This is a very interesting and relevant question given the reliance that many organizations place in psychological assessments, usually in the form of personality assessments. Opinions vary widely on the effectiveness of such assessments. My personal opinion is that the effectiveness of psychological assessment in candidate screenings is almost exclusively dependent on the assessment itself, the manner in which the assessment is incorporated into the evaluation process, and the competency of the assessors.

The use of psychological assessments to determine “fit” is a well established field. Only assessments that have published peer reviewed psychometric properties indicating acceptable reliability and validity should be used. Typically, reliability and validity scores should be greater than .65 to be considered acceptable, but this range may vary depending on application. Assessments that have not been peer reviewed or do not have sound psychometric properties do not accurately measure the qualities intended, and are likely to produce erroneous or misleading results.

The other aspect that must be considered is the purpose of the assessment. What is being measured? What is the intent or baseline against which the results will be compared? If there is a clear baseline for comparison, e.g. scores > x on a scale measuring pro-activity for instance, then the purpose of the assessment is clear. Before employing psychological assessments, organizations must understand “why” they are employing them.

The assessor must be trained and qualified to give and evaluate the psychological assessment. Results on these assessments can be confusing or misleading to those without appropriate training. Unqualified assessors may result in misinterpretation of the results, leading to the loss of good candidates, or hiring of unsuitable candidates.

The psychological assessment should be used within the context of an overall assessment process. While psychometrically sound assessments provide accurate analysis of individual characteristics, they do not provide context. Making hiring decisions based solely on the results of a psychological assessment is usually not wise. These results should be measured against interview results, historical information, references, etc.

It is possible that individuals may “trick” a test, but the higher the reliability and validity measures for the test, the less likely it is that the test will be fooled. The most likely outcome of someone trying to fool a psychometrically sound assessment is that anomalies in the measures will show and the assessor should flag them for further investigation. Although it is possible that a candidate may attempt to “game” his or her results, the possibility of him succeeding can be greatly reduced by:

1. Using only assessments that have peer reviewed validity and reliability of > .65.
2. Ensuring the assessor is adequately trained and certified to give, score and interpret the results of the assessment.
3. Where anomalies in the results are present, ensure that they are investigated and considered within the overall hiring process.

Following these three guidelines for using psychological tests in employment assessments will greatly increase the potential for a successful hiring process.

Improve project performance through effective procurement activities.

For many projects procured goods and services account for 60% or more of project expense. Effective procurement management for these projects is often the difference between project success and failure. This course is designed to equip project professionals, or supply chain/procurement professionals, with the skills and knowledge necessary to effectively identify, select and manage suppliers in a project environment.

Prerequisites:
Attendees should have a basic understanding of project management, supply chain management, or purchasing activities.

What you will gain from this course:
•The knowledge and skills necessary to apply procurement and contract management processes in a project environment.
•Understanding of the supplier identification and selection processes.
•Fundamentals of contract management.
•Ability to develop and execute project sourcing strategies

Who should attend this course:
•Project managers, procurement managers, contract managers, or others who are involved with sourcing and procurement of goods and services for projects.

Course agenda:
The procurement process
•Sourcing and procurement fundamentals
•Special considerations for procuring in a project environment
•Procurement and contract terminology
•Basics of procurement strategy
•Primary activities of project procurement.

Procurement planning
•Developing the project procurement plan
•Integration of project scope and procurement strategy
•Procurement’s role in the project team
•Supplier identification
•Contract types

Sourcing for projects
•Sourcing strategies
•Integration of procurement strategy and project sourcing
•Evaluating supplier proposals

Contract negotiation and administration
•Contract negotiation strategies
•Elements of a contract
•Contract performance measures
•Contract closure

Optimize your supply network through applying the best category strategies.

Developing and managing effective supply networks is key to organizational success. The most successful companies no longer rely exclusively on traditional competitive bidding to procure their strategic materials. Today’s purchasing managers must possess an understanding of how their purchasing decisions impact the organization, and be able to think strategically to support the organization’s long term goals. The development of appropriate supply strategies is critical to the proper design of the supply network and support of the corporate strategy. By employing strategic thinking in sourcing activities and supply network design, purchasing managers are able to gain stakeholder support for their activities and add maximum value to their organization.

