Press Release: New Validation Study Shows Reveals Aptive Index Exceeds EEOC Standards for Reducing Hiring Bias

Finding Common Ground

Across the political spectrum, there's broad agreement on these fundamental principles:

• The best person for the role should get the job
• Talent and potential exist in every community
• Hiring decisions should be based on objective criteria
• Unfair advantages or disadvantages shouldn't determine outcomes
• Organizations perform better when they hire the right people

The challenge isn't in these shared values – it's in how to achieve them in practice.

The Power of Data-Driven Hiring

‍This is where the science of psychometric assessment offers a path forward. By focusing on measurable, innate attributes that predict job success, we can help organizations:

1. Define Success Objectively

‍Instead of relying on subjective impressions or traditional proxies like education and experience, we can identify the specific cognitive and behavioral traits that drive success in each role. These attributes don't care about demographics – they care about how someone is naturally wired to work.

2. Standardize Evaluation

‍When every candidate completes the same scientifically validated assessment, measuring the same job-relevant attributes, we create a level playing field. The assessment doesn't know or care about a candidate's background – it measures their innate capabilities.

3. Remove Human Bias

‍By providing objective data about job-relevant attributes, we reduce reliance on individual opinions or unconscious biases. The numbers don't play favorites – they simply show how well someone's natural drives align with role requirements.

4. Focus on Potential

‍Rather than overemphasizing past experience or credentials, attribute-based assessment helps identify candidates with high potential who might be overlooked by traditional screening methods. This naturally expands the talent pool while maintaining focus on merit.

Real Results Through Scientific Rigor

‍Our validation studies demonstrate that focusing on innate attributes leads to:

• Higher performance ratings
• Increased retention
• Greater job satisfaction
• Improved team dynamics

Importantly, these results hold true across all demographic groups because we're measuring fundamental aspects of how people are wired to work – attributes that exist independent of background or circumstance.‍

Moving Forward Together

‍Rather than debating abstract concepts or political positions, we can focus on the practical goal we all share: getting the right people into the right roles. By using objective, scientifically validated data to identify and match talent with opportunity, we create better outcomes for:

• Organizations that want high performers
• Candidates who want fair consideration
• Teams that want capable colleagues
• Leaders who want strong results

This approach transcends political debates because it focuses on what actually predicts success in the role. It's not about quotas or preferences – it's about using better tools to identify and select talent based on merit and potential.

The Path Forward

‍As we move into 2025 and beyond, organizations have an opportunity to rise above political divisions and focus on what works. By adopting scientifically validated, attribute-based assessment tools, we can:

• Make better hiring decisions
• Reduce reliance on biased processes
• Expand access to opportunity
• Drive better business results

This isn't about politics – it's about performance. It's about using the best available tools to identify and select talent based on what actually matters for success in the role.

The future of hiring isn't about picking sides in political debates. It's about leveraging science and data to make better decisions that benefit everyone involved. That's something we should all be able to get behind.

The Universal Pattern of Learning

Every skill we master follows the same four-stage pattern. Understanding these stages doesn't just help us learn – it helps us become better teachers and leaders. Let's break it down:

Stage 1: Unconsciously Incompetent

This is where we start: completely unaware of what we don't know. My son watching me drive from the passenger seat thinks it looks easy. Just like I once thought leadership was simply about telling people what to do. In this stage, we don't even know enough to be nervous.

What it sounds like:

• "How hard can it be?"
• "I've watched others do this plenty of times"
• "It's just common sense, right?"

Stage 2: Consciously Incompetent

‍Reality hits. For my son, it's the moment he first sits behind the wheel and realizes he needs to simultaneously:

• Watch all mirrors
• Control the pedals
• Stay in lane
• Monitor speed
• Watch for hazards
• Follow traffic rules

Suddenly, what looked simple becomes overwhelming. This is exactly how I felt in my first leadership role. The sheer number of things to track, decisions to make, and relationships to manage felt paralyzing.

‍This is where most people quit. The gap between where they are and where they need to be feels too vast. The awareness of everything they don't know becomes overwhelming.

Stage 3: Consciously Competent

‍This is the practice phase. Every action requires intense focus and deliberate thought. New drivers white-knuckle the steering wheel, mentally checking every mirror, hyper-aware of every move. New leaders similarly overthink every interaction, decision, and meeting.But here's the good news: with enough practice, patterns emerge. Confidence builds. What once required intense concentration starts to flow more naturally.

