What are the best ways to use executive management skills assessments for creating development plans?

To leverage executive management skills assessments for effective development plans, follow these steps: 1. Define key competencies. 2. Choose a reliable assessment tool. 3. Collect data from executives. 4. Analyze results for strengths and weaknesses. 5. Establish clear development objectives. 6. Create personalized development plans. 7. Provide necessary resources and support. 8. Regularly review progress and adjust plans. 9. Measure impact with KPIs. 10. Foster a culture of development. 11. Periodically reassess skills. 12. Celebrate successes to motivate others.

Any one tool by itself is may not be a value add to the individual. However multiple tools used effectively together do provide payback. For example 360 reviews gain a picture of performance to all levels. A personality test can then show how best to communicate and interact with this executive. Coupled together, this not only helps the executive but those interacting with him/her. I have used both in my career and have seen them effect positive change.

?? In my experience, the selection of an appropriate assessment tool is pivotal. ?? Validity and Reliability Ensure the assessment's validity (accuracy) and reliability (consistency) to make credible development plans. ?? Contextual Relevance Align the assessment with the company's culture, values, and objectives. It shouldn't feel out of place for the participants. ?? Tailored Feedback Customize feedback based on results. Generic feedback can miss the nuances of individual or team development needs. ?? Continuous Monitoring Post-assessment, monitor progress regularly. Adjust development plans based on evolving needs and challenges. ?? Choose a valid tool aligned with context, offering tailored feedback and continuous monitoring.

Its important to define the objective for the assessment process as well as the competencies to be measured first as well as to decide how the assessment will be linked to the overall learning path. This will then help to determine the right assessment.

Assessments are essentially asking for a future performance score 12-24 months out. But many things can happen in that time regardless of skill assessment. My point is to limit the weight of any assessment to the degree it's connected to typical past success. If there's a mismatch or divergence whereby a person assessed well and performed poorly it may not be related, aka the real identifier. So. Yes. Choose carefully how you assess future performance tools, you could be headed down the wrong path. imo

While communicating the required competencies and standards is critical, to the extent possible such criteria must also be defined in terms that are measurable i.e. achieving sales targets, reduction in rejects, etc. instead of being subjective to prevent misunderstandings when doing the assessments.

Here communication is definitely key to ensure the right competencies and standards are met. The consistency achieved will depend on an adequate understanding among the participants, especially paying special attention to the definition of criteria that, although they cannot be exactly the same, must be sufficiently similar to avoid adverse or controversial results.

For me the most important part is defining the overall objective for the assessment, and breaking this down in determine the competencies you want to evaluate and improve the executives on. Defining clear objectives for the assessment process and measurable competencies helps with consistency in the process.

It is also important to communicate these expectations clearly and consistently to the participants, so that they understand what is being assessed and how their performance will be evaluated. This will help to ensure that the assessment is fair and that the results are accurate.

A critical element often overlooked in assessment is accountability. It’s not just about defining core competencies and standards. It's about ensuring that you hold people accountable for meeting them. So, you need to have a robust system in place for tracking and measuring their performance against these expectations. It's not enough to communicate these standards; you must actively monitor and evaluate whether they're living up to them. After all, what's the point of having standards (and measuring them) if there are no consequences for falling short? Incorporating accountability into the assessment process ensures that your executives are not just aware of the expectations but are motivated to meet and exceed them.

Regular assessments using benchmarks are essential in evaluating the overall health and efficacy of an organization's processes and operations. These evaluations serve as critical health checks, ensuring that the organization's practices and strategies continually align with the business environment. Conducted systematically, these assessments can detect existing inefficiencies and foresee potential challenges, preventing them from escalating into larger systemic issues. The foresight provided by assessments can ensure that organizations remain nimble, while optimizing their operations to meet emerging needs. In essence, regular management assessments are instrumental in ensuring sustained organizational growth and adaptability.

The gap analysis should be as practical as possible in order to establish very specific actions that can be prioritized in time and effort to add greater chances of being successfully implemented, as well as to establish a periodicity for reality checks to have timely readings of their progress.

Post-assessment don't just stop at analyzing the results - challenge the status quo. It's not enough to identify gaps; have the courage to ask 'why.' Why are these gaps here in the first place? What systemic issues might be at play? Is it a lack of resources, outdated processes, or even a culture that stifles growth? Encourage participants to reflect but push the envelope further. Challenge them to take ownership of their development. Instead of just asking about strengths and weaknesses, ask them, “What are you actively doing to turn those weaknesses into strengths?” In the end, it's not about analyzing results for the sake of it; it's about sparking improvement and growth that resonates throughout your organization.

