Probably the most common response we get when speaking about the use of psychometrics is “I have my psychometric”. What they mean is they have one measure, often an ipsative measure, that they apply in every circumstance.
People are complex. Each person is unique. There are myriad facets to personality, behaviour and mental responses to events. People are not one of a few types or even a colour. One measure does not explain everything.
Psychometric measurements can also be complex and technical instruments. The best are designed to look at an individual from different perspectives. All psychometrics are not the same. An ipsative measure does a completely different job to a normative measure. No one measure explains everything.
And not all measures meet acceptable levels of reliability and validity. That is another story for another time.
As professionals, our role is to assess and help clients gain the best understanding of themselves and how they respond to events. This provides a platform for development and growth. You are unlikely to get that by only looking at part of the picture.
Having only one measure in your toolbox is like a carpenter whose toolbox only contains a hammer when you want them to fix your door.
There are at least two things wrong with that:
- One size does not fit all – your toolbox is limiting. When exploring personality, we can see that there are different aspects being assessed by different reliable measures.
- Bias – “to the carpenter with a hammer, everything looks like a nail”. You run the risk of seeing everything through the framework of the measure and failing to appreciate other perspectives.
What measures do you use and why?
Click here for a useful checklist for understanding how to select psychometrics.
We have launched a simple, inexpensive training programme that guides you through what you need to know. Understanding Psychometrics for Coaches and Mentors.
