The first of the five steps to effective performance management is having the right team in place. Science has evolved meaningfully with regard to behavior and the predictability of success for employees who will be charged with certain tasks within an organization. We as humans have preferences…things we prefer to do and things we prefer to avoid. Surely you have been with sales persons who bemoan their administrative responsibilities or strong administrators who have no interest in shouldering the burdens of sales goals. Placed in the wrong role, good persons underperform or leave…both bad outcomes. Behavioral science can predict those preferences in a process called assessment testing. These assessments can be completed prior to employment, prior to an employee joining a group within an employer, or on existing group members. Assessment testing has evolved and has been validated over enough time that the outcomes, while not error free, can improve the likelihood that a candidate has the “task skills” required to be successful and has the preferences to enjoy engaging in the tasks required. The effectiveness of assessment testing is directly proportional to how well management has defined the tasks. Organizations have, in general, not always focused on properly defining the tasks required of our associates.
Here’s the breakthrough - New hires that do not align well with the required task skills of a given job dilute the effectiveness of the group, waste scarce financial resources, and distract management from more constructive activities. Science and the art of leadership merge in an organization when assessment testing is utilized in conjunction with the judgment of leadership when considering the technical skills, human skills, and conceptual skills of a candidate. Consider implementing assessment testing software in the talent acquisition process.
