Assessments Today

Personality Applications on the iPhone

If there is one thing that I love more than assessments at the moment, it is my iPhone.  O.K. call me shallow.  But what could be more exciting than a combination of the two?

The Personality iPhone application

Explore your personality - and the science behind it all with Personality, by Signal Patterns. The Personality iPhone application is the most detailed psychology-based application available on the iPhone

Brought to you by the researchers and psychologists at Signal Patterns, Personality uses a novel algorithm that scores unique personality traits rather than rough "buckets" of personality types. To describe each person, the algorithm uses 45 different personality traits, each scored on a separate scale, resulting in extremely unique depictions of one's personality.

And once you learned about yourself, you can learn about the science behind the application. Watch videos and hear from Science team members themselves discuss the underlying Big 5 Personality theory. Read about the psychological models and the key scientists themselves. Still interested? Check out a number of books from our team members.

Cover via Amazon

Also - they have the Live Happy is a positive psychology iPhone app developed by Signal Patterns' SP Labs research team together with Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky, author of the book  The How of Happiness and professor of psychology at the University of California, Riverside.

There is a free "lite" version but if you purchase the full app, a portion of every app sale is donated to the Live Your Life Well program, a public education campaign (launched by the non-profit Mental Health America) dedicated to helping people combat stress and promote well being.

Book Review - Now Discover Your Strengths

 The good thing about book reviews is that they usually stand the test of time . . . as long as the book is popular you can dredge up your review.  I wrote the following in March of 2001. It was this book that lead me to Learned Optimism by Martin Seligman and then on to Authentic Happiness which I blogged about yesterday.

Now, Discover Your Strengths by Marcus Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton, Free Press, 2001 ISBN: 0743201140

Cover of Now, Discover Your Strengths

First here is the official review and then my opinions:

Effectively managing personnel--as well as one's own behavior--is an extraordinarily complex task . . . That said, Marcus Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton's Now, Discover Your Strengths does indeed propose a unique approach: focusing on enhancing people's strengths rather than eliminating their weaknesses. Following up on the co-authors' popular previous book, First, Break All the Rules, it fully describes 34 positive personality themes the two have formulated and explains how to build a "strengths-based organization" by capitalizing on the fact that such traits are already present among those within it.

Most original and potentially most revealing, however, is a Web-based interactive component that allows readers to complete a questionnaire developed by the Gallup Organization and instantly discover their own top-five inborn talents.

I liked this book. It is easy to read and is careful about using neutral and positive language. The 34 themes of StrengthsFinders are carefully "labeled". It appears to be a sound model that has good back-up data. It has an interactive piece with the Internet. Half way into the book, I thought, great this is going to get my top rating – four balls. To bad that they didn’t fully leverage what they have here. The cover jacket says "The revolutionary program that shows you how to develop your unique talents and strengths – and those of the people you manage." Unfortunately, that is precisely where the book started to let me down. It is only the last two chapters, 6 and 7, that the authors begin to address how to use and build on the model and information they have provided.

I have taken just about every quiz, personality inventory and assessment around. I love them and I love them even more when they have more than just face validity but good reliability. I also want to see if it fits with the other models and theories as I know them. This one does. So what is the problem. Marcus Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton fail to give us a working program. There is no "How To" or "So What". One critic wrote: "What is missing is how to apply this insight...what the particular combination of strengths means, how to communicate with and lead people with differing strengths." I concur.

There is so much more here. Sure, I may not have learnt anything surprisingly new about myself. However, the perspective on how the information was grouped did provide new insights and for that I am grateful. Sure I now that I have a "Strategic" approach to my life and I am clearly a "Learner" who likes "Command" roles. It was the other two themes that put a new twist on things and just fit for me. It has made me realize what is an important value in my life, my friends, and what an important role they play. It also reinforced the strengths that I have in my professions as a business coach and where I can really make a difference.

One more caveat from another critic: "After reading the book, I wanted to take the quiz again (as the book implies you can), but Gallup *refuses* to allow you to take the quiz more than once. This means that your spouse or friend that you loan the book to won't be able to take the test until they fork over money for a new copy of the book. If you get a used or a returned copy, I hope the previous owner didn't take the test and then return the book!"

This is a reasonably priced book when you consider that you get an online assessment. Overall a good investment – either for the fun of it or to ponder it more closely. I wish that additional online inventories could be purchased. There are many ways that I can see how I would use it with clients. I truly hope that the authors do something more with this new tool that they have developed.

RFH (01/03)

Cultural Assessments

This is  follow-up to yesterday's blog item and another post.

A colleague of mine and author of a great book that I do recommend: "Coaching Across Cultures",  Philippe Rosinski has his own COF Cultural Orientations Framework.  It is currently being refined and you can try it out at www.PhilRosinski.com/cof/.  This assessment is for individuals but is available for projects.   I was impressed with the neutrality of the design and the report that I got back. Kudo's to Philippe.

