[Spoiler Alert – This will pretty much ruin The LEGO Movie for you if you haven’t seen it]

I love LEGOs, so when two of my kids wanted to see The LEGO Movie I happily took them. In the movie, the wizard Vitruvius protects a superweapon known as the Kragle from the evil Lord Business. When Lord Business steals the Kragle, the wizard prophesizes that the Special will arise and find the Piece of Resistance to destroy the Kragle and Lord Business’s evil plans.

Enter Emmet, an ordinary construction figure who always follows the instructions and builds things by the book. He’s far from special, but when he stumbles upon the Piece of Resistance he is thrust into leadership over a rebel group of creative Master Builders. They tell Emmet of a time when characters from all playsets worked together to build hodgepodge worlds and adventures. Confused and angered by this chaos, Lord Business built walls to separate the worlds. He now intends to use the Kragle to freeze the world in this ordered state.

We eventually learn that the story is playing out in the imagination of a boy playing with prized sets belonging to his father, a micro-managing businessman. The playsets are separated by walls, and signs reading “Hands Off” or “Do Not Touch” warn others not to play. The father chastises his son for combining characters and playsets, starts to use Krazy Glue to permanently set the pieces, but notices his son’s work and asks him about it. The father is shocked to learn that he is the antagonist in his own son’s struggle to play freely. His eyes now opened to his suffocation of his son’s creativity, the father relinquishes control and lets his son lead the way as they play together.

Snuggling with my kids, I was overtaken by the allergens floating around the theater’s air-conditioning, as well as the movie’s message. All too often we micro-manage others instead of allowing them to explore their own way. As an admitted control freak, I struggle with this as a parent. But the more I considered things, the more I thought that The LEGO Movie applies not only to parenting, but also to how business can kill innovation.

Think about it. Are your organization’s leaders solely focused on doing things by the book? Do they think that combining things in new ways ruins them? Do they build walls or otherwise separate people? Do they micro-manage? Worst of all, have they said “That’s the way we’ve always done it”?

If you answered “yes” to more than a few of those questions, you may work for Lord Business. But the good news is you can be Emmet. Not everyone is creative, but creativity can come from almost anywhere. So throw out the Krazy Glue, grab some nail polish remover, and unglue your bricks at work.  Break them apart from how they should be and see if you can make something better. Make a mess and don’t be afraid to fail. Toss out the instructions. See if someone on the other side of the wall wants to play. You may be able to create something really innovative if you’re not afraid to put your pieces together in a new way or combine your pieces with someone else’s.

But…when you’re done innovating at work, go home. Put your things down. Resist that urge to pick up your iPad or turn on the TV. If you’ve got young kids, get down on the floor and play with them. Let them lead. If your kids are older or if you don’t have any kids, no worries. LEGOs are awesome for grown-ups, too.

I watch too much TV.  From my morning dose of sports and news to my evening schedule of news and comedy, the part of my day not spent at work is often spent in a familiar bluish glow. My wife has her dramas, I have my comedies, and with three kids we also have to endure our fair share of animation. So you probably think this blog is about my moment of clarity and a thoughtful effort to break this addiction to TV. Nope. Not a chance. BACK OFF.

At a recent dinner with friends, we saw a commercial advertising the premier of one of the fall’s new shows. Each fall TV schedule brings a few original ideas and a lot of garbage, and unfortunately the show we saw advertised fell into the latter group. So we started talking about how a few bona fide gems make it to air amidst a tidal wave of the mediocre and downright awful, and I considered what role personality and leadership play in this puzzle.

As with any industry, some television execs see their purpose as advancing their own agenda.  When this self-centered view is combined with a lack of self-awareness about one’s personality, what ultimately appears on millions of televisions is often uninteresting, dated, and quickly cancelled. However, when executives focus on creating and sustaining high performing teams and on proactively managing their own personalities, the products they create can be truly creative, thought-provoking, and starkly original.

