I recently had a discussion with a friend about our jobs and the work we do on a daily basis.
She asked, “What is it that TTI Success Insights does? Something to do with personality testing, right?” While I couldn’t ignore the slightly derisive tone in her voice, I laughed good-naturedly, realizing the depth and breadth of what we do is so much more than “personality testing.”
Then, I took the opportunity to give her a crash course on assessments — and hopefully debunk some of her preconceived negative notions.
It’s a conversation you may have found yourself in at one point or another.
Like me, you also might have taken the opportunity to debunk some misconceptions about assessments. Here are the three most common misconceptions I run into and here’s how I typically address them.
Misconception #1: There isn’t proof that assessments are accurate. Not true, at least not with TTI Success Insights assessments. We pride ourselves on having the most valid assessments on the market. While many assessments measure personality and can be more whimsical in nature, TTI Success Insights’ products go deeper by unveiling who we are as people and how others perceive us. We measure behaviors and motivators (among other sciences), which are quantifiable and have a research base. We don’t measure personality because personality can’t be scientifically measured.
Misconception #2: They all measure the same thing, right? We believe that multiple assessments should be used to tell the story of the whole person. In order to do this, they must measure so much more than one aspect of that unique individual. This can mean any combination of the following: behaviors/DISC, driving forces (motivators), skills, acumen/worldview, emotional intelligence and stress.
Misconception #3: I can manipulate my results. It doesn’t work. On the rare occasion that someone does try this — whether intentionally or unintentionally — the data usually tells a story of misrepresentation.
The conversation made me realize, with so many assessment tools flooding the market, it’s imperative both consultants and end-users are armed with the proper knowledge and are not misinformed.
One easy way to illustrate how your partnership with TTI Success Insights as a differentiator for you and for your client is by offering TTI’s adverse impact study for the client’s review. Use it to explain how our tools are validated and reliable for selection, employee development and retention.
In the end, our assessments are incredibly powerful, so much more than others on the market. They have been proven to improve communication skills, develop leadership competencies, formulate new career paths, and understand the best sales strategies.
The more information we can provide about the facts, while correcting misconceptions, the easier it will be to tell this story.