Circumplex Leadership Scan
Leadership isn't about personality. It's about behaviour.
The Circumplex Leadership Scan measures the interpersonal behaviours that determine whether leaders actually influence others or just hold titles.
Not competency ratings. Not vague feedback. Observable leadership behaviour that drives results.
Leadership is fundamentally an interpersonal endeavor. At its core is one simple question: can you influence others?
Measuring the Leadership Behaviours That Create Influence
If you can’t influence, you’re not leading…you’re just managing. And influence doesn’t come from your title or authority. It comes from how you behave interpersonally with the people you’re trying to lead.
Many leaders have blind spots about their leadership behaviour. They think they’re inspiring—their team experiences them as demanding. They think they’re collaborative—their team experiences them as indecisive. They think they’re decisive—their team experiences them as authoritarian.
The Circumplex Leadership Scan 360° (CLS360) closes that gap.
As an evidence-based, scientifically rigorous assessment, the CLS360, measures the full range of interpersonal leadership behaviours across 8 distinct leadership styles: Inspirational; Coaching; Authoritarian; Withdrawn; Participative; Yielding; Distrustful and Directive.
We measure both:
- Current leadership style: how a leader is currently leading.
- Ideal leadership: how a leader ideally wants to lead.
The gap between current and ideal reveals where development needs to happen.
THE 8 LEADERSHIP STYLES
INSPIRATIONAL (Green - Effective)
Leaders stimulate and persuade employees through a clear vision. They act decisively when performance and/or organisational problems arise. They motivate employees to perform optimally. This style creates direction, energy, and commitment. People follow because they’re inspired by where the leader is taking them.
COACHING (Green - Effective)
Leaders show their appreciation for their employees and let them know how important they are. They stimulate through positive communication and listen to employees’ opinions. This style builds capability, confidence, and engagement. People grow because the leader invests in their development.
PARTICIPATIVE (Green - Effective)
Leaders include employees in all decisions and processes. They easily accept and incorporate employees’ suggestions. They show they understand the feelings and emotions of their employees. This style creates ownership, psychological safety, and innovation. People contribute because they know their input matters.
YIELDING (Amber - Use with Caution)
Leaders are very flexible when interacting with employees and hesitate to provide guidance. They tend to put the employees’ interests above the company’s and avoid being the center of attention. At moderate levels, this is appropriate flexibility. At high levels, it creates lack of direction and accountability. People are confused because the leader won’t make decisions.
WITHDRAWN (Red - Ineffective)
Leaders are personally and professionally absent. They tend to avoid confrontations and responsibilities and act too late when problems arise. This style creates vacuum, uncertainty, and disengagement. People are frustrated because the leader is nowhere to be found when needed.
DIRECTIVE (Amber - Use with Caution)
Leaders try to reach success in a competitive way. They tend to actively monitor and correct employees and behave firmly toward employees. At moderate levels, this is appropriate accountability. At high levels, it becomes micromanagement and control. People feel untrusted and over-supervised.
AUTHORITARIAN (Red - Ineffective)
Leaders force employees to obey them. They tend to be harsh on employees and do not accept criticism. This style creates compliance through fear, not commitment. People comply minimally because they’re afraid, not because they’re engaged.
DISTRUSTFUL (Red - Ineffective)
Leaders are suspicious of employees’ motives. They tend to be quick and negative in their judgment and stay distant from their employees. This style destroys trust, creates defensiveness, and kills initiative. People disengage because they feel the leader doesn’t believe in them.
SIGNS YOU MIGHT BENEFIT FROM THE CIRCUMPLEX LEADERSHIP SCAN 360° (CLS360)
| You're developing leaders at any level | From frontline managers to C-suite executives. Anyone who leads people needs to understand how their interpersonal behaviour impacts their ability to influence. |
| Someone has been promoted and needs to shift their leadership approach | New leaders often bring individual contributor behaviours into leadership roles. The CLS360 reveals what needs to change. |
| A leader is struggling to get results through others | They're working hard but the team isn't performing. Their leadership behaviour is likely the blocker. |
| You're addressing specific leadership issues | Complaints about a leader's style, team turnover, engagement problems—these are symptoms of problematic leadership behaviour. |
| You're building a leadership pipeline | High-potential employees need to understand their leadership strengths and blind spots before stepping into bigger roles. |
| You're coaching executives | Executive coaching without behavioural data is just conversation. The CLS360 provides the diagnostic foundation for meaningful coaching. |
| A leader needs to rebuild trust or credibility | When relationships are damaged, leaders need specific feedback on which behaviors to change to rebuild influence. |
| You're creating a leadership culture | When you want all leaders in the organisation to develop self-awareness and shift toward more effective leadership behaviours. |
| You need to measure leadership development progress | You've invested in leadership development and need to know if behaviour is actually changing over time. |
HOW IT WORKS
The Circumplex Leadership Scan 360° (CLS360) Process
1. Identify Participants and Raters
- We work with you to determine::
- Which leaders will receive feedback (must have direct reports—this is for people who lead teams)
- Who will provide feedback for each leader (manager, peers, direct reports, other stakeholders)
- Whether raters will be identified or have the option to remain anonymous (we recommend identified for maximum impact)
- Timeline and logistics
THE CHALLENGE
Before you can change your culture, you need to know which behaviours to target
WHAT YOU'LL MASTER
- Map reality vs values with the Circumplex Culture Scan (CCS).
