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WE thaNk thE fOllOWiNg distributOrs fOr allOWiNg us tO publish thEir articlEs:• HoganAssessments for the article: Bad Managers• CPP for the article written by RJ Devine: Developing Great Leaders: A Measured Approach• Psychometrics Canada for their article: Increase Engagement• OPP for their article: I am not an Alien• Peter Berry Consulting for their article: Entrepreneurial CEO’s• StrengthsPartnership for their article: Times are Hard • EASIConsult for their article: Return on investment using the MCQ iNfOrmatiON Was alsO prOvidEd by thE fOllOWiNg thE staff mEmbErs:• Dr Jopie de Beer • Dr Grant Freedman• Dr Nicola Taylor • Kathy Knott• Fatima Bhabha • Gareth Hallett• Casper van Zyl • Paul Vorster• Angelique da Silva • Sandra Case• Leigh Wallace • Judy Bush• Hofmeyr de Beer • Jani Wiggett• Gawie de Beer aNd lastly, WE WOuld likE tO thaNk thE fOllOWiNg pEOplE: Dr Karina de Bruin for her editingMorne Stander for layout and graphic design

Bad Managers

Developing Great Leaders: A Measured Approach

Six Traits of a Great Leader

Growing Our Tribe: Bringing Psychometrics to Africa

Being Socially Responsible

All Eyes on Research

They Grow Up so Fast: The SA Assessment Family

Safety Requires a Person-Approach

I’m not a Robot, I’m just a Senior Executive

When Times are Hard, don’t Tread Softly - Stretch Your Strengths

Conflict in the Workplace: Is there a Solution?

Turning the Maths Tide

The Histories Project

Increase Engagement by Getting to Know People

Sport, Biofeedback and the Olympics

A Return on Investment Study: MCQTM

The Psychology of Immigration in the New Century

Integrity Testing: The Work-Related Integrity Scale (WRISc)

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capE tOWN +27 21 913 0541

www.psychologyafrica.comfOllOW us ON tWittEr: @jvrafrica

jOhaNNEsburg+27 11 781 3705/6/7

jopie van rooyen & partners sa (pty) ltd

bEthlEhEm+27 83 447 7315

ith its rich mineral resources, wildlife and natural beauty Africa is a unique and facinating

continent. The real magic of Africa however lies in its people!

The name of our magazine, Ukwanda, is a Xhosa word for ‘growth’. As psychologists we

support the growth of individuals, teams, organisations and communities by sharing knowledge, developing interventions and doing rigorous research. This magazine provides you with a selection of information sourced from all over the world to illustrate how a knowledge partnership without boundaries can help the field of Psychology and the people it serves, to prosper and grow. this premiere edition of ukwanda showcases jopie van rooyen and partners and jvr consulting psychologists’ perspectives: Jopie van Rooyen and Partners as psychological test providers in Africa selected a range of articles from our international business partners for your interest. Topics covered include leadership, management,entrepreneurial thinking, engagement, emotional investment and biofeedback. South African perspectives on safety and integrity, work done in Africa, the project on the History of Psychology and numerous research studies and initiatives are also included. JvR Consulting Psychologists share with you their philosophy and methodology regarding assessments, facilitating skills development, or planning and implementing psychological interventions. We hope you find their views of Consulting Psychology in the workplace interesting and informative.

Enjoy the read!

jOpiE & graNt

tWO

ow leaders view themselves is largely their own theory about their performance – a theory that is rarely tested or evaluated, and sometimes shockingly out of touch with reality.

What leaders’ bosses think of their performance is consequential; what their staff think is also consequential, but little heard and, according to the data, often out of synch with the bosses’ view. Organisations need to align these two perspectives in order to improve bad leadership, which is more prevalent than realised. The Vietnam War provides a drastic example of the problem with bad leadership: between 1969 and 1971, 730 American officers were killed by their own troops,1 a practice known as fragging, after the fragmentation grenades that were rolled under the officers’ bunks. In addition to the known fragging events, there were 1,400 officer deaths from unresolved causes, as well as an unrecorded number of assaults and injuries. Unpopular officers were seen as too aggressive, incompetent, or too self-promoting, and therefore likely to endanger the lives of their troops. Some officer killers were probably disturbed; nonetheless, the evidence suggests that the fragging was intended to remove leaders who seemed likely to get their men killed. In a world where bad leadership can have fatal consequences, a pre-emptive strike for the sake of self-preservation makes Darwinian sense. Although dramatic, the percentage of Army leaders who met their maker through fragging is small. The base rate for bad leadership in business and government, however, is astonishingly high. In an excellent summary of the evidence,2 Robert and Joyce Hogan and Rob Kaiser present a compelling argument showing that at least 50% (and perhaps as many as 75%) of all managers derail or significantly underperform.

thE rEputatiONs Of bad lEadErs Reputation – how other people regard you – is reflected by 360° surveys, which involve having staff anonymously rate their leaders using a standardised framework. When aggregated, this information provides a picture of strengths and weaknesses of each individual manager. We used our database of 360° survey results, comprising more than 6,000 evaluations of over 1,200 New Zealand leaders from business and government, to understand what poorly rated managers do in the everyday world of work. These results produced a startling snapshot.

fOur bEhaviOurs distiNguish bad lEadErs frOm avEragE Or WEll rEgardEd lEadErs:1. They are bad at managing their emotional and social

behaviour. Compared to better managers, they don’t take feedback or adjust their behaviour to fit their audience or situation.

2. Bad managers lack integrity. They avoid personal accountability and don’t meet their commitments. They are seen as dishonest in their dealings with others and their behaviour is inconsistent with organisational values.

3. They are bad at making performance-related staffing decisions. They don’t make their standards and expectations

clear, and they don’t hold their staff accountable for their performance.

4. They make minimal efforts to develop or grow their staff. They don’t discuss development needs with their staff, nor do they stretch or encourage them. Staff who work for bad leaders feel ignored.

It is instructive to view this set of poor behaviours against a model of leader development. Hogan and Warrenfeltz3 highlighted four major domains of leadership capability: managing oneself, managing relations with others, leadership skill (vision and team development), and professional or technical skills. These domains form a natural developmental sequence, with the later skills depending on the appropriate development of the earlier skills. They also form a hierarchy of trainability, in which the earlier abilities are harder to train and the later ones are easier to train. Against this model, the four hallmarks of bad leaders emerge in the self management and relationship domains, which are essential precursors to the execution of effective leadership skills and are also hard to train. Bad leaders lack the underpinnings to be effective. They are underweight in their moral development and lack the skill to develop effective relationships with their subordinates.

Put simply, bad leaders lack character.

bad lEadErs arE cOstlyIf Hogan, Hogan, and Kaiser are even partly right about the high base rate of incompetent managers in modern organisations, and if bad managers harm business results, then this is a major concern. And it turns out there is ample evidence that bad leaders are costly in terms of the bottom line, staff morale, and productivity. Consider the following example. Bad leaders are profligate in the way they treat talent. Reports of employee engagement suggest that, around the globe, workplace morale is flat-lining or declining.4 This is a problem because staff engagement shows a clear relationship with productivity, retention, extra effort, and profits. Research we conducted for the NZ Army revealed leadership to be the prime contributor to staff staying or leaving; as a result, Army leaders began a top-to-bottom review of leadership behaviour and development.5 The evidence suggests that bad managers are dangerous to health: leadership skill is tied to the psychological state of employees, ill-health (e.g. cardiovascular disease), accidents, and well-being.6 Numerous surveys of employee engagement report that the most stressful aspect of work is the relationship with one’s immediate manager.7 One study showed that scores on a measure of transformational leadership are correlated with employee sick-leave.8

Bad leaders are also costly in two more ways. A global study of management practice9 revealed strong and consistent links between the sustained performance of firms and the caliber of their management practices, including the effectiveness of people management. Moving management skill from the 25th percentile to the 75th percentile is equivalent to increasing capital 77% or increasing labor

BY davE WiNsbOrOugh & rObErt hOgaN, HOGAN ASSESSMENTS

arE yOu ONE?

thrEE

July 2012

inputs by 44%. Good management impacts productivity the same as adding nearly half as many staff. In a detailed examination of the NZ manufacturing sector,10 the authors point out the opportunity cost of poor leadership: poorly run firms struggle to attract good talent, further weakening their performance. Overall, NZ manufacturers languish well below the best countries and at the tail end of the middling ones.

hOW dOEs pOOr lEadErship pErsist? How do leaders known to their staff as incompetent remain, or worse, get promoted? An obvious explanation for the persistence of bad leaders is that bosses and followers disagree about what constitutes good leadership, but bosses get the final say. That is, what gets a manager promoted is not the same as what followers regard as good leadership. In the US military, the disjuncture in evaluations of officers’ competence between the officers’ superiors and their subordinates resulted in death and disfigurement. In the corporate world it can result in bonuses and a key to the executive loo. In 2009, we tested the idea that managers and staff hold different views about leader competence. We examined the 360° ratings of 240 mid midlevel managers in a NZ insurance agency.11 We looked first for overlap in the managers’ and the staff’s lists of the highest- and lowest-rated managers. Table 1 shows that to our surprise there was almost no agreement between staff and executive lists. Staff and bosses agreed on only 1 in 5 poorly performing managers; worse, there was only just over 1 in 10 agreement on who the top performers were.

