The Power of Workplace Assessments
The power of technology—in what seems like the snap of a finger we had Google, and now we’ve got AI. The amount of information we are able to access in an instant is at a pace most of us never imagined. Each member of our teams can get the latest TedTalk, data, most applicable quote, statistic, industry trend or whatever we need to assist us in getting answers. It’s all there– at our fingertips.
There is one exception to this, though. And that is information about the people within our work teams. As nice as it would be, we can’t search, “Why is John so quiet in our weekly staff meeting?” or “Tell me how we can maximize Sarah’s capabilities” or arguably most important, “What do I need to be more aware of when it comes to my work habits and preferences and the affects it has on my team?”
Understand Your People
The reality is ChatGPT can’t answer these questions for any of us. There are too many variances in who we are as people, what our roles are in our job are and where we’ve been or where we are in respective stages of personal and professional life. The good thing is even though the power of technology can’t help you here, the power of workplace assessments can.
You’ve heard of them: Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), Working Genius, DiSC and Color Dynamics, to name a few. These tools provide leaders and team members witha deeper understanding of our personality traits, communication preferences and cognitive strengths, allowing us to navigate our most complex resource – people – more effectively.
- Receive a “Per my last email” message? Once you know that’s a sign of a “Green” via Color Dynamics you’ll know that person isn’t intending to be rude, just efficient and direct. The tone you’ve inferred in that message changes because you know who the sender is and now you don’t have to ask yourself, “What did I do to tick them off?”
- Wish your colleague who has amazing ideas shared in 1-on-1 conversations would “pipe up” during staff meetings? When you realize they’re an introvert after taking an MBTI assessment, you’ll be more inclined to introduce and encourage them by saying, “John has a great solution for that issue if he’s prepared to share.”
- Have a team full of talented individuals whose output hasn’t been maximized as you’ve envisioned, on the “bus” you’re driving as their leader? Once you find out where they fit in the process that is outlined in the Working Genius, they won’t just be on the bus, but in the right seats.
Assessments provide clarity about who we are working with while also reminding us that our individual preferences and traits aren’t the only way. Not only will you have lightbulbs go off about who, why and how, but you’ll notice improved team dynamics in sessions that are held as a part of better understanding what the assessments mean. Ultimately, you’ll know how to leverage team members’ strengths, identify gaps, what needs to be done to fill them and how you can be more self-aware in creating a more productive and positive work environment.
TROY Continuing Education and Outreach is made up of certified instructors in MBTI, The Working Genius, Color Dynamics and DiSC. Contact TROY CE&O today for more information on assessment and training opportunities for your team, today.
Meet the Expert Jessie M. Rosa, Professional Development Trainer at TROY Continuing Education and Outreach. Contact her at 334-983-0005 or visit www.troy.edu/ce for more information.
