Abstract
Todd Robinson, as the president of Robinson Insurance Agency, is oriented to transition and replacement procedures associated with the human resources because of the necessity to select candidates with great leadership potential for the top managerial positions in the company. The process of developing the assessment plan depends on the identification of the key factors related to the leadership potential, on the design of the actual steps of the plan, on the choice and use of appropriate assessment instruments, on the analysis of the data and use of the received information, on the development of practical considerations, and on the discussion of the legal aspects.
From this perspective, the process of identifying the potential leaders should be based on the effective assessment strategy which includes such steps as the identification of the candidates, the work with resumes, the use of such assessment instruments as the Leadership Insight Inventory and the TalentView of Leadership Transitions, the interview, and the use of the LEADeR Assessment.
Leadership Assessment at Robinson Insurance Agency
Leadership is an important factor that can influence the work of the whole organization because effective leaders not only lead but also inspire the members of their team. Todd Robinson, as the president of Robinson Insurance Agency, faces the challenges of selection, transition, and replacement associated with the human resources because of the necessity to select persons who have great leadership potential. In order to select the best candidates for the positions of managers and directors at Robinson Insurance Agency, it is important to focus on assessing leadership potential.
Thus, if the business strategy is to satisfy the customer needs, the future leader should orient to the balance of the person’s interests and results and work to support the comfortable atmosphere in the workplace and in the relationship with customers. While developing the assessment plan, which is critical for the further training plan, it is important to identify the key factors related to the leadership potential; outline the steps of the assessment-based plan; discuss the specific assessment instruments and their outcomes; state practical considerations; and address the legal aspects.
The Key Factors for Identifying Leadership Potential
In order to develop the effective assessment plan necessary to identify the leadership potential of the candidates for the top managerial positions at Robinson Insurance Agency, it is important to focus on a range of key factors that play a significant role in the process of identifying the potential. Specialists in assessing the leadership potential of the candidates distinguish between such groups of aspects as the factors associated with the process of assessment and the factors connected with the personality of the candidate (Duncan, LaFrance, & Ginter, 2003, p. 48).
From this point, to develop an effective assessment strategy, it is important to identify the factors which are critical for discussing the idea of leadership potential. In this case, the leadership potential can be discussed as the complex of factors, qualities, and attributes that influence the abilities of the concrete person to grow as a leader and as a professional who can organize, control, and manage the work of the other persons.
While assessing the leadership potential of the candidates for the positions of managers at Robinson Insurance Agency, it is relevant to focus on such aspects as the candidate’s leader profile and the potential for further career and personality growth. From this perspective, it is critical to assess the candidate in relation to his or her orientation, potential, knowledge, experience, competencies, personal attributes, and the approach to the organizational culture (Scott & Reynolds, 2010, p. 484).
Orientation is necessary in order to identify the leadership potential because it is important to know what strategies, directions, and perspectives are chosen and shared by this leader to work with the other employees (Gelens, Dries, Hofmans, & Pepermans, 2013, p. 341). The orientation to the progress of the company according to the business strategy, to improving the company’s performance, and to the professional growth of the leader is most appropriate in the discussed situation because of the necessity to head different branches of the effectively developed company with the great reputation in the insurance industry.
The potential of the candidates to become leaders is assessed according to the specific ratings which demonstrate the readiness of the person to become a leader, to take the great responsibility, and to organize the decision-making process. This factor is assessed with the help of simulations and inventories.
A perfect leader should have significant knowledge and experience in the concrete sphere (Judge, Bono, Ilies, & Gerhardt, 2002, p. 765). That is why, in spite of the fact that the candidates for the leadership positions in Robinson Insurance Agency have the great knowledge and experience related to the industry, it is necessary to assess the candidate’s potential while examining resumes, conducting interviews, and using specific inventories.
