The majority of organizations use teams of employees to complete objectives. The idea behind the team construction is that different people with different strengths, weaknesses and viewpoints are more likely to successfully complete a task. If multiple elements contribute to an organizations success, why use that method only with teams of employees?

You know that one assessment tool can provide you with a great advantage when managing the talent within your company, but have you ever considered how multiple assessments can work together as a comprehensive talent assessment program?

The image below is the Solutions Matrix. This graph demonstrates which assessments can be used together to solve business objectives.

For instance, you may have encountered some trouble with improving sales performance. Naturally you would assume that the Profiles Sales Assessment would be a great tool to start with, but you might not have realized that the Profiles Performance Indicator and the CheckPoint 360 could align with the Profiles Sales Assessment to give you an all-inclusive talent assessment program.

The Profiles Sales Assessment will give you insight into how well a person fits specific sales jobs, while the Profiles Performance Indicator can show whose personality will impact their job fit. Adding the CheckPoint 360 to this program ensures that you will also be able to pinpoint any issues there may be with management.

Using multiple assessments to solve one problem ensures that you are looking at the issue from every possible angle, and that you will be able to easily identify where the problem originates. The objective of Talent Assessment Programs is to accomplish a particular business goal. Focus on one of your biggest business objectives, and then create a program based on what you want to accomplish.

Unless you are living under a rock, you are aware that the FIFA World Cup started last Friday, and has soccer fans worldwide on the edge of their seats. Thirty two teams are competing in South Africa this year for the title of World Cup Champions.

Last week, the USA tied with England for a score of 1-1. While, USA fans continue to praise their team for its success, England is a little less pleased with its goalie Robert Green.  Poor Green was a victim of pressure and butterfingers when he let the ball slip into his own team’s goal.

Has that ever happened to you? A star employee performs to the best of their abilities for an extended period of time, but just when their efforts become exceedingly crucial to the company’s success, they drop the ball. People are people, and eventually everyone will mess up from time to time, but as a manager, how do you handle situations where a once reliable employee does not perform to the best of their abilities?

“More than 40 percent of currently employed respondents plan to start their search for better jobs within the next 12 months”

Despite the encouraging fact that the unemployment rate has recently dropped to 9.9 percent, it still seems that a large percentage of the workforce is taking on more work than one person was intended to accomplish.

According to Yahoo! HotJobs, “More than 40 percent of currently employed respondents plan to start their search for better jobs at some point within the next 12 months… 21 percent said they were already actively looking for new jobs.”

The “overworked and underpaid” syndrome begins when employees are under appreciated, overworked and constantly stressed. It then progresses to an overwhelming sense of negativity within the organization, and only ends when the affected employees find new employment elsewhere.

The same HotJobs study suggests that, “Approximately 44 percent of employees said they felt there was no ‘potential for career growth’ in their current positions. Around 25 percent wanted to change jobs because they felt that they were not valued employees.”

As a manager, how do you handle the “overworked and underpaid” syndrome? Employee utilization (or using your employees to their potential) is crucial if organizations are to remain truly productive. What is your solution for utilizing employees so that they feel essential and necessary?

In this clip from The Office, several employees describe the opposing management styles of Jim and Michael. Michael is infamous for his off-the-wall management skills. Have you ever had an atrocious manager? Tell us your management horror stories and compare notes on which traits contribute to ineffective management.

The name Tiger Woods has evoked many emotions throughout his golfing career, but recently the name has induced nausea in the masses that were sick of hearing about his less-than-spotless personal life. Luckily for the golf legend, the focus this week isn’t so much on his personal rendezvous as it is his golfing capabilities. Gossip columns and tabloids are still searching for scandal in every bunker and tee box they can find, but for the most part the media is interested in how Tiger will play. After five not-so-long months of rumors and speculation, the golfer may actually be recognized for his athletic talent once again, but only as it applies to his “recovery.”

No matter the talent, at the end of the day people are just people. As humans we can be expected to mess up from time to time because perfection is unattainable. Tiger’s personal life impacted his professional career, so how do “real” people deal with these scenarios?

What happens when your top performer finds himself in a personal predicament? Stressors such as divorce, financial troubles, family death, etc. can severely impact an individual’s professional performance. Imagine this scenario: Your all-star employee exceeds his performance goals for months. Suddenly, his results slowly begin to diminish. Over the course of a few months his productivity is lower than anyone else’s and his attitude and engagement seem to be floundering. You find out he has been suffering from a very personal crisis. What do you do?

Tiger Woods’ professional career was abruptly interrupted by his personal crisis, but with time and patience the media and fans have slowly let him crawl back into the inner circle of the golf greats. Employees suffering from personal crises should not be immediately dismissed because of their poor performance. Instead, give those employees coaching and development opportunities to help them balance out during their difficult time.

If the employee was a top performer when his personal life was in line, then he should eventually return to that capacity of achievement. Keep his personal goals and skills in mind when coaching him through his personal issues, and encourage him to perform despite his troubles.

If first quarter goals were not met, do not expect to make them up all in the second quarter.

