Have you ever used a coin, heads or tails, to help you decide?
Using a coin is a form of decision making which inherently has just two possible outcomes. Not a lot of time goes into analysing (in fact zero). It’s free, it’s quick, and it’s easy.
Coin flipping or coin tossing is the practice of throwing a coin in the air and checking which side is showing when it lands, in order to choose between two alternatives. In a hiring situation, it would be who of the last two standing candidates you should hire.
The Predictive Index (PI) is one of the most used assessment tools in the world with over 8,000 happy clients. The behavioral assessment is specifically designed to measure four motivating needs, or “drives,” that have the biggest effect on workplace behaviors: Dominance, Extraversion, Patience, and Formality.
If you know where a person falls on a scale of these four factors, you possess a great deal of knowledge about what it would be like to work with him or her. The four are:
- Dominance is the drive to exert influence on people or events.
- Extraversion is the drive for social interaction with other people.
- Patience is the drive to have consistency and stability.
- Formality is the drive to conform to rules and structure.
Poor job fit and so what?
One of the four forces that disrupt employee engagement and productivity is poor job fit. Poor job fit happens when people are placed in roles they aren’t naturally wired to do.
But if you take the time to understand what makes a candidate tick—and what type of workplace environment and role they’d be most successful in—you can reduce bad hires and turnover.
What about poor manager fit?
Another reason why good employees quit is poor manager fit. Poor manager fit happens when managers don’t have the tools they need to manage employees in a way that pushes them to the top of their game.
But when you give managers access to behavioral tools they can use those data insights to tailor their management style to each individual direct report.
Use Reference Profiles to improve hiring accuracy
After a thorough analysis of millions of Behavioral Assessments, the PI Science Team identified 17 Reference Profiles that create a behavioral map for different types of people.
The 17 Profiles are grouped into four groups. In the Analytical Profiles group are five reference profiles. People with these profiles are more dominant than extraverted and work at a faster pace. They are generally more task oriented as opposed to people oriented.
Knowing what hides between the candidates’ smiles and gestures will help you improve the quality of your hiring.
Analyzer
Analyzers are detail-oriented and thorough workers. Before making a decision, they need to ensure they can gather all the relevant data. For an Analyzer, nothing is more daunting than the thought of making an uninformed decision—especially if they are wrong.
Controller
The Controller is your go-to person when you need to a project to be in order. Controllers are self-disciplined and fast-paced. There’s never room for error in their work as they work hard to develop technical expertise and operate within established guidelines.
Ventures
Just as the name suggests, Venturers are characterized by people who explore. These workers exceed in environments that push established boundaries. Strong-willed and goal-oriented. Venturers will stop at nothing to achieve their innovative objectives.
SPECIALIST
Although they require time, Specialists are the most reliable workers when detail is of the utmost importance. While others shout and steal the spotlight, you can trust Specialists to diligently be reading the fine print in the background. They are great support workers.
Strategist
Unlike the previous reference profiles, the Strategist is a big-picture character. Although naturally introspective and reserved, Strategists are always prepared with a plan and know how to direct an organization long-term. They are factual leaders and are always happy to make a decision.
Call for your action; do this now
Email Tom Sorensen, an Associate Partner of Humanostics who is a PI Certified Partner authorised to use the science and assessment software of The Predictive Index. Email and get a free trial. Find out how PI can help you impress the boss and hiring managers. Email: tom.s@tomsorensen.in.th
