Michelle Clark Ph. D
416 Douglas Avenue, Suite 205
Ames, IA 50010
515-296-0125
michelle@michelleclarkphd.com

Team Interpretations of Personality Tests

How can personality assessments add to the efficiency of my workplace?
1. Reduce conflict. We often interpret differing work styles in negative ways and infer bad intentions. A colleague might be labeled “anal” and seen as a “controlling” person. Another colleague might be labeled “slow” and seen as unwilling to shift priorities. Personality inventories provide neutral language to describe differences, demonstrate areas of commonality, and are used to emphasize the strategic benefits of differences.
2. Gather and organize information efficiently. Personality assessments take between 30 and 60 minutes to complete and often provide helpful information about team members that might take months or years to identify in the daily course of business. The information is organized in such a manner that all team members can see connections to day-to-day interactions.
3. Assist in problem-solving. Personality assessments give teams a starting point to identify communication strategies and provide concrete suggestions about how to communicate across different styles. Teams often avoid problems with this knowledge and have immediate strategies when conflict immerges.
4. Teams love it! Most professionals acknowledge that people have different personality and communication styles and know generally that different employees will respond differently to different approaches. However, there is a vast difference between knowing this generally and having an in depth understanding of one’s own style and how respond helpfully to colleagues’ different styles. After our sessions, many seasoned professionals tell us “we needed this information years ago!”

Organizational Assessments are powerful tools for identifying an organization's strengths and weaknesses. They are the critical starting point for initiating any type of organizational change. Our Organizational Assessment will sift through the "symptoms" and identify the actual issues that need to be resolved in order to move your company forward.
We begin by conducting one-on-one interviews and focus groups with members of the management team and a cross section of employees. Input from employees and managers representing a variety of levels and departments in the organization will provide us with an in-depth understanding of the challenges facing your organization. Additionally, the interviews will provide your employees with an opportunity to be involved in the development of strategic interventions and thereby increase their interest and "buy-in."
Interview information is then compiled and analyzed to provide you with a written summary of the information obtained, customized recommendations and a proposed Action Plan. Our consultants can work with you to set the Action Plan in motion and get your organization on its way to translating your vision into reality.