My experience with assessments has been somewhat limited yet in looking back I realize I have had some good experience.
As an embedded leadership coach our team created an online survey for our managers that included both qualitative questions that were both multiple choice and text entry. We used the information to both share with executive leadership as well as help us better focus our work. One of my team mates was good with statistical data and did the number crunching. I focused on the qualitative data.
In my current role we (team of 3) recently created a survey (4 weeks ago) that went to 1000 manufacturing employees, only 76 responded, yet the data is invaluable. I was also grateful that I asked people their roles and if they had participated in the specific program which helped us better understand the results. We are still working on this project.
At my work place of 5 years we do a long form and then a short form engagement survey on opposing years. The years of the long form the teams create action plans. Three years ago based upon our managers results I lead the efforts of our coaching team. It was intense.
In deciding what assessment I would use for my homework, I spent some time reading through options that were listed in our homework assignment. I chose a simple short version because I know that the teams I work with would provide resistance. They did show openness to try it and resistance through the comments they made, ending with OK, for YOU I’ll do this.
This past week I did the Minnesota Job Satisfaction Survey. It’s the first survey I’ve done that is by hand. It was interesting to hear the feedback from individuals when I asked for their support. Multiple people were not comfortable so I made the decision to take off the name box so that they would be anonymous. I did it with two small groups, both groups talked making comments as they began, and I asked them to please focus on their own survey and that it isn’t a “contest” rather this assessment would help me learn. One group wanted me to share results with them, the other wasn’t interested.
When reading through the assessment information and going online, I have struggled to fully understand how to properly read the data and make meaning. The 125 page document was confusing and included job categories with standard deviations and norms that don’t relate to my workplace. I am good with general business math, well at least the kind of math I need to do my job, and am not familiar with this type of statistical data analysis. I found that I simply wanted to make up what I believe it means so I could get my school assignment done one time. In reality, I have not fully completed the analysis for this reason and still find myself getting paralyzed with not knowing what to do next the “right way”.