BHC Assessment Center

1. Executive Development Suite 2013
ASSESSMENT CENTERS
Creating a Pipeline of Sustainable Leadership for Organizational Success

2. Executive Development Suite 2013
The Leadership Dilemma 2013
“To organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.”
It has been 15 years since Google founders Larry Page & Sergey Brin thought of this vision in their
college flat as part of their graduate project in Stanford University. As they transformed this small idea
into a small start-up in Silicon Valley, and over the years, into an 80 billion dollar enterprise with
60,000 employees and 400 million users every day, the world would never be the same again.
As organizations turn a fresh leaf from the battle that was 2009 to 2012, they look inwards once again
at their cadre of executives to see where their own Page-Brin-like idea will come from. More often
than not, the assessment feels underwhelming. These days, finding senior managers with the right
balance of innovative thinking, ruthless execution, business acumen, and dynamism is rare. Even more
worrying is the fact that competent or not, an uncomfortably large population of senior managers is
retiring with no clear successors, and companies have no formal strategy to find or develop them.
The Executive Development Cycle
Executive Talent
Pool Generation
Evaluation
Training &
Development
the retiree. Because of a lack of quality talent,
or a hesitation to undergo the complicated and
seemingly futile exercise to find the right
replacement, the decision almost always turns
to promoting the one-downs, who, although
they may be an excellent operational manager,
either lacks the strategic insight or readiness to
take on the higher role.
The challenge for 2013 is proactivity —having
the initiative to identify, develop, and condition
future successors, whether an internal opening
is there or not. In this manner, the organization
will have sufficient time to identify high
potentials as young as Frontline Managers,
hone their strategic leadership and
management competencies (which takes much
longer to do properly than most believe), and
have them ready to fill each and every Senior
Management gap that may arise in the future.
This is the only way to ensure that the shiny
new Strategic Plans that get written every year
will have enough qualified leaders to execute
Onboarding
Figure 1.1 The Executive Development Cycle
Most organizations have some form of
succession planning in place, often as part of an
HR Organizational Development checklist. The
problem for most is that it occurs mostly as a
reactive process. A Senior Manager who has
been in the company for a decade decides to
announce his retirement and HR is faced with
the daunting task of finding a successor who
will equal the performance, command, and
presence of the

3. Executive Development Suite 2013
them. The process starts in discovering where
all the hidden talent are.
This brings the importance of having good
assessment sharply into focus. Identifying the
right individuals with the leadership potential,
capacity to learn, and organizational
commitment at the very start is crucial to the
success of any Executive Development
initiative.
But because leadership potential is, to most, a
nebulous concept and varies from person to
person, generating a quality talent pool through
the opinion of others is easier said than done.
Shown below in Table 1 are some of the
common challenges faced by HR organizations.
What organizations need is a systematic
program of measuring the competencies of high
potentials that will objectively predict their fit
for Senior Management advancement. That is
precisely what Assessment Centers aim to
achieve.
The Role of Assessment Centers
Developing the leaders of tomorrow begins
with identifying high potentials and then
committing them to a long-term development
program that will hopefully result in competent
Senior Managers. The program, which often
comes in flashy acronyms such as LEAP or STAR,
is normally conducted over a period of a year or
more.
For HR professionals who are managing such
program, it is easy to say that it is among the
top if not the most expensive and time-
intensive of HR activities, not to mention risky.
What if at the end of the exercise, after all the
investment in time and resources, the company
is not able to generate enough qualified
successors through the program? By then it will
have been too late, and companies will again
have to settle for the partly competent.
Table 1: Challenges in Executive Assessment 2013
Low confidence in the quality of recommendations for successors by Senior
Management
Bias of recommendations by Senior Management for close contacts
Incomplete measurement of leadership, management, functional, and attitudinal
competencies
Lack of objectivity in the assessment process, as the ratings given by assessors are
influenced by previous interactions with the individual
Low validity and reliability of assessment methodology, as the individuals are being
assessed for positions that they currently do not occupy, and the assessors have not
been able to see them perform in that capacity
Lack of a benchmark for development that would indicate the competency areas where
the individual is already strong at, which areas are for improvement, and how big or
small the gap is

