Assessment

Assessment

Having successfully delivered development workshops on a positive action programme for BME aspiring directors, BCL was selected as one of five providers working in partnership to select suitable candidates for the programme (we were one of only 2 providers out of 18 to be selected to work on all parts of programme delivery). Working closely alongside the lead provider we were influential in the design of a 2-day assessment centre, which focused on fair and rigorous assessment as well as providing thorough developmental feedback. BCL ran a number of centres, providing the centre manager, facilitators and assessors. We received excellent feedback from the client and from candidates, not just in terms of the quality of our assessments and developmental feedback reports, but also in terms of our style of interaction with candidates on the centres. Being experienced in both assessment and diversity, we understood very well how the candidates were feeling in terms of their confidence and self-esteem in an assessment situation; we paid particular attention to boosting their self-confidence throughout the centre in order to help everyone perform at their best, by being supportive, encouraging and approachable, whilst maintaining the rigour and integrity of the assessment process.

Assessment and Development

BCL had worked with their client, a large financial services organisation for 4 years on design and delivery of their award-winning flagship Executive Development Programme (EDP), when we were asked to design and deliver both the assessment and development parts of a new middle manager Leadership Development Programme across their Emerging Markets and International regions. For the assessment, we worked under tight timescales to design a 1-day assessment centre, adaptable for native and non-native English speakers, to identify those with the potential to both perform at more senior leadership levels and to benefit from the development programme. The centre was designed around the most relevant of the Global Leadership Capabilities, and incorporated an individual presentation and group discussion around a fictitious scenario, a paired coaching exercise, a competency-based interview and a psychometric. We briefed and co-delivered the centres with experienced internal assessors and facilitators in each region, managing each centre and providing support to both candidates and assessors. The client reported that they were extremely happy with the selections that were made, and that they found the process thorough and insightful.

On the back of this success, along with a perceived need for change, we were then asked to propose an alternative process for selecting participants for the EDP. We worked with the client to design and deliver a half-day assessment which addressed the concerns of the previous process whilst working within quite tight constraints, and came up with a design which included a structured interview and a personal “sales” pitch, as well as a psychometric and a 360º Learning Agility tool. The new process has received very positive feedback from the client and candidates; it provides more valid and comprehensive evidence for selection decisions, as well as fuller feedback to candidates, which is now more closely tied in with subsequent development activity (for both successful and unsuccessful candidates).


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