The Challenge
The Bulgarian division of a global FMCG company was running an internal talent development programme aimed at preparing successors for key management positions. We needed to assess the potential of the best-performing managers to succeed at a higher level. The assessment would determine which of them should be prepared as the most likely successors and progress to the next stage of the program. It was clear that neither current performance nor an assessment of current competencies alone could provide a valid prediction of future performance in a new role.
The Solution
We designed an assessment centre to evaluate:
- readiness to take on the new position—using behavioural assessment, we measured participants’ current level against the competencies required at the higher management level;
- personality preferences and motivational profile – two of the three strongest predictors of potential, measured using OPQ32 and MQ.
In addition to individual reports and feedback for each participant, we prepared a consolidated report for the company. Candidates were ranked according to their readiness and potential, and we identified trends in development needs for the company to address through the training component of its talent development program.
The Results
The client received an objective and valid assessment of each candidate, which helped identify the highest-potential individuals among the managers with the strongest current performance. Participants also perceived the assessment process as objective and valid. Together with well-planned project communication, this helped ensure that the selection results were accepted and prevented a drop in engagement among candidates who were not selected.