4. Executive Development Suite 2013
Challenges in Executive
Assessment
Bias of recommendations by Senior
Management for close contacts and
affiliations
Benefits of Assessment Centers
Before the Assessment Center begins, a
Success Profile is set for the Senior
Management role. This sets the numerical
score in competency and performance that
individuals have to meet in order to qualify
for the Executive Development Program. The
tenure of the individual or the strength of
his affiliations will play no role in
qualification.
The exercises in the Assessment Center are
built from the Senior Management
Competency Model. This ensures that the fit
of the person is determined through
assessing not a few, but all critical aspects of
skill, knowledge, and ability necessary for
the new role.
The individual is assessed by Certified
External Assessors who have been specifically
trained to observe and measure behavior. As
they are not from the organization, and do
not know the candidates personally, their
assessment will be wholly based on their
performance on the exercises.
The Assessment Center is built around
exercises, activities, and tasks of Senior
Managers. Therefore, the organization will be
able to observe the Middle Managers in a
Senior Management capacity and see their
competency, readiness, and ease in the
more senior role.
The main output of the Assessment Center is
an Executive Competency Report that not
only provides a summative assessment of the
individual’s potential, but gives a rating (1-5)
for each of the competency areas. The scores
provide a numerical reference at the start of
the individual’s development period so that
comparisons can be made after training to
measure their improvement
Incomplete measurement of
leadership, management, functional,
and attitudinal competencies
Lack of objectivity in the assessment
process, as the ratings given by
assessors are influenced by previous
interactions with the individual
Low validity and reliability of
assessment methodology, as the
individuals are being assessed for
positions that they currently do not
occupy, and the assessors have not
been able to see them perform in that
capacity
Lack of a benchmark for development
that would indicate the competency
areas where the individual is already
strong at, which areas are for
improvement, and how big or small
the gap is

5. Executive Development Suite 2013
The Barker Hoffmann Assessment Center
Excellence in Predicting Executive Potential
Principles of Barker Hoffmann were involved in conducting one of
the earliest Assessment Centers for the British Military, 27 years
ago.
Military operations are as risky as they come—politically,
economically, and humanly. This principle guided the developers to
craft a program that is as effective and efficient as possible,
because the quality of the recommended leaders will determine
the success or failure of a military operation.
Now in 2013, the Consultancy continues to be guided by the same
principles to deliver the best Assessment Centers and leadership
recommendations in the market today, whether in the public or
private sector.
Our innovation is driven by recent developments in the field of
Industrial and Social Psychology, as well as technological advances
that streamline measurement and observation.
Based on a recent study of organizations and the consulting
industry, we present some of the practices that define the best of
what is available on the market today.

6. Executive Development Suite 2013
Best Practices 2013
1.) Competency-Based.
Assessment Centers are built from the Senior
Management Leadership & Management Competency
Model. This details the leadership, functional, attitudinal,
and interpersonal competencies requisite for Executive
success.
Figure 1. This is an
example of the full
range of competencies
measured in our
Assessment Centers.
Leadership & Management Competencies
Leadership
Strategic Visioning
Idealized Influence
Organizational Engagement
Decision-Making &
Accountability
Corporate Governance
Change Management
Management
Business Strategy Development
Organizational Performance
Management
Business Economics
Strategic Financial
Management
Strategic Human Resource
Management
Strategic Value Chain
Management
Attitudinal, Interpersonal &
Cognitive
Results Orientation
Organizational Commitment
Business Ethics
Emotional Maturity
Strategic Influencing
Relationship Management
Business Communication
Critical Thinking
Creativity & Innovation
Brand Management
Consumer Insighting
Brand Visioning
Brand Equity Management
Brand Communications
Management
Functional Competencies
Product Management
Category Strategy & Menu
Management
Product Development
Product Commercialization
Retail Operations
Network Planning & Site
Mapping
Marketplace Management
Site Acquisition
Retail Model Development
Business Channel
Development
Service Management

