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Leadership Assessment Template

A comprehensive 360-degree leadership competency assessment covering strategic thinking, communication, decision-making, team development, and emotional intelligence. Designed for leaders at all levels from first-time managers to senior executives.

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360-degree leadership competency evaluation tool for leaders at all levels

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Introduction to Leadership Assessment

Effective leadership is the single most important driver of organisational performance, employee engagement, and retention. Research from Gallup shows that managers account for 70% of the variance in team engagement scores. Yet most organisations rely solely on results-based performance reviews that fail to evaluate how leaders achieve those results.

This 360-degree leadership assessment template provides a structured framework for evaluating leadership competencies from multiple perspectives. By gathering feedback from direct reports, peers, and senior leaders alongside self-assessment, organisations can build a complete picture of leadership effectiveness and create targeted development plans.

Core Leadership Competencies

Strategic Thinking

Ability to set vision, anticipate challenges, make trade-offs, and align team efforts with organisational strategy

Communication

Clarity in messaging, active listening, adapting style to audience, and creating open dialogue within the team

Decision-Making

Quality of judgement, use of data, speed of decisions, willingness to take calculated risks, and accountability

Team Development

Coaching effectiveness, talent identification, delegation skills, and building high-performing inclusive teams

Section 1: Leader Information

Leader Name
Full name of the leader being assessed
Role / Title
Current role and title
Department / Business Unit
Department or business unit
Time in Current Role
Duration in this leadership position
Assessment Period
Date range for this assessment (e.g., Jan 2025 - Dec 2025)
Number of Direct Reports
Current team size
Assessor Relationship to Leader
Self / Direct Report / Peer / Manager / Skip-level

Section 2: Strategic Thinking and Vision

Rate each behaviour on a scale of 1 (Rarely Demonstrated) to 5 (Consistently Demonstrated). Provide specific examples where possible.

Articulates a clear and compelling vision for the team or function
Rating (1-5):
Example / Evidence:
Connects team objectives to broader organisational strategy
Rating (1-5):
Example / Evidence:
Anticipates market changes, risks, and opportunities proactively
Rating (1-5):
Example / Evidence:
Makes effective trade-offs when balancing short-term and long-term priorities
Rating (1-5):
Example / Evidence:
Demonstrates systems thinking — understanding how decisions impact other teams and functions
Rating (1-5):
Example / Evidence:
Encourages innovation and supports experimentation within appropriate risk boundaries
Rating (1-5):
Example / Evidence:

Section 3: Communication and Influence

Communicates expectations, priorities, and changes clearly and promptly
Rating (1-5):
Example / Evidence:
Listens actively and creates space for diverse perspectives and dissenting views
Rating (1-5):
Example / Evidence:
Adapts communication style appropriately for different audiences and contexts
Rating (1-5):
Example / Evidence:
Provides regular, specific, and actionable feedback — both positive and developmental
Rating (1-5):
Example / Evidence:
Influences stakeholders effectively without relying solely on positional authority
Rating (1-5):
Example / Evidence:
Manages difficult conversations with empathy, directness, and professionalism
Rating (1-5):
Example / Evidence:

Section 4: Decision-Making and Accountability

Makes timely decisions even with incomplete information when necessary
Rating (1-5):
Example / Evidence:
Uses data and evidence to inform decisions rather than relying solely on intuition
Rating (1-5):
Example / Evidence:
Takes ownership of outcomes — both successes and failures — without deflecting blame
Rating (1-5):
Example / Evidence:
Empowers team members to make appropriate decisions within their scope
Rating (1-5):
Example / Evidence:
Demonstrates consistency and fairness in applying policies and standards
Rating (1-5):
Example / Evidence:
Willingness to course-correct when evidence shows a different approach is needed
Rating (1-5):
Example / Evidence:

Section 5: Team Development and Coaching

Invests time in understanding individual team members' strengths, motivations, and career aspirations
Rating (1-5):
Example / Evidence:
Provides coaching and mentoring that accelerates the development of direct reports
Rating (1-5):
Example / Evidence:
Delegates effectively, matching assignments to development needs and building capability
Rating (1-5):
Example / Evidence:
Creates a psychologically safe environment where team members take risks and learn from failures
Rating (1-5):
Example / Evidence:
Actively builds a diverse and inclusive team culture where all voices are valued
Rating (1-5):
Example / Evidence:
Identifies and develops future leaders through succession planning and stretch assignments
Rating (1-5):
Example / Evidence:

Section 6: Overall Summary and Development Plan

Top 3 Leadership Strengths
Identify the leader's most impactful strengths based on assessment data across all rater groups
Top 2-3 Development Priorities
Identify the areas with the greatest gap between current performance and expected standard, focusing on highest-impact competencies
Biggest Blind Spot (Self vs. Others Gap)
Where does the leader's self-assessment differ most significantly from how others rated them? What does this reveal?
Specific Development Actions
List 3-5 concrete actions with timelines: e.g., executive coaching sessions, leadership training, stretch assignments, reading, shadowing
Support and Resources Needed
What does the leader need from the organisation? Budget for coaching, mentoring pairing, protected time for development, executive sponsor
Follow-up Assessment Date
When will progress be reassessed? (Recommended: 6 months from today)

Benefits of Using This Template

  • Provides a comprehensive, multi-source view of leadership effectiveness beyond results alone
  • Identifies blind spots through the gap between self-assessment and others' feedback
  • Creates a common competency language for discussing leadership quality across the organisation
  • Supports data-driven promotion and succession planning decisions
  • Generates targeted development plans with specific, actionable improvement steps
  • Builds a culture of feedback and continuous leadership development
  • Increases leader self-awareness — the foundation of effective leadership growth
Best Practice: Pair this assessment with professional coaching for maximum impact. Leaders who receive 360-degree feedback with coaching support show 60% greater improvement in leadership effectiveness than those who receive feedback alone, according to research by the International Coaching Federation.

Related Resources

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HR by the numbers

74%

74% of companies say they are not keeping up with their company's demand for new skills.

Source: The Josh Bersin Company, corporate L&D study, 2026

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