All personality assessments (particularly for behavioural preferences and communication styles) owe much to Carl Jung’s description of personality archetypes, and these relate directly to the four “humours” or “temperaments” described by Hippocrates some 400 years B.C.E. Even older is the evidence for testing individuals for job suitability. This has been dated to the time of China’s “Imperial Examination”, which was designed to select able candidates for specific government positions. Established by Sui Dynasty in 605 B.C.E., it was in use until 1905 – some 1,300 years later.

Among today’s wide variety of assessment instruments, some look to create a profile of a subject’s particular traits, while others focus on measuring a specific skill or aptitude. The former type are referred to as “ipsative”; three of this type we use in our work are:

• The Strength Deployment Inventory© (SDI), developed by Elias Porter, Ph.D. in 1971 and is based on his theory of Relationship Awareness. Porter was the first psychometrician known to use colors (red, green and blue) as shortcuts to communicate the results of a personality test.
• The DISC assessment is based on the research of William Moulton Marston (“The Emotions of Normal People”, 1928) and later work by John Grier (1958), and identifies four personality types: dominance; influence; steadiness and conscientiousness (DISC). Although DISC is based on Marston’s work – on the energy of behaviour and consciousness – he did not develop an assessment or test from his model. Others, such as John Grier, later did so. However, Marston applied his model and theory in Hollywood, at Universal Studios in 1930, when he helped them segue from melodramatic silent films to “talkies”.
• The Thomas Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument© enables people to understand their use of five (5) conflict behavioural dimensions (i.e. competing, compromising, collaborating, avoiding, accommodating). Varying degrees of reliance on the different strategies often accounts for the interpersonal differences that can aggravate potential conflict among people. The TKCMI correlates strongly with Jungian archetypes, and is best used for conflict resolution; personal growth, and inter-personal understanding; the TKCMI demonstrates cross-cultural consistency.

Who should you hire?

Other assessments are designed to enable an organization to compare candidates for a position, and to coach and develop them to successful performance once on the job.

Based on a different model and set of assumptions, such instruments are referred to “normative”. We implement a suite of assessments through Best People Win that consistently provide this sort of reliable, valid, and objective information. For instance, some of the key points reported on include

• an individual’s “fit” with an organization’s culture;
• knowledge, skills, job performance, and developmental needs;
• preferred learning and communication styles, and
• response to stress and workplace pressures.

The most important factor when considering these and other assessments is to determine which one is best for the situation and the individual(s) involved.

Carol J. Sutton Cert.ConRes. uses the Thomas Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument© in her work, and is a Certified Trainer of the Strength Deployment Inventory©, TTI© Behaviours and Motivational Values Preference Indicator (DISC), and Profile® XT, Profiles Sales Assessments™, Profiles Managerial Fit™ and Profiles 360°® assessments. BestPeopleWin

Copyright(c) 2015 Carol J. Sutton Cert.ConRes.