News

DRI Consulting continues to privide pre-employment testing to hiring teams in diverse industries such as healthcare, private equity, manufacturing, churches, and government.

Unique to our assessment process is that candidates get to see draft results and comment on their accuracy as part of the final report. We continue to hear from hiring teams and candidates that we are very accurate in what we do and quite helpful in determining fit and readiness for positions - from front line to senior executive!
 

DRI Consulting open-house and ribbon-cutting ceremony with Saint Paul Chamber of Commerce (see photo): 

https://twitter.com/#!/driconsulting/status/165444415467425792/photo/1

February 1, 2012

DRI Consulting Leadership Development (LDP) Programs a Success!

US Army Corps of Engineers Little Rock District and St. Louis District employees Melanie Gracey and Rosie Lemons develop a new outlook as a result of DRI Consulting LDP Programming: 

DRI Consulting presents at Annual Regional 2011 (November) American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) Conference!

"Topic: Organizational Culture: Measuring Matters

Speakers: Dr. Megan Brogger and Dr. Deb Hager (Deputy County Administrator) with Marathon County"
 

IPMA HR Metrics Study

DRI Consulting launches a new website.

DRI Consulting is proud to present a new website.  Originally, DRI Consutling was one of the first 4,000 websites up when the web went publc.  We upgraded about 1.5 years ago to a new platform but due to our and customers needs we decided to upgrade again to get you the best service possible.  Technology changes and improves on a constant basis.  We like to stay current to provide and use the best of it whenever possible.
 

DRI and the Sacramento District of the Army Corps of Engineers (COE) launch another Level 1 Leadership Development Program!

DRI Consulting is proud of its 4-year history working with and supporting leadership development programs (LDPs) in the Sacramento District of the COE. Level 1 offers employees an opportunity to learn basic skills in building teams, communicating effectively and managing conflict. DRI brings a focus on real-world application and practice to the program so that participants can support the organization by being more self-aware team members and team builders.

For early career advice, DRIC has the goods

Dr. John Fennig co-presented Drive Your Career: Vision, Valor, and Demonstrating Value at the 25th annual meeting for the Society of Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP). He shared his own career story and engaged in a rich discussion among attendees and the other two panelists. The room was packed standing room only with interested early career professionals.

From the "highlight reel," Dr. Fennig shared about his professional life:

• A father to 3 great kids. Married to a talented eye surgeon/20 year training director for new professionals at the U of MN
• 30 years in HRD/OD – hundreds of organizations and tens of thousands of individuals served
• 20 years founding and running DRI Consulting – a general practice HRD/OD shop
• 20 years as a licensed psychologist
• 18 years providing training and supervision to new and transitioning psychologists to become organizational consulting psychologists. Run one of the few formal training programs in consulting psychology in the country
• Fellow of Division 13: The Society of Consulting Psychology
• Proud owner of a 7-year old Portuguese water dog
• Founded/co-founder of 6 different companies – 2 succeeding and 4 that "blew up in the lab"
• 1981: Turned down a movie part to fight Arnold Schwarzenegger to stay in psychology – help people, not just entertain them. A values clarification experience!
• 1984: One of the first psychologists hired at a then Big Eight accounting firm – Price Waterhouse
• 1993: Very early adopter of the internet as a tool for professional practice
• 2009: DRIC staff now all have option to work from home – enjoying life balance and an engaging professional life, connected in many ways to clients and each other (high touch and high tech)

DRIC sponsors MN chiefs of police event: Collects feedback on best practices in police psychology

DRIC's use of Box.net wins vendor award

 

Candidates Play a Key Role in Selection Testing We Administer

In recent weeks, client organizations across the country in several industries used DRIC for selection testing. These positions included: hospital president, vice president of operations - manufacturing, attorney, business manager for a professional services firm, city clerk, HRIS director, sales manager, lab supervisor, office manager and internship candidates.

Collaboration with candidates throughout the assessment process:

• Increases the accuracy of the evaluation
• Engages the person being assessed as an active contributor from beginning to end
• Makes it a "do with" and not a "do to" process – candidates feel respected, are treated fairly and are more open and honest
• Helps the hiring organization because candidate is involved and signs off on the process – it reduces problems and possible complaints/legal claims
• Results in candidates who are internal to the organization feeling less unhappy with outcomes when they do not get the position, given their higher involvement
• Utilizes our web-based collaboration system, which permits secure but highly iterative work to occur with and between the hiring organization, candidates and us.

Everyone who is assessed gets a copy of their test results and summary report. We encourage candidates to review their results to make sure they are accurate. Basically, we ask them to think about the data and answer the following questions, which the hiring team get verbatim from us:

• What is most descriptive of you?
• What is least descriptive of you?
• Is there anything else you would like to add?

The following are excerpts from prior assesses commenting on their testing experience with DRIC:

"I found the assessment to be accurate overall. I feel you captured my strengths as well as my potential developmental areas."

"Overall, I found the assessments to be descriptive of me and felt that they offered significant insight into my behavioral patterns and ways in which I might change or improve so that I could reach my personal and professional goals.

"Thanks for the opportunity to gain greater insights on myself. Always a pleasure to learn and understand the multiple perspectives these instruments offer."

The final step is an on-site review meeting with the person hired after a month or two on the job. This provides real world context and consequence for the assessment results. The boss joins in for part of the meeting, to be re-oriented to the candidate's strengths, development needs and challenges. The timing of a facilitated meeting "as the honeymoon ends," is intentional and works well.

 

New Hires Offer Fresh Skills and Enthusiasm

 

DRIC welcomed Marni Lewis-Harvey to the staff in October. She comes to the team with a positive, friendly attitude and more than 15 years in administrative support roles. Marni has a special interest and skill in web design and development in addition to all things computer-related. Therefore, she will be an asset as DRIC consistently expands its use of technology to connect with clients.

Marni possesses a strong ability to create good relationships with co-workers and clients. She is often the first point of contact for clients who are interested in receiving DRIC's services. Marni is pleasant and knowledgeable and a skilled person to introduce and guide clients in their interactions with DRIC.

Naomi Scott joined the company in early September after she sought out the site for a volunteer internship opportunity. She was impressed by the depth of the hiring process in which she was took a number of assessments and went through two in-person interviews. She also had a few conversations with John over the phone. Naomi now realizes DRIC hired her by taking the same steps they ask their organizational clients to take when they hire they own employees.

As a doctoral student in counseling psychology, Naomi is most interested in using her time at DRIC to interact with clients through interviews and to go over assessment results with them. She has a genuine interest in people and will greet clients with a warm smile whenever and wherever she meets them.

Naomi can also offer clients well-written reports and clear communication as she was a journalism major in college.

 Practicing What We Preach Hiring Our Own

The shoemaker’s children do not go shoeless at DRIC:

         

Feedback on Our Leadership Development Programs

Bringing Leadership Training to Las Vegas

Getting a Different Perspective

Recognition from Minnesota Governor, Tim Pawlenty-

Serving clients for 20 years!