Potential indicators for emerging leaders
Identification of potentials with 1+6+3
Our client set up a company-wide emerging leader program with the aim of systematically identifying high potentials for assuming a management position and promoting them in a targeted and individualized manner. In order to be able to make a well-founded decision about which of the numerous applicants to be accepted for the limited places in the program, a pre-selection was carried out as a first step. A key component here was our “Leadership Potential Assessment”, which – in addition to a structured assessment of potential by superiors and the evaluation of applications using an ABC analysis – formed the basis for the applicant ranking. Following our 1+6+3 approach, this self-developed test procedure combines for the first time all the essential scientifically known potential indicators for leadership, namely cognitive abilities (1), personality traits (6 = “Big Five” + integrity) and basic job motives (3 = achievement, affiliation, power).
Targeted identification of high potentials. 1 plus 6 plus 3!
Ideal profile for leaders
Based on the ideal profile for managers, the individual scale values were converted into a quantitative result value according to a predefined algorithm. It was taken into account that for many personality traits a moderate degree is preferable to a maximum degree (e.g. “emotional stability”, “extraversion”, “agreeableness”, “conscientiousness” and “integrity”).
In the course of the potential conference, all applicant profiles/results were discussed with decision-makers and the participants for the program were selected. This was followed by individual feedbacks on the online test results with all applicants (even with those who had not been selected). This created transparency with regard to the competencies / characteristics identified in the “Leadership Potential Assessment” and thus increased acceptance for the process.