using assessment center methods for talent selection in a ... · objective of presentation ......
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Using Assessment Center Methods for Talent Selection
in a Public Safety & Security Setting
Eunice Tan,
Senior Psychologist
Home Team Behavioural Sciences Centre,
Ministry of Home Affairs, Singapore
Team Members • Dr. Majeed Khader, Director HTBSC
• Mr. Jansen Ang, Mentor HTBSC
• Ms. Diong Siew Maan, Deputy Director HTBSC
• Ms. Whistine Chai, Psychologist
• Ms. Jane Quek, Psychologist
• Ms. Pamela Patrick, Psychologist
• Ms. Cherie Goh, Psychologist
• Ms. Melissa Yeo, Psychologist
• Ms. Birentha Dhevi, Psychologist
• Mr. Mohamad Hisham Jakariah, Project Coordinator
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Caveat
The views expressed in this paper are the authors’ only and do not represent directly or imply any official policy position or view of the Home Team Academy or Ministry of Home Affairs, Singapore.
No material may be reproduced or stored electronically or in print without written permission from the Home Team Behavioural Sciences Centre.
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Home Team Behavioural Sciences Centre, MHA, Singapore
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Objective of Presentation
To share how assessment center methods were used to select high potentials in the public and security sector of Singapore and the insights gained from this experience
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Scope
1. A Brief Background to the Home Team Behavioural Sciences Centre
2. Using AC Methods for Talent Selection in the Singapore Ministry of Home Affairs: Sharing of a 1st Experience
3. Key Learning & Insights
4. Future Directions
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PART 1: A BRIEF BACKGROUND TO THE HOME TEAM BEHAVIOURAL SCIENCES CENTRE
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What we do at the Home Team Behavioural Sciences Centre
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Crime, Investigation and Forensic Psychology Branch
Operations and Leadership Psychology Branch
Resilience, Safety and Security Psychology Branch
Detection of Deception Investigative
Interviewing Threat Assessment Behavioural Profiling
Crisis Leadership Command Leadership Talent Assessment,
Selection and Development
Psychological Readiness for Ground Ops through Electronic Focus Groups
National, Organisational and Individual Resilience
Terrorism Psychology Risk Assessment of
Online Violent Extremists
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Primarily research, training and operational support to the Ministry in the areas of leadership, crime, safety and security.
Our Ethos towards Talent Selection
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• Need to invest and groom next levels of leadership
Talent should be developed
• First job and within first few postings where possible
• Through project testing, stretch assignments
Talent should be identified at an early stage of career
• Psychometric Battery
• Personality
• Cognitive Ability
• Leadership Derailers
• Simulation Exercises
• Multi-source Feedback (e.g. 3600 Feedback)
Talent is evaluated through various measures
What Guided this Ethos
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Our Ethos towards Talent
Selection
Latest Research and Thinking in Talent Selection
Organizational Culture within
Operating Terrain
Top & Senior Management’s
Beliefs
Best Practices from
Counterparts
Examples: • 7 Attributes of HiPos – Silzer & Church (2009) • Leadership Potential Factors
– Kaisen Consulting Ltd
• General talent selection practices across Singapore Civil Service
• Through consultations, interviews and discussions with top and senior management
• Community of Practices, Consultations with counterparts – other Ministries and government agencies
PART 2: USING AC METHODS FOR TALENT SELECTION IN THE SINGAPORE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS: SHARING OF A 1ST EXPERIENCE
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The “Home Team” in Singapore: What it Encompasses
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Police Force
Emergency & Fire Service
Prison Service
Immigration & Checkpoints
Authority
Narcotics Bureau
Crime
EMS & Fire
Rehabilitation
Border Security
Drugs
The Operating Landscape of the Home Team:
Why We Need to Identify & Groom Talent
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Home Team’s Purview:
• Law & Order
• Counter-terrorism
• Civil Defence & Emergency
Preparedness
• Immigration & Checkpoints Security
• Prisons Management and
Rehabilitation of Ex-offenders
