CDR Assessment Group usestraits, drivers and risks toreveal clients’ hidden talents

Nancy Parsons doesn’t read stars, gaze into crystal balls or consult with voices from beyond.Without benefit of smoke and mirrors, she and business partner Kimberly Brinkmeyer, Ph.D. possess a knack for seeing into a company’s future and determining where potential roadblocks lay.

Their company,Tulsa, Okla.-based CDR Assessment Group, provides a broad but pointed spectrum of human resource development services and products to identify the traits, risks and motivations of executives and other employees and assure that the right people are in the right places.It’s particularly helpful considering the current economic uncertainty. Evaluation of a company’s leadership, and then acting on that information, can mean the difference between success and failure.The accuracy of the evaluation is critical, however, and Parsons warns that, while lots of firms offer assessments, most do not go far enough.

THE DIFFERENCE IS IN THE DETAILS
Most assessment firms employ a “360”feedback tool intended to provide a look at the external view of “how” performance is observed. The problem with that, said Parsons:“This only tells part of the story.We go further by revealing the ‘whys’ or the root causes of behavior.”Among many jewels in the company crown is the CDR 3-Dimensional Assessment Suite®, a measure of character, risks and drivers.

The Suite’s proprietary instruments were designed to provide specific and forthright results.“We measure leadership characteristics and provide information to leverage strengths and neutralize risks,” she explained.“We reveal inherent leadership derailers,but we also find talents that may have gone unnoticed and unused.”Parsons describes the CDR 3-D Suite as the “Swiss army knife of the assessment world” because it facilitates and strengthens coaching, developmental planning,staffing decisions, succession planning, team building, incentives and risk analysis.What’s more, only one test is needed.The 3-D Suite isn’t the only product offered by CDR.

The Leadership Coaching Workshop trains coaches to help their clients understand why performance behaviors manifest in the ways they do.The 360 Leader Scan is a leadership performance and development instrument that contains 80 items, 10 core competency areas and includes statistical and narrative input. In addition, CDR provides online tools, certification for coaches, workshops around the country and customized development programs that are flexible and adaptable.

THE RIGHT FIT
“We don’t waste precious time on superficial feedback that misses critical traits or that sugar-coats valuable takeaways,” assured Parsons, adding that a confidential feedback session always accompanies the assessments. “Most people will shine given the right circumstances.This process gives insights that empower an individual to become the best leader and contributor possible.”

“Our tools fast-forward development initiatives by specifically pinpointing the individual traits that define performance strengths, talent, gaps, risks, and motivation,”Parsons continued.“The results are straight forward,hard hitting and accurate.”She noted one company that sought to increase the size of its IT department. “I advised them to look in-house,” she recalled.“See if there are employees who may possess the necessary inherent characteristics to be trained in a boot camp approach to take on IT roles. Through our assessments, we were able to quickly identify those whose traits suited IT work.This was a huge success that tapped into hidden talent and rewarded those already loyal to the company.”

THE ROAR OF THE CROWD
CDR has been collecting accolades for its role in evolving company leadership.As an experiment, a writer for The Wall Street Journal took three assessments, one of which was by CDR Assessment Group. He wrote that two of the tests portrayed someone he did not even recognize, while CDR gave him a realistic depiction of his abilities.“We were the only one that provided an accurate reading on his leadership potential,”Parsons said.“The other two told him,‘you have a high capacity to lead others’ and ‘you are well-suited to a management job.’

Interestingly, as he reported, hescored at only the sixth percentile in Leadership Energy on our assessment—whichwas quite contrary to the results portrayed by the other assessment firms.” Manyfirms do not measure leadership energy and other key attributes, in their promotionalprocess.The accuracy and effectiveness of CDR’s products and services have drawn awho’s who of clients, including Lehman Brothers,The Department of Defense,Janssen Pharmaceutica, Sunoco Logistics and Illinois State University. Not tomention foreign companies that use the CDR 3-D Suite now that it comes infive languages.Parsons said she is thankful for the many clients who have referred CDRAssessment Group to other companies.“We are growing steadily,” she said, “and Ithink it’s because we are doing things in a revolutionary way.”