New Tool: Leadership Assessment

Change practitioners and leaders can use the leadership assessment to rate the willingness and commitment of leaders

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The role of leaders in a change is often underestimated. Their direction and influence remain one of the most critical factors of a successful change initiative.

Managed Change includes tools to assess and monitor a change – from before launch to after completion. Together, the tools offer a mosaic of perspectives and metrics to evaluate the state of an organization and the progress of a change. Assessing and supporting leadership is embedded in the Managed Change toolkit and is the foundation of our methodology.

Leaders can be assessed by comparing their actions to the traits of effective and influential change leaders. These traits include:

Understands the reason to change
- Even if a change is deliberate or unplanned, there is a reason why it is essential or necessary to consider it at this time.

Knows the desired state
- A clear definition of the desired state should match the goals or reasons for the change. If the desired state isn’t clear, then the leader should be willing to define the desired state in terms of the goal.

Willing and committed
- Dedication to the desired state includes an open willingness for personal and organization change and committing the necessary resources including their own time.

Prepared to communicate
- A leader communicates the reason for the change and expectations to employees or people impacted.

Remains a leader throughout the change
- A leader’s responsibilities continue through the progress of a change, and they leverage metrics to evaluate progress.

Tool for change practitioners

At any stage in a project, change practitioners can take a step back to evaluate leaders' contributions or expectations within the change. This assessment is only the tip of the iceberg, but it can help identify the potential opportunities or risks with the leadership.

Change practitioners can use this assessment to evaluate the state of leadership on a change project and create a baseline to compare progress.

Tool for leaders

Leaders have an essential role and responsibility in a change project. But for many leaders, they do not have the time, interest or understanding to prioritize their role.

Leaders can use this assessment to clarify their responsibilities and understand their feelings towards a change.

Complete the leadership assessment

The assessment is a starting point for considering the willingness and commitment of leaders within a project. LaMarsh Global’s methodology and approach to change, Managed Change, includes comprehensive tools to assess and monitor the essential factors of a successful change. Assessing and supporting leaders is a critical component of the methodology, and the tools and resources contribute to an ongoing evaluation of leadership.

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Quick leadership assessment

To complete the leadership assessment, review the questions below and rate the willingness and commitment of leaders. If you’re assessing your own leadership, reflect on your answers to each question.