PRISM applications

Is the candidate eligible for the role in terms of education, skill, knowledge and experience?
Is the candidate suitable for the role in terms of behavioural preference?

Experience shows that the traditional approach tends to deal with the first question effectively, but little, if any thought is given to the second question. This is a serious weakness. A candidate can be highly eligible for a role, but also totally unsuitable.

The key to successful recruitment is to identify people who are not only eligible to do the tasks that are critical for excellence, but really enjoy doing them. Within the recruitment context, successful companies clearly identify what a ‘successful’ candidate looks like and they go to the market knowing exactly what they’re looking for. This is the Job Benchmark.

By profiling the vacancy in advance of the recruitment process PRISM can help recruiters choose the words for an advert that will attract the most suitable candidates and deter those likely to be unsuitable. Applicants are asked to complete an online PRISM inventory prior to an interview so that it can be compared against the Job Benchmark. This enables the recruiter to compile accurately targeted questions for use during the interview and to highlight key areas for clarification.

To get a true job benchmark, it is important to identify and measure precisely what behavioural strengths are needed to do the job well.

PRISM helps by allowing organisations to identify the behavioural preferences that are needed to be successful in different roles. Using appropriate key performance indicators PRISM profiles the behavioural characteristics that are critical for excellence in a particular role. These can be clearly identified and a Job Benchmark created and stored online. PRISM can then be used to match potential candidates against this benchmark to identify those who are a suitable match and those that are not. [To view a Job Benchmark / Candidate match click here].

Organisations can also use this process to identify the key characteristics of their ‘star’ performers and compare them with those individuals who are less successful. The goal is to benchmark and replicate their ‘star’ performers.

PRISM quickly highlights the candidate’s preferences enabling the coach to build rapport faster. One of the key coaching requirements is to raise awareness – PRISM achieves this with unerring accuracy inspiring the candidate and reinforcing the credibility of the coach.

PRISM is an ideal tool for any coach. The system is easy to use and to administer. The results can be sent electronically around the world allowing coach and candidate access to discuss performance preferences and development tactics.

The coach can identify from the candidate’s profile where their strengths are under-utilised and where their true potential can be realised. The coach can also identify elements of a candidate’s perception of their current role which may be causing them stress, and could if prolonged affect their health or well-being.

By comparing a candidate’s profile with a variety of job benchmarks the coach will be able to discuss career advice and guidance. The coach can also provide advice on communication and leadership styles, conflict resolution and change management; all this from a single candidate input.

In a perfect world, just putting competent, motivated people together should be sufficient to ensure effective collaboration and success. In reality, people join a team and bring with them their own unique preferences, whilst necessary for diversity, this may be very different to the way others behave. Therefore it is important for each team member to learn and understand the role of behavioural preferences and how to value the differences in others.

PRISM enables organisations to create virtual teams online and match these against a team benchmark to identify potential strengths, weaknesses and areas of conflict. The impact on the team dynamic of changes to the team structure can also be demonstrated as can the potential effect of the leader’s style on the team’s performance.

PRISM enables your sales force to sell in the way that your customers prefer. It is about being flexible and responsive to whatever is needed, being proactive and anticipating the customer’s needs. Essentially, it is about treating customers as they wish to be treated. PRISM enables individuals to see graphically the strengths and potential weaknesses of their own preferred behaviour, and to develop an understanding of the impact that their behaviour may have on others with different behavioural preferences. They will be then able to use this information to adapt or modify their own style to achieve greater rapport and stronger relationships with their customers.

Gathering information from an individual’s line manager, direct reports and peer group (this could also include customers) PRISM can plot data against the candidate’s own perception of their performance. This enables individuals to gain meaningful quantitative and qualitative feedback, leading to an agreed performance development strategy. In addition to feedback on behavioural preferences, the PRISM 360° process incorporates in-house competencies, including observer comments, Emotional Intelligence ratings and ‘The Big Five’ dimensions of personality. [To view a sample 360 feedback report click here].

The PRISM Team Strengths Indicator assesses how well members achieve their business targets and the effectiveness of their internal and external relationships. Individual responses are anonymous and confidential.

The Indicator also measures how effectively the team uses its resources and the level of support team members feel they receive from each other and the organisation. Team performance is measured on 12 key criteria and can include the views of the team leader and the team’s customers. [To view extracts from the Team Strengths Indicator click here]

Each activity is rated from ‘Poor Performance’ to ‘High Performance’ providing a team profile that can be used as the basis for on-going development work.