6 Assessments That Are Actually Worth Your Team’s Time and Money

Leveraging Assessments for Greater Team Success

In her book, Teaming: How Organizations Learn, Innovate, and Compete in the Knowledge Economy, Harvard Professor Dr. Amy Edmondson shares:

“In today’s complex and volatile business environment, corporations and organizations also win or lose by creating wholes that are greater than the sum of their parts. Intense competition, rampant unpredictability, and a constant need for innovation are giving rise to even greater interdependence and thus demand even greater levels of collaboration and communication than ever before. Teaming is essential to an organization’s ability to respond to opportunities and to improve internal processes.”  

If teaming is essential for sustained success, then team leaders bear a great responsibility to “grease the wheels” of industry by building, leading, and fostering healthy, high-functioning teams. The “greater levels of collaboration and communication” on teams that Dr. Edmondson speaks of can be aided by a team leader leveraging the power of assessments on their team.  

Assessments come in many shapes and forms. They examine behaviors, emotions, personality, passions, temperaments, strengths, skills, satisfaction, etc. There is an assessment for just about anything. When taken as a team, they can create a common language and understanding that improves the collective group’s ability to manage change, have healthy conflict, identify where and how team members can best contribute, and increase relational satisfaction and motivation on a team.  

However, when searching for the “right” assessment, leaders can easily get lost in the myriad of options. To help provide a starting point, here are several assessments we commonly use with our clients and a few additional ones we use with our staff. These assessments are based on supportive research and are used by millions of people worldwide in a variety of contexts.

1. DiSC Assessment (by Wiley)

Understanding Behavioral Styles

The DiSC assessment categorizes individuals into four primary behavioral styles: Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Conscientiousness. It explores what we can see and hear (behaviors) and underlying motivations for those behaviors.

It is extremely useful as an icebreaker assessment for your team. It is easy to understand and apply personally and as you interact with teammates with different behavioral styles. WinShape Teams utilized DiSC in our Team Essentials and Intelligent Teams programs. Our staff will take it as part of their onboarding and it is a great conversation starter between supervisor/supervisee and teammates.

Specifically, it can help a team through:

• Improved Communication: Team members can adapt their communication styles based on their own DiSC style and the styles of their colleagues. This leads to clearer and more effective communication, reducing misunderstandings and conflicts.
• Team Cohesion: Recognizing and respecting the diverse behavioral styles within your team fosters a more harmonious work environment. Different styles bring unique strengths to the table, and DiSC helps you leverage these strengths effectively.
• Conflict Resolution: DiSC allows you to identify potential sources of conflict based on behavioral differences. Armed with this knowledge, your team can address conflicts proactively and find constructive solutions.

2. Birkman Assessment

Deep Insights into Personality and Interests

The Birkman Assessment provides valuable insights into an individual’s personality, interests, occupational preferences, and stressors. An in-depth assessment that explores your interests, usual (normal) behavior tendencies, social/environmental, and stress response behaviors. We utilize the Birkman Assessment in Executive, Group, and Assessment Coaching, as well as in our own personal development plans.

• Identify Team Strengths and Needs: By revealing your team’s overall strengths and potential areas for development, the Birkman Assessment empowers you to make informed decisions about training, task assignments, and team structure.
• Leveraging Interests and Skills on a Team: Through exploring skills and interest, an individual and team and better identify roles, projects, and team dynamics where individuals can flourish.
• Conflict Management: Recognizing potential sources of conflict based on personality differences allows teams to proactively address issues and find constructive, win-win solutions.
• Improved Self and Team Awareness: Self-understanding and understanding others’ normal and stressful behaviors are foundational to compassion, empathy, resilience, and creative problem-solving on a team.

3. MHS EQ-i 2.0 (Emotional Intelligence Appraisal)

Elevating Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence is a critical factor in successful teamwork. The MHS EQ-i 2.0 assessment measures various aspects of emotional intelligence, including self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, and interpersonal relationships. WinShape Teams utilizes EQ-I 2.0 in Executive, Group, and Assessment Coaching, as well as in our own personal development plans.

• Improved Emotional and Social Intelligence: Emotional and Social Intelligence is a foundation for healthy and productive relationships. Working together to enhance skills like empathy and emotional management leads to stronger interpersonal relationships and conflict resolution.
• Conflict Resolution: A team with high emotional intelligence handles conflicts more constructively. They recognize the emotional underpinnings of conflicts and can work together to find solutions that address both the practical issues and the emotional needs of team members.
• Enhanced Team Cohesion: Teams with strong emotional intelligence tend to be more supportive, understanding, resilient, and collaborative. This fosters a positive work environment where team members feel valued and connected.

