Maryann KerrProSpective Assessment

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Korn/Ferry’s ProSpective Assessment is an online assessment tool created by Korn/Ferry International to assist LinkedIn users with their career

development. Leadership characteristics are based on research by Lominger International, a Korn/Ferry company.

ProSpective Assessment

Maryann Kerr's Assessment Results

These are your Top 5 Leadership Characteristics:

Acting with Honor and CharacterYou know what you stand for. Your actions are rooted in a stable set of values. You can becounted on to act consistently and stay true to your word. Others trust you because yourbeliefs and actions match. People see you walking your talk. They sense your authenticity andyour character.

Keeping on PointYou have discipline. Despite all of the tasks and challenges vying for your attention, you sortthrough competing priorities and stay focused. You have your favorite tricks for doingthis—setting aside blocks of time, finding ways to minimize interruptions, making decisionsquickly. You know that it’s not enough to be busy. Your concentrated focus producesmeaningful accomplishments.

Relating SkillsMost people would say that you are a likable person. You relate well to all kinds of people. Youmake other people feel at ease. You are genuinely interested in other people. And younaturally build relationships by inquiring about people’s interests, priorities, and perspectives.After spending time with you, people feel like they matter. Your positive, affirming naturemakes others feel important and valued. People are quick to offer the same respect andconsideration back to you.

Inspiring OthersYou have a compelling vision, and you are able to paint a picture of the future that ignitesenthusiasm. You are able to translate your vision in a way that others begin to share thevision. You help individuals see how they fit into the bigger picture, and this leads to better

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Maryann Kerr's Assessment ResultsInspiring Others: Top 5 Characteristics (Cont'd)

engagement and stronger performance. You infuse others with a sense of optimism andpossibility. You build effective teams and rally team members around a common purpose andget everyone working toward a common set of goals.

Demonstrating Personal FlexibilityYou are self-aware. Not only do you seek feedback from others, you can pick up on subtlecues that you need to adjust your behavior or approach. You observe how people respond indifferent situations and you adjust. You reflect on conversations and interactions so that youcan learn what to do differently. You are interested in improving yourself, developing skills, andenhancing your performance on the job.

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Potential Blind SpotsBlind spots are characteristics that you overestimate. You are likely to see yourself as stronger in these skills thanothers see you. A self assessment can give you insight on potential areas for self improvement, however, askingothers for their input by doing a network assessment will give you far greater insight on your blind spots. Here areyour potential blind spots and some ideas for next steps:

Getting Work Done Through OthersOne of the most difficult transitions people face as they move up the ladder is transformingtheir approach to managing others. Direct step-by-step instruction and discipline gives way torelationship building, empowerment, advocacy, and coaching.

Empower – Taking a command-and-control approach to leadership has its advantages,but it also involves a lot of extra stress and expended energy. Delegating work is one of thebest ways to develop and empower others. Add some coaching and support to the mix,and you have a recipe for bringing out the best in people.

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Eliminate barriers – Part of your job as a leader is to make sure your team has what itneeds (resources, time, support, information) to get their jobs done efficiently. Listen tofeedback from your team about where the system bogs down and use your influence andadvocacy to clear their path.

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Spend your time wisely – It is tempting to continue to do the work that you love—the workthat got you promoted. But once you manage other people, your job responsibilities shift.Spend less time on tasks you have mastered and more time on tasks that only you can do.

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Being Open and ReceptiveStress is noisy, and when you’re overwhelmed, it can be very hard to quiet down and payattention to what others are experiencing. Part of effective leadership is learning how to turndown the volume on your own stress so you can fully engage the people around you.

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Maryann Kerr's Assessment ResultsBeing Open and Receptive: Blind Spots (Cont'd)

Regulate your emotions – Among the first things to go when you’re pushed beyond yourlimits are your openness and calm. Meditation, deep breathing, and long walks are nothealth fads, they’re business tools. Develop a tool set for keeping yourself on an even keel.

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Open the door – Literally open your door to casual check-ins, spontaneous conversation,and lending an ear to someone seeking advice. Figuratively open the door to hear others’ideas or concerns. Essential in this effort is keeping your defensiveness at bay andrecognizing feedback as an avenue for addressing grievances and building strongerrelationships.

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Share – Listen ten times more than you talk. When you are ready to pipe in to theconversation, don’t hesitate to share something about yourself, use humor, maybe evencombine the two and be self-deprecating. Showing your human side will reassure otherpeople that you are someone they can talk to.