Few of us work in jobs where our products are viewed and judged by millions of people, but each of us is responsible for producing something. Once we prove that we are able to meet the technical demands of our jobs, what determines our success or failure is our personalities and how we lead others. If we are actively involved in managing our personalities at work, we are better prepared to produce the next big hit in our own jobs. If not, we may create the next big miss.

The original Field Guide to SIOP blog post was a hit so I've added a few additional species you may encounter at SIOP this year. Please enjoy this second installment.

1. The Supermarket Sampler – Often confused with The Tourist, this similar species can be found in the exhibitor’s hall which it calls home.  However, The Supermarket Sampler stalks the space in search of edible treats and may make repeated trips through favored booths, attempting to pass off such trips as their first.
2. The Eager Seeker – This adorable and younger form of The Card Dealer eagerly and broadly distributes his/her resume or CV to anyone wearing a SIOP name badge. This species is most typically observed at the placement center, but may also be found in search of opportunities in the exhibitor’s hall. In some cases, The Eager Seeker may have its own business cards printed to mimic the more-experienced Card Dealer.
3. The One-Upper – The easiest way to identify the One-Upper is to tell a story around them. Whatever the story, chances are they can quickly follow it with a similar story of higher achievement. If you published on a topic last year, chances are they will remind you that they published on the same topic in a better journal three years ago.
4. The Stalker – If you’re a SIOP fellow, you’ve probably encountered The Stalker. This species is typically seen waiting after sessions have ended or nervously pacing by the fringes of booths to meet the big names in the field. The Stalker may have an idea to offer, or may just want to meet the face behind the name. If you find yourself cornered by the Stalker, offer them your autograph – they may faint.
5. The “We Should Collaborate” – Like the casual acquaintance who suggests getting together more often after a few drinks, this creature makes plans with colleagues every year to collaborate on research for journal publication or future conferences. This creature is the Publisher’s Clearing House of the SIOP kingdom, so don’t plan on them actually following up on such offers.
6. The Sales Robot – Found in exhibitor’s hall and various parties, receptions, restaurants, and bars, the sales robot is a particularly aggressive creature. This species holds the notion that SIOP is the perfect opportunity to pitch their latest you’ve-got-to-hear-me-out-on-this, don’t-miss-this-opportunity product or service. You can identify them by their trouble with the words “no thanks."
7. The Spy – To The Spy, SIOP is an opportunity for covert intelligence operations on competitors. This sly creature may obscure his/her professional affiliation in an attempt to gain access to sensitive information they can later use as a competitive advantage against others. The Spy is often observed in the exhibitor’s hall, where they may attempt to find information before and/or after hours.
8. The Substitute – This species can be found in conference poster sessions and symposia, where they typically present research conducted primarily by other more senior professionals. Many members of this species are younger graduate students presenting research on which they collaborated with advisors, but this creature may sometimes endure into professional careers.
9. The Are-You-at-the-Right-Conference? – A rare find at SIOP, but not entirely unknown. With no apparent connection to the I-O community (or perhaps psychology as a whole), this species attends the conference but may appear lost or unfamiliar with their surroundings. This creature is easy to spot due to a lack of familiarity with even basic I-O concepts.

Armed with the full Field Guide to SIOP, we hope you enjoy the SIOP Conference this year. See you in Houston!

It’s April again, which means three things – taxes are due, my March madness bracket is hanging by a thread, and SIOP season is here! Every year, I look forward to SIOP for the opportunity to present recent Hogan research, the chance to attend sessions and learn about other advances in the I-O community, and the informal reunions with friends and colleagues. More than anything, however, I look forward to people watching at SIOP. There are certain types of people you can find in the exhibitor’s hall or attending sessions, but to date no attempt has been made to catalog these species. So, with tongue firmly planted in cheek, we provide the first ever field guide to people watching at SIOP.

