Companies can learn about the leadership skills of a candidate or employee and get an idea of how s/he might function in a management position by conducting an executive assessment. In China, this is very popular, especially among multinationals that want to make sure candidates fit the role and culture of the organization.
Executive assessment helps a company determine whether a candidate is qualified for the vacant position through both internal and external selection processes.
Effective leadership is a key factor in achieving success in these changing times. In China, which has an extremely changeable environment, a leader’s ability to navigate through difficulties is essential, and a good evaluation process will get a company as close as possible to the perfect candidate in the market shaped by the company’s capabilities.
How executive assessment may help companies in China:
– Enabling successful change processes
– Evaluating people objectively
– Stimulates the employee
– Uncovers hidden talent
– Allows to start mapping the talent and personality of your employees
Organizations use executive assessment in a variety of contexts. Keep in mind that the main objective of the assessment process is always to maximize the person-job-fit, although each client is unique. The assessment process ensures that the right person is hired, promoted or retained, whether it is used to facilitate hiring decisions, as part of a promotion process or as part of a post-merger or post-acquisition retention strategy.
The costs of not employing the individual assessment process in making important decisions have become all too apparent to some companies. Some companies do not trust the accuracy and reliability of individual assessments until they have personally suffered the effects of a poor personnel choice. In less extreme situations, there is the disappointment of realizing that a new hire does not live up to expectations.
Some people use the assessment procedure as a proactive problem-solving tool. Some organizations seek to hire new management talent who can provide the leadership and experience needed to reduce turnover in a crucial area. Finding the ideal candidate to complete a team charged with leading a major effort can be a crucial issue in a different situation.
Situations in China where executive assessment is often necessary:
– Mergers and acquisitions
– Succession planning
– Opening of new branches of multinational companies
The management assessment process in China is often more complicated than in other cases due to a cultural component, not only is the typical fit for the role, including soft and hard skills, necessary. The cultural and management style differences between the West and China become a executive assessment challenges during mergers and acquisitions, as well as opening of multinational brands in China, which are very common activities in the territory.
Leaders must make difficult hiring decisions in an increasingly uncertain and globalized world. If made incorrectly, these decisions can significantly affect the costs and morale of companies around the world and especially in an environment as uncertain as China’s. At Zavala Civitas Executive Search and Organizational consulting, we want to give our clients the resources they need to conduct more thorough, data-driven and analytical hiring processes so they can make wiser decisions.
To learn more about Zavala Civitas’ executive assessment methodology, click here.
