Welcome to the June 2, 2004 issue of The Total View

Your resource for cutting-edge news, tips, and tools to help you hire, manage,
and motivate top-performing employees.

Welcome to the June 9, 2004 issue of The Total View

Your resource for cutting-edge news, tips, and tools to help you hire, manage,
and motivate top-performing employees.

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In This Issue
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1. And The Winner Is. . .
2. Putting Observation To The Test
3. Perfect Labor Storm Alerts #156 to #160
4. SELECT - A Pre-employment Screening Tool
5. What Interview Questions Can You Ask? -- Complimentary Guide Reveals All
6. The Whole Person Approach to Competency Identification and Performance Management
7. Complimentary Online Mini Behavioral Profile
8. Survey Says. . .
9. Fun Facts

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The Total View is written and published each Wednesday by Ira S. Wolfe, founder of Success Performance Solutions. (Yes, Ira writes every article, every week!) and is distributed with permission by The Chrysalis Corporation.

Ira S. Wolfe ©2004 - All Rights Reserved. Reprints and other distribution by permission only.

To learn more about The Chrysalis Corporation or to read back issues of The Total View, visit our web site at http://www.chrysaliscorporation.com

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1. And The Winner Is. . .
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Thanks to all of you who submitted your stories about the the dumbest thing that you have ever heard a candidate tell you during an interview. We were rolling in the isles reading your submissions -- some of them were mind blowing. It is truly amazing what some people will say during an interview and then act surprised when they are not offered the job.

Selecting a winner was not an easy task, but we did it. Out of all of your submissions, here is what we believe to be the absolute dumbest thing said during an interview:

"I had a double whammy-

During an interview I asked the applicant to describe a time when he had to deal with an angry client. He proceeded to tell me a very drawn out story that ended with the applicant slapping an administrative assistant during an argument over copy paper. We did not select this person to join our team.

Oddly enough, about six months later, I was asked to step in for an ill co-worker who could not honor an appointment for an interview. It turned out to be the same applicant who was applying for a position in another division of our company. During this interview the applicant told me that he had interviewed with our company before, and that he was sure that he should have gotten the position, but that someone on our team must be "on-the-take" and gave the position to someone else who paid them off.

Guess who didn't make the team....."

Due to confidentiality, we promised that we would not publish the name of the organization or the person who submitted this experience. Their organization has won an assessment package valued at $150.

Thank you all for your submissions.

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2. Putting Observation To The Test
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Putting Observation To The Test: How Reliable Is Your Judgment When It Comes to Hiring?

One of the most common objections I hear about using "psychological" testing for hiring is that it increases the risk of being sued. Since anyone can sue anyone for anything, we'll agree the threat is real. But I will argue that the defense of a claim based on the failure to hire someone by "failing" a personality test is much more sound than defending a similar action based on the interview alone.

To the first point. You can't fail a personality test used for business. Candidates may fail to get the job based on their fit with the job but they don't fail the test. With the very exact same results in hand, a candidate might be the worst fit when applying for a particular position in one company but the best fit for the same position in a different department or division.

Psychometric tests designed for use in business often times are called psychological or personality tests. The word "test" is a poor choice of words to describe this activity. These are not really tests at all but assessments of normal behaviors. There are no pass/fail grades, just an indication about how your preferences compare to the rest of the population and how they fit with the requirements of the job. What is very important to understand is that these types of employment screenings are based on the behaviors of normal people. Although a manager might want to know the real scoop on a candidate's mental health, with few exceptions, this information is off limits. Mental illness like other health conditions is considered a private matter and candidates are not required to provide this information before their employment.

Psychological or personality tests constructed for use by health care professionals, on the other hand, are designed to diagnose clinical pathology, or what is wrong with the person. Even if hiring managers could use these tests legally, just because someone is mentally healthy doesn't mean they are qualified to the job.

Although personality assessment or employee evaluation or employee assessment conjures up a more accurate representation of what these tests are all about, for the purposes of this column, let's go with the flow personality test it is.