When we looked at the behaviours each group used to form its judgments of top performers, we found the basis for the disagreement. Staff prefer leaders who build teams, support development, create and drive vision, and effectively manage their emotions and interactions with others. Bosses, on the other hand, prefer leaders who are resilient, manage themselves well, and build relationships (achieving results was ranked 6th out of 12 for both groups).

What OrgaNisatiONs caN dO tO rEducE bad lEadErshipOur own experience in working with large, well-run organisations like IBM, Exxon-Mobil, Fletcher Building, Shell, Maersk, and the NZ Army reveal the problem of how to deal with bad managers. Those identified as having leadership talent are carefully selected, and provided with basic leadership training very early in their careers. Along with formal courses, they are moved into positions of significant responsibility and autonomy. Senior leaders are required to evaluate them carefully and coaching programs are provided to smooth out poor practice and spiky personalities. Above all they are regularly provided with lots of feedback; development and training never stops. There are five simple remedies for bad leadership:1. Establish a sound definition basis for good leadership2. Provide regular and consistent training in good practice3. Provide managers with feedback on their performance against that

standard4. Provide supportive but firm coaching and development to ensure

continuous improvement5. Remove managers who are unable to change

Of course knowing what to do and following through are not the same: after all, most people know that eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, exercising regularly, and moderating their alcohol intake are recipes for health, yet many eat badly, smoke and are slothful and indulgent. Discipline and persistence are the hallmarks of effectiveness.

It is self-evident that staff and managers should have a shared understanding of what competence looks like at all levels of an organisation. Staff do not prefer weak leaders who let them get away with slacking: on the contrary, engagement surveys from around the world show that employees want tougher management of poor performing colleagues.12 Leadership frameworks like those in place at the NZ Army provide clear and direct descriptions of good leadership at all levels in the organisation. Backed with strong management processes like goal setting, performance tracking, regular appraisal or continuous improvement methods, these tools ensure a sound, shared understanding of what leaders should do; to lead is, after all, an active verb. Business and government organisations could take a leaf from the playbooks of top sports teams. Players are constantly subjected to analysis and feedback, and encouraged to become expert at observing and diagnosing their own strengths and weaknesses. In professional environments, this occurs day in and day out – and then the on-field performance is further dissected, analyzed and commented on. Players are expected to adopt and implement these insights. Sending an individual on a course simply because it is available is not a recipe for development. On the other hand, matching training and experience on the basis of a sound appraisal of strengths and weaknesses is the best contributor to leadership growth.13 Integrating development and feedback is key to ensuring that managers understand what they need to do to improve. From an annual or semi-annual ritual even more attention should be paid to leadership improvement. Formal and informal appraisal, combined with well-designed and -run 360° tools provides strategic self-insight. Adding other tools, like personality profiling or development centers, can further enhance peoples’ understanding of their strengths and weaknesses. Finally, organisations need to close the loop between providing feedback and checking that development has occurred. Too often, providing feedback is seen as the end of the road. Ticking the box on feedback is only the beginning of the development journey. Using tools like Goalkeeper, an innovative web-based app that ties action to insight, ensures that bosses and managers work together to change bad habits and improve leadership performance.

Your staff deserves nothing less.

rEfErENcEs1 Lepre, G. (2011) Fragging: why U.S. soldiers assaulted their officers in Vietnam, College Station, Texas Tech University Press.

2 Hogan, R., Hogan, J. & Kaiser, R. (2010) Management derailment: personality and mitigation. In Zedeck, S (ed) American Psychological Association Handbook of Industrial and Organizational Psychology. APA Press

3 Robert Hogan Rodney Warrenfeltz. Educating the modern manager. Academy of Management Learning and Education, 2003, Vol. 2, No. 1, 74-84.

4 www.aon.com/.../Trends_Global_Employee_Engagement_Final.pdf

5 Winsborough, D., Morris, M & Hughes, M. Preventative weapons in the war for talent; engaging on the fence employees. Selection & Development Review, Vol. 24, No. 2, 2008

6 Kuoppala, J., Lamminpaa, A., Liira, J., & Vainio, H. (2008). Leadership, job well-being, and health effects: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 60(8), 904-915.

7 Hogan, J., Hogan, R. & Kaiser. R.) Management derailment; personality assessment and mitigation. In Zedeck, S. (Editor). (2010) American Psychological Association Handbook of Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

8 Kelloway, E. Kevin and Barling, Julian(2010) Leadership development as an intervention in occupational health psychology, work & stress, 24: 3, 260-279

9 Bloom, N. & Van Reenen, J. (2007) Measuring and explaining management practices across firms and countries. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 122, (4), pp1351-1408

10 Green, R. & Agarwal, R. (2011) Management matters in New Zealand: how does manufacturing measure up. Ministry of Economic Development Occasional Paper 11/03.

11 Winsborough, D. (2010) What followers want: ancient lessons for modern leaders. Paper presented to the 27th Annual Conference of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, San Diego.

12 See for example http://www.fedview.opm.gov/2011/

13 Handfield-jones, H. (2000). How executives grow, McKinsey Quarterly, 1, 117-123

tablE 1: pErcENtagE OvErlap bEtWEEN bOss aNd fOllOWEr tOp aNd bOttOm ratEd maNagErs

staff tOp 20th pErcENtilE

staff bOttOm 20th pErcENtilE

Managers top 20th percentile 12.2% 0%

Managers bottom 20th percentile 4.8% 19.5%

fOur

dEvElOpiNg grEat lEadErs: a mEasurEd apprOachOriginal source: CPP website. Abbreviated article produced with CPP’s permission. For the full article visit https://www.cpp.com/contents/whitepapers.aspx

BY rObErt j. dEviNE ORGANISATIONAL DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT, R. J. DEVINE AND ASSOCIATES

very year countless businesses that appear to have all the right stuff—great vision and the operational capabilities to implement it—fail. Why? the answer is simple: they fail because they don’t

have good leaders.

Great leaders maintain competitive pre-eminence and help companies capitalise on the opportunities the future will bring. Their responsibilities in today’s business environment seem daunting. They must create vision and direction, organise operations so that the vision is profitably

attainable, inspire and retain their workforces, and develop tomorrow’s leaders. The full cost of a leadership void at the senior level can’t be ignored: reduced productivity, added training costs, lost knowledge and sales — plus the cost of replacement, an estimated 150% of an employee’s compensation package — can dramatically affect any company’s bottom line. Creating and maintaining good leadership can and should become a measurable, operational process, just like reporting profit and loss every quarter.

July 2012

phasE dEscriptiON

What? - the assessment phase Collect information, both explicit and implicit, and consider these data as a series of proposals about strength and style. Numerous assessments and products provide objective and valid information regarding this first phase.

sO What? - considering what the assessment reveals

Interpret, compare, and understand what the data are telling you; clarify the implications of the data in the light of business and career goals and objectives. Identify each proposal as favourable or unfavourable.

NOW What? - learning the skill Individual managers and leaders, working with an objective and knowledgeable “guide,” identify and articulate one or two action steps that will move them toward their performance improvement objectives.

vision

interpersonal style

communication

problem solving / decision making

fivE

lEadErship dEvElOpmENt:thE fOur buildiNg blOcks Of grEat lEadErshipGreat leaders are skilled in four building blocks of leadership. These building blocks serve as the foundation for leadership assessment, coaching, and development.