Spring has officially sprung and the first quarter is coming to a close. The shift in the seasons and the business year often requires a need for a fresh start, and new growth. As colors get brighter and the sun shines longer, businesses should consider their own spring cleaning.

Have you met your goals thus far?

If your organization is struggling with meeting goals, it may be time to rejuvenate the way goals are set and the way the organization is conducted. Assessments can help organizations better understand the mess they are dealing with before they begin their “cleaning”. This is not to say that employees need to be fired in order to run more effectively.

How are your employees performing?

Coaching is also an effective way to develop employees into high-performers. If after the second or third quarter an employee is not performing as desired, then it is time to consider relocating them or dismissing them, but give employees a chance and a means to improve before any permanent decisions are made.

Employee motivation is often questionable this time of year, and managers need to educate themselves with what their employees need to remain engaged. Each employee’s preferences for engagement will vary, so not each method of motivation will work for each employee. Managers should strive to offer a few methods of motivation to ensure that each employee feels stimulated and encouraged.

What can be done to accomplish your goals more effectively?

If first quarter goals were not met, do not expect to make them up all in the second quarter. Goals take time to accomplish, and the work that is required to accomplish those goals needs to be done right, not tomorrow. Make sure that quality is still part of your equation when considering how to accomplish what your organization needs in order to be successful.

With spring in the air, get motivated to rejuvenate the way your organization is managed and maintained. The first quarter may not have turned out as planned, so recharge and reconfigure for a great rest of the year.

What is the best way to handle a polarizing decision that is not widely accepted by over half of the employees?

Regardless of your political views, the newly passed health care bill has made its mark in American history. The history comes not only with the monetary value involved, but also the projected impact the bill is suspected to have on the nation’s health. Due to its magnitude the bill has had a polarizing effect on political parties. Capitol Hill seems to be in a perpetual split over this issue and the proposed effects it will have on the American people.

The bill may be history making, but the situation is classic. Have you ever experienced a similar situation in your organization? Most businesses have experienced a situation where policies, procedures or people were completely reorganized. The order usually comes from the executive level, and impacts every other level throughout the organization. What is the best way to handle a polarizing decision that is not widely accepted by over half of the employees?

Change always brings uncertainty for some, so managers should be patient with employees who are not immediately ready to adapt.
The first step is to communicate effectively. Be upfront with your employees. Tell them that you are aware that a large number of them are unhappy with the decisions being made by the company, but that you are confident these decisions will benefit the organization as a whole. Be open to discussions and questions that employees may have. Change always brings uncertainty for some, so managers should be patient with employees who are not immediately ready to adapt.

A second step to take is to identify your leaders. This does not mean to simply review a list of managers, but to really identify who is a leader in the organization. Leadership assessments can provide results that will enable you to understand who is viewed as a leader and who has a natural tendency for leadership. Once you have identified leaders and those with leadership abilities, you can utilize them to assist in the communication process and utilize their capabilities in the case of reorganization.

Employee assessments enable managers to pinpoint those most likely to cause disruptions in the organization before the disruptions are made.
Finally, use assessments to solve conflict before it starts. When the majority of your employees are unhappy, you can be sure that a handful will try to make waves amongst their peers. Employee assessments enable managers to pinpoint those most likely to cause disruptions in the organization before the disruptions are made. By knowing who is more likely to be disruptive or unproductive, managers can better cater their communication styles and be on the lookout for unnecessary behavior in the office.

Divisions in the office are never easy or pleasant to deal with, but assessments offer a unique solution to the problem. Assessments offer information that managers can use to make informed decisions about their employees and the way business is conducted. Knowledge is power, and when managers know their employees they can better anticipate employee reactions and leverage communication to boost morale. Assessments resolve conflict and can reduce stress in times of conflict and disagreement.

It’s that time of year again; St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner. The staples of this ultra-festive holiday include green beer, green rivers and green-themed parades. The Irish have a long-standing relationship with the color, as it has represented everything from their beloved saint to the Emerald Isle itself. Stories vary, but for some wonderfully educated reason it has become a tradition to pinch those who do not honor St. Patrick by adorning themselves in green.

Seeing as there is always someone in the office who refuses to honor their non-existent Irish heritage, it only seems natural to address the proper pinching etiquette required for this holiday. The proper pinch is crucial if you are to adequately punish an offender without becoming the victim of an “unsolicited” lawsuit.

1. The following areas should be avoided when punishing a non-celebratory coworker: neck, face, shoulders (as this may be confused with the neck), anything between the neck and knees (yes, even an honest pinch to the side could be considered sexual harassment as the side is typically an area prone to tickling which is seen as a sexual or harassing behavior in most office settings), and the upper arm (if you intend to pinch the upper arm and miss it could get messy).

Pinch Zones

2. If you are pinching a woman please refrain from making contact with the obvious areas, and avoid the less obvious areas such as the back. This includes areas of back-fat which seem to protrude in appropriate areas, but don’t be fooled. There is nothing appropriate about it, and you probably wouldn’t want to touch that anyway.

