For the past two weeks, we explored the use of CliftonStrengths and the Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument to maximize the impact of a leadership team. As we continue our exploration of team development using behavioral assessments, we close out with The Predictive Index (PI). Their talent optimization approach is another option that allows organizations to align their business strategy and talent better.
"Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success." – Henry Ford
As Ford states, the result of a team working together is integral to achieving success in realizing the vision and mission of an organization. Building a more robust team can begin with utilizing a trio of PI tools. First, the PI Cognitive Assessment predicts natural learning ability and job performance. Second, the PI Job Assessment evaluates employees' behavioral traits and cognitive skills. Lastly, the PI Behavioral Assessment looks at the current hardwiring of employees where placing them in alignment with their strengths allows them the opportunity to perform at their highest potential.
A process from Predictive Advantage for building stronger teams uses the PI Team Discovery tool. The steps to create a cohesive team builds on the above trio of tools through four stages:
1. Plotting team members – The visual plotting of the individual work style for each team member.
2. Team analysis – The creation of the behavioral identity of the team leads to the understanding of team strengths and challenges.
3. Team objectives – Establish the team's short- and long-term priorities.
4. Strategic team alignment – An analysis of the team construction identifies the fit between the current characteristics of the team and existing gaps.
The company provides the client with a customized action plan with scientific validation to improve team unity and performance during each stage.
Using the outcomes of the PI assessments allows another opportunity for the leadership team to better understand themselves and leverage optimization of the collective group. It sets a stage where team members are comfortable speaking on delicate issues and increases team awareness, trust, and communication. These attributes will promote greater cohesion in work to achieve strategic initiatives. Additionally, the executives have a more significant opportunity for professional development and better mental health.
We will build on our success as an organization through cohesive work. The key attributes of strong team players are:
• Commitment – Working with others is a priority where individual sacrifices are made for team betterment. They bring passion to the job and emphasize working cooperatively with the other team members.
• Quick to adapt – The team members are willing to be flexible and embrace rapid change when necessary. They understand essential tasks and will step in to help others needing their support.
• Reliability – They complete high-quality work promptly while staying within budget constraints. They maintain positive relationships based on integrity and consistently support the team's needs.
Developing strong team members requires taking our time and care to create them, effective and efficient communication, and setting short- and long-term goals to work on achieving together. Ongoing celebrations should recognize individuals and teams that contribute to successful collaborations.
Teakdecking Systems is a company that provides marine decking and flooring. When Richard Strauss became the company president, his style was to set expectations and give the team the necessary resources to carry out their work successfully. The company was using the Predictive Index Hire Solutions when hiring new employees. Historically the company used other strategic planning tools but chose this time to work with a PI Certified Partner. The partner led them through the Execute Strategy with Confidence workshop. The result was to go from a 180-degree misalignment with company objectives to a team operating with more vital self-awareness. They developed an enhanced sense of necessary tasks, the work it would take to achieve the goals, the obstacles to overcome, and how to align the work of team members with their strengths.
Regardless of the chosen approach, all leadership teams can benefit from working through a process to understand better and leverage team dynamics to maximize the opportunity for organizational success. However, it echoes a common theme that it can be challenging and requires a commitment to engage with one another in an environment of trust and caring to achieve an ideal state of executive team leadership.
A short video by PI provides an excellent overview of the team assessment tool. It shows the steps to learning your leadership style, the work styles of the team members, the team type, and how your strategy aligns with the team's makeup. In addition, the tool will provide the strengths and blindspots of the team and actions to improve the team to more efficiently and effectively achieve the short- and long-term goals.
I again applaud another pioneer in the field of behavioral assessments. Arnold S. Daniels developed the PI Behavioral Assessment in the 1950s based on his work with the U.S. Army Air Corps. His initial efforts have led to over 3 million assessments done each year by over 1,000 professionals for more than 8,000 clients.
Next week's blog will explore the importance of aligning the proper business operating system with the humanist manufacturing framework.
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