I’ve written several blogs on the importance of developing behavioral profiles of high performing incumbent leaders. The focus of these pieces has been the value of using behavioral assessments to identify future leaders and then training these succession candidates through simulation workshops reinforced by targeted coaching. What about using these profiles to help hire better future leaders?
Behavioral profiles set a powerful stage for hiring the right future leaders. To use these profiles properly, the candidates should first be assessed against the profiles. This helps identify the candidates for whom the profiled leadership behaviors will be energy-driving and thus easy to exhibit. But this is not sufficient. Candidates should also be given behavioral interviews for their future roles. Many companies do only one or the other which creates a gap in the rigor of the selection processes. Here is why:
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- ● Behavioral assessments surface candidates can most easily demonstrate the key behaviors
- ● Behavioral interviews surface candidates who have experience in demonstrating the key behaviors
- ● Using both behavioral assessments and behavioral interviews will surface candidates who can easily demonstrate and have actually demonstrated the key behaviors for the role — a very powerful combination
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When both candidate evaluation approaches are combined, the result will be candidates with experience performing the behaviors easily. They will have far less stress in the role, allowing them be the type of thoughtful, reflective leaders who engage teams and drive superior business results.
