I have been using the Leadership Versatility Index, a 360 instrument for the assessment and development of versatility, with my clients for last 5 years with great success. Read on for more timely insights on how this tool has been used to address leadership in today's turbulent climate.
The COVID-19 pandemic revealed some things about the state of play in leadership we have to face—gross disparities in how leaders have responded—and it's painfully obvious how unprepared many of them were for the crisis. A distinguishing quality of those who were able to rise to the challenge is versatility, highlighting a distinct form of leadership well-suited for disruptive change. At the same time, significant problems with the way leadership is typically defined, assessed, and developed has been exposed.
The pandemic has taught us lessons about the kind of leadership that will be required in the “next normal,” which will be more daunting and tumultuous than the pre-pandemic world.
Rob Kaiser, president of Kaiser Leadership Solutions, conducted research in the early stages of the crisis that involved 6 U.S.-based global companies representing the high-tech, financial, and professional services industries. Each company routinely uses the Leadership Versatility Index. The following areas were addressed in the outcomes of the research (learn more in the full article):
Versatile Leadership Is Essential During a Crisis
What Versatility Is and Isn’t
What this Means for Talent Professionals
How to Define Leadership
How to Develop Versatile Leadership
The Road Ahead
No one knows precisely what will happen next, but we do have a good idea about what will be necessary to deal with whatever happens. Despite all the uncertainty, it's clear that organizations that learn from the current crisis and adapt will have an advantage. Now’s the time to reboot a broken system for developing leadership by prioritizing the versatility it takes to deal with the unknown challenges currently brewing in some unconsidered corner of the world. Read Rob's full article on Talent Quarterly.