The building blocks of great leadership must be considered against the backdrop of business performance objectives. Managers and leaders must be results driven, and their efforts and priorities must be devoted to the development of leadership, interpersonal, communication, and problem solving skills as applied to the needs of their specific business situation. Managers and leaders need to maintain a flexible, situational approach to development and use of the leadership skills, adjusting their approach to the situation at hand, the individuals involved, and the time available. While enhancing their leadership skills, they should articulate their career objectives and understand the relationship and importance of their newly acquired leadership skills to where they are now and where they want to go. It is important to note that the four leadership building blocks do not include specific job-related competencies and expertise. It is assumed that over the course of their career, managers and developing leaders gradually acquire levels of technical know-how in areas such as internal operations, information management, computer use, and accounting and finance.

What? — sO What? — NOW What?:dEvElOpiNg grEat lEadErsWe have painted a portrait of a great leader that specifies the skills

and attributes required for success. We have also outlined the four factors that help great leaders develop. So we know the “what” of great leadership, but we do not yet know the “how.” Comfort level and confidence with these factors can be improved on the job, but the process needs to be collaborative and continuous. The most effective and efficient methodology for engaging managers and leaders in continual learning and improvement has three basic phases, which can be arranged into a loop.

thrEE phasEs, ONE lOOpLeadership consultants have learned through years of working with executives, as well as providing objective, reliable, and valid assessments to performance improvement professionals, that the process of training/learning new skills generally falls into three overlapping phases, arranged into a repetitive loop (see Figure 1).Plans for action should involve no more than two skills and should not be a laundry list of “shoulds” and “should nots.” Items in the action plan should be behavioural and measurable, and they should describe specific actions they will take that will lead to a change in behaviour. You can select from many formal assessments to bring reliable and valid information to your leadership development programmes. These products can provide an objective and standardised starting place for development plans. Build an assessment matrix that reflects the building blocks you have identified, and the assessments you plan to use. Make sure that each factor is picked up by at least two assessments. Great leaders can be developed. We can predict how our best leaders will behave in a variety of situations. Great leaders take charge and get things done. They take disciplined, organised action. They use their power and authority objectively, and they influence others using optimism and self-confidence. The first step in becoming a better leader is performing an objective assessment of the manager/ leader’s ability to use the building blocks of leadership. Once the strengths and growth opportunities are clear, the manager/leader can work with a guide to determine how to improve in areas that require growth. We can all be better leaders. In the words of Henrik Ibsen, “A community is like a ship; everyone ought to be prepared to take the helm.”

great leaders take charge and get things done. they take disciplined, organised action. they use their power and authority objectively, and they influence others using optimism and self-confidence.

figurE 1:

siX

eter Berry Consultancy (Sydney based), one of our global partners, recently conducted research to investigate the leadership differences between entrepreneurial CEOs, executives and middle

managers in Australia (N = 1,046). The research focused on the Hogan profiles of the three groups as well as a comparison of high and low

BY bErry, p., NEalON, s., & pluEss, k. (2009). PETER BERRY CONSULTANCY

NOtE: the authors of the complete research paper granted jvr permission to publish this abstract of the research.

Peter Berry Consultancy concluded that as we go down the food chain from CEO to executives and then to managers, the further we go from big picture to operational. This is confirmed when we look at the managers’ results, suggesting an “in the business” approach based on analysis, conscientiousness, loyalty and care. The results further suggested they can be very independent and self-starting around operational excellence. Managers do not appear to be as strong on relationships and networking, and they are not as driven as CEOs. On the other hand, the CEOs are

scoring managers using 360 feedback ratings. Peter Berry Consultancy reported some key findings about these three different layers of leadership and what makes them tick. CEOs were clearly different from managers, with executives being in the middle. Six key traits were identified in great leaders:

strategic, better at relationships, more driven, less detailed, and very perceptive and focussed. The conclusion is that leaders are leaders and managers are managers, and they are quite different. If leaders are indeed leaders, the managers have a “doer” profile, and the executive group sit between the CEOs and the managers.

mOrE EXEcutivE drivECEOs scored highest on Ambition, Commerce and Power. In the Ambition

scale, CEOs scored highest on the two sub-scales of Competitive and Leadership. Typically these CEOs are

confident and assertive, they love challenges, competition and being the best. They enjoy networking with influential, successful friends and people. They want to be in charge and they dislike lazy, unambitious people.

mOrE visiONaryCEOs scored highest on Imaginative. They also scored highest for Generating Ideas, which is a subscale in Inquisitive. Typically these CEOs are creative, innovative

and unpredictable. They love “thinking outside the square”, and having different perspectives and ideas. They are often good at launching new products/services and generating new markets.

mOrE risk takiNgCEOs scored highest on Mischievous and lowest on Prudence and Security. They also scored lowest on Impulse Control which is a sub-scale in

Prudence. Typically these CEOs are typically charming, daring, interesting, and enjoy pushing the limits. They have a strong appetite for risk, they are prepared to take chances, and can be flexible, open minded and non-conforming.

lEss dEtailEdCEOs scored lowest on Diligent

and Scientific. Typically these Successful CEOs will be effective with delegation and prioritising

work, and leave analysis, investigation, loyalty, perfectionism and problem solving to others… they are more intuitive. They prefer to work “on” the business, rather than “in” the business. They will be more approachable.

bEttEr at rElatiONshipsCEOs scored highest on Sociability, Affiliation, Colourful and Power. Typically these CEOs are typically outgoing and sociable (without being

extroverted), they are people persons, not loners, where relationships and friendships are important. They will want to be seen and heard. They will be inclined to be assertive in relationships, constantly setting agendas, and using persuasion skills.

pErcEptivECEOs scored lowest on Adjustment and Dutiful, and highest on Tradition and Skeptical. Typically these CEOs are driven by a degree of stress and

will show a sense of urgency. They will have their eyes “on the ball”. Others will see them as bright and shrewd, often with a sixth sense or “a nose for trouble”. They also have a strong sense of right and wrong, and will display firm moral and ethical values. They will care about organisational culture. They will be independent, self-reliant, tough minded, and prepared to rock the boat.

sEvEN

July 2012

frica consists of 56 independent countries and is home to 1 billion people. This number constitutes about 15% of the world population. It is the second largest continent and second

most-populated continent after Asia. It covers 6% of the earth’s total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area (11.7 million square miles or 30.2 million square kilometres). Africa straddles the equator and includes numerous climatic zones. It is seen as the only continent to stretch from the northern temperate to southern temperate zones. Africa is known for its natural beauty and its wonderful bird, plant and animal life. Moreover Africa is widely regarded as the origin of the human species and the diversity of cultures attract interest worldwide. Being a company of Psychologists it is the human potential in Africa that motivates Jopie van Rooyen & Partners (JvR) to invest in building business opportunities in Sub Saharan Africa. Throughout 2012 we have scheduled certification training on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) in countries like Namibia, Botswana, Kenya, Mozambique, Ghana, Zimbabwe and Mauritius. We will expand the MBTI training to be offered to people in Angola, Uganda, Malawi, Nigeria, Tanzania and Zambia during 2013. Our clients in these countries will also be offered opportunities to be accredited on the EQ-i, the Hogan Assessment suite and others. We support our clients by making them part of the “Type Tribe”, the “EQ Tribe” or the “Hogan Tribe” which provides them with information on the most recent developments, current research, special offers or unique applications. By sending our trainers to various countries we are making sure that our colleagues in Africa are empowered to use the best assessments in their own consulting and thereby in the development of people and businesses in Africa.

For more information please contact Elke Chrystal (elke@jvrafrica.co.za).

... making sure that our colleagues in africa are empowered to use the bEst assessments...

BY jOpiE vaN rOOyEN & partNErs

Eight

Outh dEvElOpmENt sEmiNar - We were proud to participate in a Youth Development Seminar on 16 June 2012. The seminar was the brainchild of Mr Bartlett Hewu, the founder

of Hewu Attorneys as a Corporate Social Investment initiative geared towards sharing information, ideas and insight on the careers, skills and educational qualifications which are required by the South African economy. Mr Hewu realised that there is a misalignment between the courses offered by the institutions of higher learning and the requirements of the job market, which results in high unemployment levels of youth with junior and/or honours degrees (e.g. BA without specialisation).The seminar was attended by over 120 youths from Soweto, Diepsloot, Ekurhuleni and Pretoria some of whom are unemployed graduates and others who are in grades 10 to 12.

thE prOgrammE iNcludEd:• The keynote address was delivered by Mr Hewu (LLB, HDip Tax, HDip

International Tax), on the Roles and Responsibilities of the Youth in South African Society.

