Development Centre
Testing Key Behaviours
The following Development Centre was run for eight delegates who were assessed by four observers.
The organisation needed to create a culture that encouraged creativity and innovation. The delegates were selected as they were in roles that could influence the new culture. A programme of work was carried out to identify key behaviours that are desirable for the new culture. These are:
- Open Minded
- Accessing Broad Stimuli
- Supportive
- Non Judgmental
- Influential Communication
- Lateral Thinking
- Progressive Thinking
- Courage
- Resilience
- Progressive
See table below for a full description of the behaviours
The Development Company UK Limited was engaged to design a Development Centre that would show whether or not each delegate demonstrated the key behaviours.
The tests were designed and the Development Centre was scheduled to run over two days.
The observers arrived on the first day with the afternoon dedicated to Observer Training.
The Observer Training is designed to ensure participants:
- Understand their role as observers in the Development Centre process
- Are familiar with the documentation, logistics and timetable for the Development Centre
- Have a clear understanding of how to record assessment data in the observation documents
- Recognise and explore the behaviours identified for the role
- Understand the range and nature of the assessment tasks being used in the Development Centre process
The delegates for the Development Centre arrived on the second morning and were subjected to a series of exercises to test the behaviours. The exercises included timed tasks, coaching and working in teams. The objectives were to:
- Assess each participant’s ability against the defined behaviours
- Identify each participant’s specific development needs
- Enable each participant to receive in-depth, constructive feedback on their performance
- Ensure that the creative and innovative aspirations of the organisation are being supported by the managers within the department
- Be able to support each participant as they develop themselves and their role
The day was very intensive and concluded with a surprise exercise to develop an entertainment sketch to be performed after the evening meal.
At the end of the Development Centre the observers fed back their scores and observations. As a result of the Development Centre training needs for certain individuals were identified. One delegate was promoted immediately after the Development Centre.
| Behaviour/Attitude | Description |
| Open Minded | Is able to receive ideas and look for the positive aspects of those ideas and where possible builds on those ideas. |
| Accessing Broad Stimuli | Actively seeks different sources of information and references. Explores how different people, departments or organisations for sources of inspiration and insights into the latest thinking or best practice. |
| Supportive | Demonstrates supportive behaviours to fellow colleagues to encourage creativity and innovation in others. |
| Non Judgmental | The ability to suspend judgmental thinking or bias in order to explore a range of ideas, opportunities and perspectives. |
| Influential Communication | Is able to put across ideas, and new ways of approaching problems or opportunities which other people understand and commit to. |
| Lateral Thinking | Takes a wider perspective when dealing with problems and challenges. Identifies and moulds different ideas to suit the challenge in hand. |
| Progressive Thinking | Continually looks how systems, processes and ways of working can be refined and improved. Is not content to adopt a “that’s the way we have always done it” attitude. |
| Courage | Is prepared to challenge and take a calculated risk in the pursuit of positive and worthwhile change. |
| Resilience | Is able to remain focussed and committed to their goals and objectives despite setbacks or the negative behaviours and attitudes of others. |
| Progressive | Learns from their experiences and applies this learning in what they do now and in the future. Continually looks to improve their approach and way of dealing with issues, challenge and problems. Does not rely on what has happened in the past to dictate how things can be done now. |
