ASSESSMENT CENTRES

NITIN SAWARDEKAR

VSS CONSULTANTS, PUNE

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INTRODUCTION TO ASSESSMENT CENTRES

AN OVERVIEW

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“The King shall thoroughly investigate all the qualities of anyone whom he is considering for appointment as a minister. Of these qualities, nationality, family background and amenability to discipline shall be verified from reliable people (who know the candidate well). The candidate’s knowledge of the various arts shall be tested by experts in their respective fields. Intelligence, perseverance and dexterity shall be evaluated by examining his past performance, while eloquence, boldness and presence of mind shall be ascertained by interviewing him personally. Watching how he deals with others will show his energy, endurance, ability to suffer adversities, integrity, loyalty and friendliness. From his intimate friends, the King shall find out about his strength, health and character (whether lazy, or energetic, fickle or steady). The candidate’s amiability (absence of a tendency to hate) shall be ascertained by personal observation.”

Arthashastra (Kautilya)

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WHAT IS AN ASSESSMENT CENTRE?

• Group of Participants Undertake Range of Exercises and Simulations

• Observed by Trained Observers• Observations Finalised on the Basis of Multiple

Observers and Multiple Sources• Participants Measured on A Set of Predetermined

Competencies Related to the Job

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ASSESSMENT CENTRECHARACTERISTICS

• Multiple factors• Multiple techniques• Multiple observers• Consensus by integration of measurement

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WHAT ARE NOT ASSESSMENT CENTRES!

• Multiple Interview Processes• Psychometric Test Batteries• Individual Assessment (All Types)• Work Sample Tests• Multiple Assessment Techniques Without Integration

Of Data• A Building labelled “Assessment Centre”

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HISTORY

• First use - German Army between World Wars• Adopted by British - WOSBs and Civil Services• Followed by U S - OSS Selection • First commercial use - AT&T 1956• First use in India - Services Selection Boards• First commercial use in India - BILT 1987

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APPLICATIONS OF ASSESSMENT CENTRE DATA

• Selection• Potential Appraisal• Career Planning• Succession Planning• Additional Input For Promotion• Developmental Plan• Assessment Of Training Needs

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STEPS IN ESTABLISHMENT OF AN ASSESSMENT CENTRE

• Identify Competencies And Define Behavioural Indicators

• Design Exercises• Train Assessors• Assessment Centre• Validate Data

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Excellence is doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.

John Gardner

Winners don’t do different things. They do thingsdifferently.

Shiv Khera

COMPETENCYTHE SUCCESS FACTOR

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WHAT IS COMPETENCY?

‘Competencies are the characteristics of a manager that lead to the demonstration of skills and abilities, which result in effective performance within an occupational area.

Competency also embodies the capacity to transfer skills and abilities from one area to another.’ (Hogg B, 1989)

‘Competency is an underlying characteristic of a person which results in effective and/or superior performance in a job.’ (Klemp, 1980)

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WHAT IS COMPETENCY?

COMPETENCY

DESIREDRESULT

CONTRIBUTIONTO ORGANISATION

BEHAVIOUR

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CHARACTERISTICS OF COMPETENCY

• Personal Attribute

• Leads to Demonstration of a Tangible Result (not Latent)

• Must Lead to A Desired Result

• The Result must Contribute Significantly to the Organisation

• Must Lead to Effective Performance or Success on the Job

• Must have the Ability to Transfer characteristics from one area to another

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COMPETENCIES ARE ...

• Behavioural Dimensions that – Affect Job Performance– Distinguish High Performance

• Behaviours Needed to be Displayed for Performing the Job Effectively and Not the Job itself

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BEHAVIOURAL INDICATORS

• Behavioural Indicators are examples of behaviour

exhibited when someone demonstrates competency,

i.e., in the achievement of a desired result.

• Behavioural Indicators which are indicative of poor or

ineffective competency are called contra-indicators.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF BEHAVIOURAL INDICATORS

• Must refer to only one Competency

• Must describe only one behaviour

• Must have a verb in the description

• Must refer to what is actually done and NOT to a

latent capability

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COMPETENCY CLUSTERSCOMMONLY FOUND IN ORGANISATIONS

INTELLECTUAL• COMPREHENSION• ANALYTICAL ABILITY• INNOVATION• DECISION MAKING• PLANNING & ORGANISING• STRATEGIC

PERSPECTIVE

INTERPERSONAL• COMMUNICATION• ADAPTABILITY• INTERPERSONAL SKILLS• ABILITY TO INFLUENCE

OTHERS

• TEAMWORK

DYNAMIC• INITIATIVE• DRIVE• RESILIENCE• STRESS RESISTANCE• RESULT ORIENTATION

BUSINESS RELATED• BUSINESS

UNDERSTANDING• CUSTOMER FOCUS (COULD

ALSO BELONG TO THE INTERPERSONAL GROUP)

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SPECIMEN BEHAVIOURS

• Incisiveness (To Have Clear Understanding)– Gets a clear overview of an issue– Grasps information accurately– Relates pieces of information– Identifies causal relationships– Gets to the heart of a problem– Identifies the most productive lines of information– Appreciates all the variables affecting an issue– Identifies limitations to information– Tolerates and Handles conflicting/ambiguous

information and ideas

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COMPETENCIES SHOULD BE ...