1. The Tourist – Frequently seen in its natural habitat of the exhibitor’s hall, this creature wanders the booths with the sole purpose of gathering souvenirs from as many vendors as possible. This species is often noted for having a SIOP conference bag or other tote stuffed with its various finds.
2. The Loiterer – These curious squatters can be found in the exhibitor’s hall looking for available seating inside vendors’ booths. Confusing these seats for common hotel meeting areas, The Loiterer takes up indefinite residence without even attempting to engage vendors in conversation.  They may catch up on emails, chat with colleagues, interview job candidates, or even nap, but make no mistake about it – these uninvited guests are hanging out until they’re good and ready to leave. 
3. The Party Crasher – This nocturnal species is seen from the late afternoons through the very late nights. Lacking proper invitations to popular parties and receptions, they attempt to gain access by identifying invited guests they know, entering with groups of invited guests, or finding unguarded entries.
4. The Rager – Although long removed from graduate school, The Rager attempts to relive glory days and party like it's 1999. They may not actually attend conference sessions to learn, but can frequently be seen starting after lunch. Although The Rager and The Party Crasher are easy to confuse, telltale markers of Ragers are bloodshot eyes, complaints of headaches or lack of memory, and wearing the previous day’s clothes. 
5. The Bro – These younger males often confuse SIOP with spring break and are relatively unconcerned with learning and developing their professional network. Known for their overly casual appearance, tight shirts, flip-flops, and indoor use of sunglasses, this creature wants everyone at SIOP to know just how cool they really are.
6. The Party Girl – The female counterpart to The Bro is The Party Girl.  Scientists suspect that this species may also confuse SIOP for spring break as evidenced by a manner of appearance more typically seen in bars or dance clubs than professional conferences. Because of their striking appearance, The Party Girl is frequently surrounded by many Bros.
7. The Card Dealer – This creature just had 500 business cards printed, and between Thursday and Sunday will hand ALL of them out. They give out cards to former colleagues, eager students, presenters, waiters, bartenders, the maid, and drop them in containers for every drawing and contest they see. 
8. The Lifelong Learner – This species is known for an overly serious approach. They attend all advanced workshops and CE courses, and their program may be torn and tattered from overuse.
9. The Contrarian – This curious creature attends many sessions at SIOP, but with the sole purpose of arguing against the topics discussed. This species mourns the loss of debate sessions at the conference, and may attempt to revive them informally by frequently arguing against ideas and those offering them. 
10. The Human Acronym – This species is observed across herds of academics and practitioners. They may be known as Professor Dr. John/Jane Doe, Ph.D., or may hand you a business card that reads John/Jane Doe, M.S., MBA, PHR, ABD, BA. The Human Acronym frequently lists all their achievements since high school in an attempt to wow fellow SIOP attendees.

We hope this Field Guide helps you prepare for the conference jungle and all the creatures you may encounter there. The Society for Industrial/Organizational Psychology is a phenomenal organization and Hogan is proud to sponsor the conference each year. We're looking forward to seeing you in Houston!

Last Saturday I enjoyed a few hours of tailgating with old college friends. The next morning I got up and went to church. I enjoyed letting loose like John Blutarsky on Saturday, and on Sunday I ratcheted things back in the general direction of Ned Flanders. One might ask which is the real me – the “Animal House” version or the “God’s house” version? The answer, of course, is both. Like any functioning adult, I adjust my behavior to accommodate my surroundings. This is nothing special or unique about me – none of us act exactly the same at church as we would at a tailgate party. The same applies at work, where our behavior varies around supervisors versus peers or subordinates.

This is common sense, but has caused problems in the world of performance appraisal, especially multi-source (or 360) ratings. Historically, professionals assumed that each person has one true performance level, and dismissed differences across raters as error. Only in the last two years have researchers concluded that (shockingly) a person’s performance varies across contexts, and various parties think differently about effective job performance. Specifically, supervisors focus on technical performance, whereas peers and subordinates focus on interpersonal and leadership performance, respectively. Research now confirms what basic logic tells us – our performance varies across different groups at work, and those groups expect different behavior from us.