In order to assess the leadership potential completely, it is also necessary to focus on assessing the leader’s competencies and personal attributes with the help of simulations, inventories, and testing. The great leaders are identified and discussed because of their specific qualities which include the ability to control, organize, manage, inspire, make decisions, negotiate, persuade, and regulate (Groves, McEnrue, & Shen, 2008, p. 225). As a result, the leader’s potential should also be assessed according to such criteria as the emotional adjustment, the candidate’s ambition, the vision of the progress, and the learning and development orientation (Scott & Reynolds, 2010, p. 480).
These qualities are also necessary to conclude the person’s approach to developing the organizational culture, which can influence the employees’ performance significantly (Riggio, 2008, p. 383). In order to assess this aspect, it is appropriate to use inventories and leadership simulations based on a variety of life situations (Nieminen, Biermeier-Hanson, & Denison, 2013, p. 177). As a result, the potential of the candidate and his or her leadership skills are assessed with references to the business strategy followed in the company and with references to the stated mission.
The Assessment-Based Approach for Identifying Potential and the Use of the Information
The process of identifying the leadership potential of the future managers at Robinson Insurance Agency should be based on the specific assessment strategy in order to provide the human resource specialists with the opportunity to evaluate all the aspects of the future leaders’ personalities. Much attention is also paid to the appropriate analysis and use of the received information in order to make the right choice. The comprehensive assessment plan appropriate for using at Robinson Insurance Agency can include such a stage as (1) the identification of the persons who are the candidates for the manager positions in the company (Silzer & Church, 2009, p. 377).
The second stage is (2) the work with the candidates’ resumes in order to draw the preliminary inferences about the candidates’ knowledge and experience (Robinson, Fetters, Riester, & Bracco, 2009, p. 413). The next step associated with the process of the assessment is (3) the use of different types of assessment instruments and tools (Smith, Koppes, & Vodanovich, 2012, p. 174). Much attention should be paid to using inventories for identifying a range of leadership attributes in order to make conclusions about the person’s general potential to become a leader.
Furthermore, (4) the interview with the most successful candidates is important in order to correlate the candidate’s knowledge, experience, competencies, attributes, and orientation (Sperry, 2013, p. 284). The correlation between the leader’s orientation to further growth and the stated business mission and strategy is critical for selecting the candidate for the manager position.
The next stage is (5) the assessment of the potential with the help of specific simulations, which can be designed according to the needs of Robinson Insurance Agency (Scott & Reynolds, 2010, p. 432). This outline provides the discussion of the key steps associated with the assessment-based approach used to analyze the leadership potential of the candidates at Robinson Insurance Agency.
The information received with the help of examining resumes, collecting the results of assessments, tests, and simulations, and collecting the facts received during the interview is extremely important to make the final conclusions about the best candidate for the position of the manager at Robinson Insurance Agency. According to these collected data, facts, and information, human resource managers can conclude about the leadership potential related to the candidate.
Thus, special potential ratings reflected in the qualitative and quantitative information can play a significant role while discussing what aspects should be accentuated during the selection process in the company (Smith et al., 2012, p. 175). Discussing the situation at Robinson Insurance Agency, it is possible to state that the assessment process is important to provide the information whether the candidate is able to work as a leader in the company where the “Client First” philosophy is followed, the organizational culture is very strong, and the focus on the customer-oriented values and perfect results is balanced.
Furthermore, the results of assessments are significant to conclude about the future leaders’ needs. The team can work successfully when the needs and desires of a leader are reflected in the company’s strategies as well as the desires and intentions of the employees.
As a result, conducting the specific assessment of the potential leader’s values, the assessor also receives the information about the candidate’s needs, inclinations, goals, developmental gaps, general readiness for the growth and promotion of the company’s values (Silzer & Church, 2009, p. 377). The candidates’ needs can be discussed as the spheres where the knowledge and experience of the person can be improved in relation to the leadership potential.
The received information can also be used in order to develop the potential of the selected candidates in the future as part of the complex training and development plan. The assessment procedures provide the information which reflects the future leaders’ strengths and weaknesses (Silzer & Church, 2009, p. 378). As a result, it is possible to note that the candidates for the leader positions are often selected according to their strengths, but the focus on weaknesses is important to stimulate the person’s progress and to cope with the developmental gaps.
