Skills Assessment Methods

Measuring Success: How Competency-Based Assessments Can Accelerate Your Leadership If it’s you who feels stuck in your career despite putting in the effort. To help you gain measurable progress, one can use competency-based assessments to track skills development over time. 💢Why Competency-Based Assessments Matter: They provide measurable insights into where you stand, which areas you need improvement, and how to create a focused growth plan. This clarity can break through #career stagnation and ensure continuous development. 💡 Key Action Points: ⚜️Take Competency-Based Assessments: Track your skills and performance against defined standards. ⚜️Review Metrics Regularly: Ensure you’re making continuous progress in key areas. ⚜️Act on Feedback: Focus on areas that need development and take actionable steps for growth. 💢Recommended Assessments for Leadership Growth: For leaders looking to transition from Team Leader (TL) to Assistant Manager (AM) roles, here are some assessments that can help: 💥Hogan Leadership Assessment – Measures leadership potential, strengths, and areas for development. 💥Emotional Intelligence (EQ-i 2.0) – Evaluates emotional intelligence, crucial for leadership and collaboration. 💥DISC Personality Assessment – Focuses on behavior and communication styles, helping leaders understand team dynamics and improve collaboration. 💥Gallup CliftonStrengths – Identifies your top strengths and how to leverage them for leadership growth. 💥360-Degree Feedback Assessment – A holistic approach that gathers feedback from peers, managers, and subordinates to give you a well-rounded view of your leadership abilities. By using these tools, leaders can see where they excel and where they need development, providing a clear path toward promotion and career growth. Start tracking your progress with these competency-based assessments and unlock your full potential. #CompetencyAssessment #LeadershipGrowth #CareerDevelopment #LeadershipSkills

How to conduct the training need analysis (TNI) of leadership grade? Steps to Conduct Training Needs Analysis for Leadership Grade 1. Define Training Objectives Aligned with Organizational Goals: Clearly identify the business outcomes the leadership training aims to achieve, such as improving employee engagement, reducing attrition, enhancing decision-making, or driving strategic initiatives. Ensure these objectives align with overall company goals and leadership expectations. 2. Gather Relevant Data and Information: Collect quantitative and qualitative data including: Performance evaluations and leadership effectiveness scores Employee surveys and 360-degree feedback involving peers, subordinates, and supervisors Attrition rates, productivity metrics, and customer satisfaction scores linked to leadership impact Interviews and focus groups with leaders and their teams to understand challenges and skill gaps. 3. Analyze Identified Problems and Root Causes: Examine the data to pinpoint leadership challenges such as poor communication, low morale, ineffective conflict resolution, or lack of strategic thinking. Determine whether these issues stem from skill gaps, behavioral shortcomings, or organizational factors. Assess if training is the appropriate solution or if other interventions are needed alongside training. 4. Engage Stakeholders and Subject Matter Experts: Involve HR leaders, senior management, and leadership development experts to validate findings and provide insights on leadership competencies critical for success. Collaborate to develop or select a leadership competency model that reflects the organization’s values and strategic priorities. 5. Identify Skill Gaps Using Competency Frameworks: Compare current leadership skills and behaviors against the desired competencies defined in the leadership model. Use tools such as 360-degree feedback, job simulations, and formal assessments . 6. Prioritize Training Needs: Rank skill gaps based on their impact on business outcomes and prevalence among leadership. Focus on high-priority areas that will drive the most meaningful improvements in leadership effectiveness and organizational performance. 7. Define Evaluation Metrics Linked to KPIs Establish clear metrics to measure the effectiveness of the leadership training, such as: Reduction in leadership-related attrition Improvement in employee engagement scores Enhanced team productivity and customer satisfaction Connect these metrics to organizational KPIs to track the training’s impact on business results. 8. Plan and Deliver Targeted Training Interventions: Select training methods best suited for leadership development, including workshops, coaching, mentoring, action learning projects, and e-learning. 9. Monitor, Reassess, and Adjust: Continuously evaluate training outcomes through follow-up assessments, feedback, and performance reviews.

Looking for Neuropsychological tests? I've compiled a comprehensive list of neuropsychological tests, complete with the names of their founders, the specific cognitive areas they assess, and insights into the validity and reliability of each tool. Whether you're delving into cognitive function, attention, memory, or executive functioning, these tests provide crucial insights into various domains of brain health. Understanding the origins and applications of these assessments can significantly enhance your approach to neuropsychological evaluation. #Neuropsychology #CognitiveAssessment #MentalHealth #Psychology #Research #BrainHealth

