How Growing Businesses Use Assessments like Kolbe, Working Genius, CliftonStrengths, and More

Why do we take assessments? What type of assessments should people and businesses use? How can you use assessments to effectively grow your business? 

In this conversation, Amy Bruske and Shannon Waller from Strategic Coach provide the answers to these pressing questions and more. They explore the different types of assessments and how they can provide insights into an individual's cognitive strengths, motivations, and natural ways of taking action. Shannon shares her favorite assessments, including Kolbe, CliftonStrengths, Print and Working Genius, and explains how they complement each other.
 
They also discuss the effective use of assessments in understanding individual strengths and building successful teams. Shannon also shares her personal insights from taking the Kolbe A™ Index, how Strategic Coach implements it effectively, and how her MO has guided her career.

If you’re thinking about using assessments to improve your business, this is a great guide for how to do that more effectively. If you’re not using assessments to grow your business, it’s a great wake up call to let you know the importance of setting your team up for success! 

Host: Amy Bruske (3583) 

Guest-at-a-Glance  

💡 Name: Shannon Waller (3295) 

💡What she does: Shannon is Entrepreneurial Team Strategist at Strategic Coach®. She is also the author of several books, including The Team Success Handbook: 12 Strategies for Highly Productive Entrepreneurial Teams. 

💡Company: Strategic Coach 

💡 Where to find them: LinkedIn 

Takeaways 

• Assessments provide a quick and accurate read on people, helping leaders make informed decisions about fit and role alignment. 
• Using multiple assessments allows for a more comprehensive understanding of an individual's strengths, motivations, and preferred ways of taking action. 
• Assessments should not be used to box people in or as a cop-out for not taking action; they should be used as tools for self-awareness and growth. 
• Understanding and leveraging one's unique ability is key to maximizing impact and fulfillment in work. Increase the amount of time spent in your unique ability to achieve life-changing results. 
• Use assessments as a resource for understanding individual strengths and building successful teams. 
• Be cautious of using assessments as the sole basis for hiring or firing decisions. 
• Certifications and consultants can provide valuable expertise in implementing assessments effectively. 

Key Quotes from Shannon 

"Assessments should not be slapping a label on you because here's the deal. You are not that result, whatever assessment you're using at all times.” 

"If you're doing just one assessment, you're only having one dimension. Human beings are incredibly complex and multidimensional."

“I think the number one value of assessments for me is to be able to get a read on people quickly. Business is moving fast. You don't have time to just hang out eight hours a day for three months with someone getting to know what makes them tick.” 

“It could take you years to figure something out about someone sometimes that an assessment can help pinpoint for you right away.” 

Chapters 

09:34 

The Importance of Using Multiple Assessments 

24:08 

Increasing Time in Unique Ability Activities 

39:33 

Focusing on Teamwork and Collaboration for Success