• Anti-drug Enforcement
• Gambling & Casino Regulation
• Trafficking in Persons
• Community Engagement
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Identifying Talent in the “Home Team”: A Criticality and Challenge
• Across fire service, police, immigrations, narcotics, prisons
Cross-postings among agencies common and expected
• Joint ops deployment a common feature
Interoperability of work across agencies
• Posted to at least another department in career
Key appointment holders need to have cross-functionality
The Home Team Aspire, Challenge, Excel (A.C.E.) Leadership Programme:
Our Model of Talent Selection and Development • A selection and development framework
• For public safety & security officers who have been nominated for a talent management programme
• Candidates are from fire, police, immigration, prisons, narcotics departments
• Reflects three ideal qualities possessed by HiPos • Aspire, Challenge and Excel
Components a. Psychometric Test Battery
b. 1-Day Assessment Centre
c. Leadership Readiness Paper
d. Developmental Feedback Session
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Assessment & Selection Process
15 RESULTS OF SELECTION PROCESS
DEVELOPMENTAL FEEDBACK SESSION
INTERVIEW BOARD CHAIRED BY CHIEF OF MINISTRY
PSYCHOMETRIC TEST SESSION & ASSESSMENT CENTRE
NOMINATION OF CANDIDATES
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Decision Support
Aids
a. Psychometric Test Battery
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• Psychometric tests ranging from cognitive to personality tests
• Benefits of combining personality assessments with behavioural observations
Adds to the robustness of assessment
Allows for possible data divergence to be noted
Personality traits are shown to be relatively
enduring and stable
Allows for a more holistic picture of candidates
a. Psychometric Test Battery
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Critical Thinking Inventory
Leadership Derailers Inventory
Coping Styles
Inventory
Personality Inventory
Measures critically
thinking and reasoning skills
Assesses leadership
tendencies and potential derailers
Measures stress-coping
responses
Measure of personality
based on the 5-factor model
Timed test No time restrictions
• Purpose
• Emplacement onto talent development programme
• Assessors • Existing HiPos at least 2 ranks above candidates – Deputy Commissioners, Commanders,
Directors, Senior Directors
• Data Sources
• Simulations
• Group Discussion Exercise
• Role-play Exercise Crisis Management Exercise
• Data integration of all inputs on competencies and overall rating
b. 1-day Assessment Centre
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Overall Process
Welcome Exercise
1 Exercise
2 Exercise
3 OAR
• Studied and observed ACs of counterparts
• Police AC, Public Service Division
• Community of Practice Sessions with other govt agencies
• Consultations with existing leaders
• Deputy Commissioners, Commanders, Directors, Senior Directors
• 2 AC Pilot Sessions conducted
• With psychologists and researchers
• Current HiPos with senior psychologists as assessors
Development of the AC
b. 1-day Assessment Centre
Objective: To add rigour and ensure fairness of AC exercises
Adapting from the Civil Service-wide ‘AIM’ Competency Model
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• Sense of Perspective
• Analysis & Judgement Analytical & Intellectual Capacity
• Influencing & Inspiring
• Developing Capability in Others
• Collaboration & Engagement
Influence & Collaboration
• Achieving Results
• Commitment & Accountability Motivation for Excellence H
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Construct Attributes Assessed
Cognitive abilities
• Conceptual, strategic thinking • Intellect, cognitive ability
Personality abilities
• Interpersonal skills, sociability • Maturity, stability, resilience
Learning variables
• Adaptability, flexibility • Openness to feedback • Learning agility
Leadership skills
• Developing others • Influencing, inspiring, change management
Motivation variables
• Drive, energy, engagement • Aspiration, drive for advancement
Performance record
• Performance track record • Leadership experiences
Other variables
• Technical/ functional skills • Business knowledge • Cultural fit
Attributes of High Potentials (Barnett, 2008; CLC, 2005; Hay, 2006; Hay, 2008 ; Hewitt, 2008; Hogan, 2009; McCall, 1998; Peterson & Erdahl, 2007; Rogers & Smith,2007; Slan & Hausdorf, 2004; Silzer & Church, 2009)
Attributes of High Potentials
6 Quotients
Learning Agility
Intelligence
Technical / Operational
Motivational
Experience
People
Eichinger, R.W., & Lombardo, M.M (2004).
