By Carol J. Sutton

If you could increase the likelihood of making an optimal hiring decision by one-third, would you take the opportunity? I am guessing most people would say “yes.” That puts you within the purview of a reputable normative assessment. However, if you want to ensure you have the right people in place for a new team’s success, or to replace a vital member, you would be better off using an ipsative personality profile. For succession planning, internal moves, and promotions, we may want to bring the results of both assessment types to bear on the final decision.

Examples of normative instruments that are helpful in recruitment include those of Profiles International, Harrison, Winslow and Hogan Assessments. Ipsative assessments are about personality characteristics, and are not tests; their results do not measure achievement in any skill or technical area. Some of the best know include the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, DISC, Strength Deployment Inventory, Thomas Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument, and Kraybill Conflict Style Inventory.

A Few Dos and Don’ts
The ultimate goal of the debriefing conversation, of course, is to set the employee – or candidate – up for success in the prospective role (new job, promotion, coaching, mentoring, etc.). To achieve this, we need to provide a supportive climate in which the individual is able to gain maximum benefit from the knowledge contained in the assessment report/profile.

• Give the person time to read the report, preferably in your presence – whether face-to-face or on the phone. Allowing people to read the report on their own provides too great an opportunity for them to misconstrue the meaning of the findings. Then, it is more difficult to correct the erroneous understanding than it would have been to establish a sound framework from the beginning.

• Go slowly and pause, allowing them to read the material at their own pace and to ask questions along the way. If you need to explain something before the individual sees it, ask them to wait while you set up the situation.

• At each juncture, once the generic meaning of a finding has been read and explained, be sure to ask the person, “Does this sound like you?” Ultimately it is the individual who knows best whether particular characteristics are true of them. Ask, don’t tell, and make no assumptions!

• If he or she disagrees utterly with a finding, advise them to disregard that point. No instrument is perfect, and this person may have overcome a certain tendency in response to previous life circumstances.

• In any case, don’t argue! If a person is protesting vehemently, proceed gently. Use your highest level “active listening” skills to stay focused on how the individual is responding to information to avoid treading on hidden sensitivities.

• However, if the objection is moderate and nuanced, you might suggest that they show that item to a family member or close friend to get more information. Even the best of us have trouble seeing ourselves as other see us.

• Prepare discussion questions (e.g. “what if …?”) as a way of inviting them to think of themselves – and the key characteristics revealed in the report – in various situations. This aspect of the debriefing can be combined with behavioural interview questions. Some assessments provide sample behavioural questions for this purpose.

• Normative assessments for hiring, by and large, are based on the valid and reliable psychological principles of personality. These traits are generally quite stable and unlikely to change much over a person’s adult lifetime.

• When debriefing personality and communication style reports (e.g. MBTI; DISC; SDI) remember that these instruments will shine a light on differences between and among people. If the candidate is not comfortable with those differences, additional training may well be necessary. Conflict is due to the mis-management of said differences, and resolution comes by increasing one’s understanding and communication skills.

To return to the opening point of this article, even the best normative tool cannot make a hiring decision for you. When comparing candidates for a position, the assessment’s results should not count for more than 30 per cent of your conclusion. Due diligence in checking references, work history, credit checks, and the like are still as important as they ever were.

Carol J. Sutton is presenting a How to Talk About Assessment Results: Debriefing for Full Value webinar on November 6. For more information about this and other professional development opportunities, please refer to HRMA’s online calendar.

Carol J. Sutton Cert.ConRes. is a conflict resolution professional and organizational communication specialist who coaches, trains and facilitates programs that enable clients to move beyond management into leadership roles; to generate stronger results through teamwork, and to increase inter-personal communication effectiveness in the workplace.