Exploring the World of
Assessments
The right assessments can improve the talent
management process and the bottom line
www.theeg.com
219-477-6378 office
80 E Us Hwy 6
219-406-2425 cell
Valparaiso, Indiana
Rick@theeg.com
Rick Tiemann
 Over 42 years of business experience to include international
business work
 Owned 3 companies before the age of 30
 Former President of $75M Fire and Security Company
 Experience in mergers and acquisitions to include turnarounds
and employee integration
 Since 1991; Has served as a behavioral coach to 200 presidents,
executives, managers, and salespeople and has evaluated over
12,000 assessments.
 Our belief is that one of the biggest challenges facing businesses
today is how to attract, hire, train, retain and develop the right
people.
The Executive Group
Linking Human Capital with Strategic Intent!
 Started in 1991 to help organizations develop their business and
organizational needs.
 A consulting firm focused on Organizational and Business
Development offering a vast array of services to enhance
individual and organizational effectiveness.
 Supports clients in the areas of
 Selection
 Employee, Sales and Leadership Development
 Employee Intervention
 Executive Coaching
 Organizational Effectiveness
 Business Development and Strategic Planning
 Sales Force Optimization
Making Your Job Easier!
Meet a Few of our Clients
We would be honored to have you as a client too !!!!!
Today’s Learning Objectives
1. What constitutes a better test?
2. What is the difference between validity and
reliability?
3. What is test taking mentality and distortion?
4. How can we design a better assessment
program?
5. How do we measure emotional and intellectual
intelligence?
6. What are the 3 different types of assessments?
How do assessments . . .
improve your bottom line?
The right assessments enable you to:
1. Evaluate the right behaviors for the role
2. Screen in the best candidates
3. Make better hiring and staffing decisions
4. Improve productivity and performance
5. Reduce turnover
6. Improve morale
Problematic Behaviors in the
Workplace
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High need for social approval
High need to impress with low need for approval
Does not pick up on social cues of others
May not posses enough self insight
Over engages conversations / poor listening
Makes decisions in isolation of others
Can be harsh and unemotional
Anger and aggressive tendencies
High need for change and control
Passive / Aggressive
Dominate / Dependent
Will alienate people
Egotistical / Arrogant / Self serving
Condescending / talks down to others
Problematic Behaviors in the
Workplace
 Needs to have fun and explore but hates society rules and bucks the
system with no internal self discipline to offset the need for fun
 Aggressive and angry at the world and has a chip on their shoulder and
prone to fight
 Does not cope with things in general
 Idealist who is out of touch with reality
 The world is bigger than me and I don’t know how to cope with it
 Somber person who has little self esteem and down on life in general
 Sees the world as hostile and negative and not fun so life becomes
challenging
 Highly impatient and critical of others and things surrounding their world
Behavior
It is the single biggest
predictor of performance!
Exploring the World of Assessments
Understanding assessments can be a minefield
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What are the different kinds of assessments?
Why are some simple and some more sophisticated?
Why are some better than others?
Measuring Behavior, Emotional and Intellectual Intelligence.
What is test-taking mentality and how does it affect results?
What is distortion and why is it important?
Using an assessment battery / a blended response.
Assessing leadership, sales and individual contributors.
What is a Validation Study and how is it constructed?
How assessments improve productivity
Not all Assessments Are Created Equal
 Like the people they measure, they are diverse and
possess their own unique strengths and weaknesses.
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Most are “simple” behavioral based assessments and
measure only (4) four dimensions of personality.
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Assessments that are more “sophisticated” in nature
are referred to as psychological assessments.
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Psychological assessments capture a broader, more
in-depth understanding of personality and are based
on the Big 5 Theory used in psychology today.
