Assess Systems Australia

Yearly Archives: 2010

Why we choke under pressure?

A star golfer misses a critical putt; a football team wins every game in the season, but lose dramatically in the final; a brilliant student fails to ace a test; a savvy salesperson blows a key presentation. Each of these people has suffered the same bump in mental processing: They have just choked under pressure.

Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Why more harm is less noticed?

Joseph Stalin once claimed that a single death was a tragedy, but a million deaths was a statistic. New research from the Kellogg School of Management validates this sentiment, confirming large-scale tragedies don’t connect with people emotionally in the same way smaller tragedies do.

Tagged , | Leave a comment

Putting a face to a name

A recent article published on Knowledge@Wharton, titled “Putting a Face to a Name: The Art of Motivating Employees,” emphasises that workers have better results when they can identify with those they serve. Specifically, face-to-face interactions and task significance (“what I do makes a difference”) are key drivers for motivation and performance.

Tagged , | Leave a comment

Handbook of Workplace Assessment

With the trend over the past few years for organisations of all sizes to streamline their workforces and focus on selecting and retaining only the “best and the brightest” employees, effective assessment has become vital to ensuring organisations are able to hire and retain top talent. The Handbook of Workplace Assessment, edited by John Scott and Doug Reynolds, presents evidence-based assessment research and knowledge directed to any organisation using assessment to build their workforce.

Tagged , | Leave a comment

Emotions and soccer

Soccer players have made an art form of racing around like a chook with its head cut off after scoring a goal. Their self-congratulatory jigs may look ridiculous, but they serve a greater purpose. They are contagious, designed to infect their teammates.

Tagged , | Leave a comment