Having a fully functional, cohesive and productive team is a fundamental contributor to a successful business or organisation. We all know this however It’s one thing saying it, it’s another thing actually creating and maintaining a high performing team.
We all see the world differently; this is because each individual has their own unique way of perceiving and interpreting the world around them, and this can have a big impact on how teams behave. For a team to truly work together successfully they first must understand themselves and those around them.
Psychometric, behavioural and personality tests have become an increasingly popular way for companies of all sizes to make decisions about their employees. These assessments can help develop high-performing teams by identifying individual strengths as well gaps that need addressing in order create an optimal work environment with minimal friction between individuals.
So, how do you know which tool is right for you and your team?
Many tests will claim to cover both behaviour and personality, but actually, these are distinct, so it’s important to find out exactly what your chosen test will be measuring. Today we will explore psychometric testing and behaviour profiling and best practice when choosing the right method for you.
Psychometric testing generally assesses an individual’s cognitive abilities, while behaviour profiling looks at an individual’s behavioural patterns. While both methods can provide valuable insights into a person, they each have their own strengths and weaknesses.
Behavioural Profiling
Behavioural profiling is all about greater understanding – greater understanding of yourself, your staff, how your team can work more effectively as a unit and also what else you may need in your team.
The benefits of behavioural profiling will stretch across all parts of any business. It will help with the recruitment of staff, building emotional and social intelligence, the ability to give and receive robust feedback, and identifying what creates an effective team within your own unique workplace culture.
Behavioural profiling will give you a deeper understanding of the following in your team and how to apply this knowledge for success…
- What motivates and excites people in the work they do
- How people are most likely to behave in various situations
- How to adapt your behaviour according to the situation and business need
- How to allocate the right work to the right people maximising motivation and performance
- How your people prefer to communicate and deal with conflict
- How are you likely to adapt or react to change
- What style of work is best for you in your career development or business
- A deep insight into your strengths and your colleagues’ or staff’s strengths
- Insight into behavioural strengths and weaknesses for interviews
- What additional team building activities would be beneficial
A profiling workshop will identify how various behavioural styles are represented in an individual and where the strengths and gaps of the team lie. It will also unveil which of your own behavioural patterns are effective in the type of work you do, and equally, which of your patterns may hinder effectiveness.
Put it into Practice: Belbin Team Roles
One of the best models used today for behavioural profiling is Belbin.
A Belbin behaviour profile is a simple yet very clear explanation of what a person’s strengths are within a team and what others within the team value in that person.
It’s an incredibly effective tool for identifying who you need on which team to get a specific outcome in the fastest possible time frame and with the right amount of people.
Ultimately a Belbin behavioural profiling workshop will equip people with the knowledge on how to maximise everyone’s strengths for an effective team. You’ll get to appreciate not only what your strengths are but what your team values about you as well.
It’s based on solid science yet simple enough to enable people to immediately understand and apply it to everyday tasks. Belbin uses simple language and easily-understood symbols so it’s easy to remember how to apply your strengths within the team and build self confidence in the process.
It’s important to reinforce too that profiling doesn’t judge, it enlightens. No profile is good or bad, right or wrong. It’s purely about ‘fit’ for a role in the context of your own career or business.
In summary, Belbin behavioural profiling has been proven to boost people management capabilities and staff retention initiatives.
Psychometric Testing
Psychometric testing is a form of assessment used most commonly in pre-employment screening, but also during the performance review process. A psychometric test measures an individual’s aptitude, personality and behaviour to identify whether they will be a good fit for the organisation and the role they have applied for. Pre-employment psychometric testing is most commonly used in high volume recruitment to assess large numbers of candidates quickly and efficiently.
Psychometric testing focuses on the individual’s ability to perform the tasks required for the role they have applied for. The tests are designed to identify an individual’s strengths and weaknesses in order to assess their suitability for the role.
Psychometric testing will give you a deeper understanding of the following in an individual and how to apply this knowledge for success:
- Their cognitive abilities
- Their aptitudes and interests
- How they learn best
- Their work style preferences
- Their motivation drivers
- How they approach problem-solving
- How they deal with stress
- What kind of team player they are
- What their development needs are
- How to best manage and coach them for optimum performance
It is generally recommended that psychometric testing should not be used in isolation but as part of a holistic assessment process. The results of psychometric tests should always be interpreted in the context of the individual’s experience, qualifications and performance in other assessments.
Put it into practice: Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®) assessment
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) assessment is a popular psychometric test that is often used in the workplace.
The MBTI assessment is based on the theory of psychological type, which was first proposed by Carl Jung. Jung believed that there are two basic ways of perceiving and making decisions: introversion and extroversion. He also believed that there are four basic personality types: thinking, feeling, sensing, and intuition.
The MBTI assessment is a self-report questionnaire that asks questions about your preferences in various areas of life. Based on your answers, the MBTI assessment will place you into one of the 16 personality types.
The MBTI assessment can be used to help you to:
- Understand yourself better
- Understand how you interact with others
- Learn about your strengths and weaknesses
- Find a career that is a good fit for your personality type
The MBTI assessment can also be used by employers to:
- Better understand their employees
- Improve communication and collaboration between employees
- Foster a better work-life balance for employees
- Resolve conflict between employees
The MBTI assessment is not a test that can be passed or failed. Instead, it is a tool that can be used to help you to better understand yourself and others.
Final Thoughts
So, which approach should you use? Ultimately, it depends on the specific situation and what information you’re looking for.
Psychometric testing and behavioural profiling are both beneficial tools that can be used to improve people management capabilities and staff retention initiatives. Both have their own benefits and drawbacks, so it’s important to understand when each one is most appropriate before you make a decision.
Knowledge is power as they say. Gaining this greater knowledge and understanding will go a long way in building a powerful team!
Recent Comments