As a manager who has both, taken this company's leadership evaluation, and read the results, I…read morewould not use this assessment tool in my own hiring process under any circumstances (and especially not for middle-management or higher). It seems to be a hodge-podge of myopic, either-or scenarios (whereas real life doesn't work that way), pushed through a pop-psychology algorithm, producing random results. And I know that it's not that I might be unhappy with any negative aspects of my personal results, because their "positive" results were just as incorrect.
For example: multiple questions addressed reporting workplace theft. Would you report it, if witnessed? More accurately, 1 to 5, how likely are you to report it? Well, as a manager, with no one to report it to, but myself, this clearly doesn't speak to me, or a wide set of test takers. But, let's roll with it, since we're not given a N/A choice. Absent from that narrow band of answers provided is any nuance, possibility of intervention, misunderstanding, clarification, teaching moments, etc. A good manager and employee uses discretionary skills. Answering this test the way they want forces one to become less than their potential, and forces fake dichotomies. And make no mistake, they will penalize you for choosing a middle of the road, protest/common sense answer.
Secondly, after the management section (the quality of which is represented above), one moves on to the surprise IQ test. They didn't call it that, but I've taken professionally administered IQ tests before, and this has many of the same elements. You don't expect it. You don't know if it's actually being timed (and evaluated based on timing). And you never consented to being evaluated in that way. You were told it was just a management evaluation. To be honest, it felt like a violation of trust. Decide to stop the test at this point, 40 min in? Lose the job opportunity.
Finally, there's the crappy illustrations. 'Match the pattern' tests can be fun. What's not fun is leaning in and squinting, because the symbols are tiny, smudged or imperfectly drawn. Then hoping the differences are indeed intentional.
Overall, a terrible experience with highly questionable results. I have taken several of these, and talked extensively with testing administrators, and this one was, by far, the bottom of the barrel. I have quite enjoyed such tests in the past, and often found their results to be enlightening. I refuse to lie on these, and tell them exactly what they want to hear (I feel it sets one up for mutual disappointment at a resulting job); however, if that doesn't bother you, I suggest you do what you need to in order to "pass". It's not like it's hard to see what they are looking for. "No, I wouldn't download a car".
Just be sure you don't state that work-life balance is important to you. They will spit out "_____does not have a high work drive. He sometimes needs to step up his work intensity and invest more time and energy into his job, especially during highly demanding situations." That's pretty rich, considering I work one of the most stressful, high-demand jobs out there, put in many hours, work through most lunches, and come home exhausted (sometimes after 14 hour days). Great work, Resource Associates, Inc. You pegged me.
