The Dark Side of Assessments

The dark side of assessment interpretation:

Once a tool is selected, the potential to eclipse the truth moves into execution and interpreting the results. The shadows cast by expectations and fears held by the coach, client and participating stakeholders can influence the outcomes of an assessment both individually and organizationally.

Shadow of Expectations

Coaching is initiated for a reason. Whether to preparing for the future or overcoming obstacles, these predetermined reasons create an expectation bias. In an effort to create a business case for engaging a coach, the organization may inadvertently spread this bias through communications to participants in 360 assessments.

As participants answer questions and provide feedback, they are doing so with the lens of the topic provided as the business case. A client selected for coaching to help reduce their tendency to micromanage influences the feedback from that lens.

As the feedback is collected and interpreted, we look for evidence to support our own thesis of the presenting problem within the results, a form of confirmation bias.

It’s the role of the coach to increase the light on all areas, recognizing the presenting problem (or area of focus) is not always at the root of the behavior.

Invasion of Privacy Shadow

The popularity of self-awareness may have increased thanks to our young inquisitive generation, but that doesn’t mean everyone wishes to share their results. Resistance to taking assessments includes the need to protect individual privacy. And in the era of big data and surveillance, it is critical for coaches and organizations to proceed carefully.

-It’s critical to acknowledge and respect the concerns of sharing assessment results.-

Why are there concerns? The concerns are as varied as the individual, and individuality is one of the many reasons for resistance in being labeled.

Coaches and coach organizations must consider the need for privacy before engaging in an assessment. As with any employee data, it is less about the assessment itself and more about how the organization will use and protect the information. Which leads to the final shadow of assessments.

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