Leadership/Impact® (L/I)
Research and development by Robert A. Cooke, Ph.D.
Leadership/Impact (L/I) is a leadership assessment that provides managers and executives with unique insights into their personal leadership strategies – and the impact of those strategies on others’ behaviour measured in terms of the Circumplex styles) and performance. The product of extensive leadership effectiveness research, this 360 feedback assessment for leaders is used by organisations worldwide. It is featured in the Center for Creative Leadership’s book, Feedback to Managers.
The benefits for your organisation
L/I is a validated leadership assessment that provides your leaders with invaluable insights into their influence and effectiveness. This unique leadership development tool empowers them to confront and overcome their personal barriers to achieve outstanding executive performance – and ultimately to optimize the performance of their teams and your organisation as a whole. It’s particularly useful for:
- initiating and promoting leadership development
- coaching individual managers and executive teams
- going beyond personality assessment or personal style tools
- evaluating your leadership development initiatives
- promoting a healthy organisational culture
- enhancing organisational effectiveness and sustainability
L/I can be facilitated by individuals accredited in its use, or a Human Synergistics consultant can work with you to build a custom development program for your organisation or the organisations you support. Contact us to talk to an expert.
How it works
L/I gathers feedback on each leader via two mechanisms:
- The L/I Self-Report Inventory: The leader describes their own perceptions of their leadership approach (i.e., prescriptive versus restrictive strategies) and how they would like to shape and influence others’ behaviour.
- The L/I Description-by-Others Inventory: Up to 12 of the leader’s peers, managers, and/or subordinates (chosen by the leader) provide feedback on their focal individual’s leadership approach (i.e., strategies) impact on others, and overall effectiveness.
Each inventory meets rigorous academic and psychometric standards for leadership tests and inventories. The Self and Others forms take 20 to 30 minutes to complete. Both are available online and on almost any digital device, as well as in hard copy.
The inventory data are processed electronically and a confidential report is generated for each leader that:
- identifies the differences between their self-described leadership strategies (prescriptive versus restrictive) versus their strategies as described by others.
- Identifies the gaps between their self-reported ideal impact on others and their actual impact, assessed in terms of the Constructive and Defensive Circumplex styles.
- considers the implications for their colleagues and their organisations, as well as their personal and professional performance.
- makes recommendations for leadership development via changing one’s strategies and, in turn, impact on others’ behaviours.
A Human Synergistics accredited consultant guides the leader through the findings and insights offered by this unique 360 feedback tool for leadership development. Together, they identify more prescriptive leadership strategies that the leader can practice to encourage and promote more Constructive behaviours on the part of others–including peers and direct reports. The changes implemented not only improve the leader’s effectiveness but also that of others as well as the culture of the organisation.
The L/I surveys are available online on almost any digital device as well as in hard copy format.
Complementary tools
We recommend that you apply L/I in tandem with the Group Styles Inventory™ and Organisational Culture Inventory®. This leadership assessment tool is aligned with and reinforces the group styles and culture assessment tools. Together, they constitute an integrated system for organisational transformation via the development of Constructive individual-, group-, and organisational-level behavioural values, norms, and styles.
You can also use L/I alongside Management/Impact®, an aligned Circumplex-based leadership development assessment, for your mid- to lower-level managers.
Make L/I part of your drive for change
L/I is best administered and debriefed by consultants or coaches who’ve been trained to use it. We offer two options:
- A trained and experienced Human Synergistics consultant can plan and carry out an L/I program to develop truly effective and influential leaders in your organisation. Simply contact us to find a consultant who’s right for you.
- You can ‘do it yourself’ by arranging L/I accreditation for one or more of your team members. This will ensure they have the skills to administer the L/I and implement meaningful leadership-development strategies. To get started, register for an accreditation workshop.
- If you’re a senior manager or leader interested in having a more positive impact on your organisation’s culture and performance (or a functional-level manager transitioning to executive leadership), consider attending Transition to Executive Management, an intensive, three-session certificate program at UW-Madison’s Center for Professional Education and Development.
If you would like to know more about Leadership/Impact, or any of our wide range of assessments, please get in touch and we will be happy to assist you.