Are you in search of some leadership assessment activities for your managers?
As a business owner or executive, you understand the pivotal role that effective leadership plays in driving your organization’s success. Great leaders inspire teams, foster innovation, and navigate challenges with strategic acumen. However, identifying and nurturing leadership potential within your ranks can be a daunting task. This is where assessment activities come into play.
In this article, let’s see 15 leadership assessment exercises you can try with your managers and other employees. By incorporating these activities into your workplace, you can proactively identify high-potential leaders, tailor training initiatives to their specific needs, and cultivate a culture of continuous improvement.
Common Leadership Assessment Methods
Before delving into specific leadership assessment activities, it’s essential to understand the various methods commonly employed for evaluating leadership potential. These include:
Psychometric assessments: These scientifically validated assessments measure personality traits, cognitive abilities, and behavioral tendencies that are linked to effective leadership.
360-degree feedback: This comprehensive approach involves gathering feedback from an individual’s peers, direct reports, and supervisors. It provides a well-rounded view of their leadership abilities.
Simulations and role-playing exercises: These immersive activities simulate real-world leadership scenarios. They allow participants to demonstrate their decision-making, problem-solving, and communication skills in a controlled environment.
Structured interviews: Carefully crafted interview questions reveal insights into an individual’s leadership philosophy, problem-solving approach, and ability to manage complex situations.
Case studies: Presenting managers with real or hypothetical business cases evaluates their analytical skills, strategic thinking, and decision-making under pressure.
While these methods are valuable, they often focus on assessing leadership potential from a more theoretical or situational perspective.
On the other hand, assessment activities provide a hands-on, practical approach to evaluating leadership skills within your organization’s unique culture and challenges.
15 Leadership Assessment Activities for Your Managers
Here are some group activities you can try with your managers for leadership assessment.
#1. Personal Values Exercise
For: Self-Reflection
In this activity, managers identify their core values and reflect on their influence on leadership decisions.
Time: 10-20 minutes
Materials: Paper and pen
Participants: 3-8 members per group
Instructions
- Begin by asking each manager to list their top three core values on paper.
- Have them write a brief example of a leadership decision influenced by each value.
- Encourage sharing examples with their team to discuss how values guide actions.
- Conclude with a group discussion on aligning leadership actions with values.
Debrief
During the debrief, figure out how managers perceive the alignment between their values and actions. Discuss any insights or changes they might consider implementing for more authentic leadership.
#2. Team Dynamics Simulation
For: Building high-performance teams, and decision-making
In this exercise, managers participate in a role-playing simulation to navigate complex team dynamics.
Time: 15-20 minutes
Materials: Role cards and scenario descriptions
Participants: 4-8 people in a group
Instructions
- Assign each manager a role with specific team dynamics challenges, such as conflict resolution or team integration.
- Present a scenario that requires addressing multiple team issues simultaneously.
- Encourage them to discuss strategies and make decisions collaboratively. For example, a manager might need to mediate a conflict while motivating an underperformer.
Debrief
Discuss how managers approached the challenges and the effectiveness of their strategies. Reflect on their ability to build trust and manage diverse personalities.
#3. Cross-Functional Collaboration Exercise
For: Cross-Functional Collaboration and Communication
This activity involves managers collaborating on a project with individuals from various departments. It helps to assess their ability to break down silos and communicate effectively.
Time: 10-20 minutes
Materials: Project brief and access to communication tools
Participants: Managers and representatives from different departments
Instructions
- Assign a project that requires input from multiple departments, such as developing a new product feature.
- Encourage managers to identify key stakeholders and establish communication channels.
- Have them set clear goals and timelines for the project, ensuring each department’s role is defined.
- Ask them to present a brief plan on how they will achieve the project objectives collaboratively.
Debrief
Assess how well managers identified and leveraged the strengths of different departments. Determine if they effectively communicated and coordinated efforts to achieve the project goals.
#4. Strategic Planning Exercise
For: Strategic Planning
This activity encourages managers to develop a strategic plan for a given business scenario. It helps to assess their analytical and strategic skills.
Time: 10-20 minutes
Materials: Business scenario description, paper, and pens
Participants: 3-8 members in a group
Instructions
- Ask each manager to read the business scenario carefully and identify key data points. For example, the business scenario can be to drive continuous improvement.
- Let them analyze the data to pinpoint opportunities and threats within the scenario.
- Then, they should formulate a strategic plan with clear, actionable steps to achieve the organizational goals, using examples such as market expansion or cost reduction.
