The December 2013 edition of Talent Management magazine includes an article focused on mid-level managers – the characteristics that facilitate success in these critical, complex positions and how to best assess those characteristics.  The article led me to thinking about middle children. (What can I say? On the Hogan Personality Inventory both my Inquisitive and Learning Approach scores are high, so my thought patterns and processes can be disjointed!)

I think middle children and middle managers may have a lot in common. Hear me out on this. Despite popular perception of “middle child syndrome”, some research suggests middle-born children possess a number of unique strengths. The same strengths may make for successful middle managers:

Middle children build relationships
I’m willing to bet that anyone in middle management will tell you that their success is due in large part to the ability to effectively work with those above them, their management teammates, and their direct reports. Middle managers have to build and maintain productive relationships with employees at all levels of the organization, often across divisions, functions, and geographies, in order to fulfill their responsibilities.

Middle children compromise
Middle management positions are unique in that these individuals are largely responsible for taking strategy from the top, selling it to the bottom, and ensuring it is successfully implements. Effective middle managers may be those who implement strategies in manner which ensures that, while no one can have everything, everyone will get something. 

Middle children innovate
The job descriptions for middle managers across companies may vary widely, but oftentimes these are the people in the organization who are responsible for “making it work” and that requires thinking outside of the box.  An effective middle manager may need to generate, adapt, and implement ideas to ensure the success of the team and the enterprise.

Middle children keep their cool
I doubt anyone would deny the stress inherent in the majority of middle management positions. Middle managers may be called upon to act as both an individual contributor and a leader in the organization. As a result it is critical that they remain calm, focused, and productive despite the pressures of workload, deadlines, and office politics.

What strengths do you see in middle managers? As globalization increases and organizations move further into the 21^st century, what attributes do you think will lead to middle managers’ continued success? I hate to be alone with my own musings, so please post your thoughts!

 

Hiring managers live in the most technologically advanced age yet. We’ve gone digital – our complete work and life experience all neatly splayed out on LinkedIn and Facebook. So why has recruitment not progressed beyond the interview? In his latest blog for The Guardian, Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic offers 4 reasons the digital age has yet to revolutionize recruitment.
 
Reason 1: “You can only predict what you can measure.” Many companies rely on gut instincts in their hiring process which leads to what Chamorro-Premuzic calls “a game of untested predictions, which turns recruitment into a leap of faith.” If companies want a more reliable hiring system, they should take advantage of measurement tools that process the mass of data available in the digital age. Hogan’s assessment suite uncovers the hidden attributes of the shy researcher and removes the mask of charm from a less-skilled candidate so employers can make more informed hiring decisions through psychometric assessments.
 
Check out reasons 2, 3, and 4 which deal with crowdsourcing talent, data scraping, and gamification in the full blog post.

Hiring managers live in the most technologically advanced age yet. We’ve gone digital – our complete work and life experience all neatly splayed out on LinkedIn and Facebook. So why has recruitment not progressed beyond the interview? In his latest blog for The Guardian, Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic offers 4 reasons the digital age has yet to revolutionize recruitment.
 
Reason 1: “You can only predict what you can measure.” Many companies rely on gut instincts in their hiring process which leads to what Chamorro-Premuzic calls “a game of untested predictions, which turns recruitment into a leap of faith.” If companies want a more reliable hiring system, they should take advantage of measurement tools that process the mass of data available in the digital age. Hogan’s assessment suite uncovers the hidden attributes of the shy researcher and removes the mask of charm from a less-skilled candidate so employers can make more informed hiring decisions through psychometric assessments.
 
Check out reasons 2, 3, and 4 which deal with crowdsourcing talent, data scraping, and gamification in the full blog post.

Hogan is pleased to announce the expansion of our global partner network to Poland. Assessment Systems Poland recently became our latest international distributor. In Poland, Assessment Systems currently supports clients in several major industries – pharmaceutical, telecommunication, FMC, energy and transportation. Assessment Systems Poland has a proven track record of creating strategic relationships with leading organizations like the British–Polish Chamber of Commerce, Warsaw University of Technology Business School and Business Development Institute.

"Maya Krzyzanowska, as the Managing Director and the entire Polish team of Hogan experts are talented researchers and consultants – they deliver quality assessment solutions for both employee selection and development,' said Ryan Ross, VP of Global Alliances at Hogan. 

Assessment Systems Poland Sp. z o. o. is a member of Assessment Systems International – which currently operates in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and Serbia.

Welcome Assessment Systems Poland!

I can think of few more noble/worthy causes than breaking the cycle of poverty through improving childhood educational outcomes. Here in Oklahoma, much of that work is being done through an organization called Tulsa Educare, a research-based program that brings the best early childhood practices to underserved and at-risk populations. Tulsa Educare is the first program of its kind to be implemented on such a large scale, and as such has been making news – the New York Times recently featured Tulsa Educare and suggested it as a model for a nation-wide program.