3. A good rule of pinch is to only administer punishment to the lower arms, area between the elbow and mid-upper arm, and the foot when possible.

4. For those who are less inclined to acknowledge such punishment for denying Ireland’s sacred color, the air-pinch is fully acceptable in all office settings. Although the air-pinch does not punish non-green wearing offenders as effectively, it certainly scares them to a degree that may encourage them to find something green to wear later in the day, and will almost guarantee that they wear green next year.

5. An effective accessory to the air-pinch is a subtle hint that may be delivered through an intimidating expression that lets the offender know that if you were pinching them, it would really hurt.

To avoid donning the most beautiful shade of emerald on the world-renowned St. Patrick’s day, only demonstrates incompetency and lack of compassion to the rest of the world. Be sure to enforce all that is Irish and all that St. Patrick stood for, by pinching those foolish enough to deny their green roots and in short their somewhat Irish heritage. Make St. Patty proud and pinch like a champion.

Imagine experiencing one of the worst natural disasters in history and living to tell about it. Imagine the destruction and chaos that follows an earthquake with a magnitude of 8.8. The people of Chile are desperately trying to regain control over the fallen regions of their nation, and while many would expect national unity in the aftermath, some individuals have taken to acts of lawlessness and theft as a means of survival.

The catastrophe in Chile is horrific, and it is undeniably one of the greatest natural disasters in history. The people of Chile need support and aid now more than ever if they are to rebuild. Despite the devastation, the people of Chile have learned important lessons about the future. This disaster also provides several learning opportunities for those involved in business. The difficult state of the economy means that companies worldwide have had to make difficult decisions such as reducing workforces, reducing budgets, and redistributing employees. In the eyes of an employee, any of these three scenarios can be seen as a devastating and catastrophic. How can managers keep the peace in the office after the company is shaken by change or reconstruction?

Despite a person’s learned behaviors, individuals will always revert back to natural behaviors in times of crisis. A person can mask or reduce her true reactions in a normal environment, but stress and other pressures will reveal her true behaviors and attitudes. How can managers know what to expect from their employees in times of crisis or high stress?

Assessments reveal each employee’s natural behaviors and learned skills. The results of these assessments can be used to construct teams and fill positions, but they can also help the leadership team. When leaders can identify employee behavior, they can better coach or modify that behavior to create a more productive workforce. Knowing how a person reacts to stress can also allow leaders to alter their communication methods in order to ensure that the message is clearly understood.

Chaos and catastrophe are inevitable in business, and when managers know their employees on a deeper level, they can better prepare to deal with the aftermath.

In what feels like the thousandth season of The Bachelor we witness once more a crowd of beautiful women waiting in line for their chance to be the fiancée of a handsome professional. The women are attractive, talented and sometimes charming, but every group has a black sheep, and this season is no different than the previous ones.

The current bachelor, Jake Pavelka, has eliminated several pretty faces in his search for love. As one might expect in a house full of women, conflict arises after each rose ceremony when Jake dismisses a contestant. Vienna is the spark of controversy this season, and the other contestants become agitated as she continues to survive the elimination ceremonies. She is young and arrogant, and she continues to irritate others in her quest for Jake’s heart.

The other contestants have tried to broach the subject of Vienna’s behavior on several occasions with their bachelor, but nothing seems to shake his feelings for her. Tension continues to mount as she lures him away from the competition. Although she is hopelessly giddy around Jake, she is malicious and rude to the other contestants, which has led everyone to believe she is two-faced. The other women feel hopeless as they watch Jake continually fall for Vienna’s manipulative ways, but they know that bringing her truth to light would only speak poorly of their own characters.

This scenario plays out too frequently in offices around the globe. One negative employee manages to dilapidate all of his fellow coworkers, but no one says anything to management because they don’t want to risk seeming “unprofessional.” Employees need to be able to trust their management team enough to come to them with problems that inhibit productivity and cohesiveness.

Managers should focus on building trust-based relationships with their employees to ensure that every issue in the work environment can be appropriately addressed. When managers interact individually with each employee, they can learn who they are working with and the types of personalities they need to manage. When employees feel comfortable with management, communication will flow and issues that arise can be resolved more effectively.

Leaders should also take into account the repercussions of reprimanding a disruptive employee too soon. Managers should first gather information discreetly from multiple sources and use sound judgment to arrive at the right conclusions. They also need to protect their sources in order to address the issue without obviously revealing who brought the situation to their attention. It takes courage for employees to openly discuss problems with their leaders, and managers need to be aware that acting too soon may paint the employee who revealed the issue in a negative light. Analyzing the best way to subtly yet firmly address the problem will help managers ensure that a solution is reached without embarrassment.

Just as Vienna will manipulate her way to Jake’s heart, some employees will attempt to use others to gain promotions. Managers don’t need to hand out roses to reassure their employees that the work environment is under control, but they do need to continually practice effective communication with employees to ensure that the workplace is productive and beneficial for everyone.

For more information about effective leadership read “Leading Views: Toxic Emotions in the Workplace” and “Building Trust and Respect.”