LEADERSHIP COMPETENCY

INVENTORY

The Executive Group

Partnering With You to Drive Organizational Effectiveness

80 E US Hwy 6 ♦ Valparaiso, IN 46383

Phone 219-477-6378 ♦ Fax 219-477-6379
Web www.Theeg.com ♦ E-mail [email protected]
 LEADERSHIP COMPETENCY INVENTORY
BUSINESS KNOWLEDGE – Demonstrates knowledge of organization business strategies, structure, technologies, culture, and systems.

COMPETENCY/DESCRIPTORS WHEN COMPETENCY ABSENT WHEN COMPETENCY IS OVERUSED

Organizational Awareness
 Understands how the business is run and where it is going  Unable to accomplish tasks  Tries too hard to fit in
 Can get things done at various organizational levels  Unable to rely on others within the organization to  Does not get anything accomplished without going
 Can use both formal channels and informal networks to accomplish tasks through committees
accomplish tasks  Unable to “fit in” with Corporate culture
 Understands the organization's culture and priorities  Has difficulty understanding the business and the
 Crafts approaches that are viewed as appropriate and positive inter-relationships between functional and
 Understands the inter-relationships between functional and enterprise operations
enterprise operations

Financial Knowledge
 Draws accurate conclusions from financial and other quantitative  Weak quantitative skills  Only makes decisions based on financial impact –
information  Unable to establish and maintain a realistic does not see the bigger picture
 Uses quantitative data that relate to his/her area of the business budget  Makes choices on subjective issues by artificially
 Establishes and maintains a realistic budget  Does not understand accounting principles as imposing dollars or numbers
 Is aware of costing and accounting principles that relate to his/her they relate to his/her area of business
area of business  Too focused on costs and short-range
non-enterprise decisions
Industry Knowledge
 Knows the strengths and weaknesses of competitors  Does not understand who our competitors are
 Stays informed about industry practices and new developments  Does not understand how market impacts the
 Understands market dynamics that impact the business business
Customer Focus
 Anticipates and meets internal and external customer needs in a  Constantly reacting to customer needs rather than  Solutions/services provided to customers are not cost
timely manner being proactive effective for the Company
 Continually searches for ways to improve customer service  Does not ask for feedback from customers
 Seeks feedback from customers  Not responsive to customer needs
 Provides solutions that go beyond existing products, processes,  Does not act in a way that enables him/her to gain
or services customers’ respect/trust
 Establishes and maintains effective relations with customers and
gains their trust/respect

The Executive Group 2

 LEADERSHIP COMPETENCY INVENTORY
THINKING – Demonstrates innovative thinking and judgment to evaluate situations and solve problems.

COMPETENCY/DESCRIPTORS WHEN COMPETENCY IS ABSENT WHEN COMPETENCY IS OVERUSED

Decisive
 Considers alternative solutions before making decisions  Indecisive  Unable to put a decision aside long enough for
 Comes to a decision at the right time  Unable to make decisions reflection, consideration and intuition to play a role
 Makes sound decisions based on adequate information  Unable to make decisions quickly
 Makes decisions in the face of uncertainty  Too rapid or overweighs one area of information
 Decisions have lasting value/benefit  Too easily influenced by others
 Decisions demonstrate technical, business, and cultural
understanding
 Makes quick decisions when needed, even without complete
information
Deals with Ambiguity
 Manages projects/situations without detailed direction/guidance  May not do well on fuzzy problems with no clear  May make simple issues complex and over-
 Deals with abstract concepts and complexity comfortably solution or outcome complicate things
 Identifies additional information pertinent to the situation  Lack of initiative when dealing with abstract or  May move to conclusions without enough data
 Sees relationship in seemingly unrelated data complex concepts  May fill in gaps by adding things that aren’t there
 Can effectively cope with change  Unable to rebound from obstacles  May frustrate others by not getting specific enough
 Can shift gears comfortably  Not comfortable with change or uncertainty  May undervalue orderly problem solving
 Can decide and act without having the total picture  May prefer more data than others, and structure  May reject precedent and history
 Isn’t upset when things are up in the air over uncertainty  May err toward the new and risky at the expense of
 Doesn’t have to finish things before moving on  Prefers things tacked down and sure proven solutions
 Can comfortably handle risk and uncertainty  Less efficient and productive under ambiguity
 Too quick to close
 May have a strong need to finish everything
 May like to do things the same way time after time
Continuously Learns
 Quickly and thoroughly grasps new ideas and concepts  Does not attend courses, classes ands seminars  Constantly acquiring new learning to the point where
 Attends courses, classes and seminars  Does not modify behaviors based on experience – does not get work done
 Is persistent at acquiring new learning continues to make the same mistakes
 Modifies behaviors based on experiences