Much attention should be paid to the received data because it is the main source of the information about the leader’s potential at the first stages of taking the new position (Robinson et al., 2009, p. 413). As a result, this information will be actively used by the specialists of Robinson Insurance Agency in order to develop effective development and training programs for the new managers working in the company.
Specific Assessment Instruments to Evaluate Leadership Potential
The most effective approach to evaluate the leadership potential of the candidates for the managerial positions at Robinson Insurance Agency is the use of the specific assessment instruments which are designed in order to evaluate candidates not also as professionals but also as leaders.
Leadership Insight Inventory
In order to conclude about the person’s leadership potential, it is necessary to distinguish between the impact of the resume and described experience on the manager’s decision and the real identification of the leadership potential. Such an assessment instrument as the Leadership Insight Inventory allows focusing on the candidates’ leadership attributes and on his or her decision-making ability (Leadership Insight Inventory, 2014). Thus, the assessment is realized according to such three criteria as the leadership disposition, leadership judgment, and use of leadership approaches.
While answering the questions, candidates can demonstrate the extent to which their leadership attributes are developed, and they can demonstrate the decision-making ability in relation to the challenging situations as well as reflect on the previous experience (Leadership Insight Inventory, 2014). Focusing on such attributes as the positive outlook, ability to engage, confidence, and orientation to progress as well as on the practical experience, the assessor receives the opportunity to evaluate the future leader in relation to all the basic success factors.
TalentView of Leadership Transitions
Replacement and transitions in the company are the challenging processes because human resource managers must prepare the effective conditions for the adaptation period and select the most appropriate candidates for the important leading positions. That is why, the TalentView of Leadership Transitions is the effective assessment tool in order to evaluate the future leaders’ personality traits, potential, cognitive ability, experience, and interests related to development and career (PDI Ninth House: TalentView of Leadership Transitions, 2014). As a result, the assessor receives the complex tool which can be used at the first stages of the assessment in order to identify the significant potential of the candidates. The assessor can make objective decisions regarding all the assessed candidates.
LEADeR Assessment
At the final stage of the assessment process, the human resource manager should conclude about the candidate’s leadership competencies and his ability to make decisions in concrete situations. The LEADeR Assessment is an effective online simulation which proposes a range of role plays in order to help the assessor evaluate the real leadership and professional potential of the candidate (LEADeR Assessment, 2014). The simulation is used to assess the leader’s attributes, abilities to make decisions, organize, control, and develop strategies. This assessment instrument is important to place the candidate into the life situation and assess his or her ability to solve problems and experience.
Outcomes, Data, and Information Provided by the Assessment Instruments
The discussed assessment instruments such as the Leadership Insight Inventory, the TalentView of Leadership Transitions, and the LEADeR Assessment provide different types of information on the leadership potential related to the assessed candidates for the manager positions at Robinson Insurance Agency. Thus, the Leadership Insight Inventory based on a questionnaire provides the important qualitative and quantitative information on the candidate’s potential for leadership performance in relation to engaging people, sustaining the positive outlook, orienting to the success, promoting discipline and inspiration (Leadership Insight Inventory, 2014).
The assessor receives the reflection on the candidate’s previous experience and used approaches in the field of leadership. To facilitate the feedback from the Leadership Insight Inventory, it is important to create the supportive conditions for the candidate who is assessed while explaining instructions and promoting comfortable conditions. The instrument is rather time-consuming, and the candidate should answer question within the comfortable environments.
The TalentView of Leadership Transitions provides the direct information about the candidate’s leadership potential because the tool is developed to identify the potential for the transition or replacement. The instrument can be discussed as the multifactor measure which is used to assess different aspects associated with the concept of leadership in the organization. The assessors at Robinson Insurance Agency can effectively use the information presented with the help of the TalentView of Leadership Transitions because they receive the complex data on the candidate’s personality or leadership disposition and on the career interests and orientation which is important to decide whether the candidate is able to follow the customer-oriented strategy.