In support of these personality test skeptics, I'll concede that they have a point. There are tens of thousands of tests available to use and frankly, many of them do pose considerable risk. The reason is that managers inadvertently or naively select the wrong test or because the interpretation of the results require a degree of skill and experience greater than the marketing hype represented. Using personality tests for the purpose of selecting and promoting employees should be done only after using due diligence. Since most managers don't have the time nor interest in becoming test experts, many rely on a consultant who specializes in employee assessment to help them review the choices and interpret the results.

Interestingly enough and unbeknownst to many human resource professionals, the U.S. Department of Labor publication, TESTING AND ASSESSMENT: AN EMPLOYER'S GUIDE TO GOOD PRACTICES (http://www.chrysaliscorporation.com/pdf/Testing_and_Assessment_Guide.pdf), includes the interview in the same category of employee assessment as the personality "inventory" or drug test. In fact, any tool, inventory or procedure used to "assess" the fit of a candidate for hire or an employee for promotion is considered a test. By this definition, the simple act of observation as well as resume screening, background checks and reference checking are also considered employment assessments, and any assessment in order to be legally defensible must be valid, reliable and job related.

So let's look at the manager or human resources director or corporate attorney who views the personality test as fluff, hocus-pocus, or just plain too risky. Instead they find it less risky to rely on the traditional tactics of observation, interviewing and reference checking.

Let's begin with observation. When an individual approaches you, what do you notice?

Are you turned off by a male with a ponytail or a female with a buzz-cut? Are you turned on by individuals with athletic builds and turned off by anyone who is obese? How do you feel about tattoos, body-piercing and purple hair?

To our male readers, do you prefer buxom, petite, and perky blondes to chunky, outspoken middle age women? Do you feel uneasy around other men who walk with a swish and speak with a lisp?

To our female readers, are you attracted to tall, dark and handsome hunks or short, bald and chubby men?

Do you notice if other people are wearing a crucifix, Star of David, or a mezuzah around their neck? Do large black men intimidate you? Are you at ease when you are the only English speaking person in a room of foreign-speaking people?

If you observe any of these things, then these situations likely make an impression upon you one way or the other. Whether we intentionally or unintentionally do it, we all have our biases. We respond to the information we receive by valuing some of it positively and judging the rest of it negatively. Like it or not, we all have our preferences. Those things we value more or less bias our observations and therefore impact how we respond to different situations.

In addition to looking through our own rose-colored glasses, how likely is it that our mood at that moment in time might affect our ability to interview fairly and without bias?

Continued Next Week - The Interview - Not As Reliable As Your Think

Reduce your risk and hire competence with confidence. Visit our assessment center at:
http://www.chrysaliscorporation.com/mgt_sales_pre_employment.htm

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3. Perfect Labor Storm Alerts #156 to #160.
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Perfect Labor Storm Alerts #161 to #165

Fact #161
In 1950, there were seven working age people for every elderly person in the United States. By 2030, there will be only three.

Fact #162
Since 1950, the number of people aged 65 and older in the United States has increased from 8% to 12%.

Fact #163
By the end of 2002, the number of older workers in the labor force aged 55 to 64 - employed or seeking work - increased to 62.9%, the highest level during the postwar era.

Fact #164
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 25% of the working population will reach retirement age by 2010, resulting in a potential worker shortage of nearly 10 million.

Fact #165
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of people aged 55 and older will increase to 73% by 2020, while the number of younger workers will grow only 5%.

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4. SELECT - A Pre-employment Screening Tool.
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SELECT!
A pre-employment screening tool to identify work-related behaviors such as Positive Service Attitude, Accountability, Frustration Tolerance, Acceptance of Diversity, Multi-tasking and more.... plus a Validity Check and Integrity Index.

Each customized report includes a step by step interview guide including recommended interview questions.

SELECT is scored on-line but can be administered on paper or computer.

The following report versions are available:

--Customer Service
--Administrative Support
--Retail Sales Associates
--Entry Level Retail Management
--Call Centers
--Production & Distribution
--Healthcare
--Personal Service
--Convenience Store Associates
--Hospitality
--Office Staffing

To learn more about SELECT and view sample reports online, visit:
http://www.chrysaliscorporation.com/select_main.htm

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5. What Interview Questions Can You Ask? -- Complimentary Guide Reveals All.
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What Interview Questions Can You Ask? Ever wonder which questions are legal to ask and which ones increase your probability of landing you and your company in court as a defendant?

