Through research with successful senior leaders, we identified the desired degree of specific personality factors required for candidates to be successful in leadership roles.
Candidates' results are compared to what is required of senior leaders to identify the candidates' leadership potential. The following six core personality traits are explored within the context of leadership:
- Conscientiousness
- Adjustment
- Curiosity
- Risk Approach
- Competitiveness
- Ambiguity Acceptance.
Interpreting the visuals
There are four ranges that are contained within each personality trait, which guides us to see how the candidate compares to what is required for senior leadership:
Low - A low range indicates that the individual has low levels of a specific trait. This may reduce senior leadership effectiveness in certain contexts but may suit other roles.
Moderate. - The majority of individuals will fall within the moderate range. A moderate level of a specific trait may be adaptive in a leadership position, particularly if it is nearing the optimal range.
Optimal - The optimal range is the ideal range for most senior leadership positions. When comparing two or more candidates within the optimal range, selecting the 'Optimal Leadership' toggle allows you to compare those candidates with greater accuracy for a senior leadership position.
If someone does not fall within the optimal band it does not mean that they cannot be a leader, as you will need to consider the role and context requirements.
Excessive - The excessive range is where a person's preference for the specific trait is stronger than what is desired for a successful senior leader. While this may suit some contexts, it may also indicate a greater likelihood of derailment in other contexts.
It is important to note that less than 1% of leaders globally have all 6 personality traits in the optimal zone, therefore depending on the context of the role and specific role requirements, someone can still be an effective leader.