Assessments Today

Case Study 9 - Dysfunctional Teams

This is a great case that I modified from another that I think I read online at HR.com 

Case Study 9 – Dysfunctional Teams

The Project Leader is at her wit's end.  She has asked you to facilitate an intervention for a project team that's going to being disbanded if issues are not resolved.   The team leader explains that, in her opinion, despite her efforts, the team lacks structure around 'how' they go about conducting business including decision-making, problem-solving, running meetings, planning, etc.  While she has tried everything - all accountability and responsibility is pushed back to her.  This team has slipped all important deadlines and achieving the final goal is highly improbable.   Members just don't seem to care and don't bother to engage each other unless she calls a meeting.

Questions for comments:

1. At 1-Focus International we use the Lencioni's model and assessment for "The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team". What do you use?

2. Could an assessment have been used at the team's inception to mitigate difficulties?
3. If yes - which one?

Case Study 8 - A New CEO; A New Challenge

Case Study 8 - A New CEO; A New Challenge

You are coaching the CEO of a 50 million manufacturing business.  Charles has worked his way up through the company from Finance Officer to CFO and was recently appointed over another candidate from the outside.  Charles is comfortable having you shadow coach him and has introduced you to his senior team as both coach and consultant. 

However, you both decided for a number of reasons, not to conduct a full 360 degree Leadership Assessment at this time.  You and Charles have been discussing some other assessments to get at some information about his preferred influencing style now that he has this new role and must interface even more with the Board.  Historically, he has always been direct and to the point and is wondering if more diplomacy and tact might be better received.

 

Questions for comments:

1. What reasons can you think of as to why a 360 might not be a good choice at this time in this scenario?

2. What assessment would you recommend to help Charles influence Board Members?

Case Study - Common Sense Intelligence or EQ

The "Death of Common Sense Obituary" has been circulating quite a bit lately on list serves and through "chain letters", so I thought this would be a good time to:

1. Refer you to the original source
2. Create a little case study that is related

Here is how Lori Bergman describes her work:

"This piece was first published March 15, 1998 in the Indianapolis Star. It has been 'modified' and 'edited' by others and circulated on the Internet, even sent to me several times. Imagine my surprise to see it attributed to some guy named Anonymous. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, I take having my work circulated on the web as a compliment."

             The original work can be found here

 

Case Study 7 –   Common Sense Intelligence or EQ

George is a direct, bright entrepreneur.  He has hired a coach recently to help him take his $300k software business to a half million company.  He has 35 people on staff with three managers heading up marketing, engineering and production.  George realizes that his managers may not have the skills needed to take the company to the next level and he is honest enough to wonder what he should be working on as well.   George realizes that he is intense and demanding.  It annoys him that not everyone shares his passion.  Sometimes he looses his temper but is quick to provide perks to all the employees. 

George is a prolific reader all all the latest business and leadership books.  During one of his sessions George asks:  "Hey Coach, what is all this junk I keep hearing about Emotional Intelligence?  Let me tell you, I wouldn't have got to where I am if I didn't have both the Brain Smarts and the Street Smarts.  All this stuff about emotional intelligence just sounds like a lot of old fashion common sense.  Am I wrong?"

Funny that George should ask, because the coach has been wondering if an EQ assessment might be something that would be helpful.

Questions for comments:

1. How would you respond to George's comment?
2. What reservations might you have about using a "Emotional Intelligence" assessment?
3. What EQ or EI instrument would you consider?
   

Case Study 6 – The Mixed Team Follow-up Evaluation

 

Case Study 6 – The Mixed Team Follow-up Evaluation

About a year ago, Hans had inherited a new small department which combined his previous team of 5 from the IM Strategy in Headquarters and the 20 IT Service Group. Hans had done all the “right things”. He immediately brought the group together in a two day team building and planning session. The first kick-off activity was using The Platinum Rule Behavioral Assessment. Members learned their own style, the style of the other team members and also discovered the potential communication challenges between the two groups. A new mandate was drafted by the group and priorities set. It was now a year later and Hans was planning another off site meeting for the whole group to discuss progress and their overall effectiveness.

Questions for comments:

1. Would you recommend using another assessment
2. If yes, which one?
3. What is the difference between individual team member assessments and measuring the collective behaviour of the whole team? (Name specific tools used for the later.)

 

Case Study 6 – The Mixed Team Follow-up Evaluation

About a year ago, Hans had inherited a new small department which combined his previous team of 5 from the IM Strategy in Headquarters and the 20 IT Service Group. Hans had done all the “right things”. He immediately brought the group together in a two day team building and planning session. The first kick-off activity was using The Platinum Rule Behavioral Assessment. Members learned their own style, the style of the other team members and also discovered the potential communication challenges between the two groups. A new mandate was drafted by the group and priorities set. It was now a year later and Hans was planning another off site meeting for the whole group to discuss progress and their overall effectiveness.

Questions for comments:

1. Would you recommend using another assessment
2. If yes, which one?
3. What is the difference between individual team member assessments and measuring the collective behaviour of the whole team? (Name specific tools used for the later.)

Case Study - Stressed out to the MAX

Case Study 5 - Stress out to the Max

John was under a lot of stress at work for the past few months. Co-workers and staff noticed that his behavior was erratic and he often did not follow-up on his commitments. He seemed withdrawn, lethargic and some noticed it appeared that he had lost quite a bit of weight. Finally a colleague had the courage to ask John what was going on with him and John confided his situation. His wife had left him and he had told no one about it.