Cognitive Ability
 Looks beyond the obvious and seeks multiple answers  Unable to look beyond the obvious  Overly cerebral – thinks more than acts
 Moves easily from visionary thinking to execution  Rarely seeks multiple answers – typically seeks a  Has difficulty executing
 Systematically connects processes, events and systems single answer to a problem  Intellectualizes and expounds on single concepts
 Has difficulty executing ideas
 Unable to connect processes, events and
systems
Innovative
 Approaches situations with curiosity and open-mindedness  Rarely has innovative ideas  Ideas are so innovative that they are not practical
 Generates innovative ideas and solutions to problems  Resists new ideas or concepts
 Stimulates creative ideas from others  Insists on staying with that exists now
 Does not think “outside the box”

The Executive Group 3

 LEADERSHIP COMPETENCY INVENTORY

THINKING – Demonstrates innovative thinking and judgment to evaluate situations and solve problems.

COMPETENCY/DESCRIPTORS WHEN COMPETENCY IS ABSENT WHEN COMPETENCY IS OVERUSED

Solutions-Oriented
 Focuses on solving problems  Does not look beyond immediate problems
 Looks beyond immediate problems and focuses on wider  Seems to solve problems without logic
implications  Does not concentrate on results
 Uses rigorous logic and methods to solve problems
 Strives for the simplest solution that meets objectives
 Explores solutions from a wide range of perspectives

The Executive Group 4

 LEADERSHIP COMPETENCY INVENTORY
INTERPERSONAL – Builds effective business relationships while demonstrating respect for individuals.

COMPETENCY/DESCRIPTORS WHEN COMPETENCY ABSENT WHEN COMPETENCY IS OVERUSED

Approachability
 Maintains even emotional keel  Perceived as inaccessible; unapproachable  Too sensitive when dealing with others
 Puts others at ease  Does not make others feel comfortable  Too eager to please
 Makes self available to others  Impatient  Easily swayed to group pressure or to avoid conflict
 Demonstrates patience in dealing with others  Unavailable to others; too busy
 Able to build rapport  Lacks empathy
 Perceived as pleasant
 Sensitive to problems of others

Presence
 Interacts confidently with a wide range of people  Draws unnecessary attention to self  Constantly concerned with social appearances to the
 Presents a positive professional appearance  Unable to converse on multiple subjects point that makes others uncomfortable, intimidated
 Converses on a wide range of subjects  Has difficulty interacting with a wide range of
 Socially adept people
 Self-assured  Clumsy, inappropriate with others socially
 Displays proper etiquette
 Does not draw unnecessary attention to self

Humor
 Displays appropriate humor in the workplace  Uses humor in an abusive fashion (tells offensive  Unable to take seriously because makes a joke out of
 Can laugh at self jokes, excessively mocks an individual in the everything
 Does not use humor in an abusive fashion presence of others)
 Can use humor to ease a tense situation  Unable to use humor to ease tension

Respect
 Displays respect for all individuals  Does not show respect for others  Unable to make decisions/take actions because
 Shows genuine compassion and concern for others  Does not treat others fairly – favors certain places too much emphasis on individual’s feelings
 Has realistic trust in others associates to others  Overly involved with personal lives of associates
 Understands, accepts and adapts to individual differences  Does not appear to accept or adapt to individual
 Draws on the unique perspective of others differences
 Concerned about work/non-work problems of people  Is not understanding to associates when they
 Treats others fairly have a problem either related to or outside of
work

Conflict Resolution
 Effectively and positively confronts others on relevant issues  Does not show respect for others  Unable to resolve situations because tries to please
 Resolves difficult situations while minimizing hurt feelings  Does not treat others fairly everyone involved
 Changes approaches to best resolve conflict  Does not seek to understand all points of view  Spends an inordinate amount of time resolving minor
 Seeks to understand all points of view  Appears not to have thought through impact of conflicts
 Understands ramifications of decisions decisions
 Identifies the important components of an issue

The Executive Group 5

 LEADERSHIP COMPETENCY INVENTORY
PERSONAL – Has the internal characteristics to accomplish goals.

