The (uncomfortable) truth of HR and leadership development | Patrick Vermeren | TEDxKMA

Summary

The speaker critiques the widespread use of pseudoscientific models in human resources and their potential harm. Through personal experiences, including the tragic story of his sister-in-law's battle with schizophrenia, he highlights the dangers of unscientific methods in HR practices like personality tests, coaching, and performance evaluations. He calls for HR professionals to abandon these flawed models in favor of evidence-based, scientifically sound alternatives. Emphasizing the ethical responsibility of leaders, he advocates for HR practices grounded in reliable research to prevent harm and ensure better outcomes for individuals and organizations.

Takeaways

• ⚠️ Pseudoscience in mental health treatment can lead to devastating consequences, as shown by the story of a woman with schizophrenia being misled by a charlatan.
• 🤔 HR practices often rely on unscientific theories, leading to harmful consequences, such as the use of Transactional Analysis and other flawed models.
• 😡 Pseudoscientific HR models, such as Spiral Dynamics, have destroyed careers, like that of a successful manager who lost his job after failing an assessment based on such a theory.
• 🧠 Popular HR models like Maslow's Pyramid of Needs, MBTI, and Enneagram are scientifically unsupported, yet widely used in organizations.
• 💡 Forced ranking and individual performance scores are ineffective methods in employee evaluations, and they often lead to negative outcomes, such as poor group performance and unfair pay gaps.
• 👎 Many leadership and coaching models, such as Situational Leadership, NLP, and speed reading, lack scientific backing and are not effective.
• 🔍 Reliable alternatives exist, such as the five-factor personality model (NEO-PI-R) and the six-factor model (HEXACO), which are based on sound scientific research.
• 📉 The flawed use of ipsative or forced choice questionnaires in recruitment and development can lead to incorrect outcomes and poor career decisions.
• 🚫 HR practices that apply pseudoscientific tools, such as brain dominance instruments and alpha training, should be rejected in favor of evidence-based methods.
• ✔️ Leaders in HR should critically question their practices and move towards scientifically supported frameworks to avoid harming employees and making poor decisions.

Q & A

What is the main reason the speaker decided to oppose pseudoscience?

The speaker opposed pseudoscience after witnessing its harmful effects firsthand when their sister-in-law, diagnosed with schizophrenia, was manipulated by a charlatan into abandoning her medication, leading to multiple suicide attempts and her eventual death.

How does the speaker connect pseudoscience in human resources (HR) to their personal experience?

The speaker connects their experience with pseudoscience in HR to their sister-in-law’s tragic story by highlighting how certain unscientific HR models can mislead people and negatively impact lives, much like pseudoscientific medical treatments do.

What are some examples of pseudoscientific practices in HR mentioned in the script?

Examples of pseudoscientific practices in HR include Transactional Analysis, Spiral Dynamics, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), Enneagram, and speed reading courses.

Why does the speaker criticize the use of personality tests like MBTI in HR?

The speaker criticizes MBTI because it lacks scientific validity, has inconsistent results when retaken (with a 60% chance of changing personality types within four weeks), and is based on outdated and pseudoscientific theories.

What impact did the flawed HR models have on Pete, the manager in the speaker’s story?

Pete lost his job after being subjected to a test based on Spiral Dynamics, a pseudoscientific theory. As a result, he became depressed, couldn’t find new employment, and was forced to sell his house and move into a small apartment.

How does the speaker argue against the common defense that pseudoscientific HR models are 'just tools' or 'discussion starters'?

The speaker argues that using flawed HR models is like navigating with a wrong map; just as a wrong map won’t get you anywhere, pseudoscientific personality or intelligence tests cannot lead to sound decisions and may cause harm.

What alternative, science-based models does the speaker advocate for in HR practices?

The speaker advocates for science-based models like the Five-Factor Model of personality (measured by tools like the NEO-PI-R or HEXACO) and the Productivity Measurement and Enhancement System (ProMES), which have shown valid and reliable results.

How does the speaker criticize the pay gap in organizations using Rank Order Tournament Theory?

The speaker highlights how Rank Order Tournament Theory, which creates large pay gaps between top and bottom performers, leads to negative outcomes such as less information sharing, increased fraud, lower group performance, and high employee turnover.

Why does the speaker believe that rejecting bad HR practices is essential?

The speaker believes rejecting bad HR practices is essential because using pseudoscientific methods in HR can cause real harm, similar to how bogus medical treatments can harm patients. They emphasize the moral responsibility to adopt scientifically sound practices.

What does the speaker urge HR leaders to do regarding their HR practices?

The speaker urges HR leaders to critically question and abandon pseudoscientific practices and models in favor of evidence-based, scientifically supported alternatives, emphasizing the importance of responsibility in making decisions that affect people’s lives.