Section 6
What this survey cannot tell you
The value of the review depends on being honest about its limits. Every point below protects the credibility of the findings, and the trust of the people who answered.
Eight cautions to keep in view
Read these before writing anything the client will see.
A selection is not a deficit
A development priority does not imply poor current performance. It may reflect a wish for greater consistency or an aspiration for excellence. Recognising a need may itself reflect insight.
Do not label individuals
The output is an overall needs profile based on respondents, not an individual assessment report. Do not describe anyone as “low Will”, “poor Self” or “not ready”, and do not use responses for promotion decisions.
Keep the two groups separate
Participants report their own experience; leaders report observations about a group. Do not combine their counts into a single ranking or weight leaders by the number of employees they oversee.
Question 4 is wider context
P4 and S4 are not linked to the question 2 priority and are not equivalent to each other. An apparent connection between a thought and a priority stays a hypothesis unless a submitted example establishes it.
Uncertainty is a support need
Unsure means the next step is not yet clear. It does not mean a capability gap. The clarity follow-up records what would help; recommend the support actually selected.
Do not rewrite the dataset
Analyse the submissions as a fixed dataset. Later conversations, assignments or client explanations are new evidence recorded separately; they do not change the original counts.
Will is not motivation
Hesitation can be connected to reasonable risk, unclear authority, previous experience or insufficient support. Do not turn a Will indication into a judgement about attitude or effort.
This is not a psychometric assessment
It is a contextual needs-review instrument. The professionalism options and possible development responses are propositions to explore, not findings already established about the client.
Treat uncertainty as something to support
An Unsure answer tells you a next step is not yet clear. That is useful information with its own response, not a blank to be filled in.
| What the uncertainty is | What responds to it | Who owns it |
|---|---|---|
| Participant cannot yet define the next step | Provide examples, guided reflection, feedback or a conversation about possible directions. | Workshop or clarity session; manager or mentor support |
| Manager lacks sufficient observation | Create an appropriate opportunity to observe work or discuss a relevant decision. | N−1/N−2 manager support; on-the-job exposure |
| Expectations are unclear | Clarify standards, contribution, decision boundaries and relevant responsibilities. | N−2/N−1 manager guide; HR or organisational guidance |
| Opportunity is understood but access is limited | Provide a bounded assignment, stakeholder exposure, authority or resources. | Manager sponsorship; HR or organisational action |
| Need is broad but practice is inconsistent | Provide a job aid, repeated application, feedback and review rather than relying on a single workshop. | On-the-job tools; manager support |
Language to use, and language to avoid
The same result can be stated fairly or unfairly. The difference is usually one word.
Avoid
60% of managers are weak at delegation.
Write instead
12 of 20 participants (60%) selected delegation as a development priority.
Avoid
This group is low on Will.
Write instead
Four of the eight participants indicated that acting through discomfort is part of what they want to develop.
Avoid
Managers do not know what their next role requires.
Write instead
Four participants selected Unsure for question 6. Three of them asked for clearer next-role expectations.
Avoid
Stakeholders disagree with participants.
Write instead
Both groups place delegation first. The difference between 40% and 50% is descriptive and, with six leaders, not a meaningful gap.
Avoid
The workshop will fix delegation.
Write instead
The workshop provides the concepts and practice. Sustained change also depends on a real handover, manager feedback and the conditions to act.
Confidentiality in practice
What respondents were promised
If a response raises a serious concern
Terms used in this workbook
- N−3
- The manager level taking part in this programme: the participants who answer the participant survey.
- N−2
- The leaders who directly oversee or regularly work with the N−3 participants. They answer the stakeholder survey.
- N−1
- The level above N−2. Not a respondent in this version, but relevant to manager support and next-role expectations.
- Task
- Knowing how to carry out management work and having the skill to do it effectively.
- Context
- Reading the situation, relationships, expectations and constraints well enough to choose an appropriate response.
- Will
- Taking ownership and sustaining purposeful action, including when the work becomes uncomfortable.
- Self
- Recognising one's own patterns and impact, using feedback and adjusting one's approach.
- Core
- The seven primary questions for each group, plus the clarity follow-up when uncertainty is selected.
- Extended
- The core plus two structured questions (potential gains and enabling conditions) and one optional short example.