COMPETENCY/DESCRIPTORS WHEN COMPETENCY IS ABSENT WHEN COMPETENCY IS OVERUSED

Drive to Accomplish
 Proactively seeks next task or job  Waits to be told what to do next  May “cut corners” to get work done fast
 Conveys productive sense of urgency  Lack of initiative  Takes too many risks
 Takes calculated risks within appropriate boundaries  Gives up when faces an obstacle  Takes on too many tasks – may make it difficult to
 Persists in the face of obstacles accomplish any one well
 Seizes opportunities when they arise  Always looking to be seen and hogs limelight

Maturity
 Reacts appropriately and keeps matters in perspective  Overly emotional when under pressure or stress  Does not have fun
 Remains within the boundaries of acceptable behavior and can  Unable to control own actions  Shows little emotion
control own actions  Flip or inappropriate with important issues  Always serious and somber
 Resilient with good emotional balance and composure under
pressure or stress
 Is appropriately tolerant of people and processes

Self Awareness
 Knows personal strengths and weaknesses  Is not aware of personal strengths and  Constantly seeks feedback to the point where unable
 Believes in self and own ability to have an impact weaknesses to accomplish much without input from others
 Can put matters in perspective and not unduly personalize them  Unable to talk openly about short-comings  Excessive conservation about self – over analyzing
 Willing to accept consequences of own actions  Often takes things personally
 Can talk openly about short-comings  Becomes overly defensive when receiving
 Admits mistakes and learns from them feedback
 Shares views about personal strengths  Low insight into self and others
 Open about personal beliefs  Blames others for events and shortcomings
 Watches others for reactions and acts appropriately  Rarely takes a training course or reads for
 Committed to personal development personal development
 Works to compensate for limitations
 Open to constructive feedback without being defensive

The Executive Group 6

 LEADERSHIP COMPETENCY INVENTORY
COMMUNICATION – Effectively conveys and receives information through listening, speaking, and writing skills.

COMPETENCY/DESCRIPTORS WHEN COMPETENCY IS ABSENT WHEN COMPETENCY IS OVERUSED

Listening
 Listens attentively and actively  Interrupts frequently  Does not add to conversations
 Effectively receives feedback  Does not clarify other’s positions  Overly solicits feedback from others (does not make
 Seeks to understand the position of others  Perceived as not paying attention decisions/take actions without input from others)
 Allows others to fully communicate their points or issues  Holds “side bar” conversations while others are
 Appropriately questions to further understanding talking
 Is not open to feedback from others
Feedback
 Provides honest and constructive feedback  Provides unhelpful, damaging feedback  Constantly criticizes others
 Provides feedback in a timely fashion  Does not appropriately convey expectations for  Spends too much time giving feedback
 Communicates clearly when results are not meeting expectations assignments
 Conveys expectations for assignments  Does not provide feedback when expectations are
not met

Oral Presentation
 Delivers clear, well-organized communications  Presentations are not well-organized
 Demonstrates poise in group situations  Appears nervous during presentations
 Speaks clearly and concisely  Unconvincing through communications
 Simplifies key points to improve understanding  Poor speech techniques
 Unable to hold attention of audience
Influence
 Seeks to persuade others without damaging relationship  Unconvincing through communications  Unable to make decisions/take actions without
 Negotiates persuasively  Unable to build consensus attempting to persuade others
 Builds consensus  Has difficulty influencing/motivating others  Makes most situations negotiations
 Motivates others to take action  Uses force and aggressiveness to gain
 Influences decisions of superiors compliance
 Provides compelling reasons and ideas
 Provides information necessary for people to make decisions

Written Communication
 Expresses thoughts clearly and concisely in written form  Work contains errors
 Puts information in an understandable and concise format  Writing is not concise or well-organized
 Reviews work to ensure error-free (e.g., typos, grammar)

The Executive Group 7

 LEADERSHIP COMPETENCY INVENTORY
WORK HABITS – Through productive work habits, demonstrates a sense of urgency that obtains quality results.

