People are under pressure, and wanting simple answers to complex questions. A silver bullet, if you will. In the past week, I have received several phone calls from prospects that have bothered me.
I have set up employee assessment systems in a lot of different situations. I know the amount of work needed to build a talent acquisition system that produces good job fit. I have set up the feedback loops that are needed for a good Lean HR system. All of this makes sense.
The problem often comes from the corner office. It happens when the CEO or somebody on the senior team goes to a board retreat and falls in love with some particular assessment tool. As this is often the first assessment tool that they have personal skills with, it becomes the window that they start looking through for all HR matters.
As my grandfather said, "When the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail." When the CEO hears of other assessments that are different than the one they know, they push back. The project stops.
There are more than 3000 assessment tools out there, all measuring different things. Many are only suited for one or two specific tasks. Many are not suited for organizational use at all, but are for clinical settings. My task is to work backwards from the need, and recommend the tool for the job. Not just the hammer.
So, if you are considering an assessment tool and someone in the "C-Suite" recommends an assessment that they know and love, go ahead and examine it, but be very careful about the validity and reliability of how it measures what you are looking for.
If you need help in selecting or with strategies on how to push back without getting fired, give me a call or ping me with an e-mail. Part of my passion is finding the right tool for the right job fit. Not just the hammer or the silver bullet....
I have set up employee assessment systems in a lot of different situations. I know the amount of work needed to build a talent acquisition system that produces good job fit. I have set up the feedback loops that are needed for a good Lean HR system. All of this makes sense.
The problem often comes from the corner office. It happens when the CEO or somebody on the senior team goes to a board retreat and falls in love with some particular assessment tool. As this is often the first assessment tool that they have personal skills with, it becomes the window that they start looking through for all HR matters.
As my grandfather said, "When the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail." When the CEO hears of other assessments that are different than the one they know, they push back. The project stops.
There are more than 3000 assessment tools out there, all measuring different things. Many are only suited for one or two specific tasks. Many are not suited for organizational use at all, but are for clinical settings. My task is to work backwards from the need, and recommend the tool for the job. Not just the hammer.
So, if you are considering an assessment tool and someone in the "C-Suite" recommends an assessment that they know and love, go ahead and examine it, but be very careful about the validity and reliability of how it measures what you are looking for.
If you need help in selecting or with strategies on how to push back without getting fired, give me a call or ping me with an e-mail. Part of my passion is finding the right tool for the right job fit. Not just the hammer or the silver bullet....
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