Choosing which leaders to hire, promote, and invest in directly shapes the future of an organization.
As an Industrial/Organizational Psychologist operating in the leadership consulting space, I’ve advised companies on hundreds of these critical selection decisions, and observed firsthand how a rigorous, data-driven assessment approach empowers decision-makers to make objective, informed choices with confidence.
The Violet Group's assessment process is designed to do just that. Our approach isn’t about overwhelming you with data—it’s about simplifying the complex, clarifying insights, and outlining actionable next steps. (Curious about the details? You can grab our assessment one-pager here.)
Today, to bring this critical process to life, I’ll share the story of “Alex,” an emerging leader being considered for a highly sought-after internal promotion.
The Challenge: A Critical Leadership Transition
A mid-sized technology company was preparing for their COO’s retirement and needed to decide if their internal successor, Alex, was ready. While Alex excelled as VP of Operations, the role demanded untested skills: strategic thinking, enterprise leadership, and a global perspective.
Was Alex ready, or should he look outside the company?
Helping Companies Make Confident Decisions Starts with a Rigorous Process
To help answer this key question, we deployed a rigorous, multi-phase process.
Step 1: Aligning on Desired Outcomes
It all started with conversations—honest, clarifying discussions with the company’s leadership and HR team. Together, we pinpointed what the COO role truly required. Sure, operational expertise was key, but we also uncovered that success hinged on driving strategic innovation across global teams.
As the CEO noted, “Our company is going through an enterprise-wide transformation, and long-term success requires our COO to balance short-term efficiency with a long-term vision for growth. This is something our current COO has mastered in recent years, and we need our incoming leader to be even better.”
These early conversations ensured we were all moving toward the same goal.
Step 2: Gathering Data
Next, Alex embarked on a series of psychometric assessments designed to explore his leadership style, decision-making approach, and personality traits.
The results? Alex stood out for his ability to solve problems systematically and coordinate teams effectively. But the data also highlighted areas for growth—like learning to be more flexible and adaptable across situations, and balancing day-to-day operations with bigger-picture, strategic thinking.
Step 3: Adding Depth
To build on those insights, we conducted a 1-on-1 behavioral interview. Alex shared stories that vividly illustrated leadership strengths, like guiding the team through a challenging supply chain disruption and adopting new processes to support operational success.
Alex’s ability to lead under pressure was evident, but the conversation—much like the personality testing—also revealed a strong tendency to focus on immediate tactical fixes over long-term strategic solutions. Given the importance of long-term, strategic focus to the role in question, this was a theme we kept coming back to.
Could this gap hinder Alex’s capacity to succeed at the next level?
Making the Call
So, now comes the critical question: Did we evaluate Alex as ready? What was the picture we gained from his assessment? As we pieced together the results, a compelling and multi-faceted story emerged.
Alex’s operational excellence, pragmatic decision-making, and high-performing team leadership were undeniable strengths. However, the role required more—greater comfort with ambiguity and proactive innovation.
Given this context, we needed to evaluate a key driver of longer-term potential: learning agility.
Was Alex curious? Able to adopt new practices? Eager to expand his skills?
The answer was a resounding yes.
In fact, during the interview, Alex reflected candidly, saying, “I know stepping into this role will push me to think differently. It will stretch me, but I have great resources around me and I’m ready for the challenge.” Feedback from colleagues, and his decision-making and personality profiles, confirmed Alex’s growth mindset and capacity for learning.
Step 4: Integrating Insights & Making the Recommendation
After synthesizing data across sources, we facilitated a collaborative debrief with the company’s leadership team. Impressed with Alex’s strengths but unable to ignore the thematic gap, we were clear and direct with our recommendation: Ready, with a commitment to Focused Development.
The results of Alex’s assessment provided the clarity the company needed to move forward with confidence. At the heart of our recommendations was a tailored, actionable strategy to ensure Alex’s readiness for the COO role while also safeguarding the company’s leadership continuity.
The Result? Confidence and a Clear Path Forward
This isn’t just a process—it’s a partnership. By combining data, insights, and open dialogue, we helped our client make an informed decision, with a clear, actionable plan to accelerate development and readiness for a key role.
We recommended a tailored six-month development plan for Alex. This plan included hands-on mentorship from the outgoing COO, Executive Coaching, and a defined opportunity to lead cross-functional, global initiatives.
The latter piece ensured that Alex had real, on-the-job opportunities to demonstrate his growth and provide further evidence that his learning agility could help fill his capability gap. (Spoiler alert: It did!)
The leadership team fully embraced these recommendations, and Alex—along with a TVG Executive Coach—got to work. Why It Matters
This case study underscores the value of a systematic, data-driven approach to executive assessments. By combining robust tools with deep expertise, The Violet Group empowers organizations to make informed leadership decisions that drive both individual and organizational success.
Investing in executive assessments ensures that leaders are not only prepared for the challenges ahead, but also equipped with the tools to thrive in their roles. Whether it’s identifying high-potential talent or preparing leaders for critical transitions, these assessments are a powerful investment in your organization’s future.
If your organization is navigating a key leadership decision, we’re here to help.
Ready to elevate your leadership team?
Contact The Violet Group today to discover how our executive assessment services can drive clarity, confidence, and success in your organization
All names and identifying information in this post have been edited to protect confidentiality and integrity for TVG's clients.
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