COMPETENCY/DESCRIPTORS WHEN COMPETENCY IS ABSENT WHEN COMPETENCY IS OVERUSED

Results Oriented
 Sets high personal standards of performance  Does not seem to focus on results  Pushes to get things done/accomplish a project
 Puts high priority on the bottom line  Does not push others/self for results regardless of how
 Plans and executes with purposeful action to complete the  Does not plan work out to ensure objectives are  Quality suffers due to sense of urgency
objective met  Inflexible due to desire to get things done
 Focuses on ways to succeed  Does not meet deadlines
 Practical results oriented
 Seeks to bring about closure
 Willing to push others for results
 Will sacrifice self interests to obtain a goal

Detail Orientation
 Seeks appropriate amount of data and information to make  Does not focus on details  Gets bogged down in minutia
decisions  Is careless  Unable to bring projects to closure due to focusing on
 Sorts and categorizes information quickly  Has difficulty prioritizing details
 Does not get bogged down in minutia
 Prioritizes data points in decision making process
 Identifies quickly what will facilitate and what will block results

Time Management
 Appropriately prioritizes tasks and responsibilities  Has difficulty meeting deadlines  Focuses more on meeting deadlines than quality of
 Consistently meets deadlines  Unable to set priorities work
 Uses time effectively  Unable to assist others in setting priorities  Spends excess time organizing and scheduling
 Deals effectively with a broad range of activities  Unable to manage multiple tasks/activities
 Helps others set priorities effectively

Work/Life Balance
 Able to prioritize personal and work time  Unable to balance personal and work time  Has too many interests/activities outside of work
 Does not allow work time to override personal time and vice versa  Does not promote balance to subordinates
 Maintains appropriate amount of interest and activities outside of  Does not have interests and activities outside of
work setting work
 Has positive perspective of accomplishments in both work and
personal life
 Understands importance of promoting balance with subordinates
 Has mechanisms for relieving work-related stress appropriately

The Executive Group 8

 LEADERSHIP COMPETENCY INVENTORY
WORK HABITS – Through productive work habits, demonstrates a sense of urgency that obtains quality results.

COMPETENCY/DESCRIPTORS WHEN COMPETENCY IS ABSENT WHEN COMPETENCY IS OVERUSED

Passion
 Exhibits commitment and enthusiasm  Does not have a high energy level  Overly enthusiastic that it is distracting to others
 Sustains an effort  Seems apathetic towards work/others  Carries efforts too far
 Increases energy level of those around  Unable to complete an assignment when it
 Pushes aside set backs becomes overwhelming/complex

Quality
 Establishes effective and efficient procedures for getting work  Does not adhere to quality standards
done  Has errors in work
 Defines clear expectations for quality
 Maintains measurements to ensure standards are met
 Uses systems to maintain quality

Manages Effectively Through Systems

 Develops and uses systems to eliminate delays and  Unable to accomplish things within the
redundancies system/organization
 Understands how the organization operates and the nuances of  Does not understand policies or why they exist
how to achieve results within the organization  Has difficulty accomplishing work without delays
 Displays good understanding and use of systems available within  Does not know when to step outside of the
the organization system
 Understands policies and their rationales  Resists using existing systems
 Manages without face to face contact
 Understands cultures within the organization
 Takes advantage of new technologies
 Comprehends the differences in practice and policies and uses
both effectively
 Knows when to step outside the system

The Executive Group 9

 LEADERSHIP COMPETENCY INVENTORY
TEAMWORK – Work together to meet customer needs.

COMPETENCY/DESCRIPTORS WHEN COMPETENCY ABSENT WHEN COMPETENCY IS OVERUSED

Teamwork
 Understands and effectively performs role within a team  Does not act in the best interest of the team  Rarely does anything as an individual – leaves every
 Uses team approach to solve problems where appropriate  Furthers self interests at the expense of the team decision up to the team or a group of team members
 Clearly defines roles and responsibilities for each team member  Dominates the team
 Acknowledges and celebrates team success, shares wins  Solves problems/makes decisions without input
 Fosters feelings of belonging to a team from team members
 Willing to put good of team ahead of self-interests  Does not understand role on team or roles of
 Involves others in shaping plans and decisions that affect them others on team
 Effectively accepts leadership role when appropriate
 Understands roles within a team and appropriately assigns those
roles

The Executive Group 10

 LEADERSHIP COMPETENCY INVENTORY
LEADERSHIP – The integrity and courage to guide, inspire and influence others toward common goals.