Like an organization, Educare’s success comes down to its leadership and its teachers, and for the past three years, Hogan has had the great fortune of working with the organization on a philanthropic basis to provide tools to help them select teachers and train their management teams. And, we are currently working on a criterion study that will help pinpoint the personality characteristics typical of an exemplary Educare teacher.

Personally, the Educare program strikes a chord. It aligns with my background in educational psychology and my prior work with the Department of Mental Health and the Department of Human Services. And, as a new father, I understand the desire to provide our kids with every advantage. Hopefully someday access to free early childhood education will be available to every family in the U.S. Until then, we at Hogan are happy we're able to help.

Hogan is pleased to announce the expansion of our global partner network to Poland. Assessment Systems Poland recently became our latest international distributor. In Poland, Assessment Systems currently supports clients in several major industries – pharmaceutical, telecommunication, FMC, energy and transportation. Assessment Systems Poland has a proven track record of creating strategic relationships with leading organizations like the British–Polish Chamber of Commerce, Warsaw University of Technology Business School and Business Development Institute.

“Maya Krzyzanowska, as the Managing Director and the entire Polish team of Hogan experts are talented researchers and consultants – they deliver quality assessment solutions for both employee selection and development,’ said Ryan Ross, VP of Global Alliances at Hogan. 

Assessment Systems Poland Sp. z o. o. is a member of Assessment Systems International – which currently operates in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and Serbia.

Welcome Assessment Systems Poland!

I can think of few more noble/worthy causes than breaking the cycle of poverty through improving childhood educational outcomes. Here in Oklahoma, much of that work is being done through an organization called Tulsa Educare, a research-based program that brings the best early childhood practices to underserved and at-risk populations. Tulsa Educare is the first program of its kind to be implemented on such a large scale, and as such has been making news – the New York Times recently featured Tulsa Educare and suggested it as a model for a nation-wide program.

Like an organization, Educare’s success comes down to its leadership and its teachers, and for the past three years, Hogan has had the great fortune of working with the organization on a philanthropic basis to provide tools to help them select teachers and train their management teams. And, we are currently working on a criterion study that will help pinpoint the personality characteristics typical of an exemplary Educare teacher.

Personally, the Educare program strikes a chord. It aligns with my background in educational psychology and my prior work with the Department of Mental Health and the Department of Human Services. And, as a new father, I understand the desire to provide our kids with every advantage. Hopefully someday access to free early childhood education will be available to every family in the U.S. Until then, we at Hogan are happy we’re able to help.

Millions of people are plagued by low self-confidence. But in Confidence: Overcoming Low Self-Esteem, Insecurity, and Self-Doubt, personality expert Dr. Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic shows us that high confidence makes us less likeable, less employable, and less successful in the long run. He reveals the benefits of low confidence (including being more motivated and self-aware), teaches us how to know when to fake it, get ahead at work, improve our social skills, feel better emotionally and physically, and much more.

With this engaging, practical study of our minds and emotions, we can become more capable in every facet of life. Based on decades of research, including the author’s own groundbreaking work, and filled with fascinating anecdotal evidence, Confidence will shatter every myth you’ve ever believed about self-confidence and its effects on us—ranging from the very personal to the global level.

Millions of people are plagued by low self-confidence. But in Confidence: Overcoming Low Self-Esteem, Insecurity, and Self-Doubt, personality expert Dr. Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic shows us that high confidence makes us less likeable, less employable, and less successful in the long run. He reveals the benefits of low confidence (including being more motivated and self-aware), teaches us how to know when to fake it, get ahead at work, improve our social skills, feel better emotionally and physically, and much more.

With this engaging, practical study of our minds and emotions, we can become more capable in every facet of life. Based on decades of research, including the author’s own groundbreaking work, and filled with fascinating anecdotal evidence, Confidence will shatter every myth you’ve ever believed about self-confidence and its effects on us—ranging from the very personal to the global level.

Are you good at reading people? How about reading your boss? In his Huffington Post article “Reversed Leadership: How to Manage Your Boss,” Dr. Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic offers a crash course in behavioral analysis.
 
Is your boss the quiet type? Impulsive? Creative? A hedonistic workaholic? Once you’ve profiled him like the BAU squad in Criminal Minds, check out Chamorro-Premuzic’s advice for how to get around his quirks and idiosyncrasies. “Figure out who he is, what he wants, and why he does what he does; work out the bright- and the dark-side aspects of his personality. Then, adjust your behaviors to fit with his style, values, and interests,” suggests Chamorro-Premuzic. Check out the full article and learn a few helpful tips on dealing with your boss.