Resilient people are adaptive to changes. These changes might be small. Like change of tasks in a job. Or life-changing events. Positive ones like marriage or having a baby. Negative ones like losing a job, loss of a loved one, or natural disasters as hurricanes, earthquakes or what we experience now, the Covid-19 virus.

When you are resilient you are adaptive to change, able to give time to grief and re-arrange the conditions as felt needed and possible within own capabilities. It is the kind of behaviour others might admire as they have difficulty to adapt to the new conditions surrounding them and in the worst cases, have permanent negative effects from it.

We are not always aware of the behaviour we might expect from someone working on a specific job or task. The gap between work as imagined and work as done might be significant. And is also related to the circumstances in which work must be performed. An assessment can help to identify the qualities, biases, and challenges of an individual. This will support the team lead or manager in his role and the individual to be aware of his strengths and points of attention.

Question

One of my clients asked me if he could ‘predict’ the behaviour of new entrants to the company. Specifically, to see if they can grow and adapt to changes in the company with new tasks they must deal with. Or when promoted to a more senior level. Based on interviews and the background information as given in the resume, people always show their best possible version of themselves. The information provided by references usually confirms what is already stated in the application letter. But the ‘fit’ is not always right and leads to situations which could have been avoided.

Assessments

For assessments there are many choices available; Belbin, VIT capacity test, Watson Glaser critical thinking, MBTI, DISC, Management Insights, Equilibria and Facet5 to name a view. Some aim at team development, some assess the individual or the assessment tool can be used in combination.

Assessment tools are based on concepts of psychology. In the last century developments are based on scientific and non-scientific research. Several assessment tools are based on the concept of Jung (1929), also called the ‘old’ theory. Tools based on this theory are for example Insights (1930), DISC (1928/1994) and MBTI (1960) and the popular PI or Predictive Index assessment (1955).In the second half of the 20th century the ‘new’ (or modern) theory was brought forward based on the Big Five identified in the 1960’s as primary factors of personality:

  1. Openness to experience
  2. Conscientiousness
  3. Agreeableness
  4. Extraversion
  5. Neuroticism

Note that each of these personality factors represent a range between two extremes. For example, extraversion represents a variety between extreme extraversion on the one end and extreme introversion on the other. In the real world, most people can be found somewhere in between the two ends of each dimension.

Choice

One example of an assessment tool related to the Big5 model is Facet5. Worldwide available, easy to use in various offices, in over 35 languages. I learned that:

  • It gives an overview of personal preferred style and motivations. Furthermore, it shows the qualities and biases related to the required competences,
  • The report shows how to coach, direct and lead someone to be their best self,
  • It gives directions to achieve the most effective teams and teamwork, with the specific Facet5 Teamscape reporting
  • Multi languages availability,
  • It improves effectiveness and professionality of selection and development.

The advantage of Facet5, it is based on the latest views in psychology, it gives an individual report with personal qualities, biases, and opportunities for improvement. And you can use team reports (known as Facet5 Teamscape) to support team leaders, managers, or coaches with further developments. Even if team members are changed out it is simple to add new members. Or when you have less diversity in your team you can draft the required skills for new entrants and make it part of the assessment of new hires. It is supportive in the approach to a resilient workforce in which people can cope with changes and adapt to new working environments.

Experience

Meantime I have been able to work with support of the personality questionnaire in a variety of settings. Maritime and offshore, transport and logistics, healthcare, and office environments. Employees and managers working with the reports achieve better communication and performance through understanding of their team members and own personal qualities, biases and needs. It improves their abilities to work as a team and provides opportunities for individual development.

With another client Facet5 reports are used to support the development of a team of healthcare professionals. In addition to individual and team report, we agreed to go outside their comfort zone, to further enhance group communication and leadership skills. They will be trained in a Bridge Resource Management setting in a maritime simulation centre in which they will be mentally challenged but physically not run the risk of having an incident. We combine the individual personality assessment, the team report, and the goals of the team to enhance performance. The combination of Facet5 reports, team developments and Resilience aspects as Leadership, Networking and Change management contribute to the learning organization, adaptive to changes.

Take action

Do you mind the gap? Want to work on your team or department performance?

Even in this period where many do work in different locations it can give a boost to renewed developments and focus. It will contribute to the learning organization and a resilient approach to current and future changes. Do not hesitate to contact me if you want more information!

Thom Koning

phone ;  +31 6 227 759 89

email   ;  thom@mizzenglobal.eu