COMPETENCY/DESCRIPTORS WHEN COMPETENCY ABSENT WHEN COMPETENCY IS OVERUSED

Integrity
 Displays reliability – does what says will do  Is not honest  Excessively brings integrity up as a point to be made
 Accepts accountability for own actions  Is not viewed as trustworthy  Wears it like a badge of honor
 Others have confidence in the individual’s word  Others do not have confidence in word
 Is viewed as trustworthy  Says one thing, does another
 Intellectually honest – presents facts in a non-distorted fashion
 Adheres to high ethical and moral standards
 Consistently reflects corporate values

Flexibility
 Responds to shifting priorities and demands  Rigid  Unable to take at stand
 Recognizes need and demonstrates various behaviors based on  Unable to change behavior to fit situation  Changes perspective with minimal resistance or
the situation  Unable to shift priorities disagreement
 Can be counted on to maintain perspective in difficult
circumstances

Embraces Change
 Initiates change and seeks new challenges  Resists change  Constantly questions status quo to the point where it
 Comfortably handles risk and uncertainty  Suppresses new ideas and different perspectives is destructive
 Elicits and supports the creative ideas of others  Seen as a negative person  Changes just for the sake of change and creates
 Facilitates brainstorming effectively costly disruption
 Learns and develops new skills to adapt to constant change
 Questions status quo
 Champions change efforts

Courage
 Willing to take unpopular stand if necessary  Unwilling to take risks  Often takes unpopular stands – rarely goes with the
 Operates with a sense of conviction  Takes uncalculated risks group
 Willing to take calculated risks  Does not take unpopular stands  Takes too many risks
 Willing to push own ideas against obstacles  Avoids conflict, disagreement  Preaches beliefs to others to the point where some
individuals feel uncomfortable

The Executive Group 11

 LEADERSHIP COMPETENCY INVENTORY
LEADERSHIP – The integrity and courage to guide, inspire and influence others toward common goals.

COMPETENCY/DESCRIPTORS WHEN COMPETENCY IS ABSENT WHEN COMPETENCY IS OVERUSED

Strategic
 Translates business/function strategies into clear objectives and  Unable to function from a sense of purpose and  So preoccupied with the future that not executing
tactics vision today’s tasks
 Identifies action steps and accountabilities  Unable to focus on the future while taking into
 Functions from an overall sense of purpose and vision account the past
 Future oriented without ignoring the past
 Anticipates consequences before action is taken
 Creates positive results

Develops Others
 Demonstrates an awareness of the goals and development needs  Does not provide variety of assignments for  Spends too much time/attention to developing people
for subordinates subordinates, including stretch assignments to the hindrance of completing work assignments
 Coaches others in skill development  Does not provide feedback
 Provides challenging, stretch assignments to facilitate growth  Unable to effectively coach others
 Provides feedback for development

Delegating
 Clearly and comfortably delegates both routine and important  Doesn't believe in or trust delegation  May over delegate without providing enough direction
tasks and decisions  Lacks trust and respect in the talent of direct or help
 Broadly shares both responsibility and accountability reports  May have unrealistic expectations for direct reports,
 Tends to trust people to perform  Does most things by him/herself or hoards, keeps or may over structure tasks and decisions before
 Lets direct reports finish their own work the good stuff for him/herself delegating them to the point of limiting individual
 Doesn't want or know how to empower others initiative
 May delegate but micromanages and looks over  May not do enough of the work him/herself
shoulders
 Might delegate but not pass on the authority
 May lack a plan of how to work through others
 May just throw tasks at people; doesn't
communicate the bigger picture

The Executive Group 12

 LEADERSHIP COMPETENCY INVENTORY

Leadership Competency Activity

Being able to lead other people toward common objectives is no different than any other discipline or skill. There is a self image tied into
becoming a leader. What leaders see and imagine is different than what the average person visualizes.

 Great leaders have to be keyed in to what's in it for everyone involved.

 Great leaders have confidence they can lead and that others will follow.
 Great leaders do while others wait to be told what to do.
 Great leaders love teaching and solving problems.
 Great leaders learn not just from their mistakes but from everyone's mistakes.
 To the greatest leaders, problems are nothing more than speed bumps on the way to their objectives.
 Great leaders aren't workaholics who don't take a break.
 Great leaders enjoy the rewards from their victories and enjoy sharing their success with everyone around them.
 Great leaders have incredibly high standards... they do not settle for mediocrity.

The Leadership Competency Inventory on the previous pages examines 8 critical areas of leadership:

 Business Knowledge
 Thinking
 Interpersonal
 Personal
 Communication
 Work Habits
 Teamwork
 Leadership

This exercise is intended to help you identify your leadership strengths and weaknesses. The analysis will help you map out what you need to
do to make targeted improvements to get to the next level.

Look at the competencies in each area. Evaluate your skill in each leadership competency by reading the descriptors, and the pitfalls of when
the competency is absent or overused.

Rate your skill level on a scale from 1 - Low (least competent) to 5 - High (most competent) for each underlined competency. Write your
rating to the left of the competency. This rating scale will help you prioritize the competencies you want to work on first.

The Executive Group 13