Dr. Ken Keis

Our lives operate around measurements. Without them, we cannot function. Think about it—even undeveloped countries use the rising of the sun and moon and the changing of the seasons as measurements.

What about the modern world? Without measurement, our economies and lives would literally collapse. Everything is about measurement—money, travel, time, age, weight, volume, temperature, stock indexes, etc.

Yet, my experience has been that most human beings do not have a personal measurement strategy to help improve their lives? Having a personal measurement strategy can provide amazing freedom, clarity, direction, and release to individuals and organizations.

Let me offer an example. At one time or another, most of us have driven a vehicle whose fuel gauge wasn’t working. Because we had to guess at the fuel level when the tank measurement wasn’t available, we felt a great deal of mental stress and anxiety.

If we experience stress for something as basic as a fuel tank, what hidden stressors are embodied in our personal fuel tank measurements—our values, aptitude, attitude, personality, stress and health, interests, purpose, self-worth, leadership and management skills—plus many, many more?

With all the tools and assessments available today, why not have a personal measurement and assessment strategy that will serve to enhance your personal performance? Remove the doubt and guesswork. Assessment will help you benchmark performance, conditions, and values.

Unless you are willing to settle for less in your life, assessment is essential!

What is an assessment?
Assessment is any process, tools, or methodology that benchmarks and measures a set of criteria for individuals, teams, or organizations. It is a strategy to accelerate and improve the performance of any individual, team, or organization. Like money, volume, or distance, assessments are a form of measurement that help you know where you are and where you are going. Remember, measurement does not create results; it simply documents what is already true.
What do assessments measure?
There are no limitations to what assessments can measure—personal style, job style, job fit, job competencies, leadership skills, team compatibility, character traits, aptitude, and more, including interpersonal and self-management skills and organizational conditions such as teamwork, employee morale, and job satisfaction. Other areas of measurement include values, health, self-worth, integrity, and trust factors.
Who can benefit from completing an assessment and having the results interpreted?
 Everyone at some level can benefit from assessment—individuals, business partners, families (kids and teens, too), and non-profit and volunteer organizations. No matter the size of a business and the background of the individual, the use of assessment as a measurement strategy is appropriate.

Action Steps

What is the framework for the effective use of assessments in a personal or organizational application?
       
-Before conducting assessments, establish the primary items you want to measure.
-Encourage everyone connected with you to go through the assessment process.
-Confirm your assessment strategy; consistently implement and use it.
-Never abuse the privilege and confidentiality of the process, especially when working with others.
-The results are not important; it’s how you use them that counts.
-Choose assessments that are proven in the marketplace and well regarded by their users. -An assessment that is well known or that has high market awareness does not convert to quality or true value.
-If you have no experience in the assessment world, contact a qualified professional who can recommend several options and choices.

What are the perils in the assessment marketplace?
Not all assessments are created equal. Many individuals have legitimate concerns with certain assessments or tests because those assessments have not been benchmarked and the results are suspect. Make sure you select assessments that best apply to your situation.

Note: That’s how CRG’s publishing division got started, 20 years ago. In his university classes, founder Dr. Terry Anderson would not use the two most popular personality assessments because he discovered major imperfections in both of them. To serve the needs of his students, he wrote CRG’s Personal Style Indicator.

Do I need a professional person to help with the assessment process?
Yes and no. Many assessments can be self-scored and self-interpreted so you can apply the technology and look at the results in your own timeframe. Experts can offer additional assistance and deeper interpretation of the assessment results, however.

The use of assessments is a must for any progressive organization or individual. If you have not included assessment in your business and personal development plans, the time to start is now.

The above action steps will help you launch your personal measurement and assessment strategy.

Until next time, keep Living On Purpose!

Ken Keis