Furthermore, the instrument provides the effective qualitative information on the person’s general cognitive ability and emotional intelligence as well as on the leadership experience (Scott & Reynolds, 2010, p. 794). However, it is also possible to facilitate the feedback while using the tool in combination with simulations to stimulate the candidate’s critical thinking and decision-making approach. As a result, the assessor is able to receive not only the information on the leadership indicators and attributes but also the evidence to support the data on the future leader’s experience.
The assessors working for Robinson Insurance Agency should use the LEADeR Assessment in order to create the situations in which future leaders can demonstrate their attributes, competencies, skills, and experience. To support all the verbal, qualitative, and factual information about the candidate’s potential, it is necessary to use role plays proposed as the LEADeR Assessment (Scott & Reynolds, 2010, p. 793).
Using online simulations, the assessor receives the qualitative and illustrative information which can be used as the evidence to support the facts related to the candidate’s background and experience. In order to facilitate the feedback, it is relevant to provide the candidate with all the necessary devices and assistance in working with the software and resources to guarantee the effective completion of the task.
Practical Considerations of the Assessment Approach
The assessment plan developed for Robinson Insurance Agency includes such stages as
- the identification and selection of the candidates for the manager positions in the company according to the internal data;
- the examination of the candidates’ resumes to receive the information about the candidates’ knowledge, skills, competencies, and experience;
- the use of assessment instruments in order to decide about the person’s potential to become a leader;
- the interview with the selected candidates;
- the final assessment of the potential with the help of simulations and role plays which address the requirements developed at Robinson Insurance Agency.
The effectiveness of the assessment plan depends on its implementation that is why, it is important to provide the practical considerations associated with the stages of the plan and present the information on the personnel’s responsibility.
Identification and Selection of the Candidates
During the first stage of the assessment process, human resource managers of the central office of Robinson Insurance Agency are responsible for collecting the information about the candidates for the top managerial positions. At this stage, managers determine which employees want or plan to develop their career and take the leadership position (Duncan et al., 2003, p. 49). The data is collected in the form of resumes provided by the potential candidates.
Work with Resumes
During the second stage of the selection, the candidates’ potential is assessed according to the provided resumes. The central human resource department of Robinson Insurance Agency is responsible for examining the provided resumes in order to distinguish the candidates who can demonstrate the high leadership potential and make the preliminary notes and conclusions. The managers do not need any additional certification at this stage.
Assessment with the Help of Specific Instruments
The process of assessing the candidates’ leadership potential is rather challenging because of the necessity to evaluate the candidate in relation to the personality’s attributes, knowledge, competencies, and practical experience. Furthermore, it is important to conclude about the correlation of the leader’s goals with the company’s mission (Gelenset al., 2013, p. 341). Such outsiders as specialists in administering the Leadership Insight Inventory and the TalentView of Leadership Transitions should be consulted before the assessment.
To provide all the conditions for administering the tests, the managers of Robinson Insurance Agency are responsible for consulting the specialists and for conducting the assessment procedure according to the instructions and stated norms. These instruments are widely used in organizations, and it is unnecessary to have the additional certification in order to conduct the assessment (Scott & Reynolds, 2010, p. 490). Furthermore, to increase accuracy, the test reports and results are usually entered to the producer’s website for the effective assessment.
Interviews
The candidates selected with the help of the assessments should be invited for the interview with the managers from the central office. Thus, the interviews are conducted by human resource managers and managers representing the departments where the candidate is expected to take the leader position. These persons form the specific committee which decides on the most effective candidate to become the manager at Robinson Insurance Agency. Those persons who conduct interviews are not required to have the certification, but they need to have the experience in interpreting the assessment data.
