Research Behind the Assessments

The following summary explains which dimensions are assessed by some of the principal assessment instruments we use and provides a brief description of the pedigree and background to those assessment instruments.

Assessment	Background
Team Roles Practical type Consulting type Driving type New Ideas type Catalyst type Critical Judge type Supportive type Detail type	Based on the work of Belbin, the Team Roles Assessment is an attractive tool because: It puts the candidate in the context of the team so the evaluation is in terms of working with others People moving into new teams may have a change in self-perception which the system can assess Learning influences an individual’s scoring over time. The team scores can be examined for changes brought about by development initiatives and as people gain maturity in their teamwork.
Conflict Handling Challenging Style Resolving Style Judicial Style Defusing Style Harmonious Style	Based on the work of Thomas and Kilman, the Conflict Handling Assessment can be seen as a counterpart to the Team Roles. The Team Roles is presented in a non-threatening environment whereas the Conflict Handling explores reactions to conflict, especially the individual’s fall-back modes when dealing with conflict.
Personality Dominance Persistence Mood Stability Affiliation Risk Control Ingenuity Openness Energy	The Personality Assessment was originally based on the work of Gordon and has been modified to present the questions in a non-restrictive and simplified manner. The questionnaire is a measurement of personality traits as seen by the candidate.
Activity Preference Tool Handling Activities Analytical Activities Caring Activities Administrative Activities Persuasive Activities Creative Activities	Based on the work of Holland, the Activity Preference Assessment simply records the individual’s expressed preferences, and it therefore acts as a useful check of the ‘comfort level’ between the psychometric assessments and the actual preferences articulated by that person.
Work Style Stimulus Control Serious Minded Planning Styles	This Assessment, based on the work of Murgatroyd, Rushton, Apter & Ray, supports work into Reversal Theory which holds that all displayed qualities of personality & behaviour exist on a continuum and that most people occupy one end of the continuum for most of the time. It recognises that when a person is under severe stress, a ‘reversal’ in that position may occur.
Reasoning Verbal Reasoning Abstract Reasoning	These timed assessments are based on the original American Alpha. The Abstract Reasoning test is a measure of the ability to follow complex directions (ie clear thinking). The Verbal Reasoning test is useful in predicting ability to pull essential themes out of complex written/spoken information.
Arithmetic	The Arithmetic Assessment, by Illiffe, is a short, timed test, which assesses arithmetic reasoning and concepts.
Learning Styles Active Style Reflective Style Theoretical Style Pragmatic Style	Based on the work of Mumford & Honey, the Learning Styles Assessment provides important information about how an individual likes to address issues and assimilate information.
Professional / Managerial	The Professional/Managerial Style Assessment is based on the work of Ghiselli who conducted in depth management studies. Exceptional managerial ability is not common; therefore high scores on this assessment are rare. Lower scores indicate a preference for a general skill area or professional expertise. Low scores do not imply a limit on the individual’s potential but rather that progression is likely to be professionally bounded (eg An accountant to become Finance Director)