7. Executive Development Suite 2013
2.) Customized.
Assessment Centers are developed exclusively for a
company. They are customized for the job role, the
nature of their business, and the industry they operate in.
Figure 2. A case study
developed for a
Financial Service
organization.
Michael@ism.com
22 April 2013
To: Juana Dela Cruz
ISM
Dear Juana,
Here are the Financial Statements for the year 2012-2013. Your secretary has sent me the schedule and the agenda for the upcoming financial
planning meeting. The materials are for your review. Please send your thoughts on the financial standing of the company and where you would
like to see greater efficiency next year. We will use them to prepare the action plans accordingly.
Regards,
John Myritz
Chief Financial Officer
ISM Ltd.

8. Executive Development Suite 2013
3.) Multi-Method.3.)
Multi-RaterEach competency is measured inMultiple Certified
Assessors, both external
at least two exercises, to ensure(CEO’s, Industry
Experts) and internal
the validity and Specialists) the(Management
Team, reliability ofgive well-
rounded insights on the individual’smeasurement.
executive potential.
4.) Technology-Driven
The use of advanced video-recording techniques allow
assessors to observe participants closer while remaining
invisible. This reveals the interesting world of micro-
behaviors that are often overlooked but play a major
role in personal efficiency and interactions with others.
4.) Multi-Method.
Each competency is measured in at least
two exercises, to ensure the validity and
reliability of the measurement.
Figure 3. An Assessment
Matrix.
Competency Area
Leadership
Cluster
Interactions
EXECOMMANCOMStaff
BusinessVisioningConflict
Performance Exercise Interaction
Presentation
External Company
Stakeholder Convention
Influencing
Meeting
Office
Simulation
In-Tray
Exercises
Case
Study
International
Expansion
Questionnaire
360 Degree
Feedback
Interview
BEI
1. Strategic
Visioning
2. Idealized
Influence
3. Organizational
Engagement
4. Decision-
Making
5. Corporate
Governance
6. Change
Management
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9. Executive Development Suite 2013
5.) Executive Coaching.
The Assessment is
documented in detailed
Executive Competency
Reports. This is immediately
followed by a Coaching &
Development Planning
meeting between the
individual, their Immediate
Superior/Executive Coach,
and HR to plot their
development path into
Executive Leadership.

10. Executive Development Suite 2013
*Missing IDP format
Individual Development Plan
Leadership Skills Cluster
A-1 Business Strategy Development
Competency Area
0.9
Development Gap
Learning
Objectives:
Development
Activities
Immediate Superior
Comments
Review Date
To improve his ability to develop long term plans and objectives at the Senior
Management Level.
Structured Training. Executive Development Program – Module I: Strategic
Planning (5 Day Program)
Self-Paced Learning. Business Planning Refresher Exercises on E-Learning Portal
Performance Tools. Business Planning Templates on E-Learning Portal
I will oversee his assessment, development, and evaluation through the Monthly
Executive Coaching Meetings.
June 30, 2013

11. Executive Development Suite 2013
6.) ROI.
A Return on Investment
Calculation is conducted to
evaluate the Program’s
contribution to the
performance of the
Individual, the Business
Unit, and the Organization
as a whole.
Conclusion
Finding and Developing Executive Talent will continue to be one of the greatest challenges of
Human Resource organizations in 2013 and beyond. In this paper we have emphasized that the
process must gain greater proactivity, structure, and objectivity in order for it to succeed. It all
begins with the right assessment process to clearly identify what leadership and management
competencies are critical and use them to evaluate each Executive Talent’s potential. Only then
can an accurate path be crafted for each person’s development for further advancement.
Finding Executives with the perfect leadership and management competencies is a near
impossibility. But with the right identification, assessment, and development of talent as early
as they are Front Line Managers is as close as one can get to building a sustainable pipeline of
Leadership Excellence. It may seem like an enormous investment in time and resources. But its
impact in improving organizational performance is immense, and long lasting, for many
generations to come. There is no riper moment to begin than now.

