Psychometric instruments and legal departments

This blog has referred frequently to a variety of psychometric instruments (See my posts of April 18, 2005 and Aug. 21, 2005 on Meyers-Briggs; April 9, 2005 on Hartman-Kinsel; Sept. 22, 2006 #3 on Birkman; Jan. 1, 2006 on various instruments; Oct. 19, 2005 #1 on five others; and Oct. 21, 2005 on psychometric instruments generally.). These paper-and-pencil inquiries into a person’s ways of reacting and thinking can uncover useful insights.

Assessment tools can be used in recruitment (See my post of April 27, 2006 on their use to screen new hires.) and to improve teams (See my post of Nov. 22, 2006 on personality styles; April 12, 2006 on risk aversion and personality styles.). They have their place in career guidance (See my post of July 31, 2005 on the predictive accuracy of Ei (emotional intelligence) instruments; Feb. 7, 2006 on values assessments such as Graves; and Jan. 1, 2006 on building on personal strengths.). Gender differences can be identified and dealt with better (See my post of Dec. 5, 2005 on men-women differences on an instrument for leadership.). A law department might even apply findings from outside counsel (See my post of Feb. 6, 2007 and reference to Caliper.).

The instruments can help people become more tolerant and understand how they and others differe on cognitive styles (See my posts of Jan. 20, 2006 on cognitive style differences; and July 18, 2006 on gender/style differences.).