Developing People vs Evaluating People

by Shawn Bakker

Professionals who use psychometric assessments in their individual and team development programs are sometimes asked by organizations if they can help with employee selection. Obviously, how an individual communicates, solves problems, resolves conflict and approaches their work impacts how well they perform. This is why many organizations want to use the MBTI® assessment to select job candidates after experiencing the assessment in an employee development program. They recognize that the information they have received from the assessment may also help them find the best person for a job. It is tempting to use the same development processes to evaluate candidates.

This puts HR practitioners in the seat as educators – organizations with little experience with psychometric assessments do not see a big difference between developing people and evaluating people. This is a key misunderstanding and often results in organizations making some basic mistakes. Here are some key points that you can discuss with your clients to help them understand the subtle, but significant differences between using assessments to help employees better themselves and using assessments to compare candidates.

1. Changing the focus

Developmental applications of assessments are focused on the person – How do you communicate? How do you make decisions? How do you plan your work? How do you lead others? How are your preferences for any of these tasks helpful in your current work? How do they create obstacles for you?

Selection applications of assessments are focused on the job – What are the key tasks and priorities of this position? What characteristics are required for an employee to be successful at these tasks?

2. Changing the assessments

Since the focus changes, the assessments must also change. Instruments such as the MBTI® assessment are designed to help people explore their preferences, traits and skills – they are focused on the individual. As a result they should not be used in employee selection.

Other assessments are designed to compare people to others – they help you identify things such as who is the most ambitious, the least stressed, the most flexible. They are focused on the subtle differences between people. This is the information you need if you are to identify which candidates have the characteristics necessary for job success.

3. Changing the decisions

In the simplest terms, developmental decisions are based on how an individual can work with what they’ve got, and how they could perform at a higher level. It takes people as they are and helps them focus on their strengths and identify potential areas of weakness. The decisions that are made are how an individual can best move forward.

Selection decisions are based on the fit of the individual’s traits and skills with the requirements of the job. The consideration is person-job fit – which is what it needs to be if assessments are to be used effectively and properly.

So the next time you are asked about using assessments in selection you can explain the differences between development and selection with these three points:

1. Different Focus

2. Different Assessments

3. Different Decisions