Which Professional Assessment is Your Team Taking? Is it the Right One?
Since you are reading this blog, most likely you are in tune with the work of The Instinctive Advantage - and, therefore have taken the Kolbe A™ Index. I will fully own my bias in that Kolbe Wisdom™ is my tool of choice - and this is for good reason. 11 years and thousands of Kolbes into my career, the validity and the learnings have not ceased to amaze me.
With the confession of my love (or obsession?) with Kolbe Wisdom™, I will be the first to acknowledge that Kolbe is not the answer to every challenge in the workplace. It does not shed light if there is a motivation, skills or smart challenge.
In this blog post we’re going to give you some perspective on a few of the common professional assessments, and why you may want to take them.
*Note: This is just a snapshot. Each of these assessments have quite robust backgrounds and uses. I suggest that you explore them all.
Kolbe Index
In case you need a refresher, the Kolbe A™ Index is designed to measure the conative part of the mind — the actions you take that result from your natural instincts. This 36-question tool validates your natural talents, the instinctive method of operation (MO) that enables you to be productive. Also, it’s the only validated assessment that measures a person's conative strengths.
Areas it helps teams with:
Vocabulary for individuals to articulate their natural talents
Data-backed metrics to build truly synergistic teams
EEOC-certified use for for the hiring process
Learn more here: www.theinstinctiveadvantage.com
DISC Profile
What is the DISC Profile: The DISC profile is a non-judgemental tool used for discussion of people’s behavioral differences. By taking the assessment, individuals are able to see how their personality affects their behaviors, allowing them to work with others more effectively.
Why it helps teams:
Increased self-knowledge for team members
Further recognition of communication needs for entire teams
Facilitation of better teamwork communication
Learn more here:www.discprofile.com
StrengthsFinder
What is the StrengthsFinder: The StrengthsFinder assessment consists of 177 paired statements where individuals choose which fits them best. From these choices a list of your 5 top strengths is created. This allows individuals and teams to align themselves in positions that relate to the strengths they have.
Why it helps teams:
Helps teams understand team contribution
Allows team members to be the best version of themselves
Positions teams structurally in alignment with their strengths (not weaknesses)
Learn more here:www.gallupstrengthscenter.com
Myers-Briggs
What is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator: The MBTI® is a personality inventory used to make sense of seemingly random behavior around the concepts of perception and judgment. In doing so, the MBTI® identifies an individual's favorite world vantage point, how they interpret information, how they make decisions, and the structure (or lack thereof) they prefer. This allows for a snapshot of a person's whole self.
Areas it helps teams
Helps people determine their internal functioning
Helps leaders prepare and address conflict
Develops a larger personality perspective of the entire team
Learn more here:www.myersbriggs.org
There are a wide variety of tools on the market, and picking one for your team can be difficult. Clients often ask me why I prefer Kolbe Wisdom™ over the other tools available and there are a few reasons:
Kolbe Corp™ has produced research studies that show this information is constant over time. I can’t even tell you how many people I have met with later in their career who have said “if only I knew this sooner”.
We all know that we have an instinctive drive; but Kolbe Wisdom™ offers the vernacular to explain these differences
The reliability. I have met with thousands of individuals in the years that I have been doing this work and have yet to meet anyone who disagrees with the material.
Intuitive understanding of how one person’s score can relate to someone else’s
If you’d like to talk more about these options and how to weigh them, I’d be happy to connect. In whatever you choose, please don’t just take them blindly. Be intentional.
-Erin