360-degree Assessment Research Articles

Interprofessional assessment of medical students\u2019 competences with an instrument suitable for physicians and nurses

BackgroundPhysicians need a set of specific competences to perform well in interprofessional teams in their first year of residency. These competences should be achieved with graduation from medical school. Assessments during undergraduate medical studies are mostly rated by supervisors only. The aim of our study was to compare the rating of core facets of competence of medical students late in their undergraduate training as well as the rating confidence between three different groups of assessors (supervisors, residents, and nurses) in an assessment simulating the first day of residency.MethodsSixty-seven advanced medical students from three different medical schools (Hamburg, Oldenburg and Munich) participated in a 360-degree assessment simulating the first working day of a resident. Each participant was rated by three assessors – a supervisor, a resident and a nurse – in seven facets of competence relevant for the first year of residency: (1) responsibility, (2) teamwork and collegiality, (3) knowing and maintaining own personal bounds and possibilities, (4) structure, work planning and priorities, (5) coping with mistakes, (6) scientifically and empirically grounded method of working, and (7) verbal communication with colleagues and supervisors. Means of all assessed competences and confidences of judgement of the three rating groups were compared. Additionally, correlations between assessed competences and confidence of judgement within each group of raters were computed.ResultsAll rating groups showed consistent assessment decisions (Cronbach’s α: supervisors = .90, residents = .80, nurses = .78). Nurses assessed the participants significantly higher in all competences compared to supervisors and residents (all p ≤ .05) with moderate and high effect sizes (d = .667–1.068). While supervisors’ and residents’ ratings were highest for “teamwork and collegiality”, participants received the highest rating by nurses for “responsibility”. Competences assessed by nurses were strongly positively correlated with their confidence of judgment while supervisors’ assessments correlated only moderately with their confidence of judgment in two competences.ConclusionsDifferent professional perspectives provide differentiated competence ratings for medical students in the role of a beginning resident. Rating confidence should be enhanced by empirically derived behavior checklists with anchors, which need to be included in rater training to decrease raters’ subjectivity.

A 360-degree assessment of teaching effectiveness using a structured-videorecorded observed teaching exercise for faculty development

ABSTRACTBackground: Filming teaching sessions were reported in the medical literature in the 1980s and 1990s but appear to have been an underreported and/or underutilized teaching tool since that time. National faculty development programs, such as the Harvard Macy Institute (HMI) Program for Educators in Health Professions and the Stanford Faculty Development Center for Medical Teachers program, have attempted to bridge this gap in formal instruction in teaching skills through microteaching sessions involving videos for self- and peer-assessment and feedback.Objective: Current video-feedback faculty development initiatives are time intensive and impractical to implement broadly at an institutional level. Further, results of peer feedback have not been frequently reported in the literature at the institutional level. Our research aims to propose a convenient and effective process for incorporating video analysis into faculty devleopment programs.Design: Our work describes a novel technique using video-recorded, simulated teaching exercises to compile multi-dimensional feedback as an aid in faculty development programs that promote teaching-skill development. This research evaluated the effectiveness of a focused teaching practicum designed for faculty in multiple specialty departments with large numbers of older patients into a geriatrics-based faculty development program. Effectiveness of the practicum is evaluated using quantitative scoring and qualitative analysis of self-reflection as well as peer and trainee input.Results: VOTE sessions demonstrate an important exportable product which enable faculty to receive a detailed 360-degree assessment of their teaching.Conclusion: This intervention can be easily replicated and revised, as needed, to fit into the educational curriculum at other academic medical centers.

The Power of EI Competencies Over Intelligence and Individual Performance: A Task-Dependent Model.

Prior research on emotional intelligence (EI) has highlighted the use of incremental models that assume EI and general intelligence (or g) make independent contributions to performance. Questioning this assumption, we study EI's moderation power over the relationship between g and individual performance, by designing and testing a task-dependent interaction model. Reconciling divergent findings in previous studies, we propose that whenever social tasks are at stake, g has a greater effect on performance as EI increases. By contrast, in analytic tasks, a compensatory (or negative) interaction is expected, whereby at higher levels of EI, g contributes to performance at a lesser extent. Based on a behavioral approach to EI, using 360-degree assessments of EI competencies, our findings show that EI moderates the effect of g on the classroom performance of 864 MBA business executives. Whilst in analytic tasks g has a stronger effect on performance at lower levels of EI competencies, our data comes short to show a positive interaction of EI and g in affecting performance on social tasks. Contributions and implications to research and practice are discussed.

Assessing the Efficacy of Cell Transplantation for Parkinson's Disease: A Patient-Centered Approach.

Background:Evidence from a growing number of preclinical studies indicate that recently discovered stem cell lines may be translated into viable cellular therapies for people with Parkinson’s disease.Objectives:In a brief but critical review, we examine the use of primary and secondary outcome measures currently used to evaluate the efficacy of cellular therapies.Methods:The current practice of relying on a single primary outcome measure does not appear to provide the evidence required for demonstrating the robust, life-changing recovery anticipated with the successful implementation of cellular therapies.Results:We propose a 360-degree assessment protocol, which includes co-primary and composite outcome measures to provide accurate and comprehensive evidence of treatment efficacy, from the perspectives of both the researchers and the patients.