I just published an article called The Real Secret to Success here on my LI page. The point of the article is how we define Success today. It's outta control. The key is to bake your culture's work/life balance performance metrics within every aspect of goal-driven performance strategy at work. Creating the right work/life concepts is great but not if we forget about the person behind the employee #. You can;t force people to balance work & home life, but you can incentivize it. Give staffers a private W/L balance Score Card, a personal way to engage and suggest a home-time related activity if they are spending way too many hours at work, for example.

The goals should also address the key areas for improvement, as well as leverage the existing strengths and resources. You should also align the goals and plans with the organizational strategy and priorities, and ensure that they are realistic and feasible.

Creating SMART goals and action plans is a great start, but are the goals SMART enough to challenge the status quo? Merely being 'achievable' and 'realistic' doesn't always ignite innovation or drive exceptional performance. Inject audacity -oomph! Encourage your executives to set goals that might seem unattainable. It’s often in the pursuit of audacious goals that breakthroughs happen. Don’t stop at organization alignment; demand that your execs become champions of change. Challenge them to not only align with the strategy but to actively shape and evolve. In the end, in my opinion, it's not just about SMART goals; it's about SMART goals with an edge, the kind that transform not just individuals but entire organizations.

Schedule regular one-on-one meetings with your executive managers to discuss their progress and challenges. This will give you a chance to provide them with feedback and support. Offer coaching and mentoring to your executive managers. This can help them to develop their skills and knowledge

Don't just be a support system; be a catalyst for transformation. Instead of 'offering' coaching and mentoring, 'demand' it. Make it a non-negotiable part of their journey. Remember, you're not just shaping executives; you're crafting leaders. Embrace data and technology. Leverage analytics and AI to gain deep insights into their development. It's time to move towards data-driven excellence. Make it so that achieving a milestone feels like winning an Olympic gold medal, for example. Celebrate their successes not just within the organization but on a grand stage. Let the world know that your executive managers are setting new standards in the industry. Focus on creating an environment where excellence is the norm, not the exception.

Assessments could be a great tool to help with self reflection and a valuable part in an overall learning path. The results should be taken into consideration together with other feedback and coaching.

This helps to ensure that the plans are still relevant and effective, and that the needs of the organization are being met. I would recommend setting up a regular cadence for reviewing and revising the plans, such as 4 times in a year or once every six months. This will help to ensure that the plans are always up-to-date and that the organization is making progress towards its goals.

"What doesn't get measured doesn't get done!" or "What gets measured gets managed!". Two of my favourite quotes in terms of planning and reviewing plans.

Reviewing and revising development plans regularly is great, but are you prepared to obliterate those plans if they're no longer relevant? Sometimes, clinging to outdated plans can be the anchor that drags your organization down. So, be fearless in discarding what no longer serves you. And don't just use assessments to measure the impact of plans; use them to challenge the very assumptions on which those plans were built. Consider assessments that not only measure success but also provoke “discomfort” – the kind of discomfort that pushes boundaries and sparks innovation. Actively seek criticism. Encourage participants and stakeholders to be brutally honest. The harshest critiques often lead to the most profound breakthroughs.

I encourage you to remember that executive management skills assessments aren't just about creating development plans but they should be the spark that upends conventional thinking and launches your leaders into the world of excellence. Don’t settle for the 'best' ways; explore the more audacious ways assessments can spark a revolution in leadership development in your organization. Turn these assessments into a relentless force of transformation, redefining what it means to be an executive in today's ever-evolving and complex world. Be the change.

° Resorting to executive management skills assessments for development plans must have to do with a targeted approach tailored to individual needs. Say after conducting assessments within a leadership team, specific skill gaps were identified. ° Each executive will then be provided with individualized training, coaching and mentorship programs addressing their exceptional development areas. By focusing on personal strengths and weaknesses, these plans will be more productive and will lead to notable improvements in decision-making, communication and strategic review. ° Regular follow-ups and reassessments will provide ongoing growth for a practical impact of aligning personalized growth schemes with skills assessments.

With todays every changing demands of leadership and needs to adapt the leadership development its even more important to build a strong foundation for your leadership development approach. Like building a house, a solid foundation sets your leadership development initiative up for success. This could mean foundational elements such as creating a competency framework, linking business priorities, agreeing on design principles, defining your leadership language and culture. Or preparing for key moments in leadership with example learning journeys. Leadership development is there to prepare/support leaders for critical leadership moments. So working very closely with the leadership team to build a solution based on their individual needs.