People are the key differentiator of service and performance in many, if not most, organisations. Attracting recruits with the right skills, knowledge and behaviour is a critical first step in developing organisational performance.

Here at cda we have worked with our clients to advise on a range of assessment and recruitment issues. Our objective is always to develop tailored, pragmatic assessment processes, focused on the skills, knowledge and behaviour that matter most to the success of the organisation.

Psychometric assessment can provide valuable insights into personal style, reasoning skills, sources of motivation. It works well at recruitment stage and also as a way to develop individual self-awareness as part of a development programme. Psychometric tests are also useful in improving the effectiveness of teams. However, there are pitfalls for the unwary; we utilise only high-quality psychometric tests, including our own personality profile cdaq, which carry the British Psychological Society’s quality mark.

Assessment and development centres are a robust way of identifying the talent that already exists within an organisation, or identifying suitable external candidates. Our centres are highly participative and often run by a cda team jointly with observers or facilitators from the client organisation. We use innovative tests, techniques and exercises and work in close collaboration with our client to evaluate the success of the programme.

We also have a successful track record in designing and carrying out Management Audits for clients, often as a way of assessing management capability at times of change.

Our on-line 360 feedback tool cdafeedback is another useful assessment tool. It can be tailored to gather feedback against the organisation’s own competencies or performance criteria and gathers information from a range of peers, subordinates and external contacts plus the immediate manager. It provides an efficient, automated way of gathering and summarising this data into an individual feedback report, which can form a very useful part of the assessment process.

To deliver significant improvements in business performance, Alpha Airport Shopping needed to refocus the role and skill-set of line managers in their duty free stores. We worked with Alpha to design and deliver a rigorous assessment centre process, with comprehensive competency-based feedback for all candidates. As a result of this process about 40% of managers left the business and were replaced by externally recruited candidates, who more closely matched the revised job requirements. All managers then went through a bespoke training programme aimed at developing key people management and leadership skills required to drive the future success of the business.

When AstraZeneca established their European Business Service (EBS) centre, they had very clear views about the culture and working methods they wished to introduce. We helped develop a bespoke recruitment approach to assess candidates against the specific capabilities that were critical to the success of the EBS. This was done by conducting competency-based interviews to assess candidates against the required capabilities, together with the use of psychometrics at 1st stage and 2nd stage assessment centres. Candidates were impressed with the thoroughness and professionalism of the approach and AstraZeneca had real confidence that the rigorous, objective process ensured they identified and hired the right people.

We worked with the Risk Assurance Division (RAD) team within the Department of Work and Pensions to develop a 'Skills and Knowledge Framework' which identified the key areas of skill and knowledge that would make a real difference to the success of RAD in the medium term. We then developed an individual assessment and development planning process, which would allow RAD to gain an objective view of the development needs of each team member. The process consisted of a self assessment, a manager's report and an in-depth interview, summarised in an individual development report. We trained a team of RAD managers to carry out the in-depth interview, working alongside a cda interviewer. Working to demanding timetables, we planned and supported over 200 and produced a development report for each individual who had gone through the process. We subsequently worked with the top team to agree a medium term Training and Development Strategy, which recommended a broad range of development activity to help RAD meet its strategic priorities.

We worked with Toyota GB (TGB) to review the effectiveness of their current recruitment processes and develop a streamlined process which improved the company's ability to attract and assess applicants. The improved recruitment process was launched via a programme of training, aimed at improving recruiting managers' understanding of the new process and their ability to carry out in-depth competency-based selection interviews.

In 2005 we worked with Toyota Academy Europe (TAE) to develop the 'Sales Skills Grand Prix' - a pan-European competition aimed at recognising and rewarding outstanding sales skills. Each European country nominated a Sales consultant, who attended a full day of assessment activity, aimed at evaluating the skills, knowledge and behaviour required to sell in the Toyota Way. The competition included a mix of practical exercises, role plays and quizzes. The assessment was carried out in local language with simultaneous translation. We developed the assessment exercises and ran briefings for assessors. We supported the competition by attending to monitor progress and resolve any last-minute issues. The Sales Skills Grand Prix was considered to be a great success and is now taking place on an annual basis, with ongoing support from cda.

• Team tactics - PersonnelToday (June 2006)