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Unlocking Leadership Potential with Science · The Science of Leading

• 0:00
  Okay, so Edwin-I gotta start with something I keep hearing from managers
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  in my network.
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  This idea that you can just tell who the real leaders are.
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  Like, there's this myth that if you've got good instincts,
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  you'll just "know."But honestly?
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  That gut feeling doesn't always land.
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  Why is leadership testing becoming such a big deal now?
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  You're not wrong,
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  Claire.
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  Intuition has its place... but when you're choosing leaders?
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  That's high-stakes.
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  And too often, we mistake confidence for competence-or we miss quieter
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  strengths altogether.
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  That's where leadership testing comes in.
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  It turns guesswork into data.
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  It gives you a real read-not just on someone's experience,
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  but on how they think, how they lead,
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  and whether they inspire others to follow.
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  And the research backs it up.
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  Structured assessments lead to better leadership picks.
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  They help you spot future stars before they've got the title-and that's
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  huge for planning, retention, all of it.
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  Right-and you're talking about
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  those tools that get into things like emotional intelligence and communication
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  habits, yeah?
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  I remember the first time I got promoted-thought I was crushing
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  it as a communicator... until I took this behavioral assessment during onboarding.
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  Turns
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  out?
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  I was, like, totally missing the mark.
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  People were reading me completely differently than I intended.
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  It was awkward.
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  But also?
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  Kind of the best feedback I ever got.
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  It gave me something concrete to work with-more than just "be clearer."Exactly.
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  That gap-between how we think we come across and how others experience
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  us-is often where the real learning lives.
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  Tools like the Hogan Assessments
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  or MBTI can map your default settings.
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  Then emotional intelligence tests take it further-they show how well
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  you manage relationships, stress,
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  even conflict.
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  It's not just about checking if someone has "potential."
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  It's about what kind of potential-and how to grow it.
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  Yeah,
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  and speaking of potential-I always wonder about leadership style.
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  Like, is that actually measurable?
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  Or is it just another HR buzzword we throw around?
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  It's more concrete
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  than people think.
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  Leadership style assessments look at decision-making,
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  delegation, communication-your go-to behaviors under pressure.
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  For instance,
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  do you default to control, or collaboration?
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  That's not just a personality trait-it shapes team culture.
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  So when organizations
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  understand those patterns, they can match leaders to the right roles-or
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  help them flex in new directions.
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  So basically,
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  it's not about slapping a label on someone.
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  It's about giving them the awareness to lead better?
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  Exactly.
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  You can't grow what you can't see.
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  The best assessments don't just spot gaps-they hand you a roadmap for
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  development.
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  Okay, let's stir the pot a little.
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  One of my favorite debates: autocratic versus democratic leadership.
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  You
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  and I have both seen how those styles affect team morale-but do the studies
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  actually back up the stereotypes?
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  They do-and pretty clearly.
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  Autocratic leadership-the command-and-control style-works in
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  emergencies.
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  Speed, clarity, no debate.
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  But over time?
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  It stifles morale.
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  People go quiet.
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  Innovation dries up.
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  And performance drops.
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  Democratic leaders,
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  on the other hand-those who involve their teams in decisions-tend to
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  see higher engagement, better collaboration,
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  and stronger project outcomes.
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  One study I remember found that the most
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  successful leaders foster environments with clear goals and space for
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  initiative and feedback.
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  That's not fluff-that's a strategic edge.
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  Totally.
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  I remember that tech client you worked with... didn't they have some big
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  "aha" moment around this?
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  They did.
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  On paper, their leadership team looked strong-experienced,
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  decisive.
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  But their turnover was spiking and projects were dragging.
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  Once they used
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  behavioral assessments, the real story came out: employees felt micromanaged,
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  unheard, and drained.
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  The solution wasn't more discipline-it was less
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  control.
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  So they trained their managers to ask better questions,
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  open up feedback loops, and share ownership.
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  The culture shifted-and performance followed.
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  It was a clear before-and-after.
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  That's such a hard shift to make though-like,
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  going from "I make the calls" to "let's solve this together."Does that
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  always work?
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  Or is there, like, a magic mix of styles that works best?
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  There's no one-size-fits-all.
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  But the best leaders?
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  They adapt.
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  Assessments help surface someone's default style-especially
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  under pressure-and then you can coach from there.
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  It's also about fit.
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  A leader might be ready for promotion,
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  but the real question is: does their style match where the organization
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  is heading?
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  So it's not just about skills-it's about timing and context
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  too?
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  Exactly.
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  And when you get that alignment right?
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  You don't just fill roles-you unlock potential.
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  Okay-nerd time.
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  Let's zoom out and talk standards.
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  Every HR tech platform out there has
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  their own "ultimate leadership framework"... but like,
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  what actually counts as best practice?
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  Great question.
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  Leading bodies like SHRM and ATD agree on this: the most effective leadership
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  assessments blend multiple data points.
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  So instead of relying on one test,
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  they combine behavioral, cognitive,
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  and personality tools to create a full picture.
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  That's how you spot things
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  like strategic thinking, adaptability,
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  communication style-and emotional intelligence.
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  Leadership isn't one trait.
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  It's an ecosystem of capabilities-and best practice means measuring across
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  that whole spectrum.
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  Okay, I've gotta say-I used to roll my eyes a little
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  at emotional intelligence... but now,
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  I get it.
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  You can't just out-strategize your way into being a great leader.
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  EQ is, like, the glue.
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  Absolutely.
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  Emotional intelligence is what separates people who manage tasks from
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  those who lead people.
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  It's empathy,
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  self-regulation, relationship skills.
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  And the data shows-teams with high-EQ leaders trust more,
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  perform better, and stay longer.
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  The best part?
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  EQ isn't fixed.
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  With awareness and feedback, it can be developed.
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  That's why it matters so much.
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  So let's get practical-if someone's listening
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  and thinking, "Okay, I want to grow as a leader," what does that look
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  like beyond just taking a test?
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  It's a journey.
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  The strongest organizations start with robust assessments-but they don't
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  stop there.
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  They build in coaching,
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  feedback, and stretch assignments.
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  Those are the real proving grounds-challenging
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  projects where leaders have to level up in real time.
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  Add in peer feedback,
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  regular check-ins, and alignment with strategy-and leadership becomes
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  a muscle, not a milestone.
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  That's kind of comforting,
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  actually.
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  Like-it's not about having all the answers.
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  It's about being willing to keep learning.
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  Exactly.
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  And when you create a culture where people can grow like that?
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  You don't just build better leaders-you build a better organization.
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  Alright,
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  final thought-if someone's listening and wondering how to actually use
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  these ideas in their own company... where should they start?
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  Well,
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  if you're curious about applying this-OAD has tools that make the process
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  simple.
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  You can test out their behavioral assessments for free at o-a-d-dot-a-i.
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  It's a straightforward way to improve hiring,
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  support leadership development,
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  and match people to the right roles.
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  Perfect.
• 7:40
  Thanks Edwin.
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  I feel like we just opened a whole new window into what leadership can
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  look like when it's guided by data-not just gut feelings.
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  Always a pleasure,
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  Claire.
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  See you next time.
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  Take care, everyone.
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  We'll catch you on the next episode of The Science of Leading.