The Test Agency Launches Leadership Judgement Indicator Tool for HR Professionals

The Test Agency Ltd, a subsidiary of the Hogrefe group and one of the UKís leading publishers of psychometric tests for the HR industry, announces the launch of its new leadership tool - the ëLeadership Judgement Indicatorí (LJI) - which goes much further than traditional tests in evaluating this vital skill set.



According to the Training and Development Survey (2005) from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), 65% of respondents believe UK plc has a shortage of leaders, while over a third of respondents believe their leadership development activities are ineffective. Finding people with the potential for high quality leadership and helping them realise that potential are key concerns in todayís business world.

While traditional ëpersonality testsí are frequently used to describe and assess leadership style, they do not directly predict the accuracy of leadership judgement. Moreover, they focus on ëpreferredí style; i.e. the way a person behaves most of the time. Ultimately, effectiveness in leadership situations does not depend on how the person prefers to behave: it involves the ability to discern the most appropriate strategy for dealing with a given situation and, if necessary, moving from the preferred behaviour style to the most appropriate one to tackle it. The LJI directly assesses both the accuracy of leadership decision making and the degree to which a leaderís preference for one decision making strategy over others impacts his/her ability to adapt his/her behaviour to suit any challenge.

Designed by Formula 4 Leadership Ltd, a centre of industry excellence, the LJI gives specific feedback on an individualís ability to judge what type of leadership behaviour is most likely to be successful in given sets of circumstances. The LJI is based on Formula 4ís extensive research and work in the field over the past ten years. Underpinning the tool is a set of principles that clarify how good leadership decisions are made. These are revealed in a development programme which people learn as part of training in the LJI, and which has a proven track record.

Wendy Lord, chief psychologist at The Test Agency, comments: ìWe already have a reputation for publishing contemporary tests that add real value to the work of HR professionals and help them meet some of the challenges they face on a daily basis. The publication of the new LJI supports our growing portfolio of products in this sector.î

The LJI will feature at the BPS Test Users Conference which takes place on 25 and 26 May at The Moat House Hotel, Peterborough.