I think it has great potential used in conjunction with both coaching when a good assessment of the type of culture the person is going to be living in has been identified.  It appears that using this on projects will create the type of cultural profile needed when selecting or coaching expats.

New Reseach Rates SOCIAL STYLE Over DiSC & MBTI

The new 2008 study from Colorado State University and Regis Learning shows that Social Style is easier to understand and apply than Myers-Briggs or DiSC.

In this study, the Social Styles instrument originally developed by Merrill and Reid was used and the Inscape DiSC assessment was used to represent the various DISC instruments. The Platinum Rule™ Behavioral Style Assessment is based directly on the Social Styles Model using the same principles. The Platinum Rule™ does not measure the versatility dimension. However, flexibility and adaptability are strongly emphasized in the Assessments Now training for coaches and trainers.

I am pleased to discover that the key findings completely support what I have observed in my own experience working with all three models and assessments. Now I have research to back up my anecdotal stories.

For Immediate Release
Wednesday, March 05, 2008

Nik Olsen
(970) 491-7766
Nik.Olsen@colostate.edu

TRACOM SOCIAL STYLE MOST EFFECTIVE INTERPERSONAL SKILLS TRAINING PROGRAM EVALUATED BY COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY STUDY

FORT COLLINS - The Social Style training model is easier to understand and use than either DiSC or Myers-Briggs, according to a new research study from Colorado State University and Regis Learning Solutions. The study is the first-ever comparative study of the three leading training programs in interpersonal skills.

The study evaluated more than 200 people participating in training programs featuring the DiSC model from Inscape Publishing; the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, or MBTI, model from CPP Inc.; and the Social Style model from The TRACOM Group. It found that while participants in all three programs held very positive reactions to the training programs, participants in Social Style training scored significantly higher in terms of understanding and retaining course concepts and in using those skills to understand and relate effectively with others.

"All three of these programs have been used for decades and have tens of thousands of happy customers," said Professor Kurt Kraiger, director of the Center for Organizational Excellence at CSU. "We felt it was important to conduct a thorough evaluation of the three models and see if there were measurable differences in their impact. This study in fact shows that Social Style does outperform DiSC and Myers-Briggs in terms of workplace training."

Regis Learning Solutions recruited working adults and conducted a series of training classes where participants were trained in one of the three programs/models. Facilitators, who were certified by program publishers to teach each specific model, taught all class sessions. After completing the class, participants then were evaluated to measure their reactions to the training, their understanding and retention of the materials and their ability to apply the information.

The results of this study are detailed in a new paper titled, "An Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Three Popular Training Programs to Improve Interpersonal Skills." The paper has been accepted by the American Psychological Association for presentation at their annual conference (fill in details).

Key research findings:

- Participant reaction to training: Participants in all three programs had very positive reactions to the programs and perceived them to be very useful. Overall, Myers-Briggs received the highest rating in this area, slightly more than DiSC and Social Style.

- Retention of key concepts: Each person was tested after the training to assess retention of key course concepts. Social Style training participants scored highest, showing an average performance 18 percent higher than DiSC participants and 34 percent higher than Myers-Briggs participants.

- Applying learning with others: The final evaluation was of the participants' ability to apply what they learned in the courses when working with others. Each participant was asked to evaluate the behaviors of others and determine their style or type. Social Style training participants were better able to identify the correct style or type, showing a 47 percent improvement over DiSC and 280 percent improvement over MBTI.

- Identifying effective ways to work with people: Finally, participants were asked to identify effective ways to work with people based on their known style or type identifications. Social Style training participants were more likely to select appropriate ways to work with others based on style or type. They selected appropriate approaches 24 percent more than DiSC participants and 58 percent more than MBTI participants.

"Many organizations have historically relied on 'participant satisfaction' scores to evaluate their training offerings," said Steve Kirkpatrick, Chief Learning Office of Regis Learning Solutions. "This research shows that, while participants rate all three programs highly, Social Style has a larger impact on their subsequent performance."

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Over the next couple of months I will be revamping my www.AssessmentsNow.com site and changing direction. If you want to open up an Associate Account for The Platinum Rule™, I recommend you contact me before the end of July.

"The Platinum Rule^TM is a registered trademark of Dr. Tony Alessandra. Used with permission." 

Assess How Well Your Company Learns

Despite my complaints about individual learning styles, along comes some great new material on The Learning Organization.  This is the next step in Peter Senge's seminal workThe Fifth DisciplineThe model, following research and assessment are excellent.  Here is a ten minute video which discuss the material and you can find the full HBR article at the moment for free.