Peer-assisted debriefing of multisource feedback: an exploratory qualitative study

BackgroundThe Manitoba Physician Achievement Review (MPAR) is a 360-degree feedback assessment that physicians undergo every 7 years to retain licensure. Deliberate reflection on feedback has been demonstrated to encourage practice change. The MPAR Reflection Exercise (RE), a peer-assisted debriefing tool, was developed whereby the physician selects a peer with whom to review and reflect on feedback, committing to change. This qualitative study explores how physicians who had undergone the MPAR used the RE, what areas of change are identified and committed to, and what they perceived as the role of reflection in the MPAR process.MethodsThe MPAR RE was piloted out to a cohort of MPAR-reviewed physicians. Thematic analysis was conducted on completed exercises (n = 61). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with individuals (n = 6) who completed the MPAR RE until saturation was reached.ResultsPhysicians reviewed feedback with a range of peers, including colleagues, staff, and spouses. Many physicians were surprised by feedback, both positive and negative, but interviewees found the RE useful in processing feedback. Areas where physicians committed to change were diverse, covering all CanMEDS roles. Most physicians identified themselves as being successful in implementing change, though time, habit, and structures were cited as barriers.ConclusionsPeer-assisted debriefing can assist reflection of multisource feedback. It is easy to implement, is not resource-intensive, and feedback implies that it is effective at promoting change. Participants, with the aid of peers, identified areas for change, developed approaches for change, and largely thought themselves successful at implementing changes. Areas of change included all seven CanMEDS roles.

The perceived impact of family physicians on the district health system in South Africa: a cross-sectional survey

BackgroundEvidence from first world contexts support the notion that strong primary health care teams contain family physicians (FPs). African leaders are looking for evidence from their own context. The roles and scope of practice of FPs are also contextually defined. The South African family medicine discipline has agreed on six roles. These roles were incorporated into a family physician impact assessment tool, previously validated in the Western Cape Province.MethodsA cross-sectional study design was used to assess the perceived impact of family physicians across seven South African provinces. All FPs working in the district health system (DHS) of these seven provinces were invited to participate. Sixteen respondents (including the FP) per enrolled FP were asked to complete the validated 360-degree assessment tool.ResultsA total number of 52 FPs enrolled for the survey (a response rate of 56.5%) with a total number of 542 respondents. The mean number of respondents per FP was 10.4 (SD = 3.9). The perceived impact made by FPs was high for five of the six roles. Co-workers rated their FP’s impact across all six roles as higher, compared to the other doctors at the same facility. The perceived beneficial impact was experienced equally across the whole study setting, with no significant differences when comparing location (rural vs. metropolitan), facility type or training model (graduation before and ≥ 2011).ConclusionsThe findings support the need to increase the deployment of family physicians in the DHS and to increase the number being trained as per the national position paper.

Evaluation model: A performance appraisal model for certified lecturers

This study aims to develop lecturer performance appraisal model using web-based Integrated Evaluation Model (IEM). The object of this study is certified lecturers in Indonesia, by applying this model, the certification compensation given by the government is really used to enhance lecturer's performance. It is expected that the results of this study can be an important research that produces effective and efficient software to evaluate the lecturers' performance nationally because it involves a 360degree assessment. We have done some activities to develop the prototype software application of Integrated Evaluation Model (IEM) for assessing the certified lecturer's performance. They are 1) preparing the questionnaire indicator for the 360 degree performance appraisal, 2) conduct the program test on the certified lecturer. In this phase, certified lecturers, superior, and students also conduct assessment on certified lecturers through IEM software, 3) conduct Focus Group Discussion (FGD) to gain evaluation and feedback on the effectiveness of the IEM application program. FGD results provide a valuable contribution to the preparation of IEM program design. And the IEM software produced in this research has accommodated all of the results of FGD activities. IEM complements the prior certified lecturer performance appraisal with 360 degrees performance appraisal.

The International Council of Ophthalmology 360-degree assessment tool: development and validation

BackgroundThe Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and other organizations recommend 360-degree assessments for evaluation of interpersonal and communication skills, professional behaviours, and some aspects of patient care and system-based practice. No such tool has been developed for ophthalmology or received international content validation. ObjectiveTo develop a valid, internationally applicable, ophthalmology-specific 360-degree assessment tool. DesignExploratory study. MethodsA literature review was conducted. Individual 360-degree evaluation items from several publications were catalogued and classified according to different groups of assessors. A panel of international authors reviewed the list and voted on items that were most appropriate for international use. The list was trimmed to reduce redundancy and to make it as brief as possible while still capturing the essential components for each category. A second panel of international ophthalmic educators reviewed the international applicability and appropriateness of this collated list; relevant comments and suggestions were incorporated. ResultsA tool for the evaluation of interpersonal and communication skills, professionalism, and system–based practice was developed. The tool has face and content validity. ConclusionThis assessment tool can be used internationally for giving formative feedback based on the opinions of the different groups of people who interact with residents.

TACTICS TO INCREASE LEADERSHIP SPEED

TACTICS TO INCREASE LEADERSHIP SPEED

Key Aspects of Development and Personnel Estimation in the Construction Engineering

Personnel estimation is the most effective way to get information about the development level of managerial skills in the construction engineering. From economically justifiable assessment tools, used in the practice of personnel management, with regard to the construction industry it’s more effectively to combine two tools: assessment center and 360-degree assessment. The use of these assessment tools enables the system research of organizational behavior due to the specifics of business processes is most important in the construction engineering. The complete and maximally objective presentation about the development level of managerial skills for leaders is not only the most important factor in personnel management in the construction engineering, but also how these managerial skills are implemented in organizational behavior as a whole, as the development of managerial competencies in the construction engineering takes into account the system of object relations formed in the organizational environment. The system approach to the heads personnel estimