HR Solutions
As a best practice, personality assessments can be a tool before final interview, but we need to be aware it can give a selection committee tunnel vision. They are great for helping people grow and develop but should only be factored in for 15% of the hiring decision. The psychology of human beings is a minefield. If we had it figured out and assessments were a science that delivered a match, everyone would take it in school and that would dictate our career choice and future path. Personality assessments appeal for the same reasons as astrology, numerology and Harry Potters sorting hat, because it’s fun to divide people into categories and tap into their desire to be told what makes them unique and where they fit. It’s a huge industry, $500 million annually with annual growth of 10-15%. There are many to choose from; ProfileXT, True Colors, DiSC, and Predictive Index to name a few. We will focus on Kolbe and Myers-Briggs (MBTI).Myers-Briggs makes human resources into an algorithm: give your employee a quiz, and within minutes you’ll know whether they’re social (E) or quiet (I), interested in detail (S) or the big picture (N).
The tool can be very useful when used with perspective… not as the be all end all answer, but as a reference point. Even Dr. Jung, whose work inspired the MBTI test, acknowledged the limitations of type. “There is no such thing as a pure extrovert or a pure introvert,” he wrote. “Such a man would be in the lunatic asylum.”Kolbe gives insight into the amount of energy a person naturally has for any given task. For example, it does not mean if they have a low quick start that they can’t sell. It simply means if their work history, interview and references all say they can sell then they have pushed themselves and grown in that area. It’s not an intrinsic skill for them. It’s learned. But if it looks like a lousy sales duck, sounds like a lousy sales duck and the Kolbe lines up as well, it’s safe to say you’ve found one. Instead of using Kolbe, or any other assessment tools results as an excuse for laziness (well, my Kolbe says I’m no good at doing it that way), see it as more of a prediction of where problem areas could arise.
Assessments can be great tools for leadership development, giving people insight into their blind spots, strengths and weaknesses, as well as team building and conflict resolution. An assessment ideally forms the foundation of a development plan to help the leader or employee enhance strengths and close gaps on weaknesses. The best leaders always want to grow and get better! Don’t be a lazy hiring manager, recruiter or selection committee. Spend the time. Do the work. And you’ll find the right duck.
WorkHorse Hub Ltd. Agriculture is about people, growth, innovation, and drive. WorkHorse gets that.
We are a team of passionate experts in human resources, marketing, and agriculture driven by one goal: helping make the industry stronger through its people. At WorkHorse Hub, we are disrupting the outdated human resource and recruitment strategies in primary agriculture and expanding exposure of the vast career opportunities this sector has to offer the next generation.
WorkHorse Hub is an agricultural human resource corporation created by farmers to help solve the very real HR challenge that our industry is faced with today. WorkHorse is committed to leading the way in making agriculture a destination of choice for career seekers. We believe our upcoming generation can and will embrace the technology and the science along with the lifestyle choice that building an on-farm working career can offer. WorkHorse will work tirelessly in changing the stereotype of working in agriculture on a farm and we believe our business model will allow us to accomplish these goals by providing products and services that will make a difference and offer value at all levels.
Article Written By MORGAN KNEZACEK
MORGAN KNEZACEK is the Co-Founder – Managing PartnerWorkHorse Hub.
