EZRA Portrait: Why Use Psychometric Testing For Leadership

EZRA Portrait is our new psychometric assessment designed exclusively for senior leaders on our EZRAx program.  

Your execs will discover if they’re a goal-getter, or data-driven. Have they got the resources they need? Or the team?  

It’s time to give your high flyers a precise picture of their strengths. And show them the hidden qualities they can use to tackle future challenges and develop even further.  

We’ll paint that picture. Of your leaders. In their real context.  
With precise data points.  
 
(And, of course, you can measure the results).   

EZRA Portrait is made up of three parts: 

• Psychometric testing your leaders 

• Exploring the context 

• Zooming in on their team 

 
Psychometric testing your leaders 

All leaders are different.  And they need to know how to leverage their leadership style and maximize leadership potential.  That means they have to know themselves. And we help them get to that place with our best (and only) leadership assessment.   

What is psychometric testing? 

Psychometric testing is a process to measure a person's individual psychology, including their behavioral styles and personality. The usual process is to fill in a questionnaire or do a series of tests, and have the results analyzed by an expert.  EZRA Portrait is led by (and has been designed by) our Science Board and behavioral scientists at EZRA Labs. It measures key leadership attributes and gives you unique insights into what’s happening in your organization.  

Why use pyschometric testing for Leadership?  

The value of psychometric testing is huge. It is like a catalyst to more effective coaching. And we know that coaching is a powerful tool. It grows execs' competence by 11% on average, connects people to your company mission, encourages them to stay, and gives them greater work satisfaction.   

How it works 

We test nine competencies to see where your leaders need to develop and where they have strengths. We look at whether your leaders are:  

• Boundary pushing 
  Boundary pushers are bold, take calculated risks and challenge the way things are done, creating an environment where others feel safe. 

• Trust-building 
  Trust-builders’ words and actions always align, so they’ll be seen as authentic. And other people will be more engaged by them.  

• Data-driven 
  Data-drivers make rational, data-led decisions and are seen as reliable and competent. Their rational approach is good for negotiations and finding pragmatic solutions. 

• Team-enabling 
  Team enablers are highly supportive leaders who prioritize the wellbeing and engagement of the people around them. They get results by working with other people and guiding them past obstacles. 

• Self-seeing 
  Self-seers have high self-awareness and know their strengths, extremes and how their style is different to other people. They can adapt their approach for greater success. 

• Mentor-minded 
  Mentor-minded leaders spot development opportunities for other people and help them to find solutions to their own challenges. They create the space for other people to succeed. 

• Principle-guided 
  Principle-guided leaders make decisions using a moral or ethical framework and they’re more likely to be seen as fair (that consistency means people trust them).  

• Inclusivity-oriented 
  Inclusivity-oriented leaders can empower others and share decision-making. Making decisions collaboratively brings in diverse perspectives to get better results. 

• Goal-getting 
  Goal-getters focus on achievement. They’re goal-oriented and driven by success. They often hold themselves and others to very high standards.  

Exploring the context

We don’t stop there. 

Your leaders can be brilliant. But they don’t (and they shouldn’t) do everything alone. They’re not working in a vacuum.  What’s happening in a business can really help or hinder your people at the top.  
First, we look at the big picture, we ask executives what’s happening in the overall business. Is it going through a: 

• Merger? 

• Change of leadership?  

• Change of product? 

• Restructure? 

• Digital transformation?  

• Global expansion? 

• New market entry? 

 
Zooming in on their team    

Next, we zoom in a little and ask leaders about their team – who’s in it, any sort of pressures they’re all under and what’s available to them?   These factors can drastically change leaders’ priorities and how they get things done.  
We ask about: 

• Team competence – what knowledge and skills are in the team?  

• Team cohesion – how does the team perform, and do they get along?  

• Team maturity - how much does the team know about their industry?  

• Resource availability – how big is the team, the budget and what’s available to them? 

• Ambiguity – are there clear goals, and a clear path to meet them?  

• Time pressure – is there time to plan, reflect and do good work?  

• Innovation focus – is it a creative environment which inspires new ideas?  

• Empowerment – does a leader have the freedom and authority to make the best decisions? 

What’s the power of context?  

Coaching is more likely to cut through when it’s based on what’s really happening. It’s the best way to assess leadership development needs. And this is an opportunity for some really honest conversations. 

Not only between leader and coach. But between the leader, coach and their business.   Leaders can recognize, and talk about, their own strengths and growth areas with EZRA Portrait.  But leaders can also talk about the wider business with their coach and realize they’re not responsible for everything. The same conversation, backed by insights, can help to explore what leaders can do and where they can make a difference. And honestly? How to cope with what they can’t change or don’t control in the future.  

There’s an opportunity for the business to do a bit of self-owning here. 

By helping their leaders gain key attributes like resilience, emotional intelligence and conflict management (just some of the many benefits coaching brings out), they'll be more likely to thrive - and so, in turn, will the wider business.  

It’s more than just the executive. And it’s more than just an exercise. 

EZRA Portrait is the start of a company-wide conversation. 

Because it also explores the challenges and opportunities for the leader’s team and the wider business.   

Maybe the CEO or overall management team is open to development opportunities for the whole organization (new policy, anyone?). And there might be development opportunities for other people in a leader’s team. 

When it’s done well, this is all a really good thing.  
It gives everyone a chance to grow.  
 
A truly personalized assessment.   

Focusing on the executive’s work environment is crucial, as even the most talented people can be hampered by external factors.  

And it helps save time too. It'll capture all the key information about the exec, their context and team in 10 minutes flat - meaning coaching sessions can start working their magic from the get-go, rather than wasting time gathering information.