What are the best assessments to identify leadership potential in technical roles?
If you are a technical professional who wants to advance your career, you may wonder how to demonstrate your leadership potential to your current or future employer. Leadership is not only about managing people, but also about influencing, inspiring, and collaborating with others to achieve common goals. In this article, we will explore some of the best assessments to identify leadership potential in technical roles, and how to use them to improve your skills and showcase your strengths.
Leadership assessments are tools that measure various aspects of your leadership style, skills, and competencies. They can help you recognize your strengths and areas of improvement, as well as offer feedback and advice on how to grow your leadership potential. You can complete a leadership assessment on your own or have a third party, such as a mentor or employer, conduct it. Examples of leadership assessments include the Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI), the Situational Leadership II (SLII), and the Leadership Circle Profile (LCP). The LPI evaluates how often you demonstrate five exemplary leadership practices, while the SLII assesses how well you adjust your leadership style to the needs and maturity of your followers. The LCP measures how you balance creative and reactive tendencies, as well as integrate competencies across eight dimensions.
-
Jerry E Durant, DSc.
Using your eyes and ears. If you need a scorecard to determine leadership potential you aren't the right person to do that job. Usually leadership potential is determined by leaders who are able to establish what potential exists (either as a talent or trainable abilities).
(edited) -
Ali ALZUWAYYID
F&B Management • Business Development • Hospitality Management • Operation Consultant
Some of the best assessments to determine leadership potential in the technical field include cognitive ability tests, personality inventories, leadership style assessments, emotional intelligence assessments, and situational judgment tests. These assessments evaluate problem-solving abilities, personality traits, leadership styles, emotional intelligence, and decision-making skills, which are all important for effective leadership in the technical field. It's important to use these assessments as part of a comprehensive evaluation process that considers other factors like experience and qualifications.
-
Robin Goldsmith
President at Go Pro Management, Inc., author of Discovering REAL Business Requirements for Software Project Success
To the best of my knowledge, no paper and pencil instrument distinguishes effective leaders from those who are not leaders or not effective. On the other hand, such tools can be useful for creating awareness of and guiding changes in leader behaviors.
Leadership assessments are essential for technical roles, as they can provide a deeper understanding of oneself and one's impact on others, which can help to improve communication, collaboration, and emotional intelligence. Furthermore, assessments can help identify and leverage unique strengths and contributions as a technical leader, leading to increased confidence, credibility, and influence. Additionally, assessments can help develop and demonstrate the skills and behaviors that are expected in technical leadership positions such as strategic thinking, innovation, problem-solving, and decision-making. Lastly, assessments can assist in aligning personal and professional goals with the vision and mission of the organization, thus enhancing motivation, engagement, and performance.
When selecting an assessment for leadership potential in technical roles, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Your level of experience and career stage, learning objectives and development needs, preferred format and feedback style, and budget and availability can all play a role in determining the right assessment for you. Researching different options, comparing their features and benefits, and consulting with experts or peers who have used them before can help you make an informed decision.
-
Warda B.
CEO of BAULD • Data project rescue • Data Management Advisory • Project governance • Innovation • Mentoring & Training • Pluridisciplinary mindset
Leader dit meneur d’Homme. Pour qu’une équipe soit bien entraînée, performante et même dépasser les attentes ; le leader doit incarner l’exemplarité dans son savoir-faire et aussi son savoir-être. Ces habiletés peuvent être évaluées de maintes façons dont les tests de personnalités tel que le MBTI. Pour commencer, vous pourriez vous (re)découvrir par des tests disponibles gratuitement sur internet puis vous tournez vers votre employeur ou organisme pour des tests et formations approfondissants vos premiers résultats. Je suis convaincue qu’aucun test ni évaluation ne vous représentera pleinement ; pour mieux connaître votre style et potentiel se seront les situations délicates à gérer qui vous fourniront les meilleures prises de recul.
(edited)
Preparing for the assessment can help you get the most out of it and reduce any anxiety or stress. To do this, you should review the assessment instructions and criteria, and familiarize yourself with the format and content. Additionally, make sure to set aside enough time and space to complete the assessment without any distractions or interruptions. When answering the questions, be honest and authentic, based on your own experience and perspective rather than what you think others want to hear or see. Furthermore, reflect on your current situation and goals, and think of specific examples that illustrate your leadership skills and challenges.
The assessment results are not the end of the process, but the beginning of your leadership development journey. To use the assessment results effectively, you should review them carefully and objectively, looking for patterns, themes, and insights that can help you understand your leadership profile and potential. Additionally, it is beneficial to seek feedback and support from others such as a coach or mentor who can help validate, clarify, and deepen your learning from the assessment. Subsequently, create an action plan based on the results that includes specific goals, strategies, and resources to improve your leadership skills and behaviors. Finally, monitor and evaluate your progress and impact while celebrating your achievements and milestones.
-
Istvan Fulop
Expert in Outsourcing and Multilingual Solutions
The most important, and probably most difficult, part of reviewing any assessment result is to be able to calmly face those conclusions that you actually don't like. Of course, you need to put things in perspective, but ignoring or dismissing parts of any feedback you are not happy with just prevents you from improving yourself.
(edited)
Showcasing your leadership potential involves more than just telling others what you can do - it also requires showing them what you have done and how you have done it. To demonstrate your leadership potential, build and maintain a positive reputation and personal brand, highlighting your values, vision, and accomplishments as a technical leader. Additionally, seek and seize opportunities to demonstrate your leadership skills and competencies, such as taking on challenging projects or leading cross-functional teams. Furthermore, communicate and collaborate effectively with different stakeholders, such as managers or clients, to show your ability to influence, inspire, and support them. Finally, seek and embrace feedback and learning to show your willingness to grow as a technical leader.
-
Robin Goldsmith
President at Go Pro Management, Inc., author of Discovering REAL Business Requirements for Software Project Success
Leadership is demonstrated by leading. Everyone has the potential to be a leader, but few people realize that potential. Some are more likely to exercise leadership and thus may be considered to have greater leadership potential. Occasionally a situation provokes an individual to act as a leader when they ordinarily would not. However, waiting for a situation to bring out latent leadership is an unreliable technique. Instead, leadership is developed by practicing skills that contribute to leadership, such as taking initiative and being positive, enthusiastic, caring, and open to new ideas. Leaders inspire others to follow them by presenting a vision of how things could turn out and how following the leader will help achieve it.
-
Robin Goldsmith
President at Go Pro Management, Inc., author of Discovering REAL Business Requirements for Software Project Success
Traditional education and training can describe leadership but does not make one a leader. That takes using special techniques to develop needed skills and attitudes over a period of time. My "Making You a Leader" seminars position participants to carry out such needed development with a partner in an extended post-seminar mini-clinic.
Rate this article
More relevant reading
-
Analytical SkillsYou want to take your career to the next level. How can you develop your leadership skills?
-
LeadershipHow can you develop your leadership skills when you have limited opportunities to lead?
-
Executive ManagementWhat do you do if you want to enhance your leadership skills for executive management roles?
-
HR ConsultingHow can you improve your leadership skills?