Prerequisites:
An understanding of the procurement process and basic sourcing principles.

What you will gain from this course:
•Analyze the supply chain and develop appropriate supply strategies for your organization’s supply categories.
•Identify and develop the appropriate types of relationships to foster with your suppliers.
•Understand the different sourcing methods, including e-sourcing, competitive tendering, sole sourcing, single sourcing, multi-stage bidding, and others.
•An appreciation of the value and limitations of early supplier involvement, open book pricing, long term agreements, risk and revenue sharing arrangements.

Who should attend this course:
•Purchasing, category and commodity managers involved in development of sourcing strategies.
•Professionals from all functional areas such as engineering, marketing, project management, purchasing, operations and others who are involved in strategic sourcing initiatives.
•Managers from all functions who interface with the purchasing and are involved with managing strategic suppliers.

Course agenda:
•Strategic sourcing process – An overview of the strategic sourcing process and context.
•Strategic sourcing initiation – Assessing the current structure and performance of the supply network.
•Supply chain analysis – Assessment of the supply network using various tools to analyze current and forecasted needs.
•Strategy creation – Interpreting data and structuring the supply network to deliver maximum value. Identifying and developing appropriate category strategies.
•Strategy implementation – Assessing risks and opportunities in strategy implementation. Identifying and selecting appropriate tools for sourcing within categories. Apply the most effective means of selecting and managing suppliers.

Eliminate unwanted surprises and stop fighting fires.

Risk management is about identifying potential risks and opportunities, estimating their potential impacts, and planning on how to manage them. Many professionals feel at the mercy of unwanted surprises and constant firefighting. Although uncertainty exists in all business endeavors. However, with proper risk management, risks and opportunities can be identified, evaluated, planned for and controlled.

Prerequisites:
None.

What you will gain from this course:
•Understanding of the basics of risk identification, assessment and planning.
•Ability to adapt basic risk management processes on the project, departmental and enterprise levels.
•Knowledge of the process of leading risk assessment and planning sessions.
•Understanding of how to apply risk management processes to decision making.

Who should attend this course:
•Professionals who are involved in assessing and planning for risks, such as supply chain or procurement professionals, project managers, project team members, or general managers.

Course agenda:
Fundamentals
•Definition of risk
•Risk management process
•Characterization of risk
•Common causes of project or strategy failure

Planning for risk
•Risk contexts: projects, organizations, enterprise, strategy
•Risk management planning process
•Conducting the risk review

Identifying and assessing risk
•Risk identification process
•Common sources of risk
•Quantitative and qualitative risk assessment

Responding to risk
•Risk response planning process
•Mitigating risk
•Contingency planning

Monitoring and controlling risk
•Risk monitoring process
•The risk plan
•Creating, maintaining and employing the risk register

Learn basic project management concepts and how to deliver projects on time and within budget.

Successful project management adds great value to any organization. The ability to plan, execute and control projects facilitates the achievement of departmental and organizational goals. However, all too often highly effective people are given responsibilities of leading project teams without the benefit of formal project management training. This course is the solution, providing such individuals with the basics required to improve the success of projects undertaken in any functional area, such as procurement, marketing, process improvement, new product introduction, event planning, and others.

As with all Trident course offerings, the Project Management Fundamentals course supports the core concepts of managing projects with real life examples and practical exercises.

What you will gain from this course:
•An understanding of the definitions and fundamental project management processes.
•How to establish a project charter and initial project plan.
•How to conduct basic project risk assessments and mitigation plans.
•Essentials of project scope, cost and schedule control.

Who should attend this course:
•New project managers, or members of project teams.
•Individuals involved in New Product Introduction.
•Members of process improvement teams.
•Technical managers and engineers engaged in project activities or transitioning into project leadership roles.
•Any individuals who interface with project teams or who would benefit from a better understanding of fundamental project management principles.

Course agenda:
What is a project
•Definition of a project
•Benefits of project management
•Project lifecycle
•The project team
•Stakeholders

The role of the project manager
•Attributes of the successful project manager
•Leadership styles
•Communication

The beginnings of a project
•Planning
•Estimating and forecasting
•Monitoring and reporting
•Identifying project risks

Project control
•Scope
•Cost
•Schedule

Gain control of your project progress to deliver results.