• Dr Grant Freedman from JvR presented research on the Skills Required by the South African Economy, highlighting the greatest needs as being in the areas of engineering, drivers, skilled trades, technicians, managers and teachers.

• This was followed by a discussion led by Professor Mulalo Doyoyo, who holds a PhD in Engineering and Applied Mechanics, on Opportunities in Green Energy and Beneficiation of Materials – Demonstration of Turbines.

• Mr Thamsanqa Maqubela, the CEO of the South African Graduate Development Association, provided additional relevant and practical advice for the delegates arising from research into Graduate Empowerment, Diagnostic Analysis of the Causes of Unemployed Black Graduates and SAGDA Programmes to Address Them.

The Seminar was held at the Pivot Conference Centre at Montecasino in Fourways. The sponsors were Hewu Attorneys, in association with JVR Consulting, University of Johannesburg and South African Graduates Development Association. In 2013, JvR will be renewing its focus on educational products and services for the South African context and there will be much more news to come in this important area.

studiEtrust is an independent non-profit national bursary scheme – a civil initiative that fights poverty in South Africa by empowering able but financially needy young people with opportunities for further education.

The JVR Group has for many years supported Studietrust by sponsoring bursaries awarded to students from previously disadvantaged communities to study psychology. Studietrust is a true venture of hope, investing “Today for Tomorrow”. We are privileged to be associated with Studietrust.

actiON 5:14 – is an initiative by the civil society in the quaint little town of De Rust in the Western Cape that supports two crèches, the Oudemuragie Jubilee Montessori Pre-School and the Sionsberg Jubilee Creche. Jopie van Rooyen and Partners augments the salaries of the teachers of these schools on a monthly basis.

NkaNyEzi stimulatiON cENtrE was founded by Prisca Tshabalala, who after giving birth to a child with Cerebral Palsy and Hydrocephalus Epilepsy, Nkanyezi, discovered there was no support for families or children with multiple disabilities in the area. It was named after Nkanyezi who died two weeks before the opening of the centre, after a deathbed promise from his mother to keep working to improve the lives of people like him. That was in 1998. Fourteen years later Prisca still manages the centre and not only doesn’t get paid but passes on her pension to the centre to ensure it stays open despite limited funding. She is a living angel but the most amazing part about the centre is that she’s not the only one. The centre is full of incredible staff and volunteers who work tirelessly, more often than not without reward (or even salaries for up to 6 months at a time because of non-payment by government of subsidies) to achieve daily miracles. Just last week Tumelo Bori and Ntando Sibeko learnt to clean their teeth on their own – this after doctors at Baragwanath Hospital said they were ‘unteachable.’ The goal at the centre is to ensure each child reaches his or her individual maximum potential and the highest possible level of self-sufficiency. Individuals and companies can get involved by donating jumble, volunteering to assist in an arts and crafts lesson, working in the self-sustaining vegetable garden, donating goodies off the wish list or just donating financially. JvR Is proud to have donated and volunteered to assist in the repainting of the Nkanyezi Centre facilities. In December 2011 we assisted in brightening the 42 “Little Shining Stars”’s Christmas by compiling gift bags with learning necessities, clothing and toys.

Should you be interested in also supporting the above organisations, please contact Morne Stander (mornes@jvrafrica.co.za).

BY jOpiE vaN rOOyEN & partNErs

jvr is prOud tO bE iNvOlvEd With thE fOllOWiNg 5 OrgaNisatiONs:

NiNE

July 2012

phOtO: thE jvr bEthlEhEm OfficE tOOk full rEspONsibility fOr thE gOldEN gatE hOspicE’s aNNual staff day as part Of thE jvr grOup’s sOcial rEspONsibility.

tEN

ne of the challenges that psychologists face in South Africa today is gaining access to high quality, locally-developed tests that deliver valid and reliable results. In 2004, the Human

Sciences Research Council published a needs analysis for psychological assessment in South Africa. As there is no longer a central government-sponsored testing agency operating in South Africa, the onus for new test development falls on the shoulders of academics, individual specialists, and test publishing houses as experts in the field. It is with this responsibility in mind that the research department at JvR has initiated a move towards the development of new psychological assessments to meet the needs of assessment practitioners in South Africa. The initial focus will be on cognitive ability assessments, but will move to other areas identified by practitioners as vital to the field of psychology and to the improvement of their practise. The research team follows best practice methodology in test development, based on a solid theoretical groundwork and years of experience. We are guided by evidence, grounded in theory, and inspired by innovation. We are in the process of collecting data on a number of different assessments. If you would like to participate, partner, or

would like more information, please email us at the above email address.• Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scales® – Fourth Edition (WAIS®-IV)• Emotional Quotient Inventory 2.0 (EQ-i 2.0®) • Verbatim and Numeratum• Work-related Risk and Integrity Scale (WRISc) • Dynamic Complexity and Styles Test (DyCaST)• Prospect Screener• Hogan Business Reasoning Inventory (HBRI)• Manufacturing Compatibility Questionnaire (MCQ)• StrengthscopeTM

• Matrigma®• Leadership Skills Profile (LSP)

rEsEarch fOcus fOr 2013In 2013, the focus for the research team will be on the adaptation, standardisation and norming of educational and clinical or neuropsychological assessments. We rely on our clients to guide us in terms of the assessments that should receive our most urgent attention, so please provide us with feedback on what you would like to see us do by emailing us at research@jvrafrica.co.za.

The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scales®-Fourth Edition (WAIS®-IV) has a number of improvements over the WAIS-III, with new subtests, clear instructions, and a shorter administration time. The WAIS-IV is being adapted by JvR in order to ensure the most appropriate content and norms for the assessment in South Africa. The SA adaptation process

for the WAIS-IV began in 2010, when Pearson (the international copyright holder) granted JvR permission to adapt and later translate the WAIS-IV for the South African context. A panel of psychologists and anthropologists from various cultural backgrounds provided advice in the review process. The panel reviewed the items of the WAIS-IV according

to appropriateness for the South African context, bearing in mind the future translation into Afrikaans and Zulu. The research version of the WAIS-IV (SA version) was finalised in collaboration with experts and scientists from the international Wechsler research team from Pearson Assessments. JvR is currently working in

partnership with higher education institutions and private practitioners to collect data from across the country for the standardisation of the WAIS-IVSA. We are very excited about this project, and look forward to being able to provide this premium assessment to our clients in the very near future.

adaptatiON Of thE Wais-iv iN sOuth africa

ElEvEN

July 2012

Over the years, JvR has supported numerous studies that have used the Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQ-i®) to measure emotional intelligence in South Africa. These studies have ranged from investigating well-being, to leadership effectiveness, resilience, and burnout. We have also conducted our own research, which is summarised in the paragraphs below.

thE rElatiONship bEtWEEN EmOtiONal iNtElligENcE aNd pErsONalityResearch has shown strong relationships between mixed model emotional intelligence and trait measures of personality. Most studies have used joint factor analysis to examine this relationship and found that EI loaded as a separate construct in personality factor space. Owing

to the possibility of method artefact when using joint factor analysis across two variable sets, JvR explored the EI-personality relationship by means of interbattery factor analysis. This method reveals only common factors between two variable sets. Two trait personality questionnaires, namely the Hogan Personality Inventory (HPI) and the Work Personality Index®, were used along with the EQ-i as a measure of emotional intelligence. Similar factors emerged in both analyses, which point to three seemingly robust areas of overlap between mixed model EI and personality. First, both the EQ-i and personality assessments measure behaviour related to internal constraint. The second area of overlap points to interpersonal functioning, and the third seems to measure

sOuth africaN rEsEarch cONductEd With thE EmOtiONal QuOtiENt iNvENtOry (EQ-i®)