Traditional cognitive tests often miss early dementia. This one doesn't. Last month, a patient's primary care doctor told her she was "fine." Looking in her chart, her Mini-Mental State Exam was 28/30. My assessment caught what was missed. Here's the cognitive assessment I use in my clinic and why it works: 1/ We test multiple cognitive domains, not just memory ↳ Processing speed (often impaired first) ↳ Executive function (planning and organization) ↳ Visual-spatial skills (navigation and perception) ↳ Language abilities (word-finding and comprehension) ↳ One domain can fail while others remain normal 2/ We use tablet-based or at-home standardized testing ↳ Eliminates administrator bias and errors ↳ Provides normative data for age and education ↳ Tracks changes over time precisely ↳ Catches subtle decline traditional tests miss ↳ Takes 10-20 minutes, comprehensive assessment 3/ We focus on functional impact, not just scores ↳ "Are you having trouble at work?" ↳ "Do you need help with finances?" ↳ "Are you avoiding complex tasks?" ↳ Real-world function matters more than test performance 4/ We combine cognitive testing with clinical judgment ↳ Patient history provides context ↳ Family observations add critical information ↳ Medical conditions can affect performance ↳ Medications can impact cognition ↳ Depression mimics dementia symptoms The difference this approach makes is substantial. While I have the luxury of more time and resources to focus on cognition. These systems can scale widely and help all providers. Early detection means: - More treatment options available - Better family planning and preparation - Maintaining independence longer - Access to clinical trials and emerging therapies But here's what most people don't know: Cognitive assessment isn't about getting a diagnosis. It's about getting a roadmap. Understanding your cognitive strengths and weaknesses helps you adapt your life accordingly. Whether that's using technology aids, modifying your environment, or simply understanding why certain tasks have become harder. The goal isn't to label. It's to help. If you're concerned about cognitive changes, don't wait for "significant impairment." Early assessment provides the most value when you can still act on the information. ⁉️ Have you or a family member had cognitive testing? What was most helpful about the process? ♻️ Repost to help others understand the value of early cognitive assessment 👉 Follow me (Reza Hosseini Ghomi, MD, MSE) for insights on cognitive health and early detection

The Learning Needs Analysis (LNA) is an established method of determining and prioritising what people need to learn, which informs the programmes, content and platforms L&D invests in. But here's the problem: We’re not in the business of collecting learning wishlists. We’re here to move the needle on performance. The traditional LNA often leads to vague inputs (“we need help with communication”) that get turned into standardised training or content. Context gets stripped away, relevance disappears, and impact becomes immeasurable. L&D’s role is not to make learning available - it’s to help people do their jobs better, adapt faster, and grow in ways that support the business. I’m afraid AI has the ‘make learning available’ role now. So what should we do instead? 3 things: 1) Start with business goals, not learning goals. - What is the organisation trying to achieve?  - What’s getting in the way?  - Where are the skills gaps or performance bottlenecks? 2) Build a prioritised pipeline Borrowing from Agile, create a dynamic backlog of real business problems - ranked by urgency, risk, and potential upside. This gives you a clear, evolving view of where L&D can make the biggest difference. 3) Introduce an open, structured intake Let stakeholders flag their challenges - but ask the right questions. What’s the performance challenge? What’s the cost of inaction? What outcome are they aiming for? This brings clarity and keeps everyone focused on impact, not activity. This approach does more than improve outcomes. It reshapes how L&D is seen - from content provider to performance partner. If we focus on solving real problems, we’ll have evidence of our impact. If we have evidence of our impact, we’ll stop being the department of training requests - and start being the team that’s relied upon to drive change. By doing what we’ve always done we’ll continue to prove only limited impact. But by being aligned, planning for impact and prioritising based on measurable value, we can do the work that truly matters - and prove that it’s worked. If you want to plan for impact rather than just learning, then my next L&D Office Hours is for you… Sign up for this month's session: https://lnkd.in/e6mdNQeg

Cognitive Deficits in Multiple Sclerosis Multiple Sclerosis (MS) can cause cognitive impairment, which varies based on damaged white matter tracts. Common deficits include: - Information Processing Speed: Difficulty processing information quickly. - Attention: Trouble focusing and maintaining attention. - Working Memory: Challenges in holding and manipulating information. - Executive Functions: Difficulties with planning, organizing, decision-making, and problem-solving. - Learning and Memory: Problems with acquiring and retaining new information. Cognitive Testing in MS To assess cognitive function, neurologists use tests like: - Symbol Digit Modalities Test (information processing speed) - Controlled Oral Word Association Test (verbal fluency) - Trail Making Test (attention, concentration, executive functions) - Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (verbal learning and memory) - Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (attention, concentration, working memory) - Stroop Color Word Test (selective attention) - Digit Span Test (working memory) - Benton Visual Retention Test (visual memory) Understanding the Link Between White Matter Damage and Cognitive Deficits - Corpus Callosum: Connects brain hemispheres; damage affects attention, concentration, and visuospatial processing. - Periventricular Hyperintensities (PVHs): Lesions around ventricles; associated with fatigue, cognitive slowing, and executive dysfunction. - Cerebral Peduncles: Connect brainstem to cerebral cortex; damage impacts motor function, coordination, and cognitive speed. - Fornix: Connects hippocampus to hypothalamus; important for memory formation. Damage leads to memory problems. Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) DTI is an MRI technique that measures water diffusion in the brain, helping identify white matter damage. This can correlate specific lesions with cognitive deficits, leading to more accurate diagnosis and targeted treatment. Additional Considerations Cognitive deficits in MS can be influenced by disease severity, medication use, and individual differences. Regular monitoring and assessment are essential for managing MS and providing appropriate support. By understanding the relationship between white matter damage and cognitive deficits, healthcare professionals can provide targeted interventions to help individuals with MS manage their symptoms and improve their quality of life. #MultipleSclerosis #MS #cognitivedeficits #whitematter #neurology #neuroscience #brainhealth #DTI #MRI #healthcare #medicalresearch