12. Executive Development Suite 2013
Client Success
Jollibee Foods Corporation
The Development of a Customized Assessment Center for a Multi-National Fast Food Corporation
Background
In 2009, a multi-national fast food corporation approached Barker Hoffmann with the problem that they
were expanding rapidly both in their home country and overseas and they had realized that they had
too few senior managers at the Vice President level to fill the General Manager and Strategic Business
Unit Head levels in their numerous brands and support units. Furthermore, the management and
leadership competency framework that they were using was designed for middle rather than top
management and so any assessment made of the potential of their management team was unlikely to
give them the answers that they would need to develop an effective Executive Development Program
(EDP). They needed to identify at least six VPs immediately to occupy key positions and to have a pool
of other senior managers ready to occupy future positions within 3 years.
Barker Hoffmann was tasked with; developing an Executive Management Competency Framework
against which 50+ VPs and senior managers could be assessed; assessing the competencies, on an on-
going basis, of the top managers of the multi-national; and making recommendations on the suitability
of the top managers for executive development and eventual promotion.
The Barker Hoffmann Assessment Center Process
Developing the Competency Framework
The nature of the positions for which the VPs and senior managers were being considered meant that
the standard management and leadership competencies were not enough to determine future success.
An assessment of the functional competencies related to the fast food industry needed to be made as
well. The CEO of the corporation wanted an assessment of the competencies related to Brand, Product
and Retail as well as the Strategic Management and Leadership competencies needed to run Strategic
Business Units (SBU) and Support Units(SU) that ranged over a dozen countries and that dealt with both
group owned and franchised outlets.
Barker Hoffmann conducted an analysis of the competencies of the SBU Heads and of the General
Managers of Support Units and from the list of over 40 competencies identified, the Group CEO and
existing SBU and SU Heads identified 35 critical competencies in 5 major clusters; Brand, Product, Retail,
Leadership, Managerial and Personal Mastery, that they wanted assessed.

13. Executive Development Suite 2013
Assessment of Competencies
For Personal Mastery and Leadership it was determined that a 360° instrument could be designed to
make a basic assessment of the candidates competency. However, this was not seen as being enough
and it was determined that these and the other competencies should be assessed through the medium
of an office simulation.
One of the multi-nationals SBUs was selected as the vehicle for the office simulation. Up to 12
participants took the role of SBU Head concurrently for a period of 2 days. Exercises were designed that
incorporated situations that the SBU Head could meet in that position. The scenarios were taken from
actual situations that had been encountered by the multi-national top managers over the previous 5
years, and so in 2 days the participants were expected to deal with situations that would normally
spread over an immensely longer period. The exercises covered such things as natural disasters, grand
theft, corporate strategic planning, company start-up, death, financial analysis and other ‘routine’ top
management activities.
The Office Simulation Workshop
Each participant was given both a verbal and written brief before they attended the Assessment Center
Workshop and was required to make store site visits before they attended the workshop as part of the
data and information collection process about the SBU brand that they were going to manage. They
were briefed that the moment they stepped into the Assessment Center they would be the SBU Head
and that everything they did from that moment would be assessed. They were briefed that for 48 hours
they would live and breathe being the SBU Head and that anything could happen and that they had to
deal with it. There were no breaks in the middle for separate briefings on specific exercises as all
instructions would come to them via the normal forms of communication, telephone, letters, emails,
faxes and walk-ins.
Assessment was made by external and internal assessors. The external assessors were senior HR
Managers skilled in behavioral assessment and the internal assessors were the CEO and top managers
from the multi-national. Direct observation was kept to an absolute minimum by using closed circuit
video. All exercises involving human interaction were recorded for later behavioral assessment
checking. Written outputs were collected by the SBU Heads ‘Secretary/PA’ for analysis.
After the 2 day workshop, each participant was interviewed to gather supporting data on competencies
that had not emerged during the workshop and on their future career aspirations. In addition,
participants were given the option of explaining their actions – without comment from the interviewing
assessors. The assessors comprised one internal and one external assessor.
Post-Workshop Analysis
Over a period of 6 weeks, the psychological and competency assessments made through the medium of
online testing, and the materials generated by the participants on the 2 day workshop, were analyzed by

