It is often difficult for us to “see” our own flaws or needed changes. We are too familiar with the face in the mirror. We need some kind of feedback system to help us discover both our strengths and weaknesses. There is an abundance of assessment tools available to you. The first step is determining what you want to assess and why.
John Agno in his Coach to Coach newsletter wrote this about using assessment tools: “Coaches use three types of personal assessments. Diagnostic self-assessment is a well established tool for helping individuals accept the need to change. Many coaches use some type of personal assessment; either a "who am I? (inside-out)" (which allows the individual to look inward to see how he/she projects outward)...or...a "how others see me(outside-in)" (where people who work with the person provide structured and anonymous input about the person's behavior of the job to him/her)...or...a "how I relate to others (outside-out)" (which is a self-administered assessment that describes and profiles one's network of relationships).
Diagnostic self-evaluation supports a key premise of social learning theory--that feedback is a necessary component for learning new behaviors (Bandura, 1977). Diagnostic self-assessments help with self-awareness and with understanding differences among people, both preconditions for effective interpersonal skill development and for the ability to adapt communications to the needs of others.”
So, if you are asking “who am I?” many of the self-administered assessment will get you moving in the right direction. These assessments ask us for our self-perception in a given area and then, based on our responses, offers a summary perspective on how we tend to view ourselves. There are some valuable assessment tools available on the internet, many for free. Some are introductory and expanded assessments are at a cost (see side bar).
There are many other “who am I?” assessments which must be “delivered” in person - from the Meyers Briggs profile to the Personal Profile (Inscape Publishing), as well as assessments in the areas of time management, diversity, team building, listening skills and transitions (how you handle
change). These more thorough and detailed assessments also offer insights to the “how I relate to others” category. Many career counselors and coaches use these profiles to assist their clients in self-determination of potential areas for growth and development.
If you are asking “how do others see me?” then the 360 degree assessments are a good tool. They involve first our self-perception and then others who work with us answer the same questions and their responses are compared to ours for similarities and discrepancies in perceptions. This expands the information and truly helps us to understand how others see us and where we may need growth. These assessments are usually coordinated by a consultant or coach who assists all involved in utilizing and integrating the information.
If you are willing to take a risk to find out how others see you, you can do the following as a more informal 360 degree assessment.
A caring peer can be very helpful to assist you in seeing what you cannot see about yourself. A fellow professional speaker was once kind enough to tell me (20 years ago) that when I was speaking I would constantly be pushing up my glasses, which were slipping down my nose! While I knew at
some level I was doing it, was I ever surprised when told it was an average of once per minute! I immediately made an appointment to get contact lenses and ditched the glasses.
Sometimes people around us would like to give us feedback, yet are afraid of hurting our feelings, being rude or alienating us. By giving them permission to tell you what they see, you open the door to improvement on many levels.
Just be sure to welcome the feedback (even if it stings a little). Take it in, use what fits and discard the rest. Appreciate the risk that another person has taken to speak their observations and perceptions.
Personally, I have the perspective that there is an element of truth in all feedback I receive. Sometimes it is 1 percent, sometimes 100 percent. I trust that there is a reason that I have received this information and look for the best way to use it or integrate it as appropriate. Try out that perspective with all of the feedback you receive in your assessment journey and you are sure to improve your presentation and your potential.