track progress.

Personalized Coaching and Mentorship: Provide tailored guidance and support based on individual strengths, weaknesses, and aspirations. Take what you have learned from the assessments and work collaboratively with the individual to build a plan.  If not you personally, find someone in the organization who can act as a mentor.

‍Continuous Learning and Skill Development: Encourage ongoing education and provide training to enhance their skills and knowledge.

‍Feedback and Evaluation: Offer regular, constructive feedback and conduct frequent performance evaluations to identify areas for improvement and to celebrate achievements. Never forget to celebrate the wins.

Motivation and Inspiration: Foster an environment that motivates and inspires individuals to reach their full potential through recognition, rewards, and a positive culture.

Supportive Environment: Create a supportive and inclusive environment that promotes teamwork, collaboration, and mutual respect.

‍Now imagine if we had taken a different approach with that promising individual and had a process something like this.

‍We identify someone as a potential hire and ask our Paradigm consultant to order their recommended series of assessments for a prospective candidate.  Once the candidate completes the assessment, the consultant debriefs us on the results, and we discuss potential follow-up questions for the next interview to make sure that the candidate is clear on the role and expectations and whether we are making the best decision.

We then implement a well-thought-out onboarding process that introduces them to the leadership team and their team members and includes in-depth one-on-ones with their supervisors. Over the next several months, there are frequent one-on-ones and peer reviews to provide meaningful feedback on their progress and performance and areas for improvement. Their supervisors and managers are well-informed by the assessment results and have helpful insights into the motivators and keys to effectively communicating with and managing that employee.

‍During this time, the employee and their supervisor work together using the information and insights from the assessments to develop a set of SMART goals that the employee aims to attain, job skills they need to improve, and performance goals they need to achieve to be successful in their role.

‍Imagine the transformation if every promising employee entering our organization experienced a dedicated, employee-centric approach to development, ensuring their best chance to succeed.  With all employees benefiting from this continuous improvement, their enhanced skills, knowledge, and confidence will drive increases in productivity, innovation, and efficiency.  Ultimately, when employees feel valued, it leads to higher job satisfaction and morale which boosts retention. The cumulative effect is a more dynamic and resilient organization poised for sustainable success.

Posted in Employee Assessments, Training and Development | Tagged employee assessments

Overcoming Resistance: Why Managers Hesitate to Use Validated Assessment Tools in Hiring

NYC Executive Coaching avatarPosted on August 30, 2024 by Doug BrownAugust 30, 2024

Today, where competition for talent is fierce and can be a critical differentiator, companies face increasing pressure to make optimal hiring decisions. Despite this, many managers hesitate to utilize validated assessment tools that can enhance their hiring and selection processes. This resistance stems from several factors, ranging from misconceptions about these tools to embedded organizational and cultural challenges.

Understanding the Misconceptions

Many managers resist using validated assessment tools because they believe these tools are overly complex or irrelevant to their specific hiring needs. Managers often fear that introducing structured assessments will complicate the hiring process or result in a less personalized evaluation of candidates. However, this perspective overlooks the reality that well-designed assessment tools are not one-size-fits-all. They are specifically tailored to measure relevant competencies and can be customized to fit various roles and organizational contexts.

Additionally, managers often misunderstand the nature of these tools. They may perceive them as overly rigid or incapable of capturing the nuances of a candidate’s personality and potential. To the contrary, these rigorously designed and scientifically validated assessment tools often provide a comprehensive view of a candidate’s aptitudes, drivers, personality and behavioral traits, and potential cultural fit. By leveraging these insights, managers can make more informed decisions that go beyond gut instinct and subjective judgment.

Cultural and Organizational Barriers

The existing organizational culture may also contribute significant barriers to adopting assessment tools. Many companies have hiring practices built on traditions and personal relationships, where decisions rely on subjective criteria or intuition. Introducing a more structured, data-driven approach threatens these established norms. This cultural resistancecan be particularly pronounced in organizations where people need more understanding and appreciation for the value of data-driven decision-making.

Furthermore, some managers fear using assessment tools because they do not want to be held accountable for their hiring decisions. Validated assessments provide a clear, objective record of why a particular candidate was selected or rejected, which managers perceive as limiting their discretion or exposing them to criticism if a hire does not work out.

To overcome this resistance, companies must foster a culture that values transparency and continuous improvement, encouraging managers to view assessments as tools that enhance their decision-making capabilities rather than constrain them.

The Path Forward

Organizations must focus on education and alignment to address these challenges and encourage the adoption of validated assessment tools. You can start by providing managers with a clear understanding of the benefits of these tools, supported by evidence and success stories from similar organizations. By demonstrating how assessments can lead to better hiring outcomes, reduced turnover, and improved team performance, you can make a compelling case for change.

Furthermore, organizations should involve managers in selecting which assessment tools to implement, ensuring they feel ownership and buy-in. Utilizing training programs to equip managers with the skills to interpret and apply assessment results effectively in their hiring decisions can play a crucial role.

In conclusion, while resistance to using validated assessment tools is commonplace, you or your organization can overcome it through education, cultural shifts, and strategic alignment. By addressing the misconceptions and organizational barriers head-on, you can empower your managers to make more informed, objective, and successful hiring decisions, ultimately driving better business outcomes and fostering a more robust talent pool.

Posted in Employee Assessments | Tagged assessment tools, employee assessments

Where Is This Guy Coming From?

NYC Executive Coaching avatarPosted on September 14, 2022 by Doug BrownSeptember 14, 2022

I just can’t understand the guy. It seems every time an issue comes up or a decision has to be made, he lands on the opposite side from me and most of our colleagues on the executive team. What the heck is wrong with him? Is he stupid? Is he trying to be an irritant? Does he enjoy being at odds with us?

I try to follow his arguments, and his line of thinking, but he seems to come from another world. Well, maybe that’s it. I grew up in a small town, he in a city. I’m from the East Coast, he’s from Seattle. I’m an engineer, he’s a business major. Yes, I can catalog the differences, but does that really explain the conflict? Perhaps, I simply don’t like the guy.

This little scenario is from my experiences in a large corporation. The fellow successfully ran organizations where conformance and strict guidelines were exceptionally important. If I had taken the fellow out to lunch, and spent more time with him, we could have found a way to work more harmoniously. In retrospect, our talents, and preferences, though different, complimented each other and thus added value to the organization. Yes, with time, I could have understood him better.

But there is a quicker, surer way. Suppose each of us had taken personal assessments and compared results. Better still, suppose we engaged a third person, a coach, to help us interpret the assessment reports and guide us to a common understanding.

We have those tools today.

Our Driving Forces assessment tests twelve distinctive elements of motivation and rates each element’s importance for the person tested. It identifies the four top driving forces the person is likely to employ in many situations, i.e., what drives the person? If my colleague and I had taken the test and found our top driving forces were totally different, we could have begun to understand each other. The test could have answered, “Where is this guy coming from?”

The test doesn’t stop there. It provides suggestions to help communicate with a person with the resultant driving forces profile. That helps two people compare notes and develop strategies to work together better. And…best of all, the assessment provider can provide a joint report comparing the two assessments to further enrich the conversation.

Driving Forces is just one of several instruments in our assessment offerings. We can customize a package for you and your team.

There are data-driven ways to explore the mysteries of human relations.

Posted in Employee Assessments | Tagged employee assessments

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As Chairman of the Board, I recently had the opportunity to work with Doug on a strategic planning effort for the New York Society of Association Executives. Doug was terrific in working with Association leaders. His high touch, vast knowledge of planning skills and focus on critical success factors was invaluable.
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Kyle AlthofSenior Administrator, The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Doug is a great coach. He gets you to think outside of the box and gives great scenarios as well as his past experiences in order to expand your views. He is very insightful. The creative methods and ways of thinking he incorporates into his coaching are beneficial in both a business and personal sense. His guidance has proven to be effective and I often think back to our sessions when making decisions and setting goals.I would recommend Doug as a coach to anyone looking to learn and grow as a manager, professional, or person.
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Lauren Hayes, CSPArea Manager at Peoplelink Staffing Solutions
Doug Brown is a leading edge conceptual thinker, a leader who has the ability to develop practical solutions to complex problems. Doug knows that it’s the people who must implement solutions; so as a master coach, teacher, and facilitator, he helps world-class leaders achieve even higher levels of performance. When facing complicated problems, Doug is out front with new and creative approaches. His breadth of experience runs the gamut from sales to strategy to organizational culture.
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