Covers aren’t for judging
Growing up, every first day of school was the same. First, I would navigate my way to whatever teacher’s classroom was designated to torture me that semester. Then, I’d find a seat far enough in the back to not to be noticed, but close enough to the board for my weak eyes to make out the faint chalk lines. And lastly, I would anxiously await the inevitable roll call.
The teacher stands up and spends way too long talking about herself. Check. The teacher tells us to quiet down because she can’t hear herself bragging about her two kids and five cats. Double-check. The teacher picks the list of two dozen or so names off her desk and prepares to butcher everyone’s names. Ugh, check. Here we go. A’s, B’s, C’s, D’s, E’s…She importantly checks the little blank attendance box next to each student’s name as she works her way through the alphabet. We’re getting closer. F’s, G’s, H’s, I’s…There’s the occasional pause to clear her throat or comment on knowing a student’s parents years ago. Almost time now. J’s, K’s, L’s, M’s…aaaaaand, showtime.
“Miller,” Mrs. Whatsherface droned.
“Here.”
“Morgan,” she boringly read.
“Here.”
“Mrroocckawitzzz….” Upon this mispronounced moment of realization, she’d glare up at me in a panic with wide, fearful eyes that had already seen far too many thanks for my five older siblings and groan, “Oh god, not another one.”
And that was pretty much that. Her mind was all made up about me. My last name was all she needed to know to judge how I would behave in her class — it drove me crazy.
I grew up being judged because of my last name. It was small-town Indiana and my last name isn’t exactly one that blends in easily. Somehow, every person I met seemed to already have an opinion of me. They weren’t very favorable opinions most of the time. I was judged because of who my parents were and the beliefs my parents held. I was judged because of who my siblings were and the stupid shenanigans they got up to in their teen years. I was judged for being the youngest kid of a huge, dysfunctional family with a bad reputation. And it drove me CRAZY.
But, it also taught me something — a valuable lesson I carry with me every day, actually. One of the most unfair things you can possibly do is judge someone without first getting to know them. No one likes to be judged. Everyone deserves the chance to show you who they are before you make up their mind about them. And whether it be appearance, rumors, or their family, no one deserves to be judged at first glance.
So, when Chad first offered me a position at Profile, I was more than a little wary of the preface of it all. I hated the idea of profiling people and judging a book by its cover. I didn’t want to spend my time doing the same thing I resented people for doing to me. I didn’t want to be a hypocrite. But, the more time I spend here and the more I learn about the prerogatives of the company, I have come to understand that Profile is not in the business of judging people at first glance. Rather, Profile strives to use our cutting edge behavioral assessment technology to improve employee self-awareness and team building architecture.
Appraising your personality assessment results helps us learn what motivates you, what drives you to succeed, where you excel, and where there’s room for improvement. These results are integral to the process of placing you in the right position for you, in an environment, you can excel with as few limitations and confrontations as possible, all while feeling fulfilled and empowered by the work you do.
But, does this mean if your personality and behavioral results are less than favorable for a particular position then you won’t even be considered? Of course not. We don’t judge people without getting to know them — we are not my high school teachers. Instead, the questions asked during your interview will be expertly crafted with your specific personality traits in mind. This is how Profile ensures the right people are being placed in the right positions within organizations. Profile is a combination of a lot of moving parts that seeks to accommodate the needs of human beings who, by nature, are complex and dynamic creatures. The personality and behavioral assessment doesn’t define you, but it does help us make predictions about you and aids us in placing you in your desired position where you and the organization you’re working for will excel. So, no. Profile isn’t in the business of judging people. Instead, we help people get to where they want to be, and that is an idea I can surely get behind.
Chad Q. Brown’s Profile is a retained consulting firm incorporating distinct team building and talent strategies utilizing proprietary technology and behavioral assessment infrastructure. Our mission — help people get better at people.
Profile
http://www.profile.team/
Chad Q. Brown
chad@profile.team
@chadqbrown
(765)490–5474
