Dear Sirs, Regards, Anna Helmich-Zgoda Cezary Radomski. tel

Transcription

1 Dear Sirs, we are business psychologists who work as trainers, coaches, consultants and personnel potential researchers. We carry out projects in different companies and we also act as subcontractors who execute orders for consulting and training firms. Relying on our psychological education based on behaviorism, cognitive psychology, psychology of emotions and motivation and social psychology combined with our broad experience in business we decided to start a school which prepares its students for independent operation of assessment and development centers (AC/DC). We have experience in personnel potential evaluation using AC/DC method, gained in financial services companies such as European Leasing Fund S.A or Santander Consumer Bank, and also manufacturing companies such as EBCC or Valvex S.A. (part of the projects were implemented in cooperation with consulting-training firms Moderator and Technische Akademie Wuppertal). This experience has been expanded by carrying out training projects preparing for AC/DC implementation in Hewlett Packard Polska and Impel Security, and also by trainings in creation of tasks useful in AC/DC processes carried out in Business Trainers School Moderator. AC/DC School curriculum includes 90 hours of classes and is carried out within 6 two-day training sessions. If you are interested in participation do not hesitate to contact us. Regards, Anna Helmich-Zgoda Cezary Radomski anna.helmichzgoda@empiriana.pl tel

2 AC/DC%School% Practical training in preparing, conducting and reporting the processes of competences evaluation with the application of Assessment Centre and Development Centre methods 1." Objectives"of"AC/DC"School"..."3" 2." Who"is"AC/DC"School"for?"..."4" 3." School s"curriculum:"range"of"our"activities"..."4" 4." What"is"the"content"of"the"workshops?"..."4" 5." What"kind"of"tasks"are"included?"..."7" 6." Trainers"conducting"AC/DC"School"workshops"..."9" 2

3 ! 1. Objectives of AC/DC School The curriculum of AC/DC School aims at preparing its participants for independent operation of assessment and development centers (Assessment Centre, Development Centre), whose level of accuracy and reliability equals the level achieved in assessment centers operating in USA and Western European countries. After completion of the school participants will be able to: operationally define the evaluated competencies prepare observable indicators for measurement of an individual skill or competence design tasks which will allow to observe indicators confirming the presence of an individual skill or competence prepare assessors (competence assessors) and persons who play roles (role players) and moderators who conduct observation session integrate assessors observations prepare detailed assessing and development reports (applies to development centers provide feedback for the personnel evaluated in the development center Moreover, we will answer all important questions asked even by experienced assessors and creators of assessment and development centers: How to select competencies indicators to make them easily observable? How to study what people actually think and not only what they express verbally? How to design tasks to make them practically applicable, fitting natural environment? How to design tasks to reduce the risk of self-presentation by persons under AC/DC evaluation, that is how to evaluate their behavior in real work environment? How to compare persons under AC/DC evaluation reliably and accurately? 3

4 How to settle assessors different opinions to make evaluation reliable and accurate? How to provide feedback to persons evaluated in DC to motivate them to development without provoking psychological resistance? 2. Who is AC/DC School for? Classes in AC/DC School are suitable for: persons who evaluate competencies of candidates and employees in companies which implemented or intend to implement AC/DC procedure for recruitment purposes and for designing their employees development business trainers, who wish to offer training programs based on reliably conducted process of trainings needs assessment with methods of high accuracy consultants and HR business partners, who strive for expanding their practical competencies and their consulting services portfolio 3. School s curriculum: range of our activities The following components of Assessment Centre and Development Centre processes will be dealt with during AC/DC school classes: Selection of indicators for measurement of competencies or skills. Designing tasks aiming at individual competencies diagnosis critical stage of the process. Preparing assessors players and a moderator who conducts evaluation. Preparing individual reports concerning assessed employees. Providing feedback for assessed participants. 4. What is the content of the workshops? Starting point of AC/DC evaluation is to prepare a list of competencies to be diagnosed and to define them. Participants are offered two options of practical activities: 4

