Professional vs. Parental Assessments

In addition to the kinds of qualities and characteristics families can observe and shape in childhood, traits, values and critical thinking can be assessed scientifically in young adulthood. The quality of personality and thinking assessment tools has increased greatly in the past ten to fifteen years. We can now assess people in the early college years and determine their traits and the kinds of competencies they’d be able to develop.

We can assess their values and interests, to determine the kinds of endeavors in life that will give them meaning and satisfaction. And we can assess how and how well their critical thinking works, to determine the kind and the level of “best fit” job or career for their abilities. All of this helps younger family members determine “true north” for themselves, in terms of career and job direction. It also helps the family business determine where, how best, or even if the family member will fit in the business.

Fit is critical for satisfaction, success and happiness for the young family member. It’s also critical for the continuing competitiveness of the family business. The young woman who wants to make the world a better place and help the less fortunate, yet has no interest in profit or business, will be a poor and unhappy fit in the family business. But she might be a fine and happy fit in the family foundation. The young man who likes individual achievement, self-reliance, and figuring out tough problems may well make a fine professional or individual contributor in the family business. But in a leadership role, he would not build a team, delegate, or develop others. Getting the right traits in the right place is critical. Fit is everything.

Families whose children are already old enough to be working in the company would be wise to hire a professional to assess them and to base development of those members on solid information. It is possible to measure the characteristics of people in their twenties and thirties that they may be able to change, with the proper training and targeted experience to bring out the best in them.