When you hear the word “assessment,” does it make you uneasy? Many leaders, even the most experienced, feel a bit anxious when they encounter the term. If that sounds like you, I encourage you to read on. What I’m about to share could shift your perspective on assessments, and you may soon embrace them as powerful tools in leadership and coaching.
If you’ve experienced assessments in the past with mixed results, you may be hesitant. However, personality assessments are invaluable when used correctly, especially in a coaching context. They can unlock potential and provide deep insights for both coaches and leaders. Let’s explore how assessments fit into a coach-like leadership approach and why they’re vital for fostering growth and change.
The Role of Coaching in Leadership
Coaching is often misunderstood. It’s not the same as mentoring, counseling, or training. Coaching is a formal relationship designed to draw out a person’s potential, helping them achieve their goals, identify obstacles, and hold themselves accountable. While a mentor offers wisdom based on experience, a coach is an active partner in guiding personal and professional development.
Leadership, on the other hand, is typically about vision and inspiration. Leaders guide teams, motivate action, and set direction. However, there’s often no formal agreement between a leader and a follower beyond an organizational chart. Coaching offers something deeper—helping individuals grow through a structured, supportive process.
The Coach-Like Leadership Approach
Leaders and coaches share many overlapping skills, such as effective communication, empathy, and active listening. However, not every leader naturally has a coach’s mindset. Adopting a coach-like leadership style requires developing specific abilities: intuition, patience, and the ability to foster growth and evoke awareness.
A coach-like leader encourages employees to challenge themselves and take action. This approach isn’t about telling people what to do but empowering them to create their own paths toward success. Assessments are crucial tools in this process because they provide the data and insight needed for informed coaching.
Assessments as Essential Coaching Tools
Personality assessments are widely used, but often not applied in the right way. Many tools exist, and it can be overwhelming to decide which one is appropriate for a given situation. In a coaching relationship, assessments help identify a person’s characteristics, predict behaviors, and reveal preferences, strengths, and motivations.
Used correctly, these assessments guide both the coach and the individual being coached (the coachee). They provide a foundation for growth and development, giving insight into where to focus efforts. When applied strategically, assessments are not just a tool for evaluation but a catalyst for meaningful change.
The Discovery Phase of Coaching
The coaching process often begins with a discovery phase, where trust is established and assessments are conducted. This is where the magic happens. The right assessment tool offers the coach insight into the coachee’s capabilities, strengths, and areas for development. For the coachee, the process builds self-awareness, which is crucial for setting realistic goals and tracking progress.
Assessments help create a roadmap for the coaching journey. They provide a baseline for giving feedback, planning change, and evaluating progress over time. Without these tools, coaching can feel aimless. With them, it becomes a purposeful, structured process.
Commonly Used Personality Assessment Tools
Different situations call for different tools. Here are a few commonly used assessments in coaching:
- Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI): This tool helps teams improve communication by identifying how individuals focus their attention, take in information, make decisions, and interact with the world. MBTI can enhance team dynamics by providing insights into how to best collaborate.
- CliftonStrengths (formerly StrengthsFinder): Developed by Gallup, this assessment helps people identify their top talents and develop them into strengths. It’s ideal for individuals, teams, and organizations focused on maximizing potential.
- Emotional Intelligence (EQ-I 2.0): This assessment measures emotional and social skills that influence how we perceive ourselves and others, manage stress, and navigate interpersonal relationships. Enhancing emotional intelligence is key to improving both personal and professional performance.
Other useful tools include DiSC, PXT Select, and 360-degree feedback assessments. The key is knowing which tool to use for which purpose and ensuring the chosen tool aligns with the coaching goals.
Benefits of Emotional Intelligence in Leadership
Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is one of the most impactful assessments because it addresses the emotional and social competencies that leaders often overlook. EQ affects how we interact with others, manage challenges, and make decisions. By working on emotional intelligence, leaders can improve self-perception, stress management, and interpersonal relationships—all critical for successful leadership.
Leaders who focus on emotional intelligence are better equipped to guide teams, resolve conflicts, and create positive work environments. By helping your coachees develop these skills, you set them up for long-term success.
Choosing the Right Assessment for Coaching
When selecting an assessment tool, it’s important to consider the specific needs of the individuals you are coaching and the context in which you are working. One assessment may not meet every requirement, so having a range of tools available is key. Think of it as a toolbox—each tool serves a unique purpose, and the more you understand how to use them, the more effective you’ll be as a coach.
Call to Action: Start Using Assessments in Coaching
If you’re ready to incorporate assessments into your coaching work, here’s where to start:
- Research the different types of assessments available.
- Review their specific purposes and benefits.
- Choose the tool that fits the needs of the people you’re coaching and the challenges you’re addressing.
- Try the assessments out on yourself first to gain personal insights and become familiar with the process.
As Proverbs tells us, “Wisdom is better than gold, and insight better than silver.” Assessments provide both wisdom and insight, making them indispensable tools in your coaching toolbox. Without self-awareness, it’s difficult to coach someone to their full potential.
By embracing assessments, you’ll become a more effective coach and help your coachees achieve their highest potential, both professionally and personally.
