Psychometrics: more than a horoscope?

Episode Summary: 

In this episode of DEDx, Anna and John are joined by William McKee to discuss the relevance and validity of psychometric testing in the workplace. They explore whether psychometric testing is a DEDx, an idea worth binning, or if it has redeeming features that justify its use.

What are we talking about? 

• Overview of psychometric testing and its intended purposes.
• The distinction between psychometric tools and simple surveys.
• Where can this go wrong - the criticisms and limitations of psychometric testing

What are the challenges when using psychometrics?

• There are instances where they can be unethical - recruitment being a good example
• The system can be gamed - who’s going to answer questions accurately if they know it might impact the chances of a job?
• Commerciality can get in the way of ethics

Is there a viable alternative?

There is. The Big Five Personality Traits are a way better way to make predictions about behaviour:

• Measurement of these is the best tool available: Statistically derived and widely researched, the Big Five is considered the most reliable psychometric tool, despite limitations.
• Have application in Leadership Teams: Understanding personality traits can foster empathy and better collaboration among senior leadership.

Conclusion:

Overall, psychometric testing is not a dedX, we’re not binning it today. That said, William suggests calling for a temporary halt to current psychometric practices to eliminate subpar tools and revisit the field with a more rigorous and evidence-based approach.

John and Anna balance this by suggesting a more skeptical and objective approach, focusing on improving and accurately measuring psychometric tests.

Special thanks to William for sharing his extensive knowledge

https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-mckee/

If you have any Dedx suggestions email us at team@samsas.one with the subject line Dedx Idea.

We would love to hear them!

John: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jadm/

Anna: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-wesson-54989929/

Music credit: by Yevhen Onoychenko from Pixabay

Disclaimer: The ideas discussed in this podcast are intended for entertainment purposes only and should not be taken as serious business advice. Listeners are encouraged to do their own research and seek professional advice before implementing any of the ideas discussed.