A Complete System for Organizational Development
One Assessment – Multiple Applications
Selection for All Levels
Promotion
Career Pathing/
Succession Planning
16 PF
Executive/Sales
Development and
Coaching
Organizational
Development and Training
Validation Studies
Types of Assessments
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Basic Behavior Assessments
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DISC
Extended DiSC
PI (Predictive Index)
Birkman (color coded)
Caliper
Myers-Briggs (MBTI)
Target International
Profiles International (Profiles XT)
FiroB
Pradco
Reid London House
Psychological Assessments
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16PF
Hogan
CPI
OPQ
NEO
Strong Interest
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Clinical Tests
– MMPI
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Skills Tests
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Typing Tests
MS Office Tests
GNeil Skill Sets
Bennett Mechanical
Mechanical Concepts
Ramsay Electrical Aptitude
Reasoning Tests
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Wonderlic
Thurstone Test of Mental Alertness
Watson-Glaser
Ravens
Culture Fair
Evaluating Assessments
1. Validity
2. Reliability - Test-Retest Coefficient
3. How is the test constructed?
4. What is test-taking mentality?
5. How is “Distortion” measured?
6. What traits are measured?
7. How many traits are measured?
8. How deep are the traits measured?
Reliability and Validity
A test is considered “good” when it is both
Valid and Reliable.
Validity will tell you how good a test is
for a particular situation.
Reliability will tell you if a test is
trustworthy
Types of Validity
Test validity refers to the degree
to which a test actually measures
what it claims to measure.
– Construct
– Content
– Criterion
Test Validity
Test validity refers to the degree to which a
test measures what it claims to measure.
“Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder!”
Validity validates what is validated,
but WHO validates what was validated?
Construct Validity
The extent to which a test measures
what it purports to measure.
Customer service reps score higher
on extraversion than bank tellers.
Content Validity
Shows evidence that the content of the
selection procedure is representative of
important aspects of the job.
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Typing test for typists
Mechanical Aptitude test for mechanics
Electrical Aptitude test for electricians
Dominance is required for most sales positions
Criterion Validity
Draws an inference from test data
in relationship to job performance.
Study showing people who scored high
on a test of extraversion made good
cold callers.
How Can I Predict Performance?
Validation studies:
1. Screen in the best candidates
2. Improve productivity and performance
3. Raise morale
4. Reduce turnover
Conduct a Criterion Related Study:
Assess the behaviors of current employees and rate them
on how well they perform.
Validation Studies
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Railroad Tank Manufacturer – Shop Floor Supervisors
Automotive – sound dampening manufacturer – Laborer
Bottling Company – Office clerical
Bottling Company – High Potential leadership
Waste Industry – Operations Supervisors
Waste Industry – Sales Personnel
Waste Industry – Drivers
Air Compressor Mfg. – Technicians
Fire and Security – Technicians
Food Service/ Software/Casket/Waste Industry - Sales
Improving the Bottom Line
Utilizing Assessments and Validation Studies
Conducting a Criterion Related Study; Assess the behaviors of current employees
and rate them on how well they perform.
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Automotive – sound dampening manufacturer – Laborer shop floor
Reduced turnover from 14% to 6% in 1 year saving $150,000 hiring costs
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Bottling Company – office clerical / shared services
Reduced turnover from 40% to 10% in 18 months saving $300,000
in hiring costs
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Food Service – sales
Reduced sales head count by 15% retaining same sales volume and saving
$1,000,000M 1st year to bottom line
Reliability
Test / Re-Test Coefficient
 Similar results over time
 Minimum >.70 or higher
Resources
 Mental Measurements Yearbook
University of Nebraska Press
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Test Critiques
Test Construct
Simple vs. Sophisticated
 What traits do they measure?
- Simple assessments measure 4 traits
- Sophisticated assessments measure more!
- They are based on the Big 5 Theory
 How is the trait measured?
- Are words used to define the trait or questions?
- Is it forced choice (either/or) or multiple choice?
 How deep is the trait measured?
- How many questions define the trait?
DiSC and PI (Predictive Index)
DiSC
D - Dominance
I - Influencing
S - Steadfast
C - Compliant
PI
A - Dominance
B - Influencing
C - Steadfast
D – Compliant
 Are there really only 16 kinds of people?
 When you put people into a category (BOX) rather
than rate them on a scale it tends to pigeonhole
and label people.
DiSC, PI (Predictive Index), 16PF
DiSC
D - Dominance
I - Influencing
S - Steadfast
C - Compliant
PI
A - Dominance
B - Influencing
C - Steadfast
D - Compliant
16PF
IN - Independence
EX - Extraversion
TM - Tough-Minded
SC - Self Control
ER - Emotional Resolve
B - Problem Solving
Distortion
Test-Taking Mentality
Distortion results when an individual knowingly or unknowingly
misrepresents themselves thus creating questions as to the
validity of the profile NOT the validity of the assessment.
