These leadership self-assessment tools can help you understand your strengths. They can also help you identify opportunities for development.
Select the tool you think is most relevant to your development needs and complete the online self-assessment to get access to the report. These reports are typically based on a proprietary model and include your profile, plus development planning guidance.
As a result, they can support your personal development and your growth as a leader.
The criteria for selection of these tools
I’ve selected these tools using the following criteria:
Proven: all these tools are well established and reputable. Several have been used by millions of people around the world and all have a track record of delivering
results.
Powerful: the models or frameworks they use will help you generate powerful insights about yourself.
Practical: none of these tools are abstract or theoretical, they are all practical tools and the reports they generate provide specific and ‘workplace ready’ tips and guidance.
Available online: they can all be purchased online, completed online and you can access the reports online, they’re easily accessible.
Providing a variety of applications: each of these leadership assessment tools has a different focus. Choose the tool that is most relevant to your development at this moment.
Affordable: these leadership self-assessment tools typically cost between US$20-60, a reasonable outlay as part of your personal development planning. You can also check-out free leadership self-assessment tools (though be warned, these have free tools have far less to offer).
Leadership self-assessment tools in summary
Here’s a quick summary of the tools:
Strengthsfinder – a ‘strengths-based approach’ to planning your self-development.
Thomas Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI) – will help you understand and improve your approach to conflict.
What’s my communication style? – provides insights into your communication style, strengths and trouble spots.
DiSC – provides insights into your communication and behavioral preferences and how to work effectively with others.
Emotional Intelligence Appraisal – enables you to score yourself against the four key components of EQ and provides access to e-learning resources to improve your EQ.
WorkLife Indicator – helps you regain control of your work-life balance, includes a development planning guide.
How to benefit from these tools
To benefit from any of these tools you’ll need to:
1. Take the time to read and reflect on the reports they produce.
2. Plan your development actions.
3. Implement your development plan!
Leadership self-assessment tools in detail
StrengthsFinder
Recently rebranded as CliftonStrengths (and based on the work of Don Clifton). Naturally enough, this is a ‘strengths-based approach’ to developing and empowering yourself.
Used by millions of people, this leadership assessment tool identifies your unique sequence of 34 themes of talent and how to use them to achieve success. Offers a variety of price points and packaging (including access to the StrengthsFinder 2.0 book and downloadable app).
CliftonStrengths (compare options here)
Thomas Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI)
A practical and easy to interpret assessment tool that helps you understand your approach to conflict. The report identifies the 5 conflict-handling modes and whether you may be overusing the or underusing them.
Introduction to TKI and assessment details.
What’s My Communication Style?
Provides a communication style profile, the result of a 24-item assessment. The report highlights your ‘strengths’ and ‘trouble spots’ and provides guidance on how to identify and interact with other communications styles. The report includes an ‘apply what you’ve learnt’ worksheet.
DiSC
DiSC® profiles is one of the most commonly used leadership assessment tools, published by Wiley, it explores people’s behavioral differences. DiSC is an acronym for: Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Conscientiousness.
Introduction to DISC and self-assessment
Emotional Intelligence Appraisal
This assessment delivers scores for the key components of emotional intelligence: overall EQ, self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management. In addition you gain access to an e-learning program featuring their proprietary Goal-Tracking System™, EQ lessons, and retest.
Emotional Intelligence Appraisal
WorkLife Indicator
This tool will help you understand your approach to managing the boundaries between work and family. The integrated individual feedback report and development planning guide provide concrete strategies and tips to increase effectiveness and engagement.
Key points
These leadership self-assessment tools can accelerate your development as a leader.
They are all proven, powerful and practical tools, available online.
Each tool has a different focus, choose the assessment that is most relevant to your development needs at this moment.
