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MEASURE IN ORDER TO MANAGE
By Raymond Walley
Psychometric tools are available to help managers understand the different personality E C types in their team. Raymond Walley explains how to use them to motivate effectively.
By improving out understanding of how and why certain types of people behave and react to different circumstances, we can manage and motivate them more effectively, but how do we do it? Using powerful, simple, psychometric tools to understand the types of people with whom we interact can substantially improve both the recruitment and management of people. This process is both quick and relatively easy.
Behavioural measurement tools, when used correctly, provide excellent information about how any individual is best motivated and managed. They are the next best thing to having a user manual for each person we manage.
Managers who understand the true motivators of their people can alter their own behaviour to suit different circumstances. They rarely have to ‘give orders’ to achieve results and benefit from high levels of interaction and initiative with and from their staff. The result is more productivity for less effort all round.
People work mostly on instinct rather than analysis because evolution has made us that way, but we can learn to alter this and achieve a greater understanding of people. Here are some simple steps to make best use of psychometric instruments and management tools to help improve teamwork in the workplace.
Before gain trust
Managing others effectively means we must first gain their trust. This is not easy, particularly when they are not ‘one of us’. However, if we understand how and why colleagues and subordinates behave the way they do, we can alter our responses and gain better rapport. This improves the likelihood that they will buy into our ideas. People who buy in (as opposed to being coerced) become willing partners to success. It is essential that we are open and honest about the tools we propose using and are prepared to share the results with colleagues and subordinates.
During measure and evaluate
It is possible to measure some 850-plus personality types, using an easily available behavioural measurement tool.. The average manager will be able at best to understand no more that about 15%-30% of them. But in the same way that architects, builders, and carpenters first measure and then make changes, we should do the same with people. ‘We cannot manage what we have not measured’ may be a cliché but it is true; if we do measure before we manage we will improve communication between colleagues by an order of magnitude, which has a profound and beneficial effect upon profitability.
After share and discuss
One the basic measurements have been done it is critically important that the results are feed back and discussed with each staff member. Each individual needs to feel comfortable with his or her own results, including the negative elements since we all have both strengths and potential weaknesses. Only then should we start the sharing process.
People who work together should share the results of their own assessment and be encouraged to discuss them so that they begin to both understand and value the differences between them. This is a major step toward establishing true synergy in teams. Once those who work together can see and understand why other people’s different behaviour adds to the group’s ability to achieve it is possible to build effective teams that benefit the organization.