Stage 4: Unconsciously Competent

‍Finally, mastery (auto-pilot)! Experienced drivers navigate complex situations without conscious thought. Their mind is free to focus on higher-level decisions because the basics have become automatic.Great leaders reach this same state. They can seamlessly shift from strategic planning to team development to crisis management, all while making it look effortless. But remember – it only looks effortless because of the thousands of hours of practice that came before.And also remember – never stop learning. Don’t assume you’ve got it figured out. 

Breaking Through the Barrier

‍Remember that critical second stage where most people quit? Here's how to push through:

1. Normalize the Overwhelm
   
   • Recognize that feeling overwhelmed is a sign of growth
   • Understand that everyone goes through this phase
   • Use it as a signal that you're actually learning
2. Chunk It Down
   
   • Break the skill into smaller, manageable pieces
   • Focus on mastering one element at a time
   • Celebrate small wins along the way
3. Find a Guide
   
   • Learn from those who've already mastered the skill
   • Seek feedback from experienced mentors
   • Use structured learning programs to fast-track progress

The Leadership Connection

‍Leadership development follows this exact pattern. New leaders often move from:

• Thinking leadership is simple (Stage 1)
• Becoming overwhelmed by its complexity (Stage 2)
• Deliberately practicing new skills (Stage 3)
• Finally leading naturally and effectively (Stage 4)

The key is recognizing where you are in the journey and not getting discouraged in that critical second stage. Remember: feeling overwhelmed isn't a sign that you're failing – it's a sign that you're growing.

Moving Forward

‍Whether you're learning to drive, lead, or master any new skill, understanding these four stages helps you:

• Recognize where you are in the learning journey
• Stay motivated during the challenging phases
• Support others through their own development
• Build more effective learning environments

The path from unconscious incompetence to unconscious competence isn't easy, but it is predictable. And with the right understanding, support, and persistence, it's absolutely achievable.

What if those advantages are deliberately more favorable than what's offered to those already at the top? What if we created entire systems designed to give extra support, resources, and opportunities to those who are behind?

If you felt a visceral "no" just now, I get it. Such suggestions often trigger immediate pushback about merit, fairness, and earning your way.

But what if I told you that some of America's most beloved and profitable institutions have been doing exactly this for decades? And not only do we accept it - we enthusiastically tune in every week to watch it work?

Welcome to the NFL draft.

Every year, we watch a system that deliberately advantages struggling teams. The Browns don't get told to "pull themselves up by their bootstraps." The Giants aren’t accused of cheating when they get early picks of top talent. Instead, we've built entire structures to ensure that those at the bottom get extra help, additional resources, and preferential access to new opportunities.

And here's the kicker: Look at the Kansas City Chiefs heading into Super Bowl 2025 this Sunday. Despite a system that deliberately gives advantages to struggling teams, the Chiefs are appearing in their fourth Super Bowl in five years. Having systematically lower draft picks hasn't destroyed their ability to excel. They've simply had to continue working hard and making the most of their opportunities - just like everyone else.

Giving advantages to those who are behind doesn't automatically diminish those at the top. The Chiefs aren't losing because other teams get better draft picks. Excellence, merit, and hard work still matter – we've just created a system that gives everyone a better shot at achieving them.

Why? Because we understand something fundamental about sports that we seem to struggle with in other contexts: Sometimes, helping those who are behind lifts up the entire game.

Now, let's be clear - the challenges faced by struggling NFL teams aren't directly comparable to the systemic barriers and historical disadvantages faced by marginalized communities in our society. Professional sports franchises worth billions aren't the same as generations of families who've been denied access to education, housing, or career advancement opportunities. The parallel isn't perfect.

But the principle illuminates something important about how we think about advantage and opportunity. If we can understand that giving struggling teams extra support makes the whole league stronger, why do we resist programs designed to give historically disadvantaged groups better access to opportunity? If we celebrate systematic advantage every Sunday, why do we question it on Monday morning?

I don't claim to have the perfect policy solutions for addressing generations of systemic inequality. These are complex challenges that require thoughtful, nuanced approaches. But what I do know is this: There are people and communities who need us, as a society, to create better pathways to opportunity - not handouts, but real chances to compete and excel. Just as we've done in sports, we can create systems that both maintain high standards and ensure everyone has a fair shot at meeting them.

The timing couldn't be more relevant. As we debate dismantling DEI programs in 2025, millions will gather this Sunday to watch our most profitable sports league showcase a system built on the principle that those with the longest distance to cover need extra support to compete. So perhaps before we rush to declare victory over "unfair" corporate DEI initiatives, we should ask ourselves: If we can cheer for equity on the field, why not in the workplace?