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®) instrument is a globally renowned assessment of normal personality that measures and classifies individuals into 16 psychological types. Due to the unique challenges and characteristics of psychometric testing within the South African context, particularly around legislation and cultural diversity, it is imperative that developers and distributors of psychometric instruments ensure the appropriateness of these instruments for our South African context. The main aim should be to render assessments as valid, reliable and as culturally unbiased as possible. A recent study by Van Zyl and Taylor (2012) endeavoured to fill the gap in current literature

by investigating the reliability, validity and differential item functioning (DIF) of the MBTI® Form M across several ethnic and gender groups in South Africa. The aim of the study was to add to the instrument’s continuous development and ultimately contribute to the evolving body of knowledge on the MBTI® Form M. Findings of this cross-sectional study indicated excellent reliability for the MBTI® Form M across various groups in the sample (N = 10 705), ranging from .88 to .92 for the total sample. Interestingly, internal reliability was found to increase with age on the Sensing-Intuition scale (S-N), suggesting that individuals may respond more consistently to items that load on this scale

jvr rEsEarchEs thE mbti® fOrm m

components related to extraverted behaviour. These results facilitate our understanding of the EQ-i’s theoretical base in relation to mainstream personality research.

thE rElatiONship bEtWEEN EmOtiONal iNtElligENcE aNd dErailmENtJvR looked into identifying useful relationships between personality derailers and emotional intelligence. The utility of using the Hogan Development Survey (HDS) and EQ-i instruments together for development purposes was demonstrated, and important additional information on how the scales work together was uncovered. In terms of relationships between scales, understanding which of the EQ-i scales are related to personality derailment can provide additional interpretive information as to

how well an individual is likely to manage their derailing behaviours. The correlations also worked to support the theory behind the derailers, with relationships in line with the expected strengths and development areas of each of the clusters of behaviour. Regression analysis provided a vehicle for identifying those aspects of emotional intelligence most likely to predict derailment on each of the 11 HDS scales. Practitioners can use this information in a number of application areas, but will probably find it most useful in coaching or development sessions. By promoting self-awareness on both of these constructs, practitioners can create focus areas for the client in terms of their individual strengths and development areas in being able to successfully manage their behaviour.

as they become older. Evidence for good construct validity was found, using both exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. The MBTI® Form M does not appear to display consistent bias against any particular group in terms of gender or ethnicity, although evidence for differential responding at an item level was found. However, the presence of uniform DIF in the study is unlikely to translate into any form of test bias, whilst no evidence for non-uniform DIF related to ethnic differences could be found for any of the items on the MBTI® scales. The reliabilities of the study closely emulated those as indicated by international research. Likewise, the factor structure obtained in this study

matched the factorial structure as obtained in the majority of preceding studies. The future replication of the results of this study, particularly with the inclusion of a more representative sample of the South African population, would be invaluable.

This research is discussed more comprehensively in: Van Zyl, C.J.J. & Taylor, N. (2012). Evaluating the MBTI® Form M in a South African context. SA Journal of Industrial Psychology, 38(1), Art. #977, 15 pages. http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/sajip.v38i1.977. The researchers can be contacted at research@jvrafrica.co.za.

tWElvE

e started a new family in 2005 – our south african range of assessments! very exciting! a very steep learning curve, as all new parents know.

Jopie settles back on the couch with a cup of tea. ‘The family has grown and each addition brings something new and exciting. Having a South African range of assessments just feels right, in so many ways. We have our JvR Research team, affectionately called the Brain Trust, who is developing tools, and at the same time, we are partnering with South African developers to bring their innovations to the market.’ Jopie smiles as she thinks back to how it all started:

so jopie, how and when did the jvr sa range come about?We have been distributing a range of very well known international assessments and tools since 1993. We however knew and understood that South African clients would appreciate also having access to South African assessments. This would be particularly useful in contexts where there are sensitivities in terms of the use of assessments or where cost is an issue. Since 2005 we have been partnering with very well known South African researchers and academics that have developed psychometric assessments and today we boast a separate SA Catalogue that carries information on 20 different tests and tools – some of which have a number of components, for example the Competency Assessment Series (CAS). This is, of course, not a new initiative. In years gone by, assessments were developed and distributed by the NIPR and the HSRC. We have expanded our vision to include having the South African assessments available on-line. Today, our range of assessments includes exciting new tests being developed by our own research team. Our aim is to build a South African range of assessments that provide answers to our unique context and can dove-tail easily with great international assessments that have been validated for use in South Africa.Who was the first member of this ‘sa assessment family’?What a privilege it is for us to have signed on, as first assessment, the Locus of Control Inventory (LCI) developed by the well known and respected Professor Johann Schepers. With Prof Schepers’ academic stature and his statistical expertise it was the ideal assessment to take on. The psychometric standards he set for other assessments in

this South African range were ideal! We were soon able to add other tests such as the Basic Traits Inventory (BTI) and the Sources of Work Stress Inventory (SWSI) developed by Prof Deon de Bruin and Dr Nicola Taylor, and the Career Interest Profile (CIP) by Prof Kobus Maree, and more recently the Leadership Behaviour Inventory (LBI-2) by Professors Theron and Spangenberg – to name but a few. All have allowed us to maintain the high standards set from the start.are all the members of this sa family ‘psychometric tests’?No, we were amazed at the many wonderful methodologies South Africans have developed in their work with people. Some include board games, DVDs, development programmes and stories, to name but a few. We name it our ‘edutainment category’, as the tools entertain as they educate. Many of these can be used for learning, development or remedial work. We are always keen and on the look-out for more of these tools.is the range of assessments and tools only for south africans?Yes and No. Yes, our tools are designed to be used in our context. But there is no reason that they cannot be used in other countries as well – it would just be a process of collecting local norms. For example, the TriMaths range has been translated into Portuguese (along with its current Afrikaans, English, Tswana and Zulu versions). It is wonderful to be able to showcase what South Africa has to offer to the world. We have also had interest from Europe and South America to have certain South African assessments available and researched in their context.What is the benefit for the developers to have their assessment distributed through jvr? JvR respects the ownership and rights of the developer and our contractual agreement reflects this. We provide an infrastructure and the know-how to take the test or tool to the market. Through research, client support and training we build a business case for the assessment or tool. We ask the developer to accept responsibility for the maintenance, quality and new versions or updates of the assessment. We therefore do not buy the assessments, but really value having a partnership where both parties benefit.can anyone who has developed an assessment or tool get it published through jvr?Potentially yes. We do however make sure that any new assessment or tool is thoroughly evaluated by our internal experts. We expect, if it is an assessment, to receive a technical manual that include elements such as a literature overview, relevant theories, history, research and application. If the assessment makes it through these hurdles, it meets a need in the market, and the expectations of all the relevant parties are aligned, we are very happy to add it to our South African range.Where do you see this initiative in the next 5 years?JvR researchers are currently working very hard to complete a number of new assessments to meet gaps in our market. As all will know, test development is not an easy or quick process, but we are very excited about publishing more of our own assessments in the near future. Tests that assess basic literacy and numeracy skills, a basic screener, and an assessment to evaluate thinking styles are all due to be published in a research version by the end of 2012. Through a valued partnership we have an integrity measure to offer our clients before the end of the year. The national and international trend is to have assessments available on-line. Although we believe that there will always be a need for printed test material, many of our clients need the versatility of an on-line system. The South African assessments will be available in electronic format by the end of this year (2012). In essence, we are proudly South African and are committed to building and growing this new family through partnerships and by developing some assessments in-house. It is an exciting and creative process full of energy and innovation, and we see it going from strength to strength.

BY jOpiE vaN rOOyEN & partNErs

thirtEEN

July 2012

orkplace safety is an important consideration for organisations. Companies tend to have a ‘zero tolerance’ policy when it comes to accidents and unsafe work practices. This is partly because

accidents may be costly on both an economic and human level (see Ritz (2011) for a more detailed overview of accidents/injury costs in mining). Consequently, organisations actively seek new methods and processes to ensure the safety of employees. Generally, organisations tend to distinguish between two types of safety interventions namely, systems-oriented approaches and person-oriented approaches. Most institutions, especially mines, tend to focus heavily on systems approaches to safety. These interventions tend to be used to address immediate mine safety requirements on a physical level. Systems approaches may include policies, procedures, safety equipment and any other non-human intervention. Ultimately, system approaches try to engineer risk out of the organisation. However, behavioural impediments to safety, which need to be addressed on a person level, may also be required. Person approaches to safety look more closely at human causes of accidents which may include lapses of judgement, poor work-accuracy, slowed responses, attitudes, and personality. Although systems approaches are important they do not ensure that people will use, adhere, or buy into the systems provided. This is the primary consideration behind the Hogan SafeSystem which takes a person approach to safety and extends this to a safety climate level (for more information on the Hogan SafeSytem please refer to http://www.hoganassessments.com/safesystem). Also, systems approaches are unable to effectively control for human-error which is considered to be the most prevalent cause of accidents. Research in South Africa has recently shown how psychomotor abilities are linked to accident frequency. Safety in high-risk environments tends to be dependent on whether an individual

reacts appropriately, accurately, and timeously to environmental variables. The Vienna Test System (VTS) developed by Schuhfried has demonstrated predictive validity with accidents/injuries in a mining and traffic environment in South Africa. Psychomotor data on the VTS subtests have demonstrated how inaccurate, inappropriate, slow, and speedy reactions may result in a greater likelihood of accidents and injury with local mineworkers. The VTS has also demonstrated how a speed/accuracy trade-off may occur in high-risk occupations where responding too quickly results in less accurate responding and reacting too accurately results in slower responding (both of which increase the risk of accidents/injuries). The use of the VTS has thus added to the application of person approaches to safety. It is also interesting to note that psychomotor ability has accounted for up to 12% of the variance in accidents on the mines. This indicates that human approaches to the reduction of accidents may add significantly to the reduction of accident risk in industry. For more information and research on safety in the workplace please contact Paul Vorster at paul@jvrafrica.co.za.

