After completing the leadership traits assessment, I rated myself highest (5s) in self-confidence, persistence, determination, trustworthiness, conscientiousness, and diligence. These align with the traits of conscientiousness and openness discussed in our materials. Previous assessments I have taken, such as the Kolbe Index, support these results—I scored highly in Fact Finder and Follow Through, indicating my natural tendency to create structured plans and execute them with consistency.  These traits are also evident in my personal life, most specifically when I run ultramarathons.  I am very process driven before the race making sure that I have a detailed training and nutrition plan and persistent to make sure I get all my training in.  I am very determined and diligent during the race and to date I have completed every race that I have run.  I do the same when we plan family trips to planning parties with family and friends.

I rated myself lowest (3s, possibly 2s) in friendliness, outgoingness, sensitivity, and empathy. I recognize that my strong focus on achieving goals can sometimes result in overlooking team dynamics and emotional cues. I tend to become tunnel-visioned once a course is set, which may unintentionally affect team morale and support.  To address this, I plan to implement systems that prompt regular check-ins with my team to stay engaged with their experiences and needs. The goal would be that moving forward this becomes natural.  This will not only foster stronger relationships but also enhance team motivation and performance.

As a next step, I’ve shared this assessment with my direct reports and a few people on the executive leadership team to compare their perceptions with my self-assessment and to identify areas for further growth.  After the assessment is completed, I will have 1:1 conversations with them to solicit more detailed feedback.  After the initial assessment, I will plan on sending the assessment out again after 6 months to see if there is improvement.