Leadership Assessment

The ‘6th Dimension’

The ‘6th Dimension’ fills a critical gap in the current market offerings from Search and Selection consultancies. Standardized, or even ‘bespoke’ services in the current market rely on psychometric data and recruiter experience to identify suitability for roles and potential “fit” with client company culture. Potential performance in the new role is not usually directly assessed by these services and has traditionally been evaluated from historical data, typically through references and previous documentation. Where such an assessment is offered, it is rarely underpinned by proven expertise.

Why behavioral leadership assessment? Transitioning into new and more challenging contexts requires managers to lead and perform beyond their established strengths and weaknesses. How they will apply their apparent  skills in the new role should be assessed, wherever possible, before a costly investment in hiring is made. For the hiring executive or Board, facing a choice between 2 or 3 final candidates, final decision-making is often based on intangible factors including “professional judgment”, “gut instinct”, “chemistry” or “rapport”.  Experience shows that these factors are often more influential in the final selection than any specific data gathered ‘en route’.

Through combined expertise in commercial business, management and psychology we provide bespoke assessment ‘in situ’ to make potential performance in the new role much more explicit and measureable. Doing this in close partnership with hiring executives, we can provide a live assessment of expected performance which can be both observed and evaluated. Key ‘intangible’ factors at work in the process are also made more explicit and measureable. This ensures that executives can make clear and fact-based decisions, before confirming a key executive in their new role. In doing so, they can decide not only who will be capable but who is ultimately RIGHT for the role, minimizing the risk of costly trial-period follow-up or termination, if key expectations are not being met.

How will 6D add value? Today, most search and selection companies offer broadly 5 areas of service: search, screening, selection/matching, interview, psychometric assessment. 6D provides the 6th dimension missing in these services – a live and ‘in-situ’ behavioral assessment of leadership and performance skills, based on tailored business case scenarios. This is delivered in close working partnership with hiring executives and/or Boards to ensure the RIGHT choice in executive hire.