rEfErENcEs aNd rEcOmmENdEd rEadiNg: PwC (2011). SA Mine: Review of trends in the South African mining industry. Retrieved February 16, 2012, from http://www.pwc.co.za/en/publications/sa-mine.html

Ritz, D. (2011). Courageous safety leadership in turbulent times: The economic moment of truth for safety commitment. Toronto, Canada: Barrick Gold Corporation Limited. Robertson, I. H. , Manly, T. , Andrade, J., Baddeley, B. T. , & Yiend, J. (1997). ‘Oops!’: Performance correlates of everyday attentional failures in traumatic brain injured and normal subjects. Neuropsychologia, 35(6), 747-758. Rubenstein, J. S., Meyer, D. E. , & Evans, J. E. (2001). Executive control of cognitive processes in task switching. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 27(4), 763 – 797.

Reason, J. (2000). Human error: Models and management. British Medical Journal, 320, 768 – 770.

BY jOpiE vaN rOOyEN & partNErs

phOtO: chris bOWlEy

fOurTEEN

or anyone who’s ever thought of their boss as a “cold fish” who doesn’t

appear to experience any emotions, our new research may be a revelation. OPP’s 2011 16PF study showed that senior executives are more likely to be cool, calm and collected than other managers, and seem as if they don’t let fluffy things like feelings get in the way of their naked ambition and drive to influence. But this masks the truth. In fact, the research revealed that senior executives report the highest level of emotional investment in their work, but that they also experience the lowest levels of stress across the managerial workforce. This leads to the hypothesis that senior executives have a distinctive personality profile that enables them to cope more effectively with a highly demanding job, and can give the impression that they are emotionally unflappable. W h a t differentiates senior managers

from others is their high degree of control over their work environments. This allows them to be more resilient to seemingly nightmarish workloads, to balance strategy with people management, and to make difficult decisions in their job. Amongst all of this, they also somehow manage to ensure a degree of work-life balance. This is supported by the information about personality within OPP’s research. The typical personality profile of a senior executive is an ‘independent’, ‘dominant’ and ‘socially confident’ individual who is ‘open to change’ and ‘innovation’, but who is less ‘apprehensive’ and less ‘sensitive’ than the general population. This suggests that senior executives are more effective at managing their emotions (rather than repressing or not having them at all) – allowing them more emotional space to focus on the major strategic issues. This is particularly the case when they are making difficult, people-related

http://blog.opp.eu.com/2012/02/im-not-alien-im-just-senior-exec.html#more

THIS ARTICLE FIRST APPEARED ON Opp’S BLOG ON 17 FEB ‘12

decisions, where they tend to adopt a detached and impersonal style. Crucially, the research suggests that this is a reaction to the demands of the job rather than innate cold-fishiness. If they are able to master this style, senior executives report more job satisfaction and enjoyment from their work, and are less likely to think about quitting than middle or line managers. In fact, extensive research (including some from our very own Dr Penny Moyle, CEO) also shows that demanding jobs are less likely to take their toll on a person when they have strong networks of people to support them. The relationship a senior manager has with their boss has the greatest impact on their ability to cope with stress and avoid burnout. If a business leader is equipped with self-awareness and an understanding of others, they are able to be genuinely supportive of their senior managers, who are more likely to be able to rise to the challenges required.

The next most powerful source of social support for leaders at the top is from their senior-management teammates. Teambuilding, particularly if it has a focus on understanding how team members will each find different things stressful and how different people react to stress, can help build a social support network that will enable all team members to perform at their peak, without suffering stress and burnout. So when you see a high-powered, dominant person relishing just how in charge they are, just remember they don’t necessarily possess special powers of cold logic, or a Vulcan imperviousness to emotion. They probably do have distinct personality traits from other types of employees, but it is also highly likely that they benefit from an understanding network of trusted colleagues, and a boss who supports and empowers them.

fifTEEN

July 2012

s is the case with many of the world’s largest, industrialised economies, the uk economy is growing at a sluggish pace and faces the looming spectre of recession again.

Against this backdrop, it is imperative that we challenge our assumptions about how we manage people and find new and innovative ways to boost workforce productivity, employee engagement and competitive advantage. Based on our experience and years of research, we believe that strengths-focused approaches to people management (what we call the Strengths Advantage™ system), combined with the power of positive stretch, can play a key role in releasing the herculean levels of workforce effort and energy that will be required to accelerate the UK out of this economic quagmire. In the same way that a professional athlete ‘going for gold’ needs regular practice and ‘stretch’ to build their physical and psychological strengths to remain at the top of their game, so do employees, particularly those with strong aspirations and potential to advance. Employees need regular opportunities to test their ‘limits’ - to see what they are capable of achieving when they use their strengths (defined as underlying characteristics that are natural sources of energy and result in productive outcomes) productively in different ways. This also builds what we call “agility”, or the crucial capacity to be flexible across different situations and operating environments. Although employees might not feel comfortable with the idea at first, part of the role of a manager is to coach and encourage the person through any initial reluctance and fear associated with moving outside their “zone of comfort”. This may sound like “tough love”, and in some respects it is, but without this positive challenge, employees are unlikely to get the most out of their strengths, skills and knowledge and will never discover the true value they offer to the organisation and society more generally.

thErE arE variOus Ways pEOplE caN gEt ‘strEtch’ iN arEas Of strENgth, iNcludiNg:• Building new knowledge and skills in areas of strength• Taking on challenging assignments or projects that play to one’s

strengths• Coaching/training others in their areas of strength• Gaining experience in different parts of the organisation through job

rotations, secondments or short-term assignments• Using strengths in new ways to tackle performance blockers and

challenges

BY jamEs brOOk DIRECTOR, Strengths Partnership

this article first appeared in hr magazine (www.hrmagazine.co.uk) on 26 jan 2012.

In order to achieve “flow” or total immersion in a job, research by Csikszentmihalyi has shown that a person needs to have a passion or desire to do the job, i.e., they need to feel strengthened by it. There also needs to be a good match between the level of skills required and the level of challenge and “stretch” provided. If there is no stretch, the employee is likely to quickly lose interest and becoming increasingly disengaged, undermining performance and effort. However, if there is too much “stretch”, the employee is likely to feel incompetent and frustrated, with their confidence and performance being adversely impacted as a result. It is the role of the manager to help the employee identify the degree of stretch currently being experienced by the employee through open inquiry and discussion. With a clear understanding of current levels of stretch, the manager and employee can then co-create new goals that raise or lower the degree of stretch to a point where the employee is feeling challenged and engaged, but not overwhelmed. This ongoing calibration of stretch will keep the employee’s confidence, commitment and contribution high, resulting in strong business results and sustainable success. Unlike their Western counterparts, Chinese managers understand the value of stretch. They encourage employees to aspire to and achieve nothing short of the highest standards (particularly in areas of strength and potential). This has helped fuel China’s impressive economic growth in recent decades. By contrast, British and Western employers often get bogged down in trying to cultivate a happy, contented workforce and this takes precedence over productivity, effectiveness and the inevitable discomfort associated with growth. When overdone, this can undermine not only the success of the organisation, but also the employees. Rather than helping employees, allowing them to take the “happy”, comfortable path actually undermines their opportunities to flourish in the longer run, as their ability to achieve their full potential and improve their employability and rewards (both financial and non-financial) will be significantly constrained. Of course, what is important here is balance - to ensure employees are treated in a fair, considerate and decent way, whilst at the same time inspiring performance stretch and high morale. This will minimise the risk that UK workplaces become “soft play areas” as opposed to places where productivity and success are key imperatives.

siXTEEN

n today’s world of work, we tend to think of conflict in negative terms. Conflict is a force that causes anxiety and often viewed as something that needs to be eliminated. This is often due to the waning force it

has on productivity while compounding the difficulty of the job.

a WOrldWidE study cONductEd by cpp aNd its partNErs iN 2008 rEpOrtEd thE fOllOWiNg fiNdiNgs: • 85% of employees at all levels within an organisation experience

some degree of conflict. In fact, 29% reported to “always” or “frequently” experience conflict. While the level at which most conflict is observed is between entry-level roles, 12% of the respondents indicated that disagreements among their senior teams are frequent or continuous.