- Identify unspoken behavioural norms.
- Surface behaviours blocking the desired culture.
- Understand why cultural inertia persists.
- Build a data-driven culture shift strategy.
2. Deploy the Survey
Leaders and their raters complete the CLS360 online:
The Survey:
- Comprehensive assessment measuring leadership behavior across 8 styles
- Takes approximately 20-30 minutes to complete
- Leaders complete self-assessment (current and ideal leadership behavior)
- Raters assess the leader's current behavior
- Based on the scientifically validated Interpersonal Circumplex model applied to leadership
THE CHALLENGE
Before you can change your culture, you need to know which behaviours to target
WHAT YOU'LL MASTER
- Map reality vs values with the Circumplex Culture Scan (CCS).
- Identify unspoken behavioural norms.
- Surface behaviours blocking the desired culture.
- Understand why cultural inertia persists.
- Build a data-driven culture shift strategy.
3. Analyse the Data
- We analyse results to identify:
- Self-perception vs. others' perception: Where are the leadership blind spots?
- Leadership strengths: Which styles are working well and should be amplified?
- Leadership derailers: Which styles are overused and undermining effectiveness?
- Rater group differences: Does the manager see the leader differently than direct reports? Than peers?
- Leadership vector: The overall direction and strength of the leader's influence
- Current vs. ideal gap: How does the leader want to lead vs. how they actually lead?
- Development priorities: Which specific behaviors need to change?
THE CHALLENGE
Before you can change your culture, you need to know which behaviours to target
WHAT YOU'LL MASTER
- Map reality vs values with the Circumplex Culture Scan (CCS).
- Identify unspoken behavioural norms.
- Surface behaviours blocking the desired culture.
- Understand why cultural inertia persists.
- Build a data-driven culture shift strategy.
4. Debrief and Interpretation
- We facilitate a debrief session where we:
- Present the feedback report in a confidential, supportive setting
- Help the leader understand what the data means about their influence
- Explore the gap between self-perception and others' perception
- Identify specific behavioural patterns that are helping or hindering leadership effectiveness
- Discuss the interpersonal circumplex model and how it applies to their leadership
- Examine which styles are green (effective), amber (use cautiously), or red (ineffective)
- Address emotional reactions to feedback (surprise, defensiveness, validation)
- Create psychological safety for honest reflection
THE CHALLENGE
Before you can change your culture, you need to know which behaviours to target
WHAT YOU'LL MASTER
- Map reality vs values with the Circumplex Culture Scan (CCS).
- Identify unspoken behavioural norms.
- Surface behaviours blocking the desired culture.
- Understand why cultural inertia persists.
- Build a data-driven culture shift strategy.
5. Create Development Plan
- Based on the feedback, we help leaders:
- Prioritise which leadership behaviours to change (you can't work on everything at once)
- Define specific, observable behavioural goals
- Identify situations where they'll practice new leadership behaviours
- Plan conversations with raters to deepen understanding of feedback
- Establish accountability mechanisms and progress check-ins
- Determine what support they need (coaching, training, peer support)
THE CHALLENGE
Before you can change your culture, you need to know which behaviours to target
WHAT YOU'LL MASTER
- Map reality vs values with the Circumplex Culture Scan (CCS).
- Identify unspoken behavioural norms.
- Surface behaviours blocking the desired culture.
- Understand why cultural inertia persists.
- Build a data-driven culture shift strategy.
WHAT'S INCLUDED
Comprehensive Leadership Feedback Report
Detailed report showing self-assessment, 360° feedback from all rater groups, and gap analysis across all 8 leadership styles.
Leadership Circumplex Profile
Visual circumplex map showing your leadership behavioural profile with traffic light color coding (green/amber/red).
Self vs. Others Comparison
Clear visualisation of the gap between how you see your leadership and how others experience it.
Rater Group Breakdown
Separate feedback from manager, peers, direct reports, and other stakeholders showing how different groups experience your leadership.
Individual Rater Feedback Display
Unique feature: See feedback from each individual rater (if they choose to be identified), not just aggregated data. This enables real conversations.
Leadership Vector Analysis
Understanding of your overall leadership direction and strength across Agency (Results-Oriented) and Communion (People-Oriented) dimensions.
Current vs. Ideal Leadership Gap
Comparison of how you currently lead vs. how you ideally want to lead, revealing aspiration-reality gaps.
Effectiveness Indicators
Traffic light system showing which of your leadership behaviours are effective (green), should be used cautiously (amber), or are undermining your effectiveness (red).
Facilitated Debrief Session
Confidential session where we help you interpret the feedback, understand what it means for your influence, and process the insights.