Assessment with the Help of Simulations and Role Plays
Assessment with the help of simulations is the important stage in the process of evaluating the candidate’s leadership potential. That is why, outsiders are invited to assist in conducting simulations and role plays which are based on the web resources. The LEADeR Assessment is an effective tool used for simulations, but it is necessary to have the specific certification while working with the online instrument. The specialists of AON Consulting have the necessary certification (LEADeR Assessment, 2014). Thus, to receive the most accurate results, it is necessary to focus on combining the efforts of the company’s managers and AON Consulting specialists in order to organize the simulations for the potential leaders.
To implement the details of the assessment plan at Robinson Insurance Agency, it is necessary to use the knowledge and skills of the consultants, human resource managers, and department managers at Robinson Insurance Agency. The effectiveness of the plan is directly based on the competency of the assessors who use different instruments and approaches for evaluating the leadership potential which is identified in relation to a range of factors.
Potential Legal Issues and the Ways to Avoid Legal Liability
The assessment procedures are often considered as challenging because of the associated ethical and legal implications. While implementing the assessment plan, the human resource department of Robinson Insurance Agency should pay attention to such legal issues as the necessity to follow the employment acts, professional standards, Uniform Guidelines, and the standards of administering the workplace assessment.
If the assessment plan is developed inappropriately, the specialists developing and implementing the assessment plan for Robinson Insurance Agency can violate such legal norms as the focus on the principles of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (Scott & Reynolds, 2010, p. 645). The problem is in the fact that there are situations when candidates are discriminated according to their age, health status, gender, and race. The cases on discrimination are numerous, and the task of the assessor is to reduce the possibility of discriminating the candidates because of the assessment procedures’ content and organization.
The next group of potential legal issues includes the problems associated with following the professional standards and Uniform Guidelines. In order to conduct the assessment according to the professional standards and norms, the content of the tests should be checked before developing the assessment procedure. The majority of standards is developed to avoid legal issues and to respond to the candidates’ rights and interests.
From this perspective, the main ways to avoid the legal liability are the use of the effectively development assessment instruments which address the professional standards and the organization of the assessment according to the norms stated by such agencies as the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) (Scott & Reynolds, 2010, p. 650). The assessment procedures developed to evaluate the leadership potential should not only address the ethical norms but also respond to the legal aspects and protect the interests of both the candidates and organizations.
The process of avoiding legal liability includes the selection of the assessment procedure which contributes to protecting the rights of both the candidates and the company and which is organized according to the principles and norms of the OFCCP (Scott & Reynolds, 2010, p. 650). There should not be stages in the assessment procedure when the candidates can be discriminated. Furthermore, the final selection should be organized in order to demonstrate the focus on the norms stated in the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967.
In order to ensure that the assessment-based approach selected for Robinson Insurance Agency is legal, it is necessary to pay attention to the fact that (1) the proposed assessment instruments are designed with the focus on the basic professional standards; (2) the whole assessment strategy is job related; (3) the assessment procedure is relevant to the evaluation of the candidate’s leadership potential; (4) the factors provoking discriminative behaviors are avoided during the process of assessment and during interviews; (5) the assessment instruments are chosen to reduce the adverse impact; and (6) the impact of the factor of subjectivity is reduced while using the online methods to measure the results (Scott & Reynolds, 2010, p. 651). The proposed approaches are selected to address the factors which are usually discussed as provoking the candidate’s dissatisfaction.
Conclusion
The process of identifying the leadership potential is rather challenging, and the used assessment plan should be developed according to the needs of the company. To address the needs of the directors of Robinson Insurance Agency, it is necessary to develop the assessment plan which allows the identification of attributes and capacities which are important for the leader working in this concrete company.
That is why, the proposed assessment plan includes such stages as the selection of the candidates among the employees in the branch offices, the work with the resumes, the use different assessment instruments such as the Leadership Insight Inventory and the TalentView of Leadership Transitions, the focus on interviews, and the use of the LEADeR Assessment as the simulation and role play. The company follows the effective customer-oriented strategy, and the future leaders should share the values promoted within the organization. That is why, the assessment plan developed for Robinson Insurance Agency should respond to the principles reflected in the business mission.
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