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THE ASCEND ASSESSMENT

See where you are strongest. Decide what to work on next.

Take a developmental snapshot of your executive-readiness signals across six areas of leadership. There is no pass or fail, and your results are designed to help you reflect, not label you.

0 of 25 scored responses complete

Part one: current capability

Rate how consistently each statement is true of you today. Choose the highest description you can support with real experience.

Enterprise and strategic judgment

Seeing beyond the immediate issue and connecting decisions to mission, economics, risk, people, and sustainability.

I connect my recommendations to the institution’s broader priorities, not only my function’s goals.

When a problem is unclear, I define the decision and trade-offs before proposing a solution.

1 = rarely true · 5 = consistently true in complex situations
Financial, risk, and business acumen

Understanding how decisions affect performance, members, risk appetite, compliance, and the operating model.

I can explain the financial, member, and risk implications of an important decision.

I use relevant measures to distinguish activity from meaningful performance.

1 = rarely true · 5 = consistently true in complex situations
Executive communication and governance

Making complex matters decision-ready, communicating with candor, and knowing what belongs with management versus the board.

I separate facts, implications, recommendation, and decision needed when communicating upward.

I adjust the level of detail and message for executives, board members, and operating teams.

1 = rarely true · 5 = consistently true in complex situations
People leadership and accountability

Building capability in other people through delegation, feedback, development, succession, and clear accountability.

I give people meaningful ownership while staying clear about guardrails and follow-up.

I address performance and development issues directly enough to help people improve.

1 = rarely true · 5 = consistently true in complex situations
Influence, sponsorship, and organizational visibility

Building relationships, influencing without authority, communicating value, and developing advocates before they are needed.

I build relationships across functions before I need something from those people.

I make the value and impact of my work visible without treating visibility as self-promotion.

1 = rarely true · 5 = consistently true in complex situations
Adaptability, learning agility, and technology judgment

Learning from feedback, responding to change, testing assumptions, and adopting technology with appropriate ownership and controls.

I change my approach when new evidence or feedback shows that it is needed.

When considering new technology, I ask about the use case, ownership, controls, member impact, and risk.

1 = rarely true · 5 = consistently true in complex situations

Part two: what matters next

These questions help distinguish what is important to your next step from what you have already had the opportunity to practice.

Enterprise and strategic judgment
Financial, risk, and business acumen
Executive communication and governance
People leadership and accountability
Influence, sponsorship, and organizational visibility
Adaptability, learning agility, and technology judgment
How confident are you that you can operate at your next level?
How much direct experience have you had with next-level work?

Part three: applied judgment

There may be more than one reasonable action. Choose what you would do first.

A project is behind schedule and the board asks what happened. What would you do first?
A proposed growth initiative looks promising, but the economics and member impact are not yet clear. What is your first move?
Your team delivers good work, but decisions keep coming back to you. What do you do next?
You want to be considered for a broader role, but the decision-makers have not seen much of your work. What is the strongest next move?
A board member asks you for details about a confidential personnel matter. What would you do first?

Part four: make it useful

These optional reflections help personalize your report. They are not scored.