Preparing a Future Proof Leadership Through Comprehensive Leadership Assessment

At Odgers Berndtson, we believe in a holistic approach to leadership development, emphasizing the critical role of leadership assessment in nurturing future-ready leaders. This article explores our comprehensive view on leadership development, our proven assessment methodologies, and insights from our extensive experience in the field, particularly within the Portuguese market.

Leadership Assessment in the heart of Leadership Development

Our systemic approach on Leadership Development is based on building a culture that fosters leadership growth across the organization. At the heart of this philosophy lies a comprehensive understanding of what it takes to build future proof leaders in today’s complex business environment, supported by robust development programs, a strong development culture, and strategic alignment of people policies with business goals.

We advocate for a multifaceted approach that includes:

• Leadership Assessment: a thorough evaluation of key factors that predict leadership success on the upcoming challenges, to identify strengths, potential derailers, and challenging areas for development.
• Tailored Leadership Programs: customized development plans, within the 70/20/10 approach, that should align with the organization's strategic goals.
• Ongoing Support and Coaching: continuous support through executive coaching and advisory, Strategic Team Coaching, feedback and challenge mechanisms to ensure sustained leadership growth.
• Cultural Integration: cultivating an organizational culture that embraces change by emphasizing critical routines for change, creating awareness and development initiatives that facilitate transformation.

In our Leadership Development approach, Leadership Assessment is the starting point and it is a powerful tool to better design a continuous growth roadmap.

Comprehensive Leadership Assessment Methodology

Evaluating leadership readiness not only identifies an executive’s strengths but also pinpoints areas for growth, allowing organizations to foster the necessary skills for future success. Our assessment methodology evaluates 4 critical factors for achieving high performance in leadership roles.

Key Components of Leadership Assessment

1. Relevant Experience and Technical Skills: Evaluating whether the participant possesses the technical proficiency required to meet the role's responsibilities and objectives.
2. Leadership Competencies: Identifying key leadership strengths, based on our proprietary Leaderfit Model and areas for development vis a vis future challenges.
3. Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation: Understanding what drives a leader to embrace challenges and pursue excellence.
4. Derailers: Recognizing potential risks that could undermine leadership effectiveness, particularly under stress.

LeaderFit Model

Our assessments are anchored in the LeaderFit^tm  Model, which focuses on three pillars: Anticipate, Inspire, Deliver. This framework captures how successful leaders will be at:

• Foresee changes, creating a winning vision and strategy for the organization
• Inspire Others, developing sustainable talent capability by motivating and developing teams, as well as creating strong relationships with key stakeholders
• Achieve tangible results, operating with resilience and consistency in demanding environments

Assessment Tools

Our multidimensional approach includes a suite of assessment tools designed to evaluate critical factors comprehensively:

Hogan Personality Survey

This survey evaluates personality traits and potential derailers, offering deep insights into behavioral tendencies that may impact leadership effectiveness and cultural fit.

Competency-Based Interviews

These in-depth discussions explore the employee’s competencies, functional qualifications, and motivations, providing a clear picture of their leadership potential.

360º Assessment Survey

By gathering feedback from peers, subordinates, supervisors and other key stakeholders, this survey provides a holistic view of the leader’s attributes and competencies.

Social Radar and Impact on the Organization

This tool assesses the leader's influence and social interactions within the organization, highlighting their impact on team dynamics and organizational culture.

Our Experience in Leadership Assessment: Insights from Portuguese Leadership Profile

Odgers Berndtson Portugal has an extensive track record of conducting leadership assessment projects across various sectors in the Portuguese market. Our analysis of these assessments* reveals several key insights:

(source: Odgers Berndtson data base; n=500 assessments in the last 3 years)

Top Competencies

Portuguese leaders typically excel in driving task execution and delivering results effectively. They also demonstrate a strong ability to manage relationships with key stakeholders, reflecting a well-developed sense of collaboration and interpersonal skills. These strengths are vital for ensuring operational efficiency and maintaining essential business connections.

Areas for Improvement

Despite these strengths, there are areas where leaders show a lower level of readiness. 

Developing team capabilities and fostering talent growth remains a significant opportunity for improvement. Effective leadership involves not only managing tasks and resources but also mentoring and nurturing others to build a stronger, more autonomous and cohesive team. Similarly, leaders could improve their ability to provide strategic direction, which includes setting a clear vision and planning for the future rather than solely focusing on short-term results.

Moreover, a gap in competency levels between senior and middle management has been observed. Not so surprisingly, Senior managers tend to demonstrate a higher level of proficiency, while middle managers often require more support and targeted development initiatives. This indicates the need for a stronger focus on building leadership capacity across all management levels to ensure future readiness, a robust leadership pipeline and organizational alignment. 

Common Leadership Pitfalls

We also observed that certain leaders may exhibit an overconfidence that may lead to impulsive decision-making, which can hinder their ability to consider potential risks. This tendency to act without fully evaluating the consequences can undermine leadership effectiveness.

Additionally, we have seen instances where leaders, in their drive to think creatively, propose ideas that may be too unconventional or difficult to implement, especially under pressure. While creativity is a valuable trait, it is important for leaders to balance innovation with practicality to ensure successful execution, considering context, momentum and cultural readiness.

Motivational Profiles:

Portuguese leaders demonstrate a strong drive for commercial success, focusing on business growth and financial results. Leaders also show an interest in scientific and technical domains, reflecting a preference for data-driven decision-making and innovation. Furthermore, leaders value social interactions and teamwork, highlighting the importance of collaboration and maintaining strong relationships within the organization.

These insights reveal that Portuguese leaders often exhibit a "Performer" persona, focusing more on delivery rather than strategic foresight or team inspiration. In our interactions with leaders, they confirm that they spend more time delivering results rather than anticipating future challenges or inspiring their teams and mobilizing stakeholders. 

So, clearly, there is work to be done. Addressing these gaps through specific development programs is crucial for building a cohesive leadership pipeline.

Our Commitment to Leadership Development and Growth

We strive to help organizations build strong leaders and a robust development culture, preparing them for the challenges of tomorrow. Our services include comprehensive leadership assessments, customized development programs, executive coaching, and strategic team coaching programs. We also help align Organizational and Talent strategies with the Leadership Model to maximize its potential and embed leadership into the desired culture.

On final note, assessment can provide insights for a multitude of purposes beyond development including talent acquisition, succession planning, and organizational culture transformation.

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To find out more about leadership assessment and development, get in touch with us here, and find your local Odgers Berndtson contact here.