Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some answers to some of the most common questions asked by customers.
How can assessments make a positive impact on my leadership objectives?
Your assessment report will help you strengthen and leverage the competencies most important and challenging for leaders today—communication, trust and relationship building.
How have your clients been helped by assessments?
My clients have learned to get along better and communicate more effectively with others who have different styles. They also learn a language that is not threatening, to talk about differences. They gain a perspective on conflict that helps them create more effective solutions. They are able to focus their energy on what is most important in their professional and personal lives, grounded in their strengths and being true to themselves.
Don’t the results depend on the mood or frame of mind I’m in when I respond to the questionnaire?
There might be some variance when an assessment is taken multiple times; however, well-designed and researched assessments minimize this. In addition, assessments that have validity and reliability, such as those provided by TTI, notify respondents when the results show that the respondent appears to be under stress, or trying to be all things to all people, or is second guessing when responding to the questionnaire. This does not happen often and only under unusual circumstances.
How do assessments help me to understand myself and others better so that I can communicate more effectively and build trust for stronger relationships?
Most often, clients tell me that the feedback from the assessment report is very accurate. It helps them focus on their strengths and validates or confirms what they already knew about themselves. As they share the results with others, they encourage feedback that helps them grow.
What are the added benefits of using assessments as part of a coaching or consulting process?
When I partner with clients, I am amazed at how much of what I observe and hear from them comes out of the assessment reports. Debriefing the reports with them helps me to get to know them at a deeper level and we continuously connect their goals and objectives with the assessment results. It also gives me an opportunity to co-create development plans with them. They can be used along with professional development programs to catapult the more permanent and powerful nature of self-directed change. Investing in the valuable information provided by the report provides vehicles for success rather than isolated events with no follow-up or follow-through.
What is the value of using assessments in organizations?
Assessments help measure competencies to identify gaps, realign individual strengths with organizational goals and mission, cultivate a strengths-based appreciation with respect and acknowledgment, and increase the awareness of the value of teamwork. Assessments can also be used at the team level in the context of team coaching and development.
Will assessments label me or put me in a "box"?
Out of the context of a coaching relationship with someone trained to interpret and work with assessment results, there is a possibility that the results of some assessment reports can tend to pigeon-hole people. However, when the results are debriefed and reviewed with a competent, certified consultant or coach, in the context of agreed upon development goals, the perspective on the assessment results is one of expanding strengths. Use of assessments to identify weaknesses in order to terminate people is highly unethical and inappropriate.
What are some examples of how assessments have helped people or organizations become more successful?
Several executives I have worked with did not realize how their directness comes across as abrasive when they are under stress, particularly with others who are more indirect, tactful and diplomatic in their approach. On the other hand, when I coach people who are more indirect, I support them in understanding how direct people want to be communicated with and not to take things personally. Knowing this helps indirect or less dominant styles realize “it’s not about them” and they are able to re-direct their energy toward becoming more successful.
When working with teams, it is clear through assessment report information that some people on a team have no problem with confrontation while others consider confrontation intimidating and will avoid it at all costs. This situation creates conflict that leads to decreased productivity and job satisfaction. When people on a team and in an organization learn to speak “assessment language” that is less threatening, that helps everyone use their strengths to provide balance and be more successful. The reality is that teams who use differences to achieve better results are highly functioning teams.
How do I determine which assessments will contribute the most to my personal and professional development or that of my team and the organization?
The best advice is to generate a list of the questions you have about specific assessments and contact me or an experienced professional to help answer your questions about specific assessments and determine your needs. You will also want to evaluate the assessments for their validity and reliability and make sure the expert can provide you with technical reports if necessary.
How do I know which assessments have statistical validity and reliability?
It’s important to use validated assessments so that you know the information is accurate. All of the assessments I use with customers are valid and reliable and I can provide documentation and technical reports if requested. By contacting a professional, certified assessment user, you can ask for statistical reports (or at least ask if they are available) and doing your own research.
What are the best assessments and how are they different from others?
DISC is the best one to start with because it is about observable behavior, is business-oriented, and has several versions with built-in development and action plans. Emotional Intelligence (EI) assessments are increasingly important due to research that shows that the most effective leaders are “emotionally intelligent.” And the distributor I use, TTI, has an EI report called Emotional Quotient™.
What are some of the most advantageous assessments and why?
I recommend a package of assessments that gives clients information on their behaviors, motivators and talents so they can focus on how to apply the information to help them achieve their goals and maximize their strengths and talents.
What does it take to learn how to use assessments effectively and/or become certified?
Depending on the assessment, it requires training (in person or over the phone), study, and a certification exam. First, you will want to determine which assessment(s) fit your use and needs and what the certification requirements are. Most often, when I am asked about certification, the questions are around cost, time involved, and how useful the certification will be.
How much do the assessments cost?
Prices vary as all packages are customized to meet individual, team or organizational needs and strategies. All assessment reports should be reviewed with a qualified professional so that you aren’t trying to figure out how to use the results. For pricing and packages, please call 540.635.4843 or e-mail info@assessmentsforyou.com. Prices usually fall into the following categories:
- Individuals, teams or organizations purchasing assessments
- Individuals, teams or organizations purchasing assessments with debriefs and follow-up coaching or consulting
- Individuals being trained to become certified in assessments
Can I get a sample?
Yes. A sample will help you see for yourself the benefits and how to implement the knowledge you gain. For a sample assessment, contact our office at 540.635.4843.
Do you offer workshops using the assessments?
Yes—for teams, groups and organizations. To get a proposal or arrange a seminar, please call 540.635.4843 or e-mail info@assessmentsforyou.com.
Where can I find more resources and/or learn more about assessments?
The best way is to take an assessment first-hand with a debrief review with an experienced consultant or coach. Other resources are available on the web, in books and in coaching programs that include assessments.
If you would like more information, please click here.
If you are a coach or consultant interested in certification and/or using assessments for your clients, please click here.
Assessments For You
75 Marsden Heights Road |
Linden, VA 22642-5659 | U.S.A.
Phone 540.635.4843 |
Fax 540.301.2555 |
Email: info@AssessmentsForYou.com
Copyright © 2010, Assessments For You. All rights reserved.
Site design by Weathervane Graphics.
U.S.A.
Web-based assessments