5 application of competencies models existing in their companies as a base for preparation of AC/DC process for selected competencies / selected position application of universal competencies proposed by the School Tasks selection is crucial for accuracy and reliability of development center. Their execution allows to observe if all assessed participants shows the presence or absence of behaviors confirming the level of each individual competence. Another challenge is to conduct the workshops in a way which excludes possibility that a moderator s or a player s behavior affects assessment results. That is why predominant part of the training is taken by the selection and designing of tasks suitable for previously defined competencies and the execution of these tasks. This goal will be achieved in two ways. The first, and easier way of selection of proper tasks is to select them from the training tasks and exercises; this method can be very useful for trainers. Application of this method involves the following steps: selection of a task from available training tasks task analysis with respect to behaviors to be assessed with the help of this task and the competencies such behaviors are related to designing observation sheet task execution by the roles (assessed persons, players, assessors) integration of assessors scores and collection of data for a report task summary feedback for moderator, players and assessed person another, more ambitious method consists of task preparation from the scratch according to the following stages: selection of competencies to be assessed selection of indicators, that is behaviors which confirm presence of a competence creation of task or tasks which enable presentation of behaviors to be observed designing observation sheet task execution by the roles (assessed persons, players, assessors) integration of assessors scores and collection of data for a report task summary feedback for moderator, players and assessed person 5

6 Notice! Tasks preparation and execution will take most of the school activities. Videos prepared by trainers presenting actual DC sessions will be presented and discussed. Integration of assessors observations and preparation of reliable reports are crucial and not easy tasks. The following has to be taken into account during preparation of a report: how to integrate observations coming from different tasks and different assessors? how to present assessments justification? which data should be included and which excluded? what level of detail is recommended? Answers to these and other questions related to results reporting will allow participants to acquire skills of preparing reliable and compact reports. Professionally conducted Development Centre should be ended with a feedback session for assessed person. Participants will be able to practice such conversation and will learn ways of dealing with resistance in accepting feedback and in other difficult situations occurring during final conversations. Homework Participants will be encouraged to do some homework after each meeting. Thus, apart from developing their practical skills they will be able to prepare solutions to be used in their companies. Homework may include: mastering tasks which were designed during a session preparing ideas for new tasks to be tested and discussed during next session preparing a written report of a part of assessment conducted during a session Between the sessions the trainers will provide substantial support by . 6

7 5. What kind of tasks are included? During the workshops at school participants will learn 8 basic types of tasks which are described in the literature on the subject and also a few less common tasks based on psychological studies. Participants will prepare their own task using examples provided during workshops. Below we present basic types of tasks mostly used by accurate and reliable assessment or development centers. PROJECT TASK A project usually consists of specific tasks prepared in accordance with specific requirements. If a task is to be executed in pairs or teams the competencies to be assessed are usually cooperation within a team, taking up a leader s role. During the training we present an example of a project task as a simulation which enables the evaluation, apart from the aforementioned competencies, of analytical competencies, focus on results, ability to plan and even risk toleration. IN BASKET TASKS This is a task used for assessment of competencies related to work organization and planning. In basket exercise consists of a number of tasks such as dealing with correspondence, preparation of materials, reports, carrying out conversations, etc. The assessed person has to deal with these tasks in relatively short time usually one or two hours. Then an interview is conducted with the assessed person to analyze the task. Assessment is formed on the basis of the analysis of written materials prepared during task execution and the analysis of data obtained during the interview. SEARCHING FOR INFORMATION Task of information search can be done in two ways. It can be a written task during which participants write down questions they would ask while searching information concerning a problem, phenomenon, etc. Another method involves asking questions to a player who provides answers. In this way we check if participants are able to form questions suitable for finding a problem solution. In the first case we assess if participants can ask questions allowing them to focus on a problem or phenomenon. Information search is usually used as a task assessing competencies related to problem solving or to analytical competencies. 7