14. Executive Development Suite 2013
the consultancy and individual reports prepared that identified their performance against the 36
competencies. In addition, a group report was prepared that identified the areas that needed to be
covered in the subsequent Executive Development Program into which the participants would pass.
The reports on the participants were gone through with the VP HR for the Corporate Group and then
with the CEO.
Individual Feedback
The multi-national’s top hierarchy decided that feedback should be given by the consulting principal
rather than by a combination of the person’s immediate superior – an SBU Head or the CEO – and the
consultant. The purpose was to ensure that the participant had the opportunity to be completely open
with their comments without fear of having the person who was responsible for their future career
prospects present.
The process proved successful with participants sharing personal concerns that they might not normally
share with their immediate superior present.
Each participant was shown both their written outputs and its analysis, and the videoed interactions and
their analyses. The results from the 360° and other psychological, management and leadership
competencies were shared and discussed. A copy of the individual report went to the participant along
with the suggested Individual Development Plan that had been formulated from the results.
The Outcomes from the Workshop and the Assessments
As a result of the first 4 workshops, 4 of the 34 senior managers who had attended the workshops were
selected to occupy SBU Head positions. Two senior managers decided to leave the corporation, one
who went to a more senior position with a US multi-national and another who decided that top
management was not for him. Two senior manager s that had previously been considered for top
positions within a relatively short timeframe were passed over because of their performance. All, but
those who left the corporation, moved on to attend the Executive Development Program including
those who had already been promoted.
A further 24 senior managers are in the pipeline for assessment during 2013 and the corporation has
decided to extend this form of assessment to middle managers in order to further develop its talent
pool.

15. Executive Development Suite 2013
Our Consulting Practice
Barker Hoffmann is a United Kingdom based
multi-faceted consultancy with its head office
in London. It operates in Europe, the USA,
Africa the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific
region through regional offices.
The Asia-Pacific regional office is located in
Manila, Philippines and it has associated
offices in Sydney & Brisbane (Australia),
Wellington (New Zealand), Honolulu (Hawaii),
Davao (Philippines) Bangkok (Thailand) Kuala
Lumpur (Malaysia), Jakarta, Bangalore and
Khartoum. At present, the region has about
50 consultants serving the global offices.
Barker Hoffmann is a multi-faceted
management consultancy operating in the
private and public sectors covering such areas
as:
Strategic Planning
Strategic Management Implementation
Organizational Development
Organizational Analysis and
Restructuring (Reengineering)
Performance Management Systems
Educational and Instructional Systems
Talent Management Systems
Competency-Based Human Resource
Management
Our Services
In the area of Competency Management, Barker
Hoffmann offers services on the development of
the following:
Full-Range Competency Models
Job Family Target Profiles
Competency Assessment Instruments
(Paper-based and Software-based)
MS Access™ Competency Bench-Strength
Tracking Database
Competency-Based HR Tools for the
following Strategic HR Areas:
o Recruitment & Selection
o Training & Development
o Performance Management
o Career Management & Succession
Planning
o Talent Management
o Compensation & Benefits
Our Client Successes
Proctor & Gamble
Johnson & Johnson
Citibank
Toyota
Bayer
Standard Chartered
Bank
Philips
Petronas

16. Executive Development Suite 2013
Contact Us
Head Office
Albert Buildings, Queen Victoria Street
London, EC4N 4SA
United Kingdom
Jill Motellano
Director, International Accounts
+44 02 07 248 2564
jill@barkerhoffmann.com
South East Asia Regional Office
Tuscan Building, Rufino St.
Makati City, 1226
Philippines
RYAN CRUZ | MARY ANN LEMANA
Associate Consultants
+63 2 856 6468 | +63 2 8567346
Mobile: (0922) 8171461 | (0906) 4615145
Australia & New Zealand
11/9 Arawa Road,
Hataitai, Wellington
New Zealand
Michael Knight
Director
+644 386 1069
michael@barkerhoffmann.com