Bohan and Bradstreet

August 2017


Candidate Coaching - Personality Tests

Tuesday, August 22, 2017  by Bailey

According to research by Kenexa, in the last decade personality tests have increased in popularity as predictors of performance.

In fact, many of our own clients subscribe to tools like the PI (Predictive Index) and PRO (Performance Requirement Options) in order to identify and pursue candidates possessing the specific behaviors and tendencies needed to excel at a job.

 

How honestly are applicants answering them? 

Despite this increased use of personality assessments as part of the evaluation process, there have been concerns about how “fakeable” these personal inventories are. Research shows that applicants are motivated to present the image most likely to be viewed positively by decision makers. As a result, many applicants, often unconsciously, present themselves with exaggerated levels of conscientiousness, agreeableness, and extraversion. 

 

What should you do?

You shouldn’t be modest when taking such an assessment, but it is critical that you are honest and reflective. In addition to being unethical, “faking” your personality can result in becoming unhappy in a job that does not suit who you are. As executive recruiters, we at B&B know that you will be infinitely more successful in a job where you can be yourself!

 

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Ineffective Leadership

Tuesday, August 15, 2017  by Bailey

 

            About 1/3 of our searches each year consist of confidential replacements for ineffective leaders. This poor leadership, at the supervisor to Board of Directors level, is a reality that every business must face at some point. Not everyone is prepared for the responsibilities that leadership entails, and this can help create a toxic culture, stymy employee and process development, and encourage monetary losses to the company. Thus, being able to identify and address the signs of bad leadership is essential to running a successful business. In our experience, all problematic leaders struggle in one or more of the following categories:

  • Communication
    • Transparency as a business partner or team leader
    • Open-mindedness and acceptance of the ideas of others
    • Ability to convey strategy and goals
  • Character
    • Willingness to distribute credit in successes and accept blame in failures
    • Appreciation for work/life balance and the value of taking breaks
    • Willingness to accept change or evolution
  • Competency
    • Time and resource management
    • Ability to develop talent
    • Consistency of decision making

 

How does one solve the problem of ineffective leadership once it is identified?

 

Depending on the person and situation, the solution is either "tough love" or a confidential upgrade. Some leaders will find it easier to change their behavior than others:  re-establishing goals, providing insightful feedback and coaching, and changing level of responsibility can all work if they are willing and able to cooperate. In today’s world, however, it is much harder to accomplish this due to the evolution of business processes, global competition, changes in technology, and alternative employment opportunities. Accountability to both internal and external stakeholders in the modern business landscape means that ineffective leaders must adapt more quickly than was required of them only a decade ago.

 

As a result, confidential replacement through a consultant like Bohan and Bradstreet has become an increasingly viable option.

 

We assess each potential replacement in depth in order to ensure that our clients know everything they need to make the right decision. As one recent client explained, B&B “provided exceptional service to us in our search for a CFO…we had three very qualified candidates, and we would have been well served by any one of them. Their diligent work in seeking out the requirements we needed so as to pace qualified candidates was impressive…I would highly recommend Bohan & Bradstreet.”

In addition to thoroughly evaluating how each potential replacement can improve on the current leadership, B&B can successfully complete a confidential replacement in less time than it would take for the “tough love” approach.

 

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