Candidates for senior appointments need assessing for evidence of their impact in your business and of the specific commercial, people judgement and leadership capabilities required in this job.

An NHS Trust commissioned a one day assessment workshop for several board level appointments, (a detailed user guide enabled the organisation to adopt the process for all manager appointments).

The workshop provided a rigorous assessment of the short-listed candidates using 4 activities matched to the organisation’s strategy, business plan and all elements of the Job Description and Person Specification. The process dovetailed with the interview and provided important interview questions for the panel to ask each candidate.

- Activity 1 Group Discussion on a specific strategic topic

Assessed each candidate’s capability to analyse complex data fast, communicate effectively and identify the Trust’s key issues.

Senior managers mapped each individual’s performance on the task, process and interaction.

- Activity 2 Panel Interview on the same topic

Assessed each candidate’s structured thinking in addressing specific business issues and implementing solutions; their verbal delivery of an action plan, ideas and motivations.

Senior managers used scripted (CBI) questions mapped against the job specification and role competencies for this role.

- Activity 3 Written Report on a current organisational issue

This assessed each candidate’s written literacy, organised thinking, and ability to position issues strategically.

- Activity 4 Individual Card Sort or Psychometric Test

The organisation was offered an option to either assess each candidate’s specific behavioural preferences for the role, using a Leadership Behaviours Inventory tailored for the business (In this case the NHS Leadership Framework) or to select a psychometric tool such as Firo B or MBTI

- Option

To give the ‘final interview’ presentation to an invited staff group as well as the interview panel.