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Competencies Assessed in the AC
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• Sense of Perspective & Crisis Readiness
• Analysis & Judgement
Analytical & Intellectual Capacity
• Influencing & Inspiring
• Developing Capability in Others
• Collaboration & Engagement
Influence & Collaboration
• Achieving Results
• Commitment & Accountability Motivation for Excellence
• Agility and Adaptability
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(Barnett, 2008; Rogers & Smith,2007; Slan & Hausdorf, 2004; Silzer & Church, 2009)
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Equivalence to U.S. Homeland Security Department
(simplified version)
Director/Dy Director roles at the Headquarters
AC Exercises
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Exercises are pegged to Director / Deputy Director level of a department
• Presented with a public safety & security scenario
• Candidates are to interact with each other as a group and brainstorm on recommendations
• To assess candidates’ interpersonal and intrapersonal effectiveness in group setting
Group Discussion
Exercise
• Comprises a crisis scenario in which the candidate will have to respond to a series of stressful injects
• A comprehensive exercise that taps on strategic thinking
• To assess candidates’ ability to react to crises with high stakes & uncertainty
Crisis Management
Exercise
• To assess candidate’s:
• Interpersonal and intrapersonal effectiveness in 1-to-1 setting
• Ability in managing an unmotivated subordinate who may potentially be an insider threat
• Flexibility and management of new information and adaptability to reformulate his/her plans
Role Play Exercise
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c. Leadership Readiness Essay
Objective: Tap into motivation to be selected and groomed as a HiPo
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a) What kind of leader do you aspire to be and how does being selected into the talent program help you develop these qualities you have listed?
b) What are some factors that indicate you are
ready to be emplaced on the talent program?
d. Developmental Feedback Session
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• 1-to-1 feedback session between assessor and candidate • Same pairing as assessor report-writing for candidate
• Up to 1 hour session
• Developmental Feedback Guide to facilitate session • Discussion questions specific to competency
Objectives: • Help candidates gain insight into their areas of strength & areas
for improvement • Based on AC performance
• Discuss future development plans for these competencies • Short-term and long-term plans
• ‘Start doing’, ‘Continue doing’, ‘Stop doing’
Assessment & Selection Process
28 RESULTS OF SELECTION PROCESS (End Aug)
DEVELOPMENTAL FEEDBACK SESSION (Aug)
INTERVIEW BOARD CHAIRED BY CHIEF OF MINISTRY (July)
PSYCHOMETRIC TEST SESSION & ASSESSMENT CENTRE (May)
NOMINATION OF CANDIDATES
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Decision Support
Aids
PART 3: KEY LEARNING & INSIGHTS
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Key Learning & Insights
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• Different jobs and roles require different qualities/competencies
Know What You are Looking For
• Not to just use a specialist model of potential
• Not to attribute too much to the results of any one measure
• Think about incremental validity – a combination of intelligence and personality tests can predict success with a total validity of between 0.55 and 0.65
Supplement Performance Evaluations with Other Measures
• Multiple AC methods were used – psychometrics, simulation exercises, Leadership Readiness Essay
• How best can we integrate this data?
• How can we simplify the ‘sense-making’ for decision makers?
Improve Use of AC Data
Key Learning & Insights
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• Explore more technological alternatives for AC administration
Enhance AC Processes
• Develop them as champions of leadership development
• Build growing pool of leaders who are well-versed in assessment
• A continuum of leadership development activities for them (e.g. coaching, mentoring)
Look into Development of Assessors
PART 4: FUTURE DIRECTIONS
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Future Directions • Exploring Technological Solutions to ACM
• Computer-based exercises
• Webcam role-plays
• E-forms, use of apps and gadgets for exercises
• AC Validation
• (Predictive validity) AC performance as predictor of future job performance
• (Construct validity) Exercises as measures of different competencies
• Further Research
• Examine Personality and AC Performance
• Influence of personality on the exercises/ competencies
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