I wanted to talk to you about something that is within your power as a leader (unlike lockdowns).
Something you can use to effect change in your team. And that’s self-assessment tools.
What’s your take on them? Have you used them with your team?
There are many out there, like Myers Brigss, DiSC, or the Team Management Profile—which is the one I use with my clients and inside Lead and Influence.
I like using the Team Management Profile because it covers more than personal preferences and working and communications styles. It links back to how work needs to happen for things to go well.
But what I love most about self-assessment tools is the ripple effect of spending time working out these things. Learning about ourselves and each other.
Using one says…
- You don’t expect anyone to work in one particular way
- Everyone is welcome no matter what their work preferences
- You care about what works for them
- You care about building a self-aware, empathetic team
…and that’s a pretty motivating message, wouldn’t you agree?
For you as a leader, it can be an excellent way to frame conversations, to find out what’s working and what’s not.
And if I can add just one word of advice about using self-assessment tools, that would be to pick one and stick with it consistently. Return to it in conversation, at your annual or biannual team gatherings, and create a shared understanding around it.
You’ll start seeing the benefits.