Download Our Interview Guide here.
http://www.chrysaliscorporation.com/pdf/what_interview_questions_can_you_ask.pdf

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6. The Whole Person Approach to Competency Identification and Performance Management
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The identification of essential and crucial competencies for consistent top performance, although challenging, is do-able in today's workplace. But competencies are like a carpenter's tools. An individual may own the best tools but he/she still may not be considered a craftsman.

One of the most meaningful advancements in shedding light on worker's emotional intelligence has been the development and validation of the Big Five approach to personality. Cross-cultural research has affirmed the reliability and validity of this model in predicting job performance across a wide variety of managerial and technical positions.

Personality alone however does not pre-destine an individual to success or failure. It does, however, predict the "natural" fit for a job and how easy or difficult it will be for an individual to perform routine functions, manage unanticipated challenges, and sustain top performance over time.

In addition to personality - the core of an individual - behavioral styles and individual values will affect the ultimate effectiveness and efficiencies of an individual's performance. Behavioral styles indicate how individuals deal with problems, influence people, manage pace, and comply with procedures. These styles are observable and often called the 4 Ps of human behavior.

These behaviors are driven by individual values. Research has narrowed these belief systems into six values clusters. By identifying and appreciating how each of these values impact behaviors, managers can reliably understand why people perform the way they do.

Recognizing that one "test" does not accurately or completely encompass an individual's potential to be competent (i.e. showing proficiency in a competency) and following the "whole person approach" recommendation of the U.S. Department of Labor, Ira Wolfe, founder of Success Performance Solutions, developed and blueprinted the CriteriaOne. process. By utilizing a Big Five instrument, managers can follow the CriteriaOne process and match employee personality traits that drive or challenge successful performance. By adding behaviors and values to the mix, managers are able to determine how an individual will use these competencies. If change or learning is required for performance improvement or career advancement, managers can assess how much effort an individual might put forth and how consistent this effort might be.

In addition, CriteriaOne. assesses an individual's ability to cope with change and everyday challenges, as well as, predicting his/her mental load. In other words, how quickly and accurately can an individual respond to unfamiliar or complex situations when urgency is critical.

Become a certified CriteriaOne consultant. The next Train-the-Trainer will be held from August 18-20, 2004 in Lancaster PA. Follow this link to learn more about the CriteriaOne process and to review the workshop outline:
http://www.chrysaliscorporation.com/criteria_one.htm

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7. Complimentary Online Mini Behavioral Profile.
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We often get requests from our readers asking if we have a "quick and dirty" complimentary behavioral profile that they and their co-workers can experience -- WE DO! Follow the following link to respond to a our mini DISC based profile. It will take you less than 30 seconds to respond, and the accuracy will amaze you. Feel free to forward this link to your coworkers and boss.

Here's the link:
http://www.chrysaliscorporation.com/behavioral_profile.htm

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8. Survey Says. . .
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Is your company or association planning to conducting a survey? Hate the hassle of inputting survey results? Not enough time to query the data and create reports? Are you putting off getting much needed feedback from customers and employees?

Contact us today about real-time e-mail and web based surveys. No more hassles and expense associated with mailing out paper surveys, entering results, and creating presentations. Let us do the work for you. We can help you write, set-up, distribute (electronically), process and present in less time for less cost.

For more information about customer satisfaction, employee morale, or any other type of survey, go to the following link and type "Surveys" in the comment box:
http://www.chrysaliscorporation.com/contact_us.htm

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9. Fun Facts
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--For the first 17 years that Life Savers candy was made, there was no hole in the middle.

--Campbell's (Mm, Mm Good) is a name associated almost exclusively with soup these days. But of the first 200 canned products offered by the company, not one was any variety of soup.

--The oldest bookstore in the United States can be found in Bethlehem, PA. It has been in operation continuously for nearly 260 years.

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Contact Information:

The Chrysalis Corporation
2001 Hammock Drive
Valdosta, GA 31602
229-257-0665

e-mail: mike@chrysaliscorporation.com

To learn more about The Chrysalis Corporation, visit:
http://www.chrysaliscorporation.com