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Potential Hidden StrengthsHidden strengths are characteristics that you underestimate. You are likely to see yourself as weaker in theseskills than others see you. A self assessment can give you insight on potential areas for self improvement,however, asking others for their input by doing a network assessment will give you far greater insight on yourhidden strengths. Here are your potential hidden strengths:

Making Complex DecisionsWhen you mull over a problem, you can fill pages with plus and minus columns, mind mapsketches, lists of options, and various other notations. You gather enough data, but you don’tget too bogged down in it. You find the essence of a problem. You take into account all of themoving parts. When you look for patterns, you assess whether it’s something you’ve seen inyour past experience. But you don’t get caught up with surface similarities. Subtle differenceswill lead you to take a new course of action—one that you haven’t tried in the past. Once youland on a decision, you are aware of the risk but confident that your approach has the bestchance for success.

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Problem AreasProblem areas can be hard to talk about. However, we want to arm you with as much information as possibleabout the roots of success as well as known causes of derailment. Through studying the career trajectories ofthousands of individual contributors, managers, and executives, we’ve identified the five most common barriersto career success. If you suspect one or more of these areas is a problem for you, the section below will provideinitial steps toward improvement.

This assessment did not generate any problem areas for you.

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Korn/Ferry InsightsHere’s how you compare to others:

Acting with Honor and CharacterActing with Honor and Character is ranked highest in importance compared to all otherleadership skills. It is the foundation upon which all other leadership skills are built. Mostpeople are highly skilled in Acting with Honor and Character. It is moderately difficult todevelop. Being trustworthy, consistent, and ethical are viewed by most employers as price-of-admission leadership qualities.

Keeping on PointKeeping on Point is very important across all leadership levels, particularly at the managerlevel where it is highly correlated with strong performance. However, the skill level for mostpeople in Keeping on Point is moderate when compared to other leadership skills. Fortunately,it is easier to develop than most leadership skills. The ability to set priorities and stay focusedis not common—it will differentiate you from your peers.

Relating SkillsRelating Skills are particularly important at the individual contributor level. Most people’s skill inthis area is high, and it is moderately difficult to develop. Leaders who are skilled in this areaare also likely to be skilled in Managing Diverse Relationships and Being Open and Receptive.While the presence of these interpersonal skills may not be enough to get you promoted, theabsence of these skills can stymie your progression up the leadership ladder.

Inspiring OthersInspiring Others is very important at the manager and executive levels. It is highly correlated

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Maryann Kerr's Assessment ResultsInspiring Others: Korn/Ferry Insights (Cont'd)

with strong performance at the executive level. However, very few people are skilled in thisarea. One of the reasons few people have this skill is that it’s difficult to learn. Rallying peoplearound a common vision and motivating them to embrace change and give their best willdifferentiate you and your organization. Begin honing your ability to inspire others at themanager level because it can be a critical asset for you as you move up the leadership ladder.

Demonstrating Personal FlexibilityDemonstrating Personal Flexibility is a very low skill for most people. It is also harder forpeople to develop because it involves the willingness to respond to feedback and to change.Change can be hard for people, and personal change can be even more challenging. Yourability to adjust, adapt, and flex in response to feedback or changing conditions will make youa resilient and nimble leader.

Making Complex DecisionsMaking Complex Decisions is highly correlated with strong performance across all leadershiplevels and is associated with further promotion at the manager level. It is moderately difficult todevelop. While the skill level for most people in Making Complex Decisions is high, individualcontributors and managers frequently underestimate their ability in this area. Having both theskill and confidence to solve tough problems and deftly handle new situations will be missioncritical at all stages of your career.

Getting Work Done Through OthersGetting Work Done Through Others is important, particularly at the manager and executivelevels. However, it is an extremely rare skill. For most leaders, this is their lowest-rankedleadership skill, and it is one of the most common blind spots at the executive level. GettingWork Done Through Others is easier to develop, in part, because organizations providecourses, coaching, and other resources to help leaders improve. It is difficult to give up doing

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Maryann Kerr's Assessment ResultsGetting Work Done Through Others: Korn/Ferry Insights (Cont'd)

the work yourself, but your ability to direct, coach, delegate, and develop can mean thedifference between lackluster and stellar results.

Being Open and ReceptiveMost people are moderately skilled in Being Open and Receptive, and it is moderately difficultto develop. Listening, patience, and a relaxed sense of humor are qualities that will help youbuild strong relationships with your colleagues and team.

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Maryann KerrProSpective Assessment

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