How one leadership advisory firm measures a potential CEO's agility

"When you're working on CEO succession, with the clients we serve, there's less of a debate about whether people are qualified. It's much more about: 'Can they scale; can they adapt; can they evolve?' This reflects the fundamental shift in how organizations evaluate leadership potential in uncertain times."

"RRA has developed a methodology for measuring what it describes as a 'leader's dynamic quality to continue evolving and leading through change.' The firm does so through its Leadership Portrait, an assessment model it has been refining over the last 26 years. The portrait endeavors to quantify factors such as curiosity, drive, resilience, and social intelligence."

"A leader's willingness to say, 'I don't know,' and seek answers from their team is an asset in a rapidly changing business environment. Self-doubt combined with openness to team input represents a valuable quality for navigating disruption and uncertainty."

In today's uncertain business environment, traditional resume-based CEO selection is becoming obsolete. Russell Reynolds Associates reports that 70% of current CEOs face high disruption levels, requiring leaders who can scale, adapt, and evolve. The firm has developed a Leadership Portrait assessment measuring dynamic qualities including curiosity, drive, resilience, and social intelligence. Modern evaluation also assesses potential realization through values, impact desire, and self-awareness. Leaders who acknowledge limitations and seek team input demonstrate valuable adaptability. Boards and recruiters must shift focus from qualifications to measuring a candidate's capacity for agility and continuous evolution in rapidly changing business environments.

Read at Fast Company