Letters

Inc. readers react to articles from the July 1998 issue of Inc., including Christopher Caggiano's "Psycho Path" and Burton L. Visotzky's "Bible in the Boardroom?"

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In the July issue, readers were fascinated by the psychological (psychometric testing); the spiritual (how CEOs can glean business lessons from the Bible); and the methodological (new market-research techniques). Some choice comments:

Psycho Babble

An article on the fad of employee psychometric testing (" Psycho Path," by Christopher Caggiano) received the largest number of responses this month. Writes one proponent of testing:

I would like to thank Christopher Caggiano for his article on personality testing. Objective psychological tests are a great tool--when they're used correctly. As Caggiano pointed out, integrating the test results with other information about a person offers the best outcome. No test is perfect (and interviewers can be worse!), but when combined with other information, tests offer insights not to be found otherwise. Maybe that is why tests seem better for development purposes than for making hiring decisions--supervisors know their employees better and can use the test results as a springboard for discussion, rather than take them at face value as they might with a potential hire.

Ari Tuckman
Director of Communications
Business Mediation Associates
Washington, D.C.

Another reader disagrees with Tuckman. He contends that such tests have a role in the hiring process.

As one who does nothing other than assess, train, and coach entrepreneurs and their start-ups, I want to affirm the profitability of using some sort of psychometric testing to ascertain an employee's current "fit-ness" for a company. However, while I agree that these instruments help after hiring an employee, I'd argue that they can provide more benefit before the actual hiring decision. If they're used and interpreted responsibly, psychometric tests can flag possible "incongruencies" in the candidates' statements or even in their work record, the validity of which should later be tested in a behavioral-interview format. Failure to address inconsistencies before hiring results in a very unhealthy, and expensive, decision--not to mention loss of credibility with current employees.

Jim Griffith
President
The Griffith Group
Englewood, Colo.

And how about using the tests to strengthen employees' marriages?

I read your article with great enthusiasm. All the employees at our business took the Myers-Briggs test some five years ago. In addition, their spouses were invited to come for the day to take it as well. I'm sure you can imagine the results. We had couples who had been married for more than 20 years suddenly understanding why the significant other behaved a certain way at a party or other function.

Deborah Byrne
Operations Manager
Refrigerated Transport Electronics
Mcgraw, N.Y.

Caggiano's article noted that there are legal issues surrounding the use of psychometric tests. This consultant wrote to clarify what those issues are:

A key to avoiding legal pitfalls when using psychometric instruments in the recruiting and selection process--besides avoiding those tests intended for use by mental-health professionals--is to have a benchmark or set of benchmarks to match candidates to positions. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that matching candidates to positions based on the essential duties and characteristics required to perform the job is acceptable. In Griggs et al. v. Dukes Power Co., 401 U.S. 424, 1971, pp. 433-436, the Court held that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 "does not preclude the use of testing or measuring procedures, but it does proscribe giving them controlling force unless they are demonstrably a reasonable measure of job performance."

John S. Lybarger
Owner
Lybarger & Associates
Westminster, Colo.

Testament on the Good Book

Burton L. Visotzky, a New York City-based rabbi who works with CEOs, wrote a column about the management lessons to be derived from the Bible.

I started reading your article with the most hesitation in the world. The term "Bible study" stirs in my imagination groups of people more concerned with their own spiritual salvation than the day-to-day well-being of their fellow man. Boy, was I wrong! As I write this I'm wishing I could be part of your group. The intellectual challenge alone would be worth the price of admission. I grew up with a healthy dose of both Catholic and Jewish teachings. The Bible's applicability to living your earthly life had never been quite clear to me until I read your article. Those teachings must be an integral part of our daily lives and must not be forgotten Monday through Friday. Clearly, God's word can provide plenty of lessons for today. Thank you for reminding me of that. I hope more of us learn the importance of faith as it guides us in everything we do.

John A. Polvino
Partner
Digital Print Services
Buffalo

This reader was not nearly as impressed:

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