A Preparation Guide for the Assessment Center Method

Features

• Plastic Comb: 257 pages
• Published by: Charles C. Thomas Publisher April 26, 2006
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0398076405
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0398076405
• Book Dimensions: 10.1 x 7.4 x 0.7 inches
• Weighs: 1.2 pounds

Reader Reviews
First, let me give full disclosure. I have been friends with the author since High School and she dedicated this book to me. You may decide to stop reading this review now, but I think you want to hear what I say for reasons you may not suspect. If you are interested in this book there's a good chance you are in law enforcement. I'm not, but I want to offer an academic review as an outsider, and I think you just might find it helpful. If you check my other reviews you'll see my interests lie in missiology and biblical exposition. There is no way I would have picked up a book like this off the shelf of a bookstore! But, what the heck, I felt obligated to look it over since my name was on the dedication page and Ms. Rowe had sent me a free copy. Even then, I wasn't sure I would be able to wade through such a technical topic in which I have no training. Instead, I found myself immediately absorbed. The excellent historical explanation of the assessment center concept drew me in, and then I saw how she made the history and concepts live in the context of contemporary law enforcement. Even though I have no training in law enforcement, her writing style and logic are so clear I had no trouble following along. By the time I finished the book I was convinced that this concept has potentially powerful applications to missiology in the training and preparation of missionaries! In fact, other researchers have expressed interest in helping with this application. Incidentally, my wife had a similar experience with Ms. Rowe's unique training style when she was invited to sit in on one of her training classes in preparation for assessment centers offered in our area. She came home absolutely enthralled with the experience. Thinking she would be completely out of place as the only non-law enforcement participant, the training style drew her in, engaged her in the role-playing, and she clearly understood both the content and the application. She not only enjoyed the experience, she found principles she could apply to her personal life and activities. As an academic, here's what I appreciated about this work: Ms. Rowe has done her homework, providing ample and appropriate documentation as well as a very useful bibliography. Her writing style is professional, yet personally engaging and even entertaining at times. She was a 33 year law enforcement veteran. Her personal experiences in both local law enforcement and as US Marshal for Colorado, responsible for the custody of Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols during their federal trials, provide for interesting illustrative material that demonstrate her ability to live out the principles she teaches. Academically, this is sound research, well-written, well-reasoned, easily accessible and applicable. So, if you are a new officer, thinking ahead--as you should be--about your career development, if you are preparing for your next assessment center, or if you were just promoted and want to continue your professional development in law enforcement, this book will provide you with what you need. After all, if I can understand this and find ways to apply it to my totally unrelated field, imagine what it can do for you!