Responses to Frequently Asked Questions

Question: What makes Action Insight different?

Answer: Action Insight wasn't founded by academics. Action Insight's founder has over 20 years of corporate and public sector Human Resource experience. This experience helps us understand your issues - we have been there. Hence our motto: Helping Human Resource Heroes.

About Action Interviewing®

Question: We understand that Action Interviewing is both competency and behavioral based. What makes Action Interviewing different from other similar programs?

Answer: Action Interviewing was designed to do two things that the others are not designed to for, 1) simplicity and defensibility for the users and 2) preventing the fake ability of candidate responses.

Question: How does Action Interviewing solve the simplicity and defensibility problem?

Answer: In the Action Interviewing program, we have developed competency analyzers for Executive, Manager, Individual Contributor, Sales and Marketing, and Non-Exempt level positions. These analyzers can be completed by a group of job experts and the position’s supervisor in about 45 minutes. The result then leads to prewritten interview questions that include rating guides. It is simple for users, because it walks them through the process quickly and gives users the questions necessary to measure what was identified as important. It is defensible because the questions are designed to measure the job related behaviors necessary for success. All this without having to have expensive consultants coming back every time you want to create an interview.

Question: Why have focused Competency Analyzers? Wouldn't it be easier to have just one that covers everything?

Answer: It would be easier for use to have just one, but what is easier for use is not necessarily better got the client. We tried a one-size-fits all analyzer and executives felt they were wasting time rating behaviors that were totally not applicable to their jobs. Also, by creating a more focused approach, the time spent by focus groups and executives alike are reduced by 40%.

Question: How do you solve the problem of candidate's not telling the truth?

Answer: That is a good question. The answer is in how the interviewer sets the stage, explaining what the candidate is expected to respond with, and how the interviewer checks the references. Simply speaking, we have added some rigor and objectivity that are effective. The really exciting part is that the approach is not abusive, rather, when interviewers are trained, the approach is quite conversational and professional.

Question: Why go to all the trouble of doing a competency analysis and creating an interview from it?

Answer: There are two reasons for completing a competency analysis. For the first let me share an experience we had with a large group of professionals we were training to deliver the program. The trainers were grouped to conduct an analysis on a specific position. We provided a list of competencies and asked them to select the top six and put them in priority order. We then asked the groups to conduct the competency analysis using an Analyzer. The Analyzer outcome was significantly different than the group's selection from the list. When asked which list of competencies was right, the answer was obvious.

Question: What about the second reason?

Answer: The second reason is based on research. One research study stated that a highly trained and experienced interviewer using a typical unstructured interview has an ability to predict job performance correctly about 30% of the time. When a behavioral approach is utilized the results increase to about 50% reliability. However, when an approach incorporates a position analysis and a structured interview created from that analysis, the results exceed 85% reliability. The key is an interview that includes rating guides and is behavioral based. All we have done is help stack the deck in your favor in a simple and effective manner.

About Action Coaching®

Question: Tell us about Action Coaching what makes it different?

Answer: All of our programs integrate. Going back to the concept of simplicity Action Coaching builds on the Action Interviewing approach. Yet, the program is not for everyone. If the objective of performance management is to improve productivity and retention, Action Coaching is dynamite. If the Performance Management strategy is just to regulate and determine pay increases, Action Coaching is not going to be a fit. When working with executives, we can help Human Resource Professionals determine the strategic direction the company wants to go before making a commitment to using a program like Action Coaching.

Question: Why do most Performance Appraisal programs not accomplish their objective?

Answer: Simply speaking, most Performance Appraisal programs are designed with two conflicting objectives. First objective is to improve performance and second to determine pay increases.

Question: Why is that a problem?

Answer: These systems result in the employee being most interested in the pay increase and not so interested in the performance feedback.

Question: Why is that?

Answer: Obviously, what affects the pocketbook is going to take precedence. Second, employees particularly at the professional level, feel that their supervisor seldom sees their performance. If fact, most employees give little credibility to feedback from supervisors. Plus, most managers look at typical approaches of Performance Appraisal as either being a waste of time or literally fear giving feedback to their employees and causing problems.

Question: Why is that a problem?

Answer: We realized that the typical approach to Performance Appraisal is based on research that was conducted on dogs, rats, and pigeons and then applied to people. This research was conducted during the early 1900's. People are more complex and are not motivated the way dogs, rats, or pigeons were motivated to salivate. Action Coaching incorporates a paradigm shift that minimizes stress and truly creates an opportunity for a supervisor, no matter what level of the organization, to be a coach and improve performance.

Question: How does Action Coaching get around that?

Answer: Action Coaching provides a method for a supervisor and employee to quickly define and agree on some specific performance expectations. The employee plays a significant role in documenting verifiable examples of their performance. These examples then become part of the coaching discussion.

Question: Won't the employee just focus on their successes?

Answer: Usually yes! However, consider two thoughts. First, often there is a need in organizations to build trust between employees and their supervisors. Second, we have built in a simple approach for employees to share experiences that didn't work out well, and provide a basis for learning from them. Action Coaching is designed to be a continuous learning and improvement process.

About ActionPlus®

Question: Is there a way to automate the Competency Analysis Process and make it available across the organization?

Answer: Automation is a powerful way to save time and money. ActionPlus was designed to serve this very purpose. The exciting aspect of ActionPlus is that it is integrated. When a position profile is created the system pulls together the structured, behavioral-based interview, prewritten performance expectations, a job description, a position specific 360 multi-rater assessment instrument, and other outcomes.

Tel. 303-439-2001 or Toll Free 866-439-2001
Action Insight, Inc. 430 Columbine Avenue, Broomfield, Colorado 80020