– Faking Good
– Faking Bad
Response Style Indices
Designed to flag test taking mentality and distortion
 Impression Management (IM)
- A person’s slant on himself.
- Low scores (1-8) may indicate self esteem issues.
- High scores (20-24) may indicate person is trying to make a
favorable impression or has an unrealistic view of herself.
 Infrequency (INF)
- Involves the “B” or “?” response on 32 response indices
- High scores (10+) suggest candidate may be trying to hide
something or is indecisive.
 Acquiescence (ACQ)
– Tendency to answer “true” to an item regardless of content.
– High scores 71+ may indicate disinterest in taking the
assessment or problems comprehending the questions.
General Mental Ability
– Adjusting to new situations
– Learning new skills quickly
– Thinking flexibly
– Understanding complex or subtle
relationships
IQ and EI
( IQ ) Intellectual Intelligence
and
( EI ) Emotional Intelligence
How they affect productivity
and the bottom line
Fluid Intelligence
Culture Fair
Crystallized Intelligence
Linguistic – a person’s linguistic skill sets
Ability to articulate thoughts through both
verbal and written forms
Quantitative – a person’s quantitative skill sets
Ability to solve problems through reasoning
and logic
Thurstone Test of Mental Alertness
Watson-Glaser
Critical Thinking Skills
High Potential Managers PCGB:
Mean scores IQ PCGB Hypo Group 110
Mean scores IQ General Population 100
Mean scores Factor B PCGB Hypo Group 7.0
Mean scores Factor B General Population 5.5
Supervisors Mfg. Facility
High Performers B 5.36 TTMA 53.727
Low Performers B 3.37 TTMA 32.00
Technicians Service Operations
High Performers B 5.5
Low Performers B 3.0
EI - Emotional Intelligence
Personal
Competence
Social
Competence
How they manage
themselves
How they manage
relationships
Self-awareness
Self-management
Social awareness
Relationship management
The 16PF® Questionnaire
A Tool for Organizational Development
 One of the most widely used personality tests in the
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world, available in over 34 languages.
Supported by extensive research and is highly validated
with over 3000 published articles written.
Statistically proven indicators of behavior and
performance.
Meets EEOC and Affirmative Action requirements.
One instrument for multiple job classifications.
A selection tool and a development tool.
Allows organization to create one common dialogue.
16PF and Big 5 Theory
“The 16PF is the Gold Standard
of Psychological Tests”
Dr. Steve O’Shaunessy
The O’Shaunessy Group
London, UK
What the 16PF Measures
Tough Mindedness
Self-Control
Problem
Solving
16PF
Workplace
Coping Skills
Independence
Interpersonal
Skills
16 Primary Factor Scales
Provides an in-depth look at behavior
A
Warmth
L
Vigilance
B
Reasoning
M
Abstractedness
C
Emotional Stability
N
Privateness
E
Dominance
O
Apprehension
F
Liveliness
Q1 Openness to Change
G Rule-Consciousness
Q2 Self-Reliance
H Social Boldness
Q3 Perfectionism
I
Q4 Tension
Sensitivity
Bipolar Scales
Factor
A
B
C
E
F
G
H
I
L
M
N
O
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
Left Meaning (-)
Reserved, Impersonal, Distant
Concrete
Reactive, Emotionally Changeable
Cooperative, Avoids Conflict
Serious, Restrained, Careful
Expedient, Nonconforming
Shy, Threat-Sensitive, Timid
Utilitarian, Objective, Unsentimental
Trusting, Unsuspecting, Accepting
Grounded, Practical, Solution-Oriented
Forthright, Genuine, Artless
Self-Assured, Unworried, Complacent
Traditional, Attached to Familiar
Group-Oriented, Affiliative
Tolerates Disorder, Flexible
Relaxed, Placid, Patient
Right Meaning (+)
Warm, Outgoing, Attentive to Others
Abstract
Emotionally Stable, Adaptive, Mature
Dominant, Forceful, Assertive
Lively, Animated, Spontaneous
Rule-Conscious, Dutiful
Socially Bold, Venturesome
Sensitive, Aesthetic, Sentimental
Vigilant, Suspicious, Skeptical, Wary
Abstracted, Imaginative, Idea-Oriented
Private, Discreet, Non-Disclosing
