Scott Erker

Human Resource Executive magazine names DDI’s new online frontline leader assessment a top productTuesday, October 04, 2011October 3, 2011—Human Resource Executive® (HRE) magazine recognized Manager Ready as one of the Top HR Products of 2011.  Development Dimensions International (DDI) launched Manager Ready in early 2011 to help organizations identify and develop stronger frontline leaders.  Each year, HRE selects the top 10 new HR and training products based on criteria including innovation, ease-of-use and impact on the HR industry. "Human Resource Executive® has been evaluating HR products and conducting this competition for more than 20 years," explained David Shadovitz, editor-in-chief of Human Resource Executive®.  "Our goal has always been to identify products and services that clearly offer value to the HR community while demonstrating innovation."An online frontline leader assessment, Manager Ready combines the efficiency of a technology-driven process with insights of live assessors—leading to a realistic participant experience and in-depth insight into leadership capability and performance.  Through this real-world simulation, companies are provided with critical information on how to make decisions about an individuals’ readiness for frontline leadership roles and how they can develop in those roles to be more effective.Manager Ready provides a day-in-the-life experience of a frontline leader for individuals by using streaming audio and video capabilities. Throughout the computer-based simulation, users respond to open-ended e-mails, video voicemails, planning activities, and problem-solving exercises.“Frontline leaders are more critical today than ever. They make the day-to-day decisions that make or break the business,” Scott Erker, Senior Vice President of Selection Solutions at DDI said. “We hear more and more that they’re not ready for the job the organizations needs them to do.  Our goal, with this innovation, is to identify the gaps between what skills leaders have—and what skills they need to be successful.”One element that makes Manager Ready stand out is that questions derived from the simulation allow the users to respond open-endedly rather than choosing from a list of predetermined answers. In doing so, responses more accurately reflect how a frontline leader would react in a real life scenario.  Trained assessors extract the behavior gained from Manager Ready and measure participants for leadership readiness.“This data has some teeth, which in an organization like ours is hugely important,” said Tim Toterhi, senior director of global organizational design for Quintiles. “Part of the reason we like Manager Ready is that it gives us robust, fact-based data to help enhance the decision-making process for selecting people—either for promotions or for hiring them into the organization.”About DDIFounded in 1970, Development Dimensions International, a global human resources consulting firm, helps organizations close the gap between today’s talent capability and future talent needs. DDI’s expertise includes designing and implementing selection systems, and identifying and developing front-line to executive leadership talent. With more than 1,000 associates in 75 offices in 26 countries, the firm advises half of the Fortune 500. For more information about DDI visit http://www.ddiworld.com/aboutddi.

DDIS MANAGER READY AWARDED HR PRODUCT OF THE YEAR

Development Dimensions International (DDI) announces the launch of Manager ReadySM, an online frontline leader assessment that combines the efficiency of a technology-driven process with insights of live assessors-leading to a realistic participant experience and in-depth insight into leadership capability and performance. This real world simulation provides organizations with critical information used to make decisions about who is ready for frontline leader roles and how people can develop in those roles to be more effective.Through the use of a computer-based simulation that utilizes streaming audio and video, candidates experience a 'day-in-the-life' of a frontline leader and are given the opportunity to respond to problems and inquiries presented through open-ended emails, video voicemails, planning activities and problem-solving exercises.These various data points contribute to a high-quality diagnosis of an individual's leadership capabilities, giving companies more than 900 participant performance data points that roll up to 9 critical core leadership competencies that determine how a global leader will perform on the job."Frontline leaders are more critical today than ever. They make the day-to-day decisions that make or break the business," Scott Erker, Senior Vice President of Selection Solutions at DDI said. "We hear more and more that they're not ready for the job the organizations needs them to do. Our goal, with this innovation, is to identify the gaps between what skills leaders have-and what skills they need to be successful."Manager Ready incorporates the high-touch method of extracting real behaviors through simulations and trained assessors scoring those behaviors. In the past, this type of information would require a significant investment-Manager Ready provides high-value diagnosis at a fraction of the cost.Unlike multiple choice tests where participants choose actions from a static list, Manager Ready participants respond in open-ended formats, allowing candidates to reply exactly as they would on the job. The advantage is that it is more realistic to participants and the responses are more reflective of how they handle challenges in the real world."This data has some teeth, which in an organization like ours is hugely important," said Tim Toterhi, senior director of global organizational design for Quintiles. "Part of the reason we like Manager Ready is that it gives us robust, fact-based data to help enhance the decision-making process for selecting people-either for promotions or for hiring them into the organization."Manager Ready participants are scored on how they resolve conflicts with customers and coworkers or how they coach a direct report through a difficult situation. In turn, organizations receive insight into how the candidates perform in these tasks, and measure a participant's readiness for leadership across nine critical managerial competencies: Coaching for Success, Coaching for Improvement, Managing Relationships, Guiding Interactions, Problem Analysis, Judgment, Delegation & Empowerment, Gaining Commitment, and Planning & Organizing. These competencies were chosen based on more than 700 frontline leader job analysis studies conducted by DDI across the world as well as the millions of leaders trained and assessed by DDI over the last 40 years."Manager Ready gives organizations deeper insight into the strengths and development needs of their current and future frontline leaders, ensuring better hiring and promotion decisions and improved diagnosis for accelerating development," Erker said. "The bottom line is that organizations need to find leaders who are ready to take-on the challenges of the new economy."About DDIFounded in 1970, Development Dimensions International, a global talent management expert, works with organizations worldwide to apply best practices to hiring/promotion, leadership development, performance management and succession management. With 1,000 associates in 42 offices in 26 countries, the firm advises half of the Fortune 500. For more information about DDI visit http://www.ddiworld.com/aboutddi

DDI Announces Online Assessment System Manager Ready

The article provides information concerning on the impressions during the hiring process in the U.S. First impressions are important on both sides of the table. When organizations do not dress to impress their job candidates, they could make a costly mistake. Bad impressions during the hiring process lead to negative perceptions of the company's employment brand and could drive the best candidates away. In a highly competitive job markets, the employment brand becomes the calling card in the hiring space.