An organization with a strong learning culture faces the unpredictable deftly. However, a concrete method for understanding precisely how an institution learns and for identifying specific steps to help it learn better has remained elusive. A new survey instrument from professors Garvin and Edmondson of Harvard Business School and assistant professor Gino of Carnegie Mellon University allows you to ground your efforts in becoming a learning organization.

The tool’s conceptual foundation is what the authors call the three building blocks of a learning organization. The first, a supportive learning environment, comprises psychological safety, appreciation of differences, openness to new ideas, and time for reflection. The second, concrete learning processes and practices, includes experimentation, information collection and analysis, and education and training. These two complementary elements are fortified by the final building block: leadership that reinforces learning.

What is even more exciting is you can take the full assessment for your organization on line directly.  Developed by Amy Edmondson, David Garvin, & Francesca Gino, this assessment tool, can help companies  pinpoint areas where they need to foster knowledge sharing, idea development, learning from mistakes, and holistic thinking.  You will find a mini version at the above link as well.

 

Why Won't Learning Styles Go Away?

This is my third discussion over the years on the issue of Learning Styles, not to mention how often I have refered to it in the past in my newsletter. 

Below is an article that I wrote in January's ezine:

What is the Big Deal About Learning Styles Assessments?

A few days ago, I read the following request: "Can anyone recommend an instrument that will reveal preferred learning styles that may be useful in an "x" environment?"

It got me thinking of a number of things and I decided to write about one of my thoughts this issue.  Let me put this into context first.  I personally like learning styles and I think as a coach or trainer or consultant it is a good idea to know about these concepts so we can appeal to all types of learners in our work. It is also very worthwhile to know our own preferences so that we are careful not to show a bias towards one or two styles.  I feel this subject is very important and way back in 2002, in another life, I offered a free teleclass on this very topic.  My notes can still be found on the web at:  http://www.wghill.com/assessments/learning.htm  However, I can't guarantee that the links will still work.

When designing any training or learning activity, I like to follow the principles of Kolb's Experiential Learning Cycle.  This covers all of the critical elements in learning in a way that makes sense for all learners.

I am not convinced that taking a Learning Style assessment is a practical tool in most training or coaching.  Do I need to know that I am conceptual to realize that I like to work with ideas or models?  Does my step son (who has Asperger's Syndrome) need to take a learning styles test for the teacher to know that he responds best to oral instructions versus written.  It seems to me that it is the "teacher" who wants to do these kinds of assessments more than the student.

The most logical argument that is that having this knowledge, one can develop a personal learning system based on their adult learning style. (Assuming that the "perfect" learning model or theory had been identified - there are a number out there.) Nice in theory but I am not so sure as practical in the real world.  This approach, IMHO, is limiting and difficult to match an activity to preference.  For example, I might be very auditory but unless I am driving long distances, audio books or CD's are useless for me.  I tend to be over stimulated by other things.  And when I use to drive over an hour at a time in Canada, I can't tell you how many times I missed my turn off exit on the freeway while listening to an "audio book".

While not fully convinced, I would agree that in order to develop a useful learning plan, that take a Learning Styles Assessment might be beneficial.  There are a number worth checking out - specifically I would recommend HRQ Press.  They have four different ones for you to review.

Copyright 2008 Roberta F. Hill, AssessmentsNow.com Used with permission.

The Firo B and Assumptions

Here is an excerpt of my article from the December 2007 ezine:

I was working with a client this past week and we were using the Firo-B. I like this tool a lot especially when using a combined report with the MBTI for leadership.

You can get an update on the instrument from the site:  High Performing Systems Inc. where the work of Dr. Schutz has been continued and enhanced by his friend and colleague Dick Thompson.

What struck me most is how we sometimes want something but may not express it directly in our behaviour. By western standards, I am considered very direct, leaning more towards the American style than Canadian or European. I also tend to be more introverted in preference so I don’t always like socializing. I am good enough at it – it isn’t painful – just tiring. That said I like to tell people that I like to be invited even if I don’t want to attend!

This brings me to the second point I want to make about assessments. What was the first point you might ask. The first point is don’t assume that someone’s behaviour is their preference. We all have roles we play and “expectations” we try to live up to (excuse the poor grammar).  The second point is that if you are going to conduct an organizational climate survey or employee satisfaction survey – be sure to make it accessible for EVERYONE to participate. Do not do a sample. Don’t be disappointed with a low response rate. It is true that often return rates can be quite low however; individuals will be offended if not asked to participate. Chronic complainers won’t stop if given the opportunity to be a part of the solution to issues but at least you can dampen the negativity by asking them to participate.  As for the skeptics, I have also found asking them to help in the process – including design – turns out to make a much better product.

New Training: Online learning of the Enneagram with Helen Palmer

As many of my readers know, I am a great fan of the Enneagram.  While I don't use it much in the workplace, I do sometimes recommend it with coaching clients and I personally have been a student for about a dozen years. 