• Observable• Definable and Meaningfully Interpreted• Make Sense to the Organisation

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DESIGNING ASSESSMENT CENTRE CONTENT

• Job Related Exercises• Participants’ Background• Competency-exercise Matrix• Types Of Exercises

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COMPETENCY EXERCISE MATRIX

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Inte

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1. Case Discussion Exercise

2. Ranking Exercise

3. Role Play Exercise

4. In Basket Exercise

5. Committee Exercise

6. Case Analysis Exercise

7. Business Game

8. Decision Making Events

9. Sociometry

10. Personal Interview

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DETAILS OF EXERCISES

• Ice Breaker Exercises• One-to-one Discussion Exercises• Group Discussion Exercises• Negotiation, Selling and Influencing exercises• Analysis - Presentation Exercises• Planning Exercises• Business Games• In-basket Exercises

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ADDITIONAL METHODS OF ASSESSMENT

• Psychometric Instruments• Interviews• Miscellaneous

– Questionnaires– Sociometry (Peer Ratings)

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ASSESSOR TRAINING ISSUES

• Internal Or External?• Who To Choose (Internal)?• How Many To Train?• Characteristics Of Assessors

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ASSESSOR TRAINING OBJECTIVES

• To help assessors understand the Assessment Centre Methodology

• To provide assessors an experience of Assessment Centre participation

• To train assessors in the process of identifying job competencies and evolve relevant competencies for the target group at hand

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ASSESSOR TRAINING OBJECTIVES

• To build expertise in Assessors in the development of exercises which cover the selected competencies and are industry specific

• To develop skills of observation and rating of individuals, writing observation and feedback reports and giving oral feedback

• To train Assessors in the planning, designing and administering of the Pilot Development Centre under the guidance of experts

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TRAINING IMPACT ON ASSESSORS

Assessors In A DC Benefit More Than The Participant Through

• Assessors’ Training• Participation In DC

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TRAINING IMPACT ON ASSESSORS

BENEFITS

• Broadening of observation skills• New insights into behaviour• Broadening of the alternative responses to problems• Development of a more precise vocabulary with which

to describe behaviour• Improvement of interviewing skills• Increased appreciation of group dynamics• Strengthening of management skills through repeated

working with in-basket, cases, problems and simulations

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TRAINING IMPACT ON ASSESSORS

THE GREATEST IMPACT IS ON THE PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL PROCESS

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ASSESSMENT CENTRES

A TRAINING AND ASSESSMENT STRATEGY

FOR THE EMERGING TIMES

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ASSESSMENT CENTREUTILITY

• Highlights gaps between individual abilities and future role requirements

• Opportunity to obtain a sharper and more accurate picture of

– individual skills and abilities

– skill audit of participant group

– potential of valuable human resources

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ASSESSMENT CENTREUTILITY

• Instrument for empowering individuals to initiate development actions to reduce skill gap between present activity and desired future performance capability

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ASSESSMENT CENTREADDED FOCUS

• Discovering how ‘I’ Behave Across Situations

• Developing Awareness of Influences on My Behaviour and its Implications

• Recognising Gaps between Thinking and Action

• Opportunity to Experiment with Untried Behaviours / Approaches

• Exposure to Variety of Responses to the Same Stimulus - Contents / Style

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IMPLEMENTING ASSESSMENT CENTRES

KEY SUCCESS CRITERIA

• Clear objective

• Organisational Support

• Good Communication System

• Appropriate Design

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ASSESSMENT CENTRE OUTCOME

• Insight into and Awareness of Self and Others

• Targeted Training

• Coaching and Mentoring

• Project-based Learning

• Job Rotation / Enlargement

• Self Development Plan

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ASSESSMENT CENTRE PROCESS

• Broad Awareness amongst Senior Management regarding the Purpose, Scope and Implications of Establishing a Development Centre

• Defining and Detailing of Competencies

• Design of Exercises and Simulations Around the Identified Competencies and their Testing

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ASSESSMENT CENTRE PROCESS

• Planning and Administering the Development Centre

• Formulating Future Plan of Action

• On-going Review of the Effectiveness of the Development Centre

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VALIDATING ASSESSMENT CENTRES

• Qualitative Validation– Participant Reactions– Assessors’ Reactions– Managers’ Reactions

• Quantitative Validation– Validation Of Competencies– Validation Of Findings

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VALIDITY COEFFICIENTS

• ASST CENTRE (FOR PROMOTION) 0.63• WORK SAMPLE TEST 0.55• ABILITY TESTS 0.53• PERSONALITY TESTS (COMB) 0.41• BIO-DATA 0.38• STRUCTURED INTERVIEW 0.31• TYPICAL INTERVIEW 0.15• REFERENCES 0.13

> 0.5 Excellent 0.4 - 0.49 Good

0.3 - 0.39 Acceptable < 0.3 Poor

Smith, Greggs and Andrews, “Selection and Assessment, A New Appraisal” (1989)

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VALIDATING ASSESSMENT CENTRES

SOME ISSUES

• Lack Of A Control Group

• Life Is Not Static

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?

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THE BEGINNING

OF A NEW ERA