1.4 Government Tools
Purpose
The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has developed tools to help government agencies assess and develop their employees, including selecting executive positions. The OPM offers a range of leadership assessment tools exclusively for federal employees. These tools cater to various assessment needs, including evaluating new and senior leaders and providing feedback through 360-degree learning formats (U.S. Office of Personnel Management, 2017).
Description
OPM assessment offers leaders insights into their leadership effectiveness focusing on five dimensions of executive core qualifications which define the core competencies needs and are required for entry to Senior Executive Services, program management and control, and team building both inside and outside organizations as follows:
Leading Change: This dimension focuses on strategic changes linked with organizational goals and visions, and the capability to implement them in an ever-changing environment. Competence skills related to this dimension include creativity and innovation, external awareness, flexibility, resilience, and strategic thinking.
Leading People: This dimension focuses on the ability to lead people towards goal attainment, visions, and missions pursued. Competence skills related to this dimension include conflict management, leveraging diversity, developing others, and team building.
Results Driven: This dimension focuses on the ability to accomplish goals and meet various stakeholders’ expectations. Competence skills related to this dimension include accountability, customer services, decisiveness, problem-solving, entrepreneurship, and technical credibility.
Business Acumen: This dimension focuses on the ability to strategically manage human, finance, and information resources. Competence skills related to this dimension include financial management, human resources management, and information management.
Building Coalitions: This domain focuses on the ability to build a broad range of collaborative and cooperative partnerships in the public, business, and nonprofit sectors. Competence skills in this dimension include partnering, political savvy, and influencing/negotiating skills.
The OPM tools include:
1.4.1 Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs)
The ECQs are a set of seven leadership competencies essential for success in senior executive positions in the federal government.
1.4.2 Senior Executive Service (SES) Assessment Center
The SES Assessment Center offers a multi-day assessment that evaluates candidates for SES positions on their leadership skills, knowledge, and abilities.
1.4.3 Federal Leadership Development Program (FLDP)
The FLDP is a two-year program that develops emerging leaders for the federal government. The program includes training, mentoring, and on-the-job assignments.
The validity and reliability of these tools have been confirmed. For example, a study by OPM (2017) found that the ECQs were a valid predictor of SES candidate performance in the SES Assessment Center. A study by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) (2019) found that the FLDP was effective in developing leaders for the federal government.
Access
It is important to note that these leadership assessment tools may be restricted to employees of the US federal government (U.S. Office of Personnel Management, n.d.). Federal employees can access the instruments and receive support through a third-party consulting firm partnered with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). For further inquiries regarding the Leadership Assessment Center, contact OPM at Leadership_Assessment@opm.gov.
References
Office of Personnel Management (2017). Executive Core Qualifications: Validity study report.