• The average worker spends 2.1 hours per week dealing with conflict.• 27% of employees have seen conflict lead to personal attacks, and

25% have seen it result in illness or absence from work. In addition, 9% reported that conflict resulted in the failure of a project.

• 70% of employees see managing conflict as a critically important leadership skill.

• 54% of employees think managers could handle disputes better by addressing the underlying tension before it escalates.

The results of the study also indicated that approximately 25% of workers experienced positive outcomes from conflict situations. These situations may have been dealt with by an individual or team that had previous training in conflict management and knew how to harness the positives from such situations. Countries who reported higher levels of

conflict management training also observed more positive outcomes from conflict. Twenty-seven percent of people who had received training in conflict management reported being more comfortable and confident in managing disputes, while 85% of trained employees now seek win-win outcomes from conflict. In fact, 85% of this group changed the way they approach conflict by becoming more proactive and taking it less personally. Despite these results, the study found that the majority of employees have never received conflict management training. This is even further striking if one considers that stress and workload—two factors increasing rapidly in our current economy—are the second and third most common causes of conflict. KILMANN DIAGNOSTICS is the exclusive provider of online training for the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI) worldwide. Making effective use of the TKI, there are two established online courses on conflict management that provide the foundation for a completely integrated programme. Building on the Basic and Advanced courses, there are currently three additional online courses on change management. These courses provide the means for establishing a healthy culture, enhancing critical thinking skills for addressing complex problems and conflicts, and promoting teamwork throughout an organisation. Jopie van Rooyen and Partners distributes these products in South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa.

NOtE: The complete results of the study referenced here was published in: Workplace conflict and how business can harness it to thrive, CPP Global Human Capital Report, July 2008.

phOtO: sarah sitkiN

is thErE a sOlutiON?

BY jOpiE vaN rOOyEN & partNErs

sEvENTEEN

July 2012

2011). To this end the South African developed TriMaths assessment suite can identify which aspects in mathematics a learner needs help with.

it assEssEs thrEE arEas Of mathEmatics (Which shOuld idEally bE usEd tOgEthEr, but caN bE usEd sEparatEly):1. basic mathematics: learner’s basic cognitive skills and knowledge/achievement in mathematics;2. mathematics vocabulary: learner’s adequacy of mathematical language proficiency; and3. study Orientation toward mathematics: learner’s interest and study orientation in mathematics.

The results of these assessments can be used by teachers and parents to assist learners to target specific problem areas in mathematics. TriMaths is specifically aimed at learners between 9 and 15 years of age and is available in English, Afrikaans, Tswana, Zulu and Portuguese. The sooner a mathematics problem can be identified and rectified, the more opportunities will arise for the learner’s future. An individual, group, or ideally systemic intervention could turn the proverbial mathematical tide in South Africa.

BY jOpiE vaN rOOyEN & partNErs

outh Africa was ranked 50th out of 142 countries in the 2011/2012 World Competitiveness Report, released on 7 September 2011. This ranking gives the idea that we are

functioning in the top third of economies. However, further analysis of this ranking shows a different picture. We remain an economy of extremes—ranked 1st in ‘Regulation of securities exchanges’ and ‘Strength of auditing and reporting standards’; but ranked 133rd in ‘Quality of the educational system’ and 138th in ‘Quality of math and science education’ (http://www.stanlib.com/EconomicFocus/Pages/SouthAfricaranked50thinthe20112012WorldCompetitivenessReport.aspx). In support of these findings, the Annual National Assessment in South Africa revealed that the national performance in numeracy is at an average of 28% (SABC News, 2011). According to Reddy and Janse van Rensburg, analytic skills in mathematics need to be built up from early years. Mathematical knowledge is hierarchical in nature and therefore strong prior knowledge is critical for conceptual development. The acquisition of these capabilities is shaped in the early years by the nature and quality of interactions in the home and community and the quality of input from school. Early attention to mathematical skills and knowledge may thus contribute to breaking the cycle of poor academic performance (HSRC,

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EightEEN

escribing work engagement can be difficult, but you know it when you have it, and when you don’t. When I was 16 years old I had a summer job working at a raspberry plant emptying

containers of raspberries onto a conveyor belt for 12 to 16 hours – all at night. The work was consistent, structured and routine, and provided stable employment. These are aspects of employment that many people find engaging. Yet other than the pay check, there was nothing about the job that I enjoyed. I dreaded going each day and I was not engaged. Instead of rotating workers through different jobs, and giving us the opportunity to learn something new, we were kept at the same job for the entire summer. Rather than communicate how many berries we needed to process, we were kept guessing. The organisation failed to notice these opportunities to engage employees. The following summer I got a job as a truck driver for a construction company. I spent my days picking up and delivering construction materials and had the freedom to plan my routes, schedule my daily activities, and learn many new things from the job supervisors I interacted with. Along with the pay check, I enjoyed every aspect of the job. Work engagement is generally defined by its results – engaged people demonstrate higher levels of performance, commitment and loyalty to the company they work for. Engagement focuses on the connection that an employee has to the organisation that results in putting forth a greater effort in their work. It is obvious that all organisations want to increase engagement – who does not want higher performance and greater commitment? Research shows that engagement is affected by many things including the nature of the job, career opportunities, relationships with co-workers and leaders, and pride about the company.

To increase engagement a company needs to consider each of these. So where can an organisation start? It makes sense to start at the beginning, when an employee is first hired. Since engagement is increased when an employee has the opportunity to use their skills and talents, person-job fit is very important. Consider how you evaluate candidates and link their skills to the requirements of the job. A good fit will give the employee the opportunity to do what they are good at and feel engaged. A poor fit will require the employee to use skills they may not have or want to acquire, leading to disengagement. With appropriately implemented application reviews, psychometric assessments, and interviews you can better hire people who will be engaged.A second driver of engagement is providing current employees with the opportunities to stretch and develop new skills. These are key activities in any career growth and employee development program. Consider the efforts your organisation makes to develop employee skills and provide future opportunities for growth. Effectively helping employees identify these opportunities to develop will drive engagement. When people see little to no future opportunities engagement starts to lag. Each of these activities comes down to an awareness of people. Increasing what you know about people, their skills and talents, needs and desires, will greatly increase your ability to enhance employee engagement.

about shawn bakker, m.ed r.psychShawn is the editor of Psychometrics Canada’s newsletter, Psychometrics Direct. He has written numerous articles on the use of psychometric assessments in the workplace, and has spoken at many HR industry events. Shawn is the co-author of the Work Personality Index, Career Values Scale and Career Interest Profiler.

BY shaWN bakkEr, Psychometrics Canada

he identity of our nation is embedded in our national history. As individuals, we

find the roots of our identity in our personal histories. Psychology obtains its identity through the systematic building of theories, insights, research and past experiences. To ignore our past would be to relinquish our identity, as we have so much to learn from those who have gone before us. At JvR, we realised that psychologists in their golden years hold a wealth of information in their memories, and that capturing their stories may be of immense value to the

profession. We began to conduct filmed interviews with well-known South African psychologists so that others could benefit from their memories, insights and wisdom. Our criteria were simply that they should be older than 70 years and be prepared to share their stories and advice to young psychologists with us. We have been continuously amazed by the richness of information and insight they provided! We are very happy to share these videos with you on www.histories.jvrafrica.co. This project was initially named the “Legends Project”, but we have extended it

to include other historical sources to supplement the anecdotes. The Histories Project is a work-in-progress. We are cognisant of the fact that there are still many stories of renowned psychologists to be captured, and we will continue to build this collection with time. Please participate in the project by nominating psychologists (over 70 years of age) that you know have made a significant contribution to psychology in South Africa. You may also have an interest in the evolution of psychological assessments and apparatus in South Africa

over the last century. A number of individuals, institutions, and universities have provided us with an opportunity to photograph some of these assessments. We also have descriptions and stories about the development and use of these assessments from a number of sources. These photos and various anecdotes have been compiled, along with an historical timeline, into a coffee table book available from JvR. For your nominations or any other requests please contact JvR at +27 11 781 3705, or contact paul@jvrafrica.co.za.

