Getting It More Right, More of the Time: Applying effective assessment to creating
vision and developing strategies.
Creating a vision and developing the strategies for implementation is a process
that relies on intelligence. Intelligence is important for individuals and vital
for organisations. Intelligence means having the ability to comprehend, to be informed
and to choose. Knowledge may be essential and experience valuable but it is the
use of intelligence that distinguishes effective decision makers.
Intelligence is a dynamic quality that seeks out and makes sense of changing circumstances.
There is more to this than the sort of intelligence referred to in I.Q tests. It
is not just being intelligent that matters, but gaining and using intelligence in
the way which effective leaders do. This means being able to make assessments of
worth and value, and the key to this is being able to trust the information given. Think
of all the judgements that are made, recorded and used as factual information in
an organisation. Are they credible? To what extent can they be trusted? Many executives
understand that it is not data, but measurement that matters. That's fine when data
are objective and things can be counted. The difficulties start when it comes to
things that can't be measured or calculated easily. Qualities like: inter-personal
skills, leadership, adaptability, enthusiasm and confidence are essential to successful
performance but they are difficult to measure and report on. One result is that
they are missed out and things that are less important, but easier to deal with,
are used instead. Sometimes opinions about such things become substitutes for data,
measurement and judgement. Treating opinions in this way is not only a dangerous
thing to do, it also undermines the integrity of the data on which decisions are
based.
Integrity, credibility and authenticity of information are keys to good intelligence
and effective thinking. That is why vision, leadership and the implementation of
strategies depend upon reliable and trustworthy assessments. Because business leaders
know that management information systems are only as good as the information supplied,
they need to know how dependable it is. Understanding what is really happening means
being able to assess the quality and relevance of the intelligence available. Information,
knowledge and experience are not substitutes for dependable assessments. Good intelligence
goes hand in hand with reliable assessment; put simply this means getting it more
right, more of the time.
So what can be done to improve the dependability of information? The first step
is to treat it as intelligence and the second is to assess it. This means getting
back to the source of the information and checking it. Ask the question, is it fact
or opinion? Is it backed up by evidence and credible data? Are there too many measurements?
How consistent are the judgements being made? Can they be compared with other judgements
about similar things? A useful definition of assessment is: to estimate and determine
by observing, evaluating and sitting alongside. Assessment is not the same as measurement;
it needs knowledge and experience. Things are rarely simply 'right' or 'wrong',
pass or fail. This is particularly true when it comes to judgements about the performance
of people. We live in a world where capability is the key and innovation essential.
Common sense tells us that the performance of people is what makes the difference
between success and failure. Assessing performance is difficult and the more complex
the performance, the more difficult assessment becomes. In the end, quality depends
on interpretations and judgements; in other words, assessment is only as good as
the assessor. Take for example a situation when an appraisal system is being used,
the criteria have been shared but questions remain about how the local manager is
interpreting them. The results are perceptions of unfairness and a lack of trust.
If the appraisal is linked to prospects for pay and rewards, problems are inevitable.
Or, what about a claim that the trainer is a grumpy person who seems to fail everyone?
Is this really the case? It might be true, but it is equally possible that there
are other factors at work as well. Finding out what might be happening when assessments
are being made is essential. Being able to trust the information provided is even
more important. Remember, the system is only as good as the information it is given.
The benefits of effective assessment are:
- Comparable and consistent judgements;
- Better information, dependable measurements and informed decisions.
This is achieved by:
- Recording specific information, so that the reasons why something has been decided
can be seen and inspected.
- Monitoring the performance of each person involved in the process, so that the quality
of their judgements may be compared with others.
Getting it more right - more of the time, means improving the quality of the intelligence
an organisation relies on. Creating vision and implementing strategy requires clear
thinking, the ability to listen, to communicate and to trust - not just the measurements
but the judgements that are being made by all of the people involved in delivering
tangible results. Assessment of performance, of information and of people is a key
part of this.
Make a start on ensuring effective assessment by adopting the For x 4 PLAN. This
means probing the why and how of an assessment by considering, in turn, if the purpose,
limitation, application and necessity of this assessment is functional, observable
and repeatable. Like a 4 x 4 all terrain vehicle the For x 4 PLAN is something that can go almost
anywhere. So start by asking your people the question "Are our assessments:
For - Functional - Observable - Repeatable?
Then ask them to think about and check the following :
P urpose
L imitations
A pplication
N ecessity
Get this right and, like a 4 x 4 all terrain vehicle, you will have assessments
capable of taking you almost anywhere you need to go. More importantly you will
have a good chance of getting what you do more right, more of the time.