PersonaliSed Leadership Development Plan
Specific, actionable plan for which leadership behaviours to change and how to change them.
Conversation Guide for Raters
Tools to help you have productive follow-up conversations with people who provided feedback, deepening your understanding.
Who is this for?
Leaders with Direct Reports
Anyone who leads a team. From frontline managers to C-suite executives. This is specifically for people who have direct reports, not individual contributors.
New Leaders
People who have recently been promoted into leadership roles and need to understand how to shift from individual contributor to leader.
Experienced Leaders Seeking Growth
Senior leaders who want to refine their leadership approach and understand their blind spots.
High-Potential Employees
Rising stars being groomed for leadership who need to develop leadership self-awareness before stepping into bigger roles.
Leaders Facing Challenges
Leaders who are struggling to get results through others, experiencing team turnover, or receiving complaints about their leadership style.
Executive Coaching Clients
Anyone engaged in executive coaching who needs diagnostic data to inform their leadership development.
Leadership Teams
Intact leadership teams where members want to understand each other’s leadership styles to improve team effectiveness.
Leaders in Transition
Leaders taking on new roles, new teams, or new organizational contexts who need to understand how their leadership is landing.
Anyone Serious About Leadership Excellence
Leaders committed to understanding how they influence others and willing to do the hard work of behavior change.
WHAT MAKES THE CIRCUMPLEX LEADERSHIP SCAN 360° (CLS360) DIFFERENT
| Leadership-Specific, Not Generic Behavior | The CLS360 is specifically designed for leaders with direct reports. It measures leadership influence, not just interpersonal behaviour. |
| Traffic Light Effectiveness System | Not all leadership styles are equal. The green/amber/red system makes it immediately clear which behaviours to amplify and which to reduce. |
| Rater-Identified, Not Anonymous | Individual rater feedback can be displayed (raters choose whether to be identified). This creates accountability and enables real conversations about leadership. |
| Behaviorally Specific | The CLS360 measures specific, observable leadership behaviours—not vague competencies like "strategic thinking" or "communication." You know exactly what to change. |
| Scientifically Validated | Based on decades of research on the Interpersonal Circumplex model applied to leadership. It is grounded in leadership and organisational psychology research. |
| Comprehensive Coverage | Measures the full spectrum of leadership behaviour across 8 styles, capturing both effective and ineffective leadership. |
| Visual and Intuitive | The circumplex visual with traffic light colors makes complex leadership data easy to understand and discuss. |
| Measures Current AND Ideal | Most tools only measure current leadership. The CLS360 also measures how you ideally want to lead, revealing the gap between aspiration and reality. |
| Enables Real Conversations | Because raters can be identified, leaders can follow up with raters to deepen their understanding of the feedback. This turns feedback into dialogue. |
| Actionable | The behavioural specificity makes it clear what to do differently. You're not left wondering "how do I improve my leadership?"You know exactly which behaviours to dial up or down. |
How This Integrates with Our Programs
Executive Coaching (1:1)
We use CLS360 at the start of coaching to establish baseline leadership behaviour, then again after 6-12 months to measure progress.
Influence Sweet Spot Sprint for Leaders
The Circumplex Leadership Scan 360° (CLS360) is an integral part of our Influence Sweet Spot Sprints for Leaders.
Leadership Team Development
We use CLS360 to help leadership team members understand each other’s leadership styles and improve team effectiveness.
High-Potential Development
CLS360 gives rising leaders insight into their leadership strengths and development areas before they step into bigger roles.
As a Standalone Snapshot
If you just need leadership assessment for specific individuals without a broader program, we can administer CLS360 as a standalone assessment with debrief and development planning.
Custom Leadership Programs
CLS360 provides the diagnostic foundation for leadership development programs, showing us exactly what behaviours leaders need to develop.
Your Overall Influence Pattern
A defining feature of the CLS360 is the leadership vector. An arrow that represents the direction and strength of your overall leadership influence.
The vector is a combination of two dimensions:
- Agency (Results-Oriented): The vertical axis—how much you strive for dominance, control, and results
- Communion (People-Oriented): The horizontal axis—how much you strive for affiliation, connection, and relationships
What the vector tells you:
Vector Direction:
- Upper-right (Charismatic): High results-orientation + high people-orientation = Inspirational, Coaching leadership
- Lower-right (Democratic): Low results-orientation + high people-orientation = Participative, Yielding leadership
- Lower-left (Avoiding): Low results-orientation + low people-orientation = Withdrawn, Distrustful leadership
- Upper-left (Autocratic): High results-orientation + low people-orientation = Authoritarian, Directive leadership
Vector Strength:
- Strong vector: Clear, consistent leadership style—you have a defined approach
- Weak vector: Inconsistent leadership style—you may be unpredictable or lack a clear approach
Optimal leadership typically shows:
- Vector pointing toward the upper-right (Charismatic quadrant)
- Moderate to strong vector strength (clear but not rigid)
- Green styles (Inspirational, Coaching, Participative) dominating the profile
