Welcome back to the Every Tuesday Club.  This week Steven and Aleen discuss why so many organisations are using assessment tools, like Myers Briggs, DISC, Colby. 

So why do you think it’s so important that organisations think about assessing their teams? 

More and more organisations, and even smaller teams, are looking for ways to reduce any conflict, and actually tap into the diversity of the team and get to understand it.   These tools are very affordable, and very practical.  You don’t need a psychology degree to actually use them.

Often people in teams get into places where there are actually poor opposites, and they personalise that stress, and it becomes more of a factious situation – when in fact it’s a matter of style.  Sometimes these assessments give people a common language, and they will talk about “well you’re more of a processor and I’m more facts based”, or “you’re more analytical” versus saying “you’re just slowing down my work”. 

Taking the personal sting out of feedback is really important for it to be effective.  It gets rid of that sense of negativity and gets to the hub of the issue, and that’s the best way to lead to positive improvement.

The other thing about some of these assessments is I can learn how to flex my style, and be more accommodating to you, whether you’re a colleague a client or my boss.  If I know you like something a little different than me because of your style, I’m able to work more effectively with you.  And a lot of managers who have used that find that’s it’s reciprocated.  The people that they’re trying to build a more effective relationship with, also flex their style so the work relationship is more effective on both sides.

So over the next few weeks:

·                Take a work relationship you would like to improve,

·                Focus on how you might depersonalise feedback or language,

·                Go on line and see if you are interested in using some of the assessment tools – they’re affordable and very practical.

Good luck with that and let us know how you get on.

If you haven’t taken the opportunity to sign up to the Every Tuesday Club with MBE (Management & Business Education), then do so today by going to www.buseducation.com.