How do you know when a project isn’t performing to plan? Earned Value Analysis is a method of measuring true progress of projects by comparing cost and work performed against the project plan. In simple terms the use of earned value in project management tells you whether you are ahead of or behind schedule, and whether you have spent more or less than budgeted on the work already performed. Thus, the earned value management system facilitates project control, enabling you to measure, forecast and take appropriate actions to deliver your projects on time and within budgets.

Prerequisites:
Attendees should have fundamental knowledge of project planning and processes.

What you will gain from this course:•An understanding of the earned value concepts, and how to apply them to your projects to maintain maximum control.
•Calculate earned value measures.
•Integrate earned value into your project management systems.
•Using earned value to identify project risks.

Who should attend this course:•Program or project managers and team members who are involved in managing and measure project progress and risk.

Course agenda:
Introduction and the basics of EVA
•Why use earned value
•Summary of the earned value concept
•Key definitions

Planning to use earned value management
•Requirements for successful implementation
•Establishing project baselines
•Data collection and management methods

EVA calculations
•Cost and schedule variances
•Cost and schedule variance indexes
•Forecasting results
•Project estimating

Practical applications of EVA
•Integrating EVA with risk management
•Worked examples of EVA applications
•In class practical exercise

As an example, a project manager may have a budget of $500k to spend on his or her project for the first quarter of the year. At the quarterly management meeting, the project manager reports that he or she has spent $490k, or just under the budget. At first glance this appears to be good news as the project is under budget. However, the missing piece of this information is whether the project is on time, or has completed the forecasted work for that quarter.

Figure 1.Traditional Cost Management. Note that according to this graph the project is under budget. Good news?

This is where earned value can make a difference. Earned value measures three dimensions of data to associate project expenditures with project progress. These dimensions provide a complete status, including:

• Planned value of the work that has been scheduled
• The actual value of the work that has been accomplished
• The actual costs incurred in accomplishing the work that has been scheduled

Comparing the traditional cost management approach with the earned value approach for the example above reveals how different the results may be between these two measures. The earned value approach tells a different story than the traditional cost management approach, as it takes into account the budgeted value of the work planned, as well as the actual value of the work that has been completed, in addition to the costs incurred. If the project is behind schedule, for instance, it may also be over budget even though only $490k of the budgeted $500k has been spent. This may be the case if individual work packages cost more than has been budgeted. In other words, the project may still be over budget because the $490k that has been spent has not achieved the work that the money was budgeted for.

Figure 2. Comparison of Traditional Cost Management v. Earned Value. Note the different story told when actual earned value is graphed against budgeted and actual costs. Earned value takes into account the amount and value of work actually accomplished during the time period measured.

By calculating the cost of the work actually performed, the expected cost of the work that was performed, and the actual value of the work performed, project managers have the means of linking schedule and cost performance. Traditional cost management techniques may be in many cases easier to implement, but they do not tell the full story of project progress as measured against project budgets. Earned value represents a more complete method of measuring project performance, as well as a means of predicting future performance based on progress to date, making it well worth the additional effort that may be required for its implementation.

“There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so” – Shakespeare, Hamlet

Robert Dilts is a foremost developer, practitioner and trainer of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP). The notion that language represents our mental experiences is fundamental to the science of NLP. In his book, Sleight of Mouth, Mr. Dilts explores the impact of language on our everyday experience, guiding the reader to make the best use of language to shape his or her own experience, as well as to influence the behaviors and thoughts of others. The cornerstone of this ability is recognizing that each of us has our own world view, or internal maps, which are developed through our use of language and sensory representational systems that categorize or evaluate our life experiences. In other words, our realities are defined by “neuro-linguistic” maps that are built over the course of our lifetimes. These maps determine how we react to and interpret the world around us. They not only represent our current reality, but also shape our future realities.