- Finally, each manager can present their plan succinctly to the group, highlighting the rationale behind each strategy.
Debrief
Discuss the effectiveness of different strategies and the decision-making process. Identify areas for improvement and potential biases in analysis.
#5. Emotional Intelligence Assessment
For: Emotional Intelligence
This exercise helps you assess the managers’ ability to recognize and manage emotions. It is one of the amazing leadership assessment activities.
Time: 10-15 minutes
Materials: Scenario cards, pens, and paper
Participants: Pairs
Instructions
- Divide participants into pairs, assigning one as the manager and the other as the team member with a specific emotional scenario.
- Provide scenario cards detailing emotional situations, such as handling a stressed team member or managing a conflict.
- Instruct managers to respond to the scenario, focusing on recognizing and addressing emotions effectively.
Debrief
During the debrief, discuss how well managers identified emotions and the strategies they used to manage them. Evaluate the effectiveness of their responses in fostering a positive work environment.
#6. Risk Assessment Simulation
For: Risk Management and Decision Making
In this activity, managers assess potential risks, and then create mitigation strategies to balance risk with reward.
Time: 15-20 minutes
Materials: Risk scenario cards, pens, and paper
Participants: 3-10 individuals per team
Instructions:
- Distribute scenario cards to each team member and ask them to identify potential risks.
- Instruct them to prioritize the risks based on potential impact and likelihood.
- Have them brainstorm mitigation strategies for the top three risks.
- Finally, they can present their strategies to the team with examples from past experiences.
Debrief
Discuss how effectively participants identified and prioritized risks. Evaluate the creativity and practicality of their mitigation strategies.
#7. Ethical Dilemma Case Study
For: Ethical Decision Making
This exercise helps managers analyze a case study involving an ethical dilemma. It assesses their decision-making skills in upholding organizational values.
Time: 10-20 minutes
Materials: Case study document
Participants: 3-10 individuals per team
Instructions
- Let each team member read the case study carefully, identifying the ethical dilemma presented.
- Now, they can discuss potential solutions with a focus on aligning with organizational values.
- Ask them to consider the consequences of each decision option and choose the most ethical solution.
- Finally, they can share their decision and reasoning with the group for feedback.
Debrief
Reflect on the decision-making process and how it aligns with ethical principles. Discuss what insights were gained about handling ethical challenges in real-world scenarios.
#8. Difficult Conversation Simulation
For: Conflict Resolution and Managing Difficult Conversation
In this activity, managers practice difficult conversations through role-playing, addressing performance issues, or team member behavior.
Time: 15-20 minutes
Materials: Role-play scenarios and feedback forms
Participants: Pairs
Instructions
- Divide the participants into pairs, assigning one as the manager and the other as the team member.
- Provide each pair with a scenario detailing specific performance or behavioral issues.
- Instruct the manager to conduct a conversation addressing the issue, focusing on constructive feedback and conflict resolution.
- After the role-play, have everyone fill out feedback forms to reflect on the interaction.
Debrief
Discuss the effectiveness of the feedback provided and the strategies used to maintain a positive relationship. Identify areas for improvement in communication techniques.
#9. Negotiation Exercise
For: Negotiation
This exercise encourages managers to negotiate with a simulated client, vendor, or stakeholder. It tests their ability to find mutually beneficial solutions.
Time: 10-20 minutes
Materials: Scenario briefs, notepads, and pens
Participants: 4-8 people in a team
Instructions
- Distribute scenario briefs to each team member, outlining their role and objectives. For instance, negotiating a contract with a vendor or reaching a compromise with a stakeholder.
- Each team can engage in a negotiation exercise. Encourage them to find mutually beneficial solutions while considering the interests of all parties involved.
- Conclude with a brief discussion on the outcomes and strategies used.
Debrief
Determine how effectively managers identified common ground and whether they achieved mutually beneficial outcomes. Discuss any challenges faced and strategies that worked well.
#10. Performance Review Simulation
For: Performance Management and Evaluation
Conduct a performance review role-play to assess managers’ feedback skills and ability to set development goals. It is one of the important leadership assessment activities for your workplace.
Time: 15-20 minutes
Materials: Performance review template, pen, and notepad
Participants: Manager and direct report (role-played by another participant)
Instructions
- Managers receive a brief about the direct report’s recent performance.
- Conduct a role-play performance review focusing on constructive feedback.