BY jOpiE vaN rOOyEN & partNErs

bits & piEcEs

NiNETEEN

July 2012

port is a multimillion dollar industry providing excitement and pleasure

to millions of people. Preparing athletes for sporting events is a sophisticated science and the insight gained from both research and experience have led to a number of ways in which psychological and physiological preparation of athletes can be optimised. It is obtaining “the edge” on competing athletes that

is the ultimate goal—particularly if it is possible to do this without incurring or worsening injuries! Of specific importance is teaching and helping the athlete to manage anxiety and stress control before and during a competition. Muscle bracing and residual tension are typical symptoms of competitive stress. Not all athletes will consider using biofeedback for the purpose of managing stress.

iven the mobility of people in Africa, you may be interested in

reading this extensive study done by the American Psychological Association (APA) on the psychological and mental health issues related to immigration. This in depth and evidence-based report aims to create an understanding of the mental and

he new Manufacturing Compatibility Questionnaire (MCQ™), measures core competencies that are important in most manufacturing or production jobs, such as Dependability,

Team Orientation, Learning and Problem Solving, and Safety Focus. Additionally, each MCQ™ report includes a structured behaviorally-based interview guide tailored to the applicant’s responses on the 48-item test. A large scale criterion validation study was recently conducted in a multi-plant manufacturing company. The average correlation between the MCQ™ and job performance was .22, falling in the range of most professionally developed pre-employment tests. This number suggests that this instrument can identify those applicants who are more likely to be successful on the job. Next, we followed the validation study with a utility analysis. Utility analysis (UA) measures the return of investment (ROI) for a selection test. This analysis yields a dollar value that indicates how much money will be gained if a particular test is used

behavioural needs of people who immigrate to America. Attention is given to the effects of acculturation and discrimination. The APA task force also dispels common myths about immigrants and places emphasis on the value and unique contributions that immigrant populations can make. The APA report CROSSROADS: The

for selection. In order to accurately assess the ROI, we considered the salary for the position, how much it costs to administer the selection test, and the relationship between the test and job performance. The effectiveness of the test was assessed with a sample of current employees of a manufacturing organisation. The test was significantly related to job performance. Based on the information obtained from this organisation and using a conservative estimate of an hourly (U.S.) wage of $13.00, a utility analysis was conducted for the MCQ™. The analysis revealed that if the manufacturing company only hired the top scoring applicants, they would realise an increase in productivity on the average of $25,360.00 per hire in the first year of employment. This indicates that top scoring applicants are almost twice as productive as lower scoring applicants. The MCQ™ is due to be validated in South Africa during 2012-2013.

There are however indications that a number of individual and sport teams have opted for this methodology in preparation for the Olympics in England this year. A variety of athletes from Brazil, Europe and Eastern Europe use biofeedback to identify and manage excess and non-functional psychophysiological arousal under pressure. Biofeedback is a very useful method to ensure that the athlete learns how to control

excess reactivity. Efficiently managing physical skills required by the specific sport can be further enhanced by learning more subtle skills such as heart rate variability, skin conductance and breathing skills. For more information on the use of biofeedback in sport, more specifically integrating Schuhfried assessments, please contact Angelique Da Silva at angelique@jvrafrica.co.za.

Psychology of Immigration in the New Century could provide useful information to those who work with immigrants in Africa and who wish to do further research on the topic in our context. yOu Will fiNd thE iNfOrmatiON by visitiNg thE apa WEbsitE at:http://www.apa.org/topics/

i m m i g r a t i o n / e x e c u t i v e -summary.pdf

OR http://www.apa.org/topics/immigration/report.aspx

To request hard copies, please email immreport@apa.org

a 2011 apa prEsidENtial task fOrcE rEpOrt

Article provided by eAsi•consult®

tWENty

ntegrity testing is not a new practice in industrial and organisational settings. Internationally integrity tests have been utilised for many years. In fact, the first academic review for this category

of assessments was published more than 30 years ago (Sackett & Decker, 1979). In South Africa however, the practice of integrity testing remained relatively obscure until recently when a gradual increase in the application of these types of testing had been observed. The demand for such assessments continues to rise steadily. Integrity tests were originally developed in America to identify dishonest job applicants after legislation was implemented to prohibit the use of polygraph testing. Since then, integrity tests have evolved to be much more than mere replacements for polygraph tests. Today, the primary focus of integrity measures is the prediction of counterproductive work behaviours (CWB). Integrity tests typically refer to two categories of assessment labeled ‘overt’ and ‘covert or personality-oriented’ tests (Sackett, Buris, & Callahan, 1989). Overt assessments enquire directly about an individual’s attitudes toward counterproductive work behaviours such as theft. Such measures typically include questions related to the punitiveness of theft, contemplation of theft, as well as the individual’s history of engaging in such behaviours. Included would also be questions pertaining to the individual’s honesty in general. In the second category - covert or personality oriented assessments - a more indirect approach is followed in measuring counterproductive tendencies. These assessments tend to have a broader focus than overt tests in that they focus on a range of counterproductive work behaviours other than theft and honesty such as fraud, sabotage, absenteeism, aggression, vandalism, violence, manipulation, and hostility. Personality has been found to play an important role in the cognitions involved in counterproductive work behaviours. For example, it affects the way individuals perceive their environment, their attributions for the causes of negative outcomes, their emotional responses to such outcomes, and their ability to inhibit counterproductive impulses (Spector, 2011). The Work-Related Risk & Integrity Scale (WRISc) was developed in South Africa to empirically measure personality constructs that theoretically relate to counterproductive work behaviours. In particular, the assessment measures personality constructs important for an understanding of the mental cognitions underlying counterproductive work behaviours. Since it is not possible to control for, or eliminate all the situational variables which may give

rise to counterproductive work behaviours, it is important to identify those individual differences factors that can be used to differentiate between individuals more or less likely to engage in counterproductive work behaviours. Thus, given the same organisational context, the WRISc model was developed to differentiate between individuals more or less likely to engage in counterproductive behaviours based on the way they attribute causes to events, react to them emotionally, and their ability to inhibit destructive behaviours. Further, the WRISc measures personality constructs empirically found to be predictive of risk-taking behaviour. Since risk-taking is more than a unitary trait, multiple personality constructs predictive of this dynamic form of behaviour are included in the assessment. These include those personality traits that provide the motivational force for risk taking, protects against guilt or anxiety about possible negative consequences, and those that make it easier to cross the cognitive barriers related to deliberation and conformity. In addition to counterproductive tendencies, integrity tests have been shown to be excellent predictors of job performance. In fact, integrity tests are the “personnel selection method with the greatest incremental validity in predicting job performance over cognitive ability” (Berry, Sackett & Wiemann, 2007, p. 2). For both overt and personality-oriented measures, meta-analytic studies have reported coefficients of .41 for the prediction of job performance (Ones, Visweswaren & Schmidt, 1993). JVR is excited by the prospect of making available a new instrument that we hope will be of great value to our clients. For more information on the WRISc, please contact the research department at JvR.

rEfErENcEsBerry, C. M., Sackett, P. R., & Wiemann, S. (2007). A review of recent developments in integrity test research. Personnel Psychology, 60, 271-301.

Ones, D. S., Visweswaren, C. & Schmidt, F. (1993). Comprehensive meta-analysis of integrity test validities: Findings and implications for personnel selection and theories of job performance. Journal of Applied Psychology Monograph, 78, 679-703.

Sackett, P. R., & Decker, P. J. (1979). Detection of deception in the employment context: A review and critique. Personnel Psychology, 32, 487-506.

Sackett, P. R., Buris, L. R., & Callahan, C. (1989). Integrity testing for personnel selection: An update. Personnel Psychology, 42, 491-529.

Spector, P. E. (2011). The relationship of personality to counterproductive work behavior (CWB): An integration of perspectives. Human Resources Management Review, 21, 342-352.

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