3.2.10 Team Assessments

Purpose 

The Team Assessment instruments are intended to explore a team’s cultural dynamics in order to improve group and individual performance.

Description

The assessments measure behaviors, task efficiency, conceptual applications, and attitudes, incorporating problem-solving and real-life scenarios. The Team Assessments were created by Joe Baker, a leadership consultant, coach, and expert on teamwork and have been commercialized by People Result consulting company. The team assessment tools, i.e., the Shadowmatch tool and Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team are covered below.

Inspired by Patrick Lencioni’s influential book The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Joe Baker created the Shadowmatch tool. This instrument’s design is based on research on enhancing teamwork across diverse groups in South Africa. Now used by major organizations worldwide, Shadowmatch assesses 19 behaviors, including how people handle tasks, think on their feet, and solve problems in real-world situations. An AI system analyzes behavioral patterns during the assessment. Shadowmatch can aid in recruitment and staffing by offering real-time comparisons to help build effective teams.

In addition, the Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team assessment is designed to assess and improve team dynamics by focusing on trust, conflict, commitment, accountability, and results. It is a group activity rather than a self-report scale, although teams can review individual results alongside the overall team score. The assessment integrates Everything DiSC-style components to reveal behavior style preferences, and it provides practical tips and exercises for building cohesive team behaviors.

The team score is presented in a clear format, using red, yellow, and green to highlight areas needing the most attention. The assessment also provides practical advice and exercises tailored to each of the five key teamwork behaviors: trust, healthy conflict, commitment, accountability, and achieving results. These suggestions consider both the team’s DiSC personality styles and its current dynamics.

Access 

The Shadowmatch assessment is available for purchase at https://shadowmatchusa.com/. The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team assessment is available for purchase at https://www.fivebehaviors.com/.

References

Baker, J. (2012, December 17). Don’t waste your organization’s time and money on assessments. People Results. https://www.people-results.com/waste-organizations-time-money-assessments/

Baker, J. (2014, December 1). Six leadership and team assessments and when to use them. People Results. https://www.people-results.com/leadership-team-assessments/

Lencioni, P. M. (2002). The five dysfunctions of a team: A leadership fable. Jossey-Bass.