Behavioural Style Assessment

“Start with people who are behaviourally suited to the job, train them, motivate them, give them the opportunity for advancement, and your business will succeed”

J. W. Marriott
 

Achieving a positive match between the behavioural demands of a job and the natural behavioural strengths, or Behavioural Style, of a candidate is critical to successful recruitment.

PS² recommend Behavioural Style Analysis as a simple and cost-effective way of assessing the potential behavioural fit between an individual and a job role. 

Why do we need both Personality and Behavioural Assessments?

Personality and behaviour are essentially different measures.  One could say, for example, that one's personality is played out through one's behaviour.  It is therefore possible to have two individuals with similar personalities but who exhibit very different behaviours. 

Consider two people - let's call them Susan and John.  They are both being considered for a job as Manager of a Motorway Service Station. In terms of work personality they both score well:

• Energy Level

• Frustration Tolerance

• Acceptance of Diversity

• Integrity

• Self-Control

• Accommodation to Others

• Positive Service Attitude

• Productive Attitude

• Task Focus

  ^ Top

Of course, their scores are not identical.  John may score better on Energy Level, Acceptance of Diversity and Productive Attitude, but Susan would have the better of him on Frustration Tolerance, Accommodation to Others and Self Control.  They both have very high Integrity and a Positive Service Attitude. 

So, in terms of Work Personality, we can say that they are both made of the "right stuff" for this job. However, if we now look at Susan and John's Behavioural Styles we will see a very different picture.

John is very competitive, decisive and resilient.  He will fight tooth and nail for what he believes is right, and while he likes to work "through" people, when push comes to shove he will concentrate on the task at the expense of his people.  He sees himself as a doer, and the leader of his people.

Susan is a team player.  She understands that the task needs to be done, but she believes that, ultimately, people are more important. She tends to be slower in decision making, but equally determined to achieve the target once a decision has been made. Susan sees herself as a manager and supporter of "her" team.

Who would do the job better?  John?  Susan?  Both, or neither?

The answer depends on the Work Environment in which they will need to work, and that can only be answered by someone who knows the job well - you!  In some cases John would be the best choice, but in others Susan's more supportive management style would win out. 

However, the important thing to realise is that understanding both the Behavioural Demands of the job, AND the natural Behavioural Style of the candidate is critical to successful recruitment.

“If a person is not performing as expected, it is probably because they have been miscast for the job”

W. Edwards Deming
 

^ Top