14,000+ employees
One of the world’s largest Health and Beauty retailers, assessed internationally
40 minutes
To complete the Wave Professional Styles questionnaire, on demand
5% increase
In the number of women identified as having leadership potential
an annual process reliant on manager nominations and performance ratings to identify high-potential talent
An annual 9-box grid, and the bias that came with it
A global Health and Beauty retailer needed to move from an annual, manager-led process to one that gave it objective, robust data for succession decisions.
The client has historically used an annual 9-box grid approach to identify high-potentials. The approach relies on manager nominations and annual performance ratings.
Recognizing the risk of manager bias and fairness, the retailer wished to transition to a simpler process that would provide objective and robust data for succession decisions, across a workforce of more than 14,000 employees internationally.
An on-demand dashboard, available whenever talent decisions need it
A single questionnaire, completed on demand, replaced an annual cycle built on manager nominations.
We implemented the Wave Leadership Potential Dashboard, an end-to-end solution that let the retailer strategically identify and develop emerging talent and leaders through the Wave Professional Styles questionnaire. Unlike the traditional annual approach, this process can run on demand, allowing continuous development of talent throughout the year.
Outcomes are independent of manager perceptions of performance and designed to minimize gender bias, so every individual is assessed on a level playing field.
Assess, on demand
Given the size of the organization, 60 individuals were invited by their business units to complete the Wave Professional Styles questionnaire, in around 40 minutes.
See potential, individually and by group
The dashboard measured each person’s overall leadership potential and the leadership roles they’d thrive in, plus a cross-section of potential across the whole cohort to guide group-level development.
Feedback and development
Everyone received individual feedback through a Wave Professional Expert Report. We upskilled client colleagues to deliver feedback sessions themselves and supported them in interpreting the dashboard.
replacing an annual, multi-touchpoint 9-box process with a single on-demand questionnaire
Objective potential data, available whenever it’s needed
Replacing the annual 9-box grid with an on-demand, 40-minute questionnaire freed the retailer from manager bias and the constraints of the annual cycle.
By switching to a data-driven process with the Wave Leadership Potential Solution, the retailer alleviated possible manager bias and legacy impact, while significantly enhancing the validity and predictability of its succession planning.
The switch also supported diversity: a 5% increase in the number of women identified as having leadership potential. The majority of candidates registered for follow-up, in-depth feedback sessions, and 8 members of the HR stakeholder team actively sought to upskill and learn the tool’s application.
Identifying leadership potential, before and after
How replacing an annual 9-box grid with an on-demand Wave Leadership Potential Dashboard changed the way this retailer identifies leadership potential.
Want objective leadership potential data, available whenever you need it?
We can help you replace an annual, manager-led cycle with an on-demand, objective way of identifying potential.
