The Thomas Kilmann Instrument or TKI has been around since 1974. It is a tool used by human resources professionals to gauge a person’s attitude as well as behavior towards any kind of social conflict. The instrument draws its starting point from the long-standing Individual Differences theory in Psychology.
From such assumption, TKI develops the old psychological theory of approach and avoidance in greater detail. TKI consists of 30 questions that the individual can answer in 15 minutes. The challenge for the HR practitioner is to interpret the results to determine how effective a job candidate is at managing conflicting situations on the job.
Like most psychological tests, the instrument provides invaluable insights into a job applicant’s prospects of survival in the workplace. The test is invaluable in professional circles where there is a lot of competition, politics, and career volatility. Thus, hiring decisions hinge a great deal on the model.