📌 Five Steps in Choosing the right statistical tools for accurate data analysis. 1. Define Your Research Question and Objectives 📍Clearly outline what you want to investigate. 📍Identify the variables involved (independent, dependent, categorical, or continuous). 2. Determine the Type of Data 📍Identify whether your data is nominal, ordinal, interval, or ratio. 📍Check if your data is qualitative or quantitative. 3. Check for Data Distribution and Assumptions 📍Determine if your data follows a normal distribution or is skewed. 📍Verify assumptions like homogeneity of variance or independence. 4. Select the Appropriate Statistical Test 📍For comparisons: t-tests, ANOVA, Chi-square (depending on data type). 📍For relationships: Correlation, Regression. 📍For non-parametric data: Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis, Spearman’s correlation. 5. Consider Software and Interpretation Needs 📍Choose a statistical tool available in SPSS, R, Excel, or Python. 📍Ensure the selected tool aligns with your expertise and the level of interpretation required.

𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐈 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐲 𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐞, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐧𝐨 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞—𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬. No onboarding plan. No job-specific learning objectives. Just “Watch and learn.” I knew that had to change. But where do you begin when there’s nothing in place? I started by assessing the situation and quickly realized a job analysis was the first step—interviewing employees, observing workflows, and gathering information to understand the role itself. But as I dug deeper, a question kept popping up: 𝐖𝐚𝐢𝐭… 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐍𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬 𝐀𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐬? 𝐎𝐫 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭? That curiosity led to a turning point. A mentor shared two invaluable tools (Thank you Dr Scott Davies): 🔁 A mixed-method approach—combining observation, interviews, and surveys. 📘 And a copy of Applied Measurement Methods in Industrial Psychology. That’s when everything clicked. ✅ A Job Analysis defines what’s required for success in a role—skills, knowledge, tools, and work conditions. ✅ A Training Needs Analysis identifies the gap between those requirements and what employees currently know or can do. You can’t close the gap if you don’t know where the goalposts are. That shift in understanding changed everything for me. It wasn’t just about developing content—it was about creating a targeted, evidence-based training program that prepares people for success, not just compliance. If you’re building training from scratch, start with the job—not the symptom. You might be surprised what clarity that brings. I’d love to hear how others have approached this—what frameworks or tools helped guide your job or training needs analysis? #WorkplaceEngineer #IOPsychology #TrainingAndDevelopment #LearningThatSticks #ManufacturingExcellence #HumanCenteredDesign

Your personality is your most valuable professional asset - and your biggest potential liability. The difference? Understanding how to leverage it effectively. Many professionals struggle to understand their strengths and weaknesses, leading to missed opportunities and stalled careers. You've probably tried self-reflection or asked for feedback, but these methods often fall short. That's where personality assessments come in. But not all assessments are created equal. ---Class A Assessments--- ▪ Used for psychiatric or mental health evaluations ▪ Highly validated and reliable for clinical use ▪ Example: MMPI (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory) ---Class B Assessments--- ▪ Trait-based assessments used in professional settings ▪ Validated for use in hiring, development, and team building ▪ Examples: Hogan Assessment, Birkman Method, Winslow Profile ---Class C Assessments--- ▪ Personal development focused ▪ Used for self-awareness and team dynamics ▪ Examples: MBTI (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator), DiSC, EQ assessments Many assessments are built on the foundation of the Big Five personality factors, also known as OCEAN: 🔸Openness to experience 🔸Conscientiousness 🔸Extraversion 🔸Agreeableness 🔸Neuroticism (or emotional stability) These five factors are considered the fundamental building blocks of personality. Understanding where you fall on each of these dimensions can provide powerful insights into your behavior, preferences, and potential career fit. Over 20 years ago, I took the Hogan Assessment. It was like someone handed me a user manual for my own brain. I discovered strengths I hadn't recognized and blind spots that were holding me back. I didn't just file it away. I reviewed it annually, using it as a roadmap for my personal and professional growth. Each year, I'd focus on leveraging a strength or addressing a weakness. The result? A more intentional and successful career path. You might be thinking, "So what?" ----Here's how you can apply this---- 1. Choose the right assessment for your needs (Highly recommend Class B) 2. Take it with an open mind 3. Review the results with a certified interpreter 4. Create an action plan based on your insights 5. Revisit and revise annually It's not about changing who you are. It's about understanding yourself better so you can make informed decisions about your career and relationships. Here's a question to ponder: If you had a clear map of your personality traits and tendencies, what would you do differently in your career? Share your thoughts below. And if you've had experiences with personality assessments, I'd love to hear about them!