No matter which Enneagram Instrument you choose to use - if you do - then in-depth training is essential.   I first studied under Hurly and Dobson (Donson).  There are many other reputable "teachers" out there and I would personally recommend both Riso-Hudson and Helen Palmer.  I received this announcement a few weeks ago from Helen:

It is my great pleasure to announce that we now have a distance learning platform for teaching the Enneagram in an academic setting over the internet. 

The online course is entitled “Using the Enneagram in Psychological Assessment and Practice”. This American Psychological Association approved e-course offers insightful new material that is immediately applicable, whether your interest is professional improvement, personal growth or spiritual development. I am pleased to be team teaching this material with an articulate group of panelists representing each of the nine types and Marlene Cresci Cohen, PhD.,  a practicing clinical psychologist, colleague, and dear friend. Marlene’s type-specific analysis brings fresh insights that validate and uphold the psychological integrity of the Enneagram, while my contributions focus on the spiritual. The e-course is available at www.enneagram.com and through the University’s main website. I have included a short audio message here that introduces the e-course.

The announcement of this online course coincides with the launch of a new website, www.Enneagram.com. Enneagram.com is focused on the online delivery of audio and video resources for the study of the Enneagram. In addition, it offers a free email newsletter that will inform and entertain you on topics related to the Enneagram.

Kolbe Index - article and new updated format fantastic

I have long been a fan of the Kolbe Indexes but haven't found the opportunities to used it much in my business.  Perhaps it just slipped out of mind and I wasn't fond of the fact that you couldn't download your report in a PDF version.  Well there is still no PDF version but the new updated online site and access is fantastic.  It runs like a personalized powerpoint presentation with the creator Kathy Kolbe herself telling you personally just why you are so great.  Kolbe Indexes have always been the most positive of the assessments that I have ever taken and this continues to validate the experiences of people who have had the chance to take it.

I read more about Kolbe's instruments for children and teenagers and again found myself very impressed.  Here is a brief overview of the Kolbe perspective taken from their site:

Three Parts of the Mind                           

Personality tests are based upon preferences – what you want or wish you would do. Significant changes often occur in such results over time because of changes in your attitudes. Cognitive tests (IQ or skills) are not reliable over long intervals because you learn more – and forget some of what you've learned.

Research shows Kolbe A Index results are extremely consistent over time. Even after 15 years, more than 85% of people who retake the Index have shown no significant changes in their Kolbe results.

No other measurement of human behavior has this high level of long-term test-retest reliability. It is only possible because the Kolbe A Index is a valid measurement of conative actions, and identifies your innate, unchanging, instinct-based strengths.

Finally, here is an article from January 2007 of Oprah that they mention on the  site -

HOW TO BE WILDLY SUCCESSFUL
By Martha Beck

If at first you don't succeed…ask yourself, Am I an otter? A squirrel? A mouse? The answer could spell the difference between things going swimmingly and squeaking to a halt. Find your own winning style.

Beware of Guessing

One of the things that I often complain about is how publishers mislead the scientific rigor of an instrument.  Even the "best" assessments have a 85% reliability rate.  Basically that means that 15% individuals who take the instrument today and then six months later are likely to get different results.  Kolbe points out the dangers of trying to make predictions of others.  How often are people wrong about Kolbe results?

Who	How often wrong
Spouses Bosses Teachers Self	85% of the time 75% of the time 64% of the time over 1/2 of the time

It's fun to guess — just don't make decisions based on guesses.

 

Updates and New Feature with The Platinum Rule

I will be launching a new feature with a special introductory offer available throughout February for those of you who have taken The Platinum Rule Behavoral Style Assessment. (In fact, I am almost giving it away for those who respond in the first 24 hours SO if you have taken it through Assessments Now wait for the notice next Monday or Tuesday.)

The Platinum Rule Behavioral Style Assessment as set up and offered by me through Assessments Now is to my knowledge the ONLY site that has the following features:

• Multiple languages (Besides English, the assessment is available in French and French reports, German and Swedish.)
• Observer categories SPECIFICALLY set up for the organizational context and not just personal
• Lower costs for smaller quantities purchased by Associates
• Authorized training for coaches who wish to become properly skilled
• AND NOW follow-up capacity

Clients and members who have taken the Platinum Rule have always had the option of extending their 30 day observer timeframe as well as adding 60 days at some future date.  However, there has been no way to get observer feedback separated in two time frames WITHOUT purchasing the profile a second time. That has now changed. I have added a fourth category for observers entitled: For Follow-up Data Only. That means that a user can go back into their personal member site and send out requests to new or old observers and get the results tabulated into a different category. The new results can be compared to previous feedback to see if the behavior has shifted.

A sample explanation for past users can be found here.