Leadership Judgement – improving effectiveness

Good leadership involves getting things done “with and through others”. This means giving clear direction on some occasions and empowering and consulting staff on others, to get things done in the most effective and efficient manner. Leadership Judgement is knowing when to take the lead and when to release control to staff. It is a clear differentiator in the most effective leaders.

For a quick introduction to the importance of Leadership Judgement, watch our short video about the Leadership Judgement Indicator.

Assessing and improving leadership judgement

bfpeople uses the Formula4Leadership suite of Leadership Judgement assessment and development products. They are based on the contingency, or situational, theory of leadership – where the leader adapts their style to suit different situations and requirements. The model uses four main leadership styles: directive, consultative, consensual and delegative as illustrated below. The ability to use each of the styles appropriately is an important requirement in effective leaders.

This means understanding when to drive tasks and exert control, and also when to use opportunities to involve and empower staff, effectively releasing control. The best leaders flexes their style in accordance with the task in hand and the people in the team. But many of us tend to lead with a default style in most situations. These tools are designed to measure current judgement and preferred style and to help leaders appreciate when and how to use alternative styles appropriately.

If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader.”

John Quincy Adams

The suite of Leadership Judgement products we offer include (click on the headings to open the product page):

The Leadership Judgement Indicator

A situational judgement test designed to assess the participant’s preference for each of the leadership styles. It also measures their accuracy, or judgement, in choosing the “best bet” option for the situations described in the scenarios.

The LJI is used in recruitment, coaching and development.  In addition to the original test, there are versions available specifically for Local Government, Schools and Sales Leaders.

The Leadership Judgement Assessor

This unique instrument is a real step-forward in dynamic assessment tools and is used in recruitment and development situations in all industries and at all levels.

Using the participant’s own leadership decision making scenarios, the LJA gives immediate feedback on whether the most appropriate leadership style is being used. The resulting report can be used by an interviewer or coach to explore the participant’s thinking process in detail – something rarely gleaned in a traditional interview.

The Coach on the Desktop

Based on the same model as the LJI and the LJA, the Coach on the Desktop (CotD) is an on-line leadership development tool. It is helpful for anyone who has people management responsibility who is keen to improve their effectiveness as a leader. The CotD uses a Decision Tree process of asking up to 10 questions about the user’s real-life leadership situations. It then makes a recommendation to the user about the ‘best’ way to engage with reporting staff in each scenario.

The record of the user’s responses provide a wealth of information about their approach towards staff. This is then used by the user and/or their coach to support their development as a leader.

Are you an ambitious business owner, leader or individual? Call bfpeople on +44(0)333 202 2225 or click the button below to take the Leadership Judgement Indicator.