These insights hold major implications for personality assessment and employee development initiatives, especially leadership development. Historically, these efforts provide employees with feedback about maximizing performance in light of personality, but have done so by considering how the person looks on average across all groups. However, by considering rating differences across groups, we can tailor this information to inform employees about specific changes they can make to maximize their performance as viewed by supervisors, peers, subordinates, or other groups. This line of thinking represents a more dynamic, flexible, and multi-faceted view on personality and performance, and falls more in line with the common sense notion that we may each act like John Blutarsky in one instance and Ned Flanders in another.

After two pre-dawn trips to retail Mecca, I became the proud owner of the much-coveted iPhone 4. It’s the first smart phone I’ve ever had, and its innovative design, personalized features, and functionality leave me impressed. Now I’m free from my desk and laptop when I want to check e-mails from work, catch up on online banking, or just goof off on Facebook. It would appear that I’ve finally become one of the “cool” people. Or maybe not.

Here’s the problem – I don't have a case for my new phone. Although a few cases are available for the iPhone 4, they are less effective protection than the one I’d prefer, which won’t be available for anywhere from a few weeks to a couple of months. So while I wait, I’ve relegated my slick new phone to the box it came in, a temporary case to protect it from bumps, scratches, and my two kids, either of whom could strike at any moment. It seems ironic that such an investment is limited to the protection offered by a cardboard box. When my preferred case finally does become available, the condition of my iPhone will determine whether I made a good or bad choice. Either way, it’s a gamble.

Unfortunately, many organizations throughout the world make similar gambles, only with much greater investments and potential losses. Every organization is after the latest “iPhone 4” available to them, which may include new trends in assessment-based selection, High Potential identification, or other such programs. However, after investing considerable resources into selecting and otherwise identifying these individuals, some organizations don’t make further investments to protect their purchases. So instead of investing in assessment-based development programs to coach new hires, provide insights into derailing behaviors, or groom top talent, these organizations gamble on employees developing themselves. When employees take the initiative to develop critical competencies, the gamble works out. But when the employee fails to reach their full potential – or worse, turns over – the gamble fails.

Whether it’s on-the-go access to technology or a better solution for identifying and selecting organizational talent, making significant investments across personal and organizational levels delivers certain advantages. However, if we don’t protect those investments, we risk significant damage or loss.

Come to think of it, maybe I should buy that temporary case after all.

Blaine Gaddis
International Research Manager
Hogan Assessment Systems

Because items on personality assessments have no correct or incorrect answers, users must apply norms to interpret scores. Norms exist largely behind the scenes, and aren’t as sexy as other issues. As a result, they receive little attention relative to other issues, and many do not consider their importance. However, norms can determine whether a person gets a job, receives admittance to academic programs, or is deemed clinically “disordered.” These examples show why test takers should care about norms, but why should test users care?

The answer is simple – validity. Put simply, validity concerns the accuracy of assessment-based decisions, or whether the instrument does what it’s designed to do. Because norms inform decisions based on a person’s score, they impact validity. As an example, consider two assessments designed for adult working populations. The only difference between the two instruments is their norms. Norms for one instrument come from an anonymous sample of Internet users. Norms for the other assessment come from working adults sampled based on labor force and demographic estimates. Because both assessments are intended for adult working populations, the validity of decisions based on these assessments depends on how well the scores reflect the intended audience. Here, norms for one assessment give users confidence in making decisions based on an apples-to-apples comparisons; norms for the other do not.

Hogan takes great pride in the quality and continued accuracy of our assessment norms. We continuously monitor our norms, completing incremental updates as necessary. More importantly, we obtain proportionate representation across occupational and demographic categories to make certain that our norms accurately reflect intended audiences. Internationally, we also develop local norms to give our clients and partners confidence that results reflect intended audiences in local populations. Collectively, these efforts ensure that Hogan remains an industry-leader in assessment norming practices.

Blaine Gaddis
International Research Manager
Hogan Assessment Systems