Self-assessment tools are instruments that measure various aspects of your personality, behavior, values, motivations, skills, and competencies. They can be based on different theories, models, or frameworks of leadership, such as trait, behavioral, situational, or transformational. Some examples of self-assessment tools are the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), the StrengthsFinder, the Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI), and the Emotional Intelligence Quotient (EQ). Self-assessment tools can provide you with valuable feedback and insights about yourself and your leadership style.
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There are many types of self assessment tools and all should be seen a one lens on you, a lens with its own flaws. Each additional lens on you can be useful but it is only one perspective. I see too many turn these assessments into a religion or believe excessively in the "science" of this one versus that. Keep in mind most science behind them is Eurocentric and from the 1930s to 1940s (think about what was happening in 1940s Europe) so may not be valid or validated across global populations or all cultures. If used cautiously or judiciously, with deep reflection, then these tools can surface insights that you can use to hone, improve, or shift your leadership style, signature, or mindset.
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There has been a lot of criticism of the Myers-Briggs test, but my team and I have found it to be one of the most productive tools we've had in understanding ourselves, our coworkers, and how we interact with them. While my colleagues and I had all taken the tests on our own before, this self-administered technique was nowhere near as effective as having a facilitator work with us to understand our "types," the biases we bring to the table, and how they interact and engage with other types, particularly as it relates to miscommunications and misunderstandings. We've also great value in the StrengthsFinder tests and others. Again, we don't take any of this information as fatal indictments of our personality, just information to consider.
Self-assessment tools are essential for leadership development as they can help you identify your leadership potential and style, recognize your strengths and weaknesses, enhance your self-awareness and emotional intelligence, and develop your leadership skills and competencies. With self-assessment tools, you can discover your natural talents, preferences, and tendencies as a leader and how they align with your goals and vision. You can also leverage your strengths, address your weaknesses, understand your emotions, motivations, values, and beliefs, and identify the areas where you need to improve or learn new skills. Through self-assessment tools, you can set specific and realistic goals for your leadership development plan.
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As a coach and HR leader, I consider outcomes of assessments as a skill/ talent report card ( similar to your blood report). I've used several assessment tools across various organizations, one may argue about the pros and cons of the various tools, however, I feel you need to look at how the tool and results can supplement you. Gallup's CliftonStrengths Assessment is a powerful tool that tells you how unique you are and what is right with you. Your top 5 strengths can work as fuel to help you navigate tasks, situations, and relationships better. DISC-related themes often help in clarifying role matches. Various organizations use self-assessment tools as part of their manager/ leadership development curriculum or hiring process.
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There is this pervasive myth that leaders are supposed to be good at everything and can handle any situations that come their way. Setting yourself up for this perfect, comprehensive, encyclopedic leadership style is a formula for disaster. Just like professional athletes, all leaders have some things they're good at and other things they're not so good at. The sooner you can identify these strengths and weaknesses, the more equipped you will be to play to your strengths and ask for help, support, and backup in the areas you don't perform as well. Building a great enterprise entails assembling a team of experts in specific subject matter areas, which requires acknowledging your strengths and weaknesses upfront.
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I would not consider any tool "essential" and those who consider them essential typically have a business interest/conflict of interest. None are a "science" despite claims and all have substantive flaws. I prefer to use several types of assessment to surface different types of insights. This is feasible as an individual or for small teams but if deploying at a large company level one may need to choose only one tool They can be useful adjuncts and if used the right way can assist in team coaching or for leadership retreats.
To use self-assessment tools effectively, you need to choose the right tools for your purpose. Research the validity, reliability, and relevance of the tools you want to use and select the ones that match your purpose and context. Additionally, you must answer the questions or statements in the tools truthfully and without bias. It is important to interpret the results carefully and critically, considering any limitations, assumptions, and perspectives of the tools. Moreover, you should use the results of the tools as a starting point for your leadership development and take action on them in order to implement them in your leadership practice.
