Have you ever used psychometric profiles to manage conflict? Whether we express some of form of fight or flight in how we deal with conflict, we each have our own way of handling it, according to our own way of being, and some of our ways are more constructive than others depending on various factors such as our own self-awareness, level of maturity and emotional intelligence, position and political clout in the environment, as well as the team and organizational culture, to name a few. It is time teams normalize using relevant assessment tools for team building efforts as much as they are used to support recruitment decisions. When the whole team is profiled, individual team members’ communication styles, potential triggers and conflict resolution tendencies become apparent, and it is easier to install proactive strategies to anticipate, identify and address conflicts before they escalate, fostering a more harmonious working environment.
Indeed, psychometric assessments can empower team members with an awareness and understanding of their own individual strengths and weaknesses in conflict situations, showing them how they react under pressure and what their preferred conflict resolution methods are, whether they tend to be direct, passive-aggressive, or avoidant, which helps them to objectively regulate and adapt their behavior accordingly. When the team has been profiled, it becomes possible to anticipate personality clashes and communication misalignments to the extent that targeted interventions can be identified and introduced for improved collaboration.
From a development perspective, team members are able to engage in customized or targeted training on conflict resolution techniques that align with their personality and communication style, maximizing their effectiveness in resolving disputes in a constructive and positive way.
There are many types and brands of assessments in the market so it is critical that your selection is competently guided by a suitably qualified coach so that after the tests have been administered and results interpreted, you are duly guided on how to use the information professionally for the good of the team.
