Assessment tools can enhance a coaching conversation as they are a means to increase people’s self-awareness and identify their strengths and areas of personal and professional development. Tools can also help an individual gain an appreciation of how others perceive them and become mindful of the behavioral and communication patterns that need altering to create a different impact.
Managers and executives have come to realize the importance of objective human resource assessment to ascertain the skills and talents available to their organization. Assessments help organizations make better decisions about hiring and developing people. They also increase the probability that the individual selected for a position has the skills and motivation to be successful.
The professionals at Forge are trained in the use of a variety of assessment tools to identify, reflect, and modify behaviour and promote personal and professional growth.
Types of Assessment Tools
There are a great variety of assessment tools available today. The tools we use at Forge typically assess clients in the following areas: Team Dynamics, Communication and Behaviour Styles, Conflict Style, and Emotional Intelligence.
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team is an online assessment that evaluates openness, spontaneity, and one’s ability to engage in unfiltered discussions. This tool evaluates team members’ tolerance level to embrace conflict and explore divergent opinions in a safe and constructive manner. It also measures the team’s ability to be accountable and commit to team decisions and action plan.
The PSI communication and behaviour style assessment tool is used to help discover one’s natural preferences towards people, tasks, time and situations. This tool facilitates self-awareness and helps strengthen relationships and credibility. This tool helps one become more articulate in talking about themselves and to understand why they do well in certain areas of their personal and professional life.
The Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Assessment takes a look at one’s natural tendencies when engaged in conflict. By completing such a tool, one can discover areas of development to help increase effectiveness during difficult conversations.
E-Q in Action is an emotional intelligence assessment tool which measures one’s ability to recognize and manage their own emotions while demonstrating the ability to recognize and support others in managing their emotions. This tool identifies one’s flexibility, tolerance to stress, ability to empathize and effectiveness under challenging circumstances.
Assessment tools validate what people know about themselves. In the end, the idea is to work toward a heightened awareness so that one can acquire skills to enhance their behaviour repertoire. For example, a carpenter can only partially show his value if the only tool he has is a hammer. Equip him with a saw, screwdriver and drill as well and suddenly he can demonstrate so much more ability. Achieving a heightened awareness of one’s capabilities is like sharpening their saw and adding to their toolbox.
Coaching Moment:
How do you manage your frustration when the conversation does not go your way?
What would be different if you made sure you understood everyone’s needs and point of view before formulating an opinion?
If you’d like to learn more about assessment tools, please contact Forge Coaching and Consulting at 905-873-9393 or email info@forgecoachingandconsulting.com.