The Impact of Psychometric Assessments on Coaching Effectiveness

In recent years, coaching has become an increasingly popular approach for personal and professional development. As the demand for coaching services grows, so does the need for effective resources and tools that support the coaching process, such as assessment. Psychometric testing has gained popularity for its potential to kick-off the coaching engagement from a position of self-insight, and hence enhance coaching effectiveness. In this blog post, we will explore the impact of psychometric assessments on coaching effectiveness.

‍Understanding Psychometric Testing and Personality Styles

Psychometric assessments are tools used to measure an individual's psychological attributes, such as personality traits, cognitive abilities, aptitudes, and interests. These assessments are designed to provide objective and standardised measurements of various psychological factors.

In coaching, psychometric assessments are often used to gain insights into a client's strengths, weaknesses, preferences, and behavioural tendencies. They can help coaches and clients identify areas of potential growth, understand personality dynamics, and make more informed decisions regarding career choices, personal development, and goal setting.

Here are some common uses of psychometric assessments in coaching:

• Self-awareness: Psychometric assessments can provide clients with a deeper understanding of their own personality, values, and preferences. This self-awareness is valuable for personal growth, as it allows individuals to identify their strengths, challenges, and areas for improvement.
• Career exploration: Assessments such as interest inventories or aptitude tests can help clients gain insights into their career preferences and identify suitable occupations. Coaches can use these assessments to guide clients in exploring career options that align with their interests, skills, and values.
• Team development: Psychometric assessments can be used in team coaching to enhance collaboration and communication. Assessments like personality assessments or team dynamics questionnaires can help team members understand each other's working styles, strengths, and potential areas of conflict. Coaches can facilitate discussions and strategies to improve team dynamics based on the assessment results.
• Leadership development: Psychometric assessments can aid in leadership coaching by providing insights into a client's leadership style, strengths, and areas for growth. Assessments such as 360-degree feedback surveys or leadership assessments can help coaches and clients identify areas of improvement and create targeted development plans.
• Emotional intelligence: Some psychometric assessments focus on measuring emotional intelligence, which is a crucial aspect of effective leadership and interpersonal relationships. These assessments can help clients understand their emotional strengths and areas for improvement, allowing coaches to design strategies to enhance their emotional intelligence.

It's important to note that psychometric assessments are tools that provide information and insights, but they should not be the sole basis for decision-making. The interpretation and integration of assessment results should be done in conjunction with a coach's expertise and client's individual circumstances and goals.

Coaches typically administer psychometric assessments, interpret the results, and work collaboratively with clients to explore the implications and develop strategies for growth. By combining the insights gained from assessments with coaching conversations and interventions, coaches can support clients in their personal and professional development journey.

What Are The Most Valid Psychometric Assessments Used In Coaching?

The use of psychometric assessments can significantly impact the outcome of a coaching assignment in several ways and therefore it’s very important for coaches to work with reliable and valid tools. While there are many assessments in the market, not all have gained global benchmarks that can be confidently relied on in a variety of cultures and development settings. Here’s some of the most credible assessment tools for coaching:

• CliftonStrengths (formerly StrengthsFinder): CliftonStrengths is an assessment developed by Gallup that identifies an individual's top strengths out of a total of 34. It focuses on uncovering and leveraging an individual's natural talents. It has been extensively used in coaching and leadership development and has demonstrated reliability and validity in various studies.
• Emotional Intelligence (EI) Assessments: Several psychometric assessments measure various aspects of emotional intelligence, such as self-awareness, empathy, and relationship management. Examples include the Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQ-i) and the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT). These assessments have been validated through research and are used in coaching to develop emotional intelligence competencies.
• Hogan Personality Inventory (HPI): The HPI is a widely used personality assessment that measures normal personality traits related to work behaviour, leadership style, and interpersonal interactions. It provides insights into an individual's strengths, weaknesses, and potential challenges in the workplace. The HPI has demonstrated reliability and validity in multiple studies.
• 360-degree Feedback Surveys: These assessments gather feedback from multiple sources, such as peers, managers, and direct reports, to provide a comprehensive view of an individual's performance and behaviour. While there are various 360-degree assessments available, the specific instrument used can depend on the context and purpose of the coaching engagement. Many well-known providers offer 360-degree feedback tools with established psychometric properties.

When utilising psychometric assessments in coaching, it is essential to ensure that the chosen assessments have undergone rigorous development, validation, and reliability testing. It is recommended to work with certified professionals and consult the respective manuals and research studies for each assessment to understand their psychometric properties thoroughly.

Why Are Coaches Turning Away From MBTI?

While the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is a widely used assessment tool, it has faced criticism and debate within the coaching and psychology communities. Although I cannot provide specific citations from industry papers, I can offer an overview of the common concerns raised about the MBTI:

• Lack of scientific support: Critics argue that the MBTI lacks solid scientific evidence to support its validity and reliability. Some claim that the test does not consistently produce consistent results or demonstrate predictive power. These concerns have been raised in several academic articles and reviews.
• Limited construct validity: Some researchers argue that the underlying theories and constructs of the MBTI, such as Carl Jung's psychological types, have not been substantiated by empirical evidence. They argue that the dichotomous categories used in the MBTI oversimplify the complexity of personality.
• Questionable test-retest reliability: Critics have raised concerns about the test-retest reliability of the MBTI, suggesting that individuals often receive different results when taking the assessment at different times. This inconsistency challenges the reliability and stability of the instrument.
• Misinterpretation and stereotyping: Another concern is the potential for misinterpretation and oversimplification of the MBTI results. Some argue that people may take the assessment as definitive labels and engage in stereotyping or bias based on the assigned personality types.
• Limited practical value: Critics claim that the MBTI provides little practical value in coaching and professional development contexts. They argue that the results lack actionable insights and may not sufficiently capture the complexity of an individual's personality or behaviour.

It is worth noting that there are varying opinions on the use of the MBTI, and some professionals still find it useful in certain contexts. However, due to the aforementioned concerns, many coaches and psychologists opt for alternative assessments with stronger empirical support and psychometric properties.

How Will A Coach Use Psychometric Assessments To Kick-Off Coaching?

When debriefing a client on a psychometric assessment at the beginning of a coaching engagement, a coach typically follows a structured and client-centred approach. This includes sharing assessment insights in the context of the coachees personal goals and circumstances, focusing on strengths and delivering actionable development insights. A coach may choose to bring in an organisational psychologist to debrief the assessment and help the coach and coachee shape their initial learning goals. This allows the coach to continue building rapport and trust with the coachee, even in the face of sometimes challenging feedback. At all times, the coach should be using the assessment report to open coachee awareness, and maintain a safe space for their development.

When looking for a coach who is versed in psychometric assessment, consider BOLDLY for your needs. As a world-class coach marketplace, you can search our website for qualified coaches who use psychometric assessments and personality tests to create a modified coaching plan for your employees. If you need help finding a coach, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today.

About the Author:

Alexandra Lamb is an accomplished organisational development practitioner, with experience across APAC, North America, and MENA. With 20+ years in professional practice, conglomerates, and startups, she has collaborated with rapid-growth companies and industry innovators to develop leaders and high-performance teams. She is particularly experienced in talent strategy as a driver for business growth. Drawing from her experience in the fields of talent management, psychology, coaching, product development, and human-centred design, Alex prides herself on using commercial acumen to design talent solutions with true impact.