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Self-assessment tools are meant to prompt self-awareness and reflection. They reveal trends in your behavior that can be helpful in getting to know yourself, your communication and behavioral styles and how others may see you. Approach them with an open mind and curiosity. There is no one right way to be in the world and don't use these tools against yourself. If you see something you don't like, consider whether it's accurate and if you decide it is, consider how you'll temper that tendency to develop a better relationship with yourself and others.
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Like marriage, no organization has a perfect relationship between leaders and staff. And like marriage, some organizations don't talk openly about the issues affecting their relationship. Instead, they tiptoe around each other or sweep elephants under the rug. But these tensions never disappear; they limit the enterprise's overall performance and success potential. Most spouses and leaders know there are counselors, advisors, and tests that can help them, but they're often too terrified to dare open those can of worms, so they let sleeping dogs lie. Instead of looking at self-assessment tools as an invasive reveal, we suggest doing them frequently as a fun game of enlightenment and discussion, not to hide but share with other colleagues.
Using self-assessment tools can provide several benefits for leaders. These include increasing confidence and credibility, as well as gaining a better understanding of one's leadership style. Additionally, self-assessment tools can help optimize areas of excellence and improvement, as well as develop new skills and competencies. Furthermore, they can encourage growth and learning by allowing leaders to challenge themselves and explore new possibilities. Finally, seeking feedback and support from others can help leaders learn from their experiences and perspectives.
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Self awareness is essential in a leader. Some call this "going to the balcony" to observe "the dance floor" and to observe yourself and your emotions or biases. Self awareness can be developed through a regular mindfulness or meditation practice or by regular journaling. Very low tech and simple but regularly practiced tools or exercises can develop needed self awareness. 1:1 coaching or 360s also are good ways to develop better self awareness and situational awareness.
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Most leaders and companies hire the best talent, but I hire the best team players. There is a huge difference. Talented people often know they're talented because their teachers, grades, scholarships, and awards told them so. Worse, some talented superstars want the organization to build the team around them, which puts too much weight and dependency on one person to make all the shots while the other members stand by underutilized, which is demoralizing. Great teams have team members who openly know about each other's strengths and weaknesses because they do a lot of self-assessments together. They trust their teammates to be vulnerable and don't need to hide their weaknesses. Instead, they learn to rely on each other for full coverage.
Self-assessment tools can present certain challenges. They may require an investment of time and money to access, complete, and analyze the results. Additionally, they may need to be updated or repeated periodically to track progress and changes. It is possible that the results may be subjective or biased due to external factors or pressures. Conflicting or inconsistent results from different tools or one’s own perceptions and feedback can also occur. Furthermore, these tools may be misused or misunderstood by using them as a way to rationalize behavior or actions, or by misunderstanding the results.
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The best self awareness tools are simply a regular meditation practice and journaling. There is really no need to invest in expensive tools to purchase that are outdated or glitchy. 360s provide excellent feedback and need to be paired with deep reflection and/or coaching.
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Understandably, most organizations struggle to carve out the free time and space within super busy work schedules for these moments of self-development, self-reflection, group sharing, and productive conversations to happen. These self-assessment surveys often get pushed to the side. But like a marriage, the longer you go with being busy, running hectic, and not talking about what's bothering you, the more out of alignment you can be, and the more resentments pile up. Leaders need to decide what's more important: getting the job done but having a major, unexpected blowup that sidelines the team for a while or preventing these issues from piling up too much by spending quality time on yourself and your relationship with coworkers.
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If you've taken an assessment before don't assume your results will be the same if you take it again, especially if you're growth-minded. People's values, vision and tendencies change and evolve over time. I've seen some remarkable shifts in assessments over time, including my own.
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Tools are helpful so are your friends and families' honest assessment when we are not at work. Many of us focus on outer performance, we put on a work persona, then there is the private self, the true self. There should not be such separation. Leaders need to focus on integrity as the guiding principle.
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Various self assessment tool are often the outcome of great marketing, deep pockets and how these are 'in season'. Companies often fall for these and ask professionals a couple of years down the line and they won't even remember what the reports looked like and what it meant to them. The right self assessment tool will seamlessly fit into your traits/ patterns/ strengths/ ways of working - these are reflections of who you are rather the what you need to appear.
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