Many organizations have a performance appraisal process in place to formally evaluate the results from the demonstrated behaviors specific to pre-determined and agreed to goals. However, this formal evaluation is just on aspect of the talent intelligence of evaluating others.

This is ability is truly about being able to make judgments or discernments. These decisions are based upon looking at a individual's:

• Strengths
• Weaknesses
• Manner of thinking
• Specific actions
• Behavioral tendencies

Being able to evaluate extend beyond knowledge of the current role, responsibilities and expectations. This is far much about being able to observe without any predetermined thought or assumptions. Unfortunately, since the word judgeship is involved, this creates a negative impression.

Years ago, the author Kurt Vonnegut wrote a short story about the future entitled Harrison Bergeron. Within this story, discernment took on a very negative connotation. People would not allowed to evaluate others. This results in good looking people walking around with bags on their heads to smart people having electronic shocks implanted into their heads.

Today, in many cases, judgment is still considered a negative action or behavior. Yet we make discernments from the moment we awaken to when we return to those nice and comfy covers. These evaluative decisions may range from what clothes should be worn given the weather and schedule to what person to contact. Maybe this negative reaction to this talent is also due to years of negative conditioning as well as to experiences from all of those gotcha tests.

People who successfully demonstrate this talent intelligence can differentiate the essential components or factors of a person's job performance and then accurately forecast future performance specific to the same job or when a new task is assigned without bias or prejudice. This capacity relies on intuitive or gut decision making.

Those who are weak in this capacity may need more time to determine whether the performance was acceptable. They may also require additional support both in data and through mentoring or coaching.

The behaviors associated with this talent intelligence of evaluating others might be: [Read more...]