8 ROLE PLAYING These tasks are probably most commonly used in assessment and development centers. They can be applied in assessment of various competencies but they always involve communication competencies. There are three main types of such tasks: role playing with instruction for a player, role playing with instruction for a player and assessed person, role playing involving interaction of two assessed persons. PUBLIC PRESENTATION During this task a participant takes up a role of a person who wants to communicate something to other members of his group. These members are assessors or players (here the players enters into a planned discussion with the assessed person). Such tasks are usually used to assess competencies of communicating changes or hard decisions to a team. GROUP DISCUSSION This task is used to assess various competencies. Most often it is applied in assessment of team work competence, taking up leader s role, taking responsibility for a decision. Normally, a group has to discuss a problem and look for a common solution. Or it can required to agree on a common stand in a situation when there is a conflict of interests or when different solutions are supported. CASE STUDY Case study relates to real life events where a situation of a company or a group of people is presented. Such description includes information about the context of the events, progress of the situation, conditions and main problems. In assessment and development centers we usually use the simplest version of a case study, so called Incident Process, which involves presentation of an event (incident) which is then analyzed by participants. Each case includes a problem which can be solved in different ways. In order to find the best solutions participants have to create numerous suggestions which means that this task tests creative thinking. Specifying the range of possible problem solutions makes one of the aspects of a case study. Another one, equally important, is taking a decision which takes into account the context of a situation or possible consequences of a decision, which involves analytical thinking and decision taking. 8

9 DATA ANALYSIS In this type of task we use different kinds of data which has to be interpreted by participants or used for making conclusions. Here we assess skills of proper interpretation of data and creating conclusions. EXAMPLES OF OTHER, NON STANDARD METHODS: Couve Test Shalit Wheel Semantic Differential 6. Trainers conducting AC/DC School workshops Each session will be conducted by two experienced trainers and assessors: Anna Helmich-Zgoda Trainer, coach, mediator; assessor of the Assessment Center and Development Center. Psychology MA with specialization in management psychology (Wrocław University) Arts MA with specialization in classical vocalism (Academy of Music in Wrocław). Graduate of Business Trainers School and Coaching School (Moderator) School of Mediation (National Mediation Center). She specializes in Train The Trainers trainings. She conducts trainings in communication, soft aspects of management, sale and customer service, public presentations and vocal coaching, conflicts solving and negotiations with the application of mediation, and also integration workshops and tournaments (outdoor and indoor). Being an assessor and co-author of Assessment Center and Development Center sessions she assesses employees development potential and determines direction of their development. 9

10 During her career as a trainer she has worked for: Santander Consumer Bank, Getin Bank, Fortis Bank, EFL, Employer s Organization Polska Miedź, METRO Group (including Real,-), Lower Silesia District Job Center, Fund for Development of Local Democracy, Work Service, PZU, Nokia Siemens, and Wrocław universities: School of Banking, University of Economics, Academy of Physical Education. She lectures in University of Social Sciences and Humanities in Wrocław and Poznań. She runs her own training firm Empiriana. She conducts workshops in Business Trainers School Moderator. 10

11 Cezary Radomski Sociologist and psychologist specializing in business psychology. Graduate of Absolwent Business Trainers School and Coaching School Moderator in Wrocław. Trainer, manger and coach. He has prepared and managed implementation of personnel development programs in the areas of sale, negotiations, work organization, personnel management, employees conflicts solving and teams creation for various industries companies. He has conducted more than 400 trainings and coaching sessions in companies such as European Leasing Fund S.A., Telefonia Dialog S.A., Volvo Polska, KGHM, Vipharm S.A., Santander Consumer Bank, Eurobank, Cyfraplus. Since 2004 he has been one of the leaders of Business Trainers School Moderator. He also conducts workshops in classes in University of Social Sciences and Humanities in Poznań. He specializes in personnel potential assessment with the application of assessment and development centre method. 11

12 What makes us different? Perfect knowledge of reliable methodology of psychological research adapted for AC/DC assessment. Broad experience in operation of assessment and development centers, conducting trainings, coaching and consulting in HR management which allows us to design AC/DC sessions aimed at real needs of an organization, talent management and creation of effective programs of competencies development. Rich experience in application of interactive training methods and also in train the trainers trainings. Application of cognitive and motivation psychology discoveries in teaching skills and creation of tasks suitable for AC/DC. Knowledge of social, cognitive psychology and also psychology of motivation and emotion which make a base of competencies assessed in AC/DC this knowledge allows us to design suitable tasks and to select reliable indicators. " " " 12