Learning how to properly shape language to change our own perceptions of reality, and those of others, is a powerful skill. We see leaders in all areas of expertise do so on a regular basis. Indeed, the skill of creating an inspiring vision that is so fundamental to leadership is a prime example of how language may be employed to shape the realities of those around us. In his book, Mr. Dilts cites many such compelling examples, and provides the reader with some specific methods of using language to shape our own realities, as well as the realities of those around us.

Some of the more compelling, and obvious, methods discussed are reframing, chunking, recognition of patterns in language that give us insight into the maps of ourselves and others, methods of understanding the role language plays in the creation of value systems, and many others.

One of the more fundamental, and powerful, constructs Mr. Dilts discusses is the concept of frames. Frames are cognitive or linguistic structures that provide context to our realities. An example of such as structure is the classic “the glass is half full” or “the glass is half empty” view of the amount of water in a glass. By reframing the context or content of any situation we alter the way we think about and react to that situation. If we describe the glass as being half empty, that will most likely lead to a series of thoughts and reactions that are quite different than thinking of the glass as half full. The way we view, and express in language, the water level represents our own neuro-linguistic map of the world. The simple act of reframing a situation can fundamentally alter the way we, or our teams, view and react to the situation. In other words, reframing a situation’s context or content changes the meaning we attach to that situation. Many may view this as “spinning” a situation. While reframing and spinning are similar in construct, it is important to realize that reframing is not about creating a “false” or “artificial” reality. It is about fundamentally changing reality for ourselves and those around us.

So why is this relevant to project management, supply chain management, business integration, or leadership? The answer is simple, all of these activities, as with all business endeavors, requires the ability to influence employees, seniors and peers through the use of language. Influencing skills are vital to your success as a business professional, whether you are an individual contributor, team leader, manager, director, VP or C-level employee. Understanding how to use language to influence those around you is a vital skill.

I highly recommend Sleight of Mouth to those who are interested in developing advanced influencing skills. This book is not about techniques for manipulating the behavior of others, but about understanding the constructs that influence our perceptions of reality and how to alter them to achieve great things. It’s applicable not only to leading others, but also to understanding and developing our own maps of the world and to better ourselves.

Frame agreements are commonly used in project-based procurement, where high degrees of collaboration are required in the design, procurement and manufacture (or construction in some cases) of major deliverables. For instance, frame agreements are common in the Oil & Gas, Industrial Power Generation, Heavy Construction, Aerospace and other industries involved in the development and procurement of technologically advanced systems.

The intent of a frame agreement is to increase collaboration between customers and suppliers. Such collaboration benefits all parties involved in several ways.

For the customer, frame agreements:

• Reduce life cycle costs through collaborative designs.
• Reduce delivery times through standardized processes.
• Facilitates standardization of products, documentation, processes, spare parts, services, etc.)
• Encourages technology development through risk and revenue sharing.
• Improves quality.

For suppliers, frame agreements:

• Reduce marketing & sales lead times; e.g. for quotation, negotiation, contracting, etc.
• Reduce costs associated with marketing & sales processes.
• Reduce expediting, documentation, and order handling costs.
• Standardizes working processes.
• Assists in technology development through risk & revenue sharing.
• Potential for process improvements and cost reduction through improved collaboration with customers.
• Facilitates regular performance measurement and feedback.

Despite these benefits, and potentially many others not mentioned above, implementing frame agreements in many organizations can be challenging.

Some typical hurdles that must be overcome are:

• Use of collaborative agreements such as frame agreements may represent a large cultural or process change.
• Quantifying the potential value of frame agreements prior to use can be challenging.
• Individuals may feel threatened by the changes in working methods or culture represented by the use of collaborative agreements.
• Issues of trust - employing frame agreements may require a leap of faith where traditional procurement methods have been employed.
• Gaining buy in from potential frame agreement partners may require significant efforts as the strategies of the parties involved may differ.

The value of properly designed and executed frame agreements has been demonstrated in many industries. However, as with any collaborative agreement, there are serious challenges to employing such agreements in many organizations. The transition towards collaboration in major project procurement is necessary for gaining technological and commercial competitive advantage. Indeed, aligning supply networks through the use of collaborative agreements in support of advancing technological and commercial competitive advantage makes sense not only for major project procurement, but also for repetitive manufacture.

