Continuing our series looking at coaching tools and techniques, Coaching at Work road-tests the Realise2 assessment tool

1 The tool

What is it?

Realise2 is a web-based strengths assessment tool developed by the Centre of Applied Positive Psychology (CAPP). Launched in June 2009, it assesses 60 different attributes according to three dimensions: energy, performance and use. The aim is to help people identify and develop strengths, while moderating learned behaviour and managing weaknesses.

Realise2 assesses:

Realised Strengths
What you love to do and get to do

Unrealised Strengths
What you love to do but don’t do

Learned Behaviours
What you can do but don’t like doing

Weaknesses
What you find hard to do (see Figure 1)

How does it work?

Realise2 asks you to rate 60 attributes according to how energising you find them, how good you are at them and how often you use them. Your most significant attributes are itemised in four quadrants in order of significance, featuring up to seven of each of the Realised and Unrealised Strengths, up to four Learned Behaviours and up to three Weaknesses.

The online assessment takes 20-30 minutes to complete.

For more information and to take the Realise2 assessment go to www.cappeu.com

2 The administrator

Using the tool

Realise2 assesses 60 attributes, whereas other strengths tools assess between 24 and 34 strengths themes. Also new is its distinction between realised and unrealised strengths, which provide the greatest development potential.

Knowing what your strengths are is useful but it’s what you do with this knowledge that makes the real difference in realising potential. Realise2’s facility to build a detailed personal development plan is crucial. There is no requirement to become certified to use the tool.

The verdict

Realise2 is a reasonably priced strengths assessment tool which is simple to use. I felt the use of a paired comparison analysis in the last section of the assessment might achieve an easier and more precise ranking of preferences.

The report is comprehensive and easy to understand. The Realise2 quadrant model attractively summarises the four dimensions.

For the most part the attributes mentioned in Realise2 are in line with our own self assessment.

In a team environment, 60 attributes might be unwieldy for team members to recall and manage.

I would like to see the report mention all 60 attributes with a brief explanation of each, rather than just our own 21 attributes.

Realise2 served to reinforce my client’s awareness and confidence around his strengths. He learned to accept what he couldn’t do well and to seek support from his team where they could do it better. By spending more time using his strengths, he was more productive and achieved substantial additional savings for his organisation.

The online facility which assists with prioritising areas for development and creating a development plan is useful.

Gail MacIndoe is an independent executive coach and director of MacIndoe, a strengths-based coaching and leadership development consultancy. Contact: gail@macindoe.com or 07919 405541

3 The client

The experience

In recent times the vogue has been to use development tools that focus on your areas for development and highlight things you do less well.

This approach is often demotivating as it downplays those things that you do well. This tool comes from a different angle, highlighting the things you do well, and those more hidden skills that you have but could make more use of.

Completing the questionnaire was very straightforward. I received a report with the results in a pie chart identifying the strengths I use at present and those I should use more.

It also identified the activities I should seek to downplay along with an examination of my learned behaviours.

Over the past few months I have undertaken a number of job-related psychometric and personality tests. The profile generated was in line with the output of these tests.

One observation is that some of the unrealised strengths identified in the profile were ones I use on a regular basis and, I felt, should

have been included in my realised strengths. I would like to have a better understanding of the underlying process of how the strengths are allocated between realised and unrealised to explain this inconsistency.

The application

The Realise2 tool was a cost-effective and straightforward aid to helping both my coach and I focus on my strengths. It helped me prioritise certain activities to achieve the best result.

The verdict

The tool provides a different approach for both clients and coaches compared to existing strategies. It is administered in a simple and straightforward way.

David Morgan is commercial director at Defence Support Group. (At the time of the coaching, he was commercial director of Technology Solutions at QinetiQ.)

See Something inside, so strong, Coaching at Work, vol 2, issue 6.

The pros and cons of Realise2

UPSIDE

  • Quick and simple to use
  • Assesses 60 strengths
  • Accurate reflection of strengths profile
  • Clear report with sufficient explanation of terms. Separates out Unrealised Strengths from Realised Strengths, Learned Behaviours and Weaknesses
  • Facility to build personal development plan
  • Reasonably priced

DOWNSIDE

  • Trained facilitator is not required to provide feedback, which could result in reduced understanding of individual’s strengths and how best to leverage them
  • Method of strengths allocation between categories is unclear
  • 60 strengths might be unwieldy for a team to recall and manage
  • Report does not list all 60 attributes but your personal 21 strengths

Coaching at Work, Volume 5, Issue 4