Apprehensive, Self-Doubting, Worried
Open to Change, Experimenting
Self-Reliant, Solitary, Individualistic
Perfectionist, Self-Disciplined
Tense, High Energy, Impatient, Driven
Areas of Potential Concern
A 16PF Proprietary Feature
 Identifies a person’s level of emotional resolve
 Identifies a person’s cognitive ability
 Identifies those behaviors that may impact a
person’s productivity regardless of the role
 Identifies concerns regarding the ability to
perform a specific job or role
Areas of Potential Concern
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Social withdrawal (A-)
Low reasoning (B-)
Low frustration tolerance (C-)
Submissiveness (E-)
Low energy (F-)
Unconventional attitudes (G-)
Shyness (H-)
Suspiciousness (L+)
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Too impractical (M+)
Worrying (O+)
Too closed to change (Q1-)
Not a team player (Q2+)
Disorganized (Q3-)
Impatience (Q4+)
Low impression management (IM-)
Problematic Behaviors
in the Workplace
A+ Q2H+ AH+ IH+ OH+ NA- Q2+
E+ IE+ L+
E+ Q1+
E- L+
E+ Q2L+ AE+ H+ OE+ L+ A-
High need for social approval
High need to impress with low need for approval
Does not pick up on social cues of others
May not posses enough self-insight
Over engages conversations / poor listening
Makes decisions in isolation of others
Can be harsh and unemotional
Anger and aggressive tendencies
High need for change and control
Passive-aggressive
Dominate / Dependent
Will alienate people
Egotistical
Condescending
Problematic Behaviors
in the Workplace
F+, H+, G-, Q3- Needs to have fun and explore but hates society rules and
bucks the system with no self discipline to offset the need for fun
E+, L+, Q1+ Aggressive and angry at the world and has a chip on their shoulder and
prone to fight
C- O+
Does not cope with things in general
I+ M+ Q1+ C- Idealist who is out of touch with reality
E-, F-, O+, C- The world is bigger than me and I don’t know how to cope with it
O+, F- Somber person who has little self-esteem and is down on life in general
O+ F- L+ Sees the world as hostile and negative and not fun so life becomes
challenging
E+ L+ Q4+ Highly impatient and critical of others and things surrounding their world
Traits of Successful Salespeople
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A+
B+
C+
E+
F+
G+
H+
O-
Warmth – ability to be friendly and engaging
Problem-Solving – ability to solve complex problems
Emotional Stability – ability to mange sales stress
Assertiveness – competitive drive component
Fun-Loving – optimism and spontaneity for sales
Rule Bound – doing the right thing
Social Boldness - ability to network and push forward
Self Assured – confidence to stay the course
Sales Profile
F9 H9 = Shows outgoing
attitude
C3 L10 O8 = 3 areas of
potential concern
C3 O8 = Low coping skills
L10 = Highly suspicious
deflecting attitude /blaming
of others
Quality Control Manager
B2 / TMA 2% / CF 83 = Lower
level reasoning skills / Concrete
thinker/ hands on learner / slow
learner
E9 H9 O3 = Egotistical and
Arrogant
E9 G7 Q3/8 O3 = Sees himself
as perfect
Promoted to OPS Mgr
Estimating/Scheduling/Purchasing
DISC D(7) = 16PF E(9) and
IM(8)
E+ L+ = Anger and aggression
E+ L+ F- = Can’t find any
humor or levity to offset her
anger
E+ IQ 118 = Tends to talk down
to others
ER+ C- L+ = Can’t control her
anger when she is upset
The Surgeon and the Scalpel
Using an assessment does not necessarily guarantee you desired
results. Just like a scalpel in the hands of a skilled surgeon, it is the
surgeon not the scalpel that makes the difference.
Looking at a particular assessment should NOT be the only
criterion for its use. Looking at the process and whether you are
working with a skilled practitioner who understands how to use the
right assessment should be paramount.
Exploring the World of Assessments
Thanks for attending today!
80 E US Highway 6  Valparaiso, IN, 46383
Office 219.477.6378  Fax 219.477.6379
assessment@theeg.com  www.theeg.com