Q: What is the right development assessment for me?
A: If you have been in an organization for a while, you have likely participated in an assessment to expand your self-awareness and aid in your professional development. Assessments can be powerful tools, but with the plethora of options, choice is hard. In my doctoral study, I created a simple taxonomy for your initial consideration. Four categories to consider:
Style Preference. Style preferences are an aspect of personality that are more flexible and adaptable; assessments in this category help you to understand how you "show up." With this awareness, using conscious control can increase your ability to connect with others. These assessments have a variety of foundations, but many are Jungian focusing on introversion, extroversion, thinking and feeling. These tools are great for self-awareness and team development. Some examples include: Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), Insights Discovery, and Disc.
Personality assessments. These are considered trait based and tend to reflect personality hardwiring and are more difficult to change, but awareness is helpful.
Assessments in this category are deeply researched and complex instrumentation that reflects personality and components of personality structure. Psychologists or specialty-trained professional administration is recommended. Examples include: Hogan instruments, California Psychological Inventory (CPI), and Strong Interest Inventory (SSI).
General awareness and model inventories. Designed to personalize a concept in service to a specific model or concepts in a particular book, these inventories are excellent in working on a specific focus area, such as understanding your strengths, how you deal with conflict, your cultural awareness or your self-reported emotional intelligence.
Assessments in this general category vary in rigor. Examples include: StrengthsFinder and Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode.
These instruments solicit feedback related to leadership practices, characteristics, teamwork and general skills.
Mainstream examples include: Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI), and Leadership Circle Profile (LCP).
Jacque Anderson is an assistant dean at the University of St. Thomas.