4. Working Genius Assessment (by the Table Group)

Leveraging Individual Strengths

The Working Genius assessment identifies an individual’s top strengths out of six categories: Wonder, Invention, Discernment, Galvanization, Enablement, Tenacity. It is the most recently developed assessment on this list but has already positively impacted thousands of people. It helps individuals and teams identify where their working style (or working genius) best serves a team and project. WinShape Teams utilizes this in our own personal development and when considering cross-functional team formation.

• Optimize Task Allocation: By knowing each member’s working genius, teams can assign tasks that align with their strengths. This not only boosts productivity but also increases job satisfaction as team members get to do what they do best.
• Strengthen Team Cohesion: Encouraging appreciation for diverse strengths within the team can foster a culture of mutual respect and collaboration, leading to a greater willingness to help and value each other’s contributions.
• Conflict Resolution: Understanding each other’s working geniuses can help teams navigate conflicts. They can recognize that differences in work styles and preferences often stem from these strengths, leading to more empathetic conflict resolution.

5. Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)

Exploring Personality Preferences

The MBTI categorizes individuals into one of 16 personality types based on preferences for four dichotomies (e.g., Introversion vs. Extraversion, Thinking vs. Feeling). It develops an in-depth yet foundational understanding of an individual’s personality style, temperament, and core motivations. WinShape Teams uses this assessment in our internal emerging leaders program. It can help your team by:

• Improved Emotional Intelligence: Understanding one’s MBTI type aids in recognizing emotional triggers and managing reactions. It helps team members become more self-aware, leading to better self-regulation.
• Identify Strengths and Weaknesses: MBTI highlights each team member’s natural preferences, offering insights into their communication styles and problem-solving approaches. This knowledge can guide task assignments and role distribution.
• Enhance Team Cohesion: Teams can appreciate the diversity of personality types, leading to improved communication and reduced conflicts. When team members understand that different approaches can be equally valid, they’re more likely to collaborate effectively.

6. CliftonStrengths (by Gallup)

Harnessing Individual Strengths

StrengthsFinder identifies an individual’s top strengths out of a list of 34 themes. The 34 themes are spread across 4 domains: Executive, Influencing, Relational, and Strategic. It builds self-awareness of an individual’s skill set and how they can best contribute to a team. WinShape Teams utilizes it in our internal emerging leader program and as part of our personal development plans.

• Optimize Strength Deployment: By capitalizing on each member’s strengths, teams can accomplish tasks more efficiently and with greater satisfaction. The result is not only improved performance but also a more positive team atmosphere.
• Foster Team Cohesion: Teams that celebrate and leverage their unique strengths develop a culture of collaboration and mutual support. Team members recognize that they’re all contributing to the team’s success in their own valuable ways.
• Conflict Resolution: Understanding that different strengths can lead to diverse perspectives, teams are better equipped to handle conflicts with empathy and open-mindedness. They can find solutions that honor these differences.

Bringing It All Together

A Holistic Approach to Team Development

To unlock the full potential of your team, it’s essential to adopt a holistic approach to assessment and team development. One assessment does not “rule them all.” By intentionally selecting assessments as a and team development resources and incorporating those learnings into the team’s dynamics and functioning, they can be a huge boost to your team’s engagement and performance. When choosing an assessment consider the following:

1. Administer Assessments Thoughtfully: Start by selecting the most appropriate assessments for your team’s needs. Ensure that participants understand the purpose and significance of the assessments.
2. Feedback and Discussion: After assessments are completed, facilitate open discussions within the team. Encourage team members to share their results and insights. This transparent approach builds trust and encourages self-awareness.
3. Individual and Team Development: Help team members create personalized development plans based on their assessment results. Encourage them to set goals for improving emotional intelligence, leveraging strengths, and managing weaknesses.
4. Regular Follow-Up: Assessments are not one-time exercises. Plan for regular check-ins to track progress and adjust strategies as needed. Celebrate successes and address challenges collaboratively.
5. Integration into Team Culture: Embed the insights gained from assessments into the team’s culture. Encourage open communication, mutual respect, and a willingness to adapt to each other’s needs and working styles.

Workplace assessments are powerful tools for team leaders aiming to build chemistry, cohesion, and high performance within their teams. By improving emotional intelligence, identifying strengths and weaknesses, and enhancing team cohesion and conflict management, assessments lay the foundation for a more productive, harmonious, and successful workplace.

Remember, the true value of assessments lies in how teams use the insights gained to foster continuous growth and improvement. The instructors and coaches at WinShape Teams are expert resources to administer and facilitate ongoing learning for you and your team with the DiSC, MHS EQi, and Birkman assessments. The other assessments are also available through various providers.