What do you think? Do you have examples of collaborative agreement successes?

Whether you are an experienced leader taking over a new team, or a high performer moving into your first leadership position, taking over a new leadership role is challenging. As a leader taking over a new team, your first goal should be to gain personal credibility with your team and your leadership. Bear in mind that as a new leader your earliest actions will have the most impact on how you are perceived by your leaders and your team for the duration of your tenure. Thus, it is important that you have a well thought out plan for approaching your new leadership challenge. Although there is no “secret sauce” that will ensure you successfully build credibility in a short period of time, there are some characteristics that appear to influence how new leaders are perceived. New leaders are perceived as more credible when they:

Are demanding but not unreasonable. New leaders must establish their authority early on and set challenging, but achievable, goals. Leaders who are demanding and hold their teams accountable for high levels of performance earn the respect of their teams, peers and managers.

They communicate an inspiring vision to the team. As a leader it is not enough to simply be demanding. Leaders must inspire their teams to work hard to achieve demanding goals. The best leaders are capable of creating and communicating a vision that provides the inspiration to achieve results beyond the ordinary. This vision becomes the “why” that the team focuses on when things get tough, long hours are needed, and sacrifices are required to achieve the goals.

Are seen as willing to take rational risks, but are not reckless. Every new leadership opportunity involves taking risks. Indeed, every leadership opportunity involves taking risks. Leaders who are overly risk averse may be seen as lacking courage to do what is necessary to succeed, while leaders who take irrational risks are likely to gain the reputation as being reckless, or poor decision makers. Good leaders assess risks and weigh potential rewards against potential consequences, and take rational risks.

Are focused on achievable goals, but flexible in how they are achieved. Good leaders are masters at managing chaos. Stepping into a new leadership role is often chaotic as leadership transitions involve significant change, both for the new leader and for the organization. Thus it is important for the new leader to quickly identify key issues and provide focus on their resolution. It is equally important that the new leader align values very quickly to focus the team’s behaviors. Chaos in today’s leadership arena is unlikely to ever disappear, but good leaders do not let chaos rule over the team’s actions.

Are approachable to not too familiar. As a new leader you will be a bit of a mystery to your new team. At best the team will most likely have had a cursory introduction to you through an organizational announcement giving a brief history of your accomplishments. At times the team will have received no information about you whatsoever. In either case, it is important that you realize that there will likely be a bit of uneasiness amongst team members at getting a new leader. As a new leader you represent uncertainty and change. You must be approachable so that your team may get to know you, your values, your vision and your personal style. The team must be able to communicate their concerns and ideas, and be comfortable in approaching you. However, you must also avoid becoming too familiar with team members so as not to compromise your authority.

Are willing to make tough calls, but keep the team’s (and individual team members’) well being in mind. Being a leader by definition means having to make tough decisions. Accountability for your team’s performance rests with you. As such you must hold your team accountable for their performance. This means enforcing behavioral and performance standards, making tough operational decisions, and taking rational risks. In doing so, good leaders also retain their humanity and take into consideration the impact their decisions have on the team and individual team members. In order to gain and retain your team’s respect and loyalty, you must also show the team that you respect and are loyal to them, even when making those tough decisions.

Are able to secure early wins that make an immediate impact on the team’s performance. As a new leader you must demonstrate your competence and worthiness. While it is unlikely that your actions will make a significant impact on the team’s measureable performance within the first couple of weeks, you should still seek to identify early wins that will bolster your credibility in the short term. Often times these early wins may be related to fixing critical behavioral issues, focusing on obvious process changes, or tackling problems where the solution is already known but has not had real focus. As a new leader you should seek to identify two or three key problems and focus attention on making substantial, and tangible, gains towards resolving them. These key wins will go a long way to earning the credibility you will need to drive larger, more substantial, programs over the long term.

Gaining personal credibility when stepping into a new leadership role is a challenge that typically takes weeks, not days. However, by identifying opportunities for and securing early wins, demonstrating competence and traits that team members will want to emulate, you should be able to gain the credibility that will set you, and your team, up for success within 3-4 weeks.

Share some of your experiences with taking on new leadership roles in our comments section.