How a director’s wise use of a 15‑minute assessment kept a rising star on board.
By Shelly Tuhro, consultant –
Situation
A frontline logistics manager was already one year behind his expected timeline for promotion to Team Leader.
His director had tried everything (mentoring, job‑shadowing, weekly one‑on‑ones) but wasn’t able to clearly pinpoint and define the specific gaps.
Both grew frustrated, and the manager began interviewing with a direct competitor, putting the company’s talent pipeline at risk.
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Solution
The Director spoke with a Jamesson Solutions consultant and decided to deploy The Leadership Nexus™ assessment.
This assessment is specifically designed to identify the manager’s Thought Time and Action Time relative to the leadership level he was pursuing and takes only 15 minutes to complete.
The report generated from the assessment overlaid those answers against the mindset and behaviors required for what would be his new leadership level.
The report also included an individualized development‑planning guide.
Outcomes
The assessment quickly clarified that the Manager operated primarily at Level 1 (Transactional) rather than Level 2 (Managerial).
His actions and thoughts were focused on daily tasks and quick problem-solving. He described himself as a skilled, reactive “firefighter.”
At Level 2, leaders should develop their teams to solve day-to-day issues independently, freeing time for strategic thinking and cross-organizational awareness.
Reviewing the report provided clear insights into improvement areas, translating previously vague feedback (“Think at a new level”) into specific actions.
The Director appreciated that the common language and actionable steps empowered him to communicate expectations effectively.
Results
Within 90 days of completing the assessment and creating a clear path for development, the Manager was promoted to Team Leader.
Not only did the Manager decide to stay with the organization, but he is also on track to move to the next level – leveraging a second round of The Leadership Nexus Assessment.
“The organization dodged a five‑figure recruiting bill and kept its leadership bench intact,” shared the Director.
The Director now includes the assessment as part of his ongoing development process for any of his direct reports expressing interest in advancement.