Shawna Lyonfields
TALENT ASSESSMENT & DEVELOPMENT
Website: https://www.consulttad.com
Industry: management consulting. TAD is psychologists and HR specialists that help companies identify potential employees
and develop their internal talent.
Education: BS, M Eng in civil engineering and a PhD in psychology
Family: I have been married 27 years to the best person I know. We have three lovely children in their early 20s.
What is your mission?
To help business leaders hire great people, understand how to develop top talent and create impressive cultures.
What was your first job?
I was an engineer in Texas in the 1990’s.
What was your worst job?
The job with the worst boss. That experience is what fueled my passion for helping companies find and develop their talent. A poor boss impacts many lives – direct reports, peers and the families of those individuals.
What led you to your industry?
I took a few classes at the University of Oklahoma and fell in love with the world of psychological testing. So I applied and was accepted to the university’s program.
How do you try to differentiate your business from others in your industry?
Before I was a psychologist, I was an engineer. I cannot help but think about systems and processes. The TAD platform was designed by all my HR connections that, over the years, would say to me, “I love the assessment report, but wouldn’t it be great if…” I took note and designed what they wanted. The TAD system is built on a platform that allows companies access to all their psychological data, produces outcome studies regularly and can provide companies with reports on a one-day turnaround in a world where that is not the norm. The war for talent is heating up, so HR cannot wait several days for assessment reports to be written.
What’s the hardest part of your job?
Wearing two hats when interfacing with clients. Some days our TAD consultants are working to help leaders develop their teams; on other days we are looking at the data and making predictions about a team member’s fit or potential, and sometimes the answer is not what anyone wants to hear. People like to think their gut is the best predictor of a person’s fit for a role. Studies show that this is not the case, and when those business leaders go against what is recommended by the psychological data, things generally don’t work out, and that is hard (and sometimes expensive) to watch.
What’s the best part?
The people – my staff and our clients. I truly love what we do at Team TAD for our clients.
What best advice would you share with new entrepreneurs?
Follow your dreams; life is shorter than you think.
What book is on your nightstand?
“Succession: Are You Ready?” by Marshall Goldsmith.
What has made you successful in your industry and in St. Louis?
Listening to highly intelligent HR professionals and business owners tell me what would make their work easier and designing the TAD system following their recommendations!
Submitted 7 years 160 days ago