- Identify areas for improvement and set clear future goals.
- Use specific examples to illustrate points during the review.
Debrief
Discuss how effectively feedback was delivered and whether the manager set actionable goals. Evaluate the clarity of expectations communicated during the review.
#11. Active Listening Assessment
For: Communication and Active Listening
This exercise enhances managers’ active listening skills by summarizing key points, asking clarifying questions, and providing thoughtful responses.
Time: 10-20 minutes
Materials: None
Participants: Pairs (Each manager is paired with a stakeholder or team member)
Instructions
- Pair managers with team members or stakeholders for a role-play scenario.
- Have the team member express a concern or idea while the manager listens.
- The manager must summarize the key points, ask at least two clarifying questions, and respond thoughtfully.
- Rotate roles to ensure everyone practices both speaking and listening.
Debrief
Discuss how well the managers identified the main issues and how their responses addressed the concerns. Reflect on the effectiveness of the clarifying questions in enhancing understanding.
#12. Cross-Cultural Communication Simulation
For: Cross-Cultural Communication and Collaboration
In this activity, managers engage in a role-playing scenario with international team members from diverse cultural backgrounds. It helps to practice communication.
Time: 15-20 minutes
Materials: Role-play cards with cultural background details, a timer, and a notepad for feedback
Participants: Managers, and individuals acting as team members from various cultural backgrounds
Instructions
- Each manager receives a role-play card detailing the cultural background of their team member.
- Managers must initiate a conversation, adapting their communication style to suit the cultural context.
- Finally, provide feedback on the manager’s ability to navigate cultural nuances. Example: A manager might need to adjust their approach when speaking with a team member from a high-context culture, focusing on non-verbal cues and indirect communication.
Debrief
Discuss the challenges faced in adapting communication styles and the strategies used to overcome cultural barriers. Reflect on how these skills can enhance team collaboration and effectiveness.
#13. Stretch Goal Challenge
For: Goal Setting
This activity challenges managers to set and achieve a stretch goal, pushing beyond typical expectations. It is one of the amazing leadership assessment activities that can benefit your organization.
Time: 10-20 minutes
Materials: Paper and pen
Participants: 3-6 people in a group
Instructions
- Present a scenario requiring a stretch goal, such as increasing sales by 30% in a quarter.
- Ask each person to brainstorm strategies individually for some time.
- After that, have them share and discuss their ideas with the group.
- Encourage them to refine their strategies based on group feedback.
Debrief
Discuss how managers approached setting ambitious goals and the creativity of their strategies. Evaluate their ability to inspire and engage their teams in achieving these goals.
#14. Stakeholder Alignment Exercise
For: Goal Setting and Stakeholder Management
In this exercise, managers will devise goals aligning with stakeholder needs to assess their priority-balancing skills while creating value.
Time: 10-15 minutes
Materials: Paper, pens, and whiteboard
Participants: Groups of 3-6 members
Instructions
- Ask each team member to identify key stakeholders such as customers, shareholders, or regulatory bodies.
- Now, they can list the needs and expectations of each stakeholder group.
- Then, they can develop goals that address these needs while balancing competing priorities.
- Finally, let them present the goals to the team, briefly explaining the reasoning behind each.
Debrief
Discuss how effectively the goals align with stakeholder needs and the challenges of balancing priorities. Identify strategies to improve stakeholder relationship management in future goal-setting activities.
#15. Feedback Delivery Exercise
For: Feedback Delivery and Continuous Improvement
In this activity, managers provide feedback on a hypothetical scenario to assess their communication skills.
Time: 10-20 minutes
Materials: Scenario description, paper, and pen
Participants: 3-10 individuals per team
Instructions
- Present a hypothetical scenario or project outcome to each team.
- Ask each team member to write down their feedback, focusing on clarity, respectfulness, and actionability.
- Encourage them to include specific examples to support their feedback.
- Let them discuss the feedback as a group, highlighting strengths and areas for improvement.
Debrief
During the debrief, figure out how effectively managers communicated their feedback and identify common areas needing improvement. This helps in enhancing their feedback skills for real-world situations.
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Or Want Some Unique Team Building Activities?
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Final Words
Incorporating diverse activities targeting various competencies helps you understand your managers’ strengths, growth areas, and overall capabilities. Remember, effective leadership is a continuous journey of self-improvement. By offering managers immersive assessment opportunities, you foster a culture of continuous learning and development. Plus, you can position your organization for long-term success.