1.12 Organizational Leadership Trait Identification (Bridgespan) 

Purpose 

Bridgespan developed the OLTI, a leadership competency matrix, to address the challenge of standardized performance metrics within the nonprofit sector. The overarching goal is to foster organizational effectiveness and improve outcomes in the nonprofit sector.

The tool is utilized to identify strengths and areas for improvement in five domains: leadership, decision-making and structure, human resources, work processes and systems, and organizational culture. The instrument targets executives, managers, and professionals within nonprofit organizations. These individuals are responsible for driving strategic decisions, managing human resources, overseeing work processes, and shaping organizational culture.

According to Bridgespan, nonprofit organizations have used this instrument to evaluate and enhance their leadership capabilities. The results of the leadership competency matrix test can be used to inform various initiatives, including leadership development strategies, succession planning, talent management initiatives, and overall organizational improvement efforts.

Description

Bridgespan Group stated that using the tool involves a team identifying the organization’s most successful past or present leaders and then collectively identifying shared leadership traits. This identification is achieved by selecting relevant traits from a pre-defined list. Bridgespan suggests utilizing the identified strengths to inform recruitment, performance evaluation, and leadership development plans. The instrument’s results are analyzed by assessing the identified leadership traits against predefined success criteria. This analysis informs recruitment, performance evaluation, and leadership development plans. Bridgespan Group advocates for monitoring the tool’s effectiveness in securing strong leadership for the organization, suggesting ongoing evaluation and refinement.

While the leadership competency matrix can be a valuable tool despite the absence of robust support from independent studies, it is important to be aware of its limitations. The pre-defined list of traits might introduce biases or overlook certain aspects of leadership effectiveness. Users should avoid relying solely on the matrix and consider supplementing it with other assessments or expert guidance for a more comprehensive evaluation. It is also important to note that the source of the leadership traits listed within the matrix is Monster.com, an online recruitment platform, which raises concerns about the potential for bias or lack of academic rigor.

Access 

The OLTI tool is available for purchase on the Bridgespan Group website.

References

Bridgespan Group. (2021). Organizational Leadership Trait Identification (OLTI) Tool: Technical report.

Bridgespan Group. (2021). Organizational Leadership Trait Identification (OLTI) Tool: Evaluation report.