On a team building course, John’s colleague (a natural caregiver and helper - ENFJ) knew that John’s style was Gold in True Colors (in MBTI he reports out as ESTJ) and his current behavior was totally out of character. In a previous training, John had shown up as strong on SC (steadiness, conscientiousness) on the DISC.

Questions for comments:

1. What would you do now?
2. Are his assessment results relevant to this issue?
3. If yes, to the above question, how would you use these?

Case Study - The Enneagram Confusion

I am a great “fan” of the Enneagram and have used it personally for over 15 years. While I don’t use it as much in my work, I think that there are some great opportunities. Funny but the following is a modified version of a request from a list serve I am on AND a vaguely disguised note from a friend of mine all from this past week.

Case Study 4 - The Enneagram Confusion

I an seeking some advice from you. I have recently been introduced to the Enneagram. I am curious and skeptical about the whole concept. For instance, I ask myself as to how come this is not as popular as the MBTI, though it does seem to have a rich body of knowledge backing it (at least at first glance).

I checked my old Riso test scores, and I wonder what I would score today.  Here they are:

Two    Three   Four    Five    Six     Seven   Eight  Nine    One

 10       21      17       19      16       11      15       15     19

I'm not at all sure what this means - I figure it suggests some degree of balance. It suggests my 'Five' and 'One' are high normal but not my highest: 'Three'.  So am I a 'Three'?  Is Four my wing? Is Six my direction of integration? Nine my direction of Disintegration (sounds ominous!). I'm going to read up using the two texts I have (introductory only but it's a start: One is Riso: Enneagrams Transformations, Releases and Affirmations for Healing Your Personality Type (maybe I should have read this more closely ages ago!)   I'm now reminded why I gave up on the Enneagram ten years ago!   

Questions for comments:

1. Why is the Enneagram not as popular as the MBTI?
2. How would you compare the MBTI to the Enneagram?
3. What do you say to someone who says “So am I a Three”?

Case Study - What do I want to be when I grow up?

Case Study 3 - What do I want to be when I grow up?

Sally a 40 year old successful project manager comes to you for an info session and tells you the following:

I am doing coaching part-time right now but I want to move into doing it full-time. As a manager, many people came to me for counsel, advice and possible coaching. This is something where I excel.  I am interested in the consulting aspect as well but rather nervous about how to transmission either within an organization or independently. I was thinking of working at a Consulting company and doing part-time life/business coaching on the side.  I really see myself doing Consulting/Coaching as a career but I am not sure where to begin. What do you suggest?

Questions for comments:

1. What would be your first question?
2. Would you consider recommending any assessments with Sally and why?
3. Where would you want to focus first?

Anyone who posts a comment will get a complimentary Sales Effectiveness Assessment.  Don’t be fooled by the title – this relates to all  professionals.  To see what is measured go to: http://sep.hrdpressonline.com/

Case Study -€“ Culture and Compency Change

Case Study 2 - Changing Demands and Competencies

 You have been working with John for about four months. His goals have been clearly around moving up in his company – he is the Assistant Branch Manager of a mid sized bank. In the past, John had completed the MBTI and you originally worked through his results. You yourself are not trained in MBTI but you did want to know what it all meant to him. John reports out and agrees that he is an ISTJ.

He comes with a new issue he wants to work on. John has just attended a manager’s retreat where they were told that the future competencies of Branch Managers will include stronger interpersonal skills, commitment to service and inspiring leadership abilities. John isn’t sure what this means to him and is beginning to wonder where his strengths could best be utilized. He is feeling rather stressed out. You were wondering if this might be a good time to introduce an assessment.

Questions for comments:

1. What considerations would you have?
2. Which assessments would you offer and why?
3. How would you introduce the concept of taking an assessment?

Case Study - The Assessment Junkies

I have been toying with the idea of how to get the input from you the readers on your suggestions and ideas. As a long time teleclass leader with Coach Inc and often doing their Assessments Module, I have developed a few case studies. All of which are based on real clients but with changes to protect confidentiality. They are short and sweet. I am more than willing to share my own thoughts and what I did do --- but only after some comments from others. I hope that you will go to the first case, read it and give us all your own “two cents” worth. I have included some questions to stimulate discussion.  Thanks. This one is the first that I wrote for the module.

Case Study One - Joan, The Assessment Junkie

You have just started working with a new corporate client. Joan works in strategic planning for a major retail firm and has recently moved into her first formal role as a manager of professionals. Her goal for coaching is to learn how to bring build a high performance team. Joan goes on to suggest that some personality testing might be something she wants to do with the team members. You ask her if she has taken any types of assessments in the past and what has her experience been. Joan tells you that she loves personality tests and has completed many through the various organizations with which she has worked. You ask her if she remembers any specifically. Joan says, “ I’ve taken the MPDI and another one that has four types – driver, analytic and two others. Oh yes, then there was this color one. I’m a red. I know that I am an extrovert, if that helps. They all seem to say the same thing. Hey, but they are fun and a good way for my team to get to know each other better. Maybe you could tell me how they are all connected and recommend which one I should use with my team.”

Questions for your comments:    

1. What are the ‘red flags’ for you?    
2. How would you approach this request?    
3. If Joan insists on using an assessment tool, how would you respond?