Intelligent Training Concepts                       
Presents: The Leatherman Leadership Questionnaire II                         

 

Clients ask this question:  "Surveys or tests, what's the difference?  Since the price of both is about the same, why should I use a test like the LLQ that takes three to four hours to complete versus a survey that takes only about 30 minutes?  After all, I want to know whether or not our managers and supervisors ‘walk the talk’ and do what they're supposed to do.  A test only tells me if they know how to be effective leaders¾it doesn't tell me if they actually do it!" 

The LLQ is a knowledge-based assessment tool.  Thus, it is quite different from the great majority of assessment instruments currently available.  These are perception-based surveys, often called 360° instruments.  A perception instrument is one in which leaders' abilities are rated according to either their own judgment or that of their bosses, peers, or subordinates.

In contrast, the LLQ knowledge-based test is simply that¾a valid and reliable test that measures what someone really knows about leadership.  Using a multiple-choice question format, the LLQ provides subscores in 27 major leadership skill areas.  This detailed profile allows the LLQ administrator not only to determine specifically the organization's actual needs (rather than what somebody believes these needs are), but also to provide the individuals completing the instrument with specific career development "prescriptions" based on objective information of strengths and areas of needed improvement.

The following are reasons why you should seriously consider using a test like the LLQ, rather than only a survey, to measure leadership knowledge.

1.  Some organizations don't know they don't know!  If the entire organization doesn't know that it lacks knowledge of certain leadership skills, then how are they going to rate each other on their performance?  Most survey instruments provide employees, supervisors, or managers with a list of broad leadership categories and ask them to rate each other on each category using a subjective scale.  Although the resulting facts and figures look great, the results can be horribly misleading.  Since nobody knows that they don't know, the tendency is to rate everyone "high," when in fact they probably should have been rated "low."

2.  A test measures knowledge.  A survey doesn't.  If an organization is trying to determine its training needs, then a test should be used.  A test identifies what people don't know.  And, of course, good training teaches people what they don't know.  A survey instrument is only an inaccurate way of reporting what leaders do—but if they are not doing what they're supposed to do (according to the survey), it is sometimes impossible to tell if it's because they don't know how, or if they do know how, but can't for some other reason.  What happens in real life is that many trainers use survey results to determine training needs.  Then, the leaders who receive training become downright hostile because they know that the reason they don't do what they should has little or nothing to do with not knowing how—they probably know how, but can't because of some other compelling reason.  Sometimes their bosses won't let them do what they want to do.  Sometimes they know what they should do, but they don't have time.  Survey instruments don't reveal if lack of knowledge is the cause of inappropriate leadership behavior.  Tests do!  A good test will tell if the leaders know what to do.  That's the first step.  After that, a survey can help determine why they are not doing what should be done, even though they know what to do.

3. Raters may lack knowledge of the leader's behaviors.  First, employees may not know what their leaders do.  Much of what a leader does is not visible to his or her non-supervisory subordinates.  And if the employees do not see or are not aware of what their leader does, then how can they possibly rate the leader's performance in these areas?  For example, preparation is a key skill in almost all leader/employee interactions, and good leaders spend a great deal of time preparing for key meetings with subordinates.  But preparation is not something that employees see.  A good test, however, will measure the leader's knowledge of appropriate preparation.

Second, the leader's manager often does not see what the leaders do in private.  For example, the manager does not usually see the leader conduct performance appraisals, take disciplinary action, conduct selection interviews, or provide positive feedback to an employee.  If the leader's manager doesn't see what the leader does, it is very difficult for him or her to provide accurate ratings.  But a test like the LLQ will measure all these tasks, and many more.

4.  Bias.  Subordinates may be happy with the way things are and not want their boss to practice good leadership in certain areas.  For example, they may like a leader who doesn't know how to invoke consequences when needed (called "Taking Disciplinary Action").  Or maybe they like the fact that the boss conducts a three-minute performance appraisal interview in the local bar.  In situations like these, subordinates may rate their leaders "high" when in fact they are not.

In addition, the leader who is being rated may be outstanding, but if recent negative events have occurred that lower the morale of the section, department, or organization, then the ratings in all categories may be considerably lower than the leader's actual performance.

5. Selection.  If you plan to use survey results alone to aid in selecting and promoting non-supervisory employees to leadership positions, don't!  Surveys don't measure knowledge—they are only an imprecise way of recording behaviors.  And if an employee has not been in a leadership position, it is extremely difficult to measure his or her knowledge of leadership behaviors by using a survey.  Instead, you can use a test like the LLQ to measure what the employee has learned about leadership through his or her life experiences.

6. Dimensions.  The majority of survey-type instruments on the market today provide measures in only a limited number of leadership dimensions or tasks (one to five, typically).  Thus, they do not provide sufficient information for needs assessment or career development.  Contrast this with the LLQ, which measures 27 dimensions plus a total score, and then compares each score with all other organizations that have used this test.  You can compare individuals with their peers in your organization, as well as benchmark your organization against other organizations.

In summary, if you want accurate results to assist in making selection decisions, use a test like the LLQ.  If you are going to use the result to determine an individual's training needs, use a test like the LLQ.  And if you need to determine a group's training needs, use a test like the LLQ.

You can get further benefits by using the LLQ, a knowledge-based test, in combination with a perception instrument.  In addition, this helps determine if problems are due to lack of leadership knowledge or to environmental issues.  Using both the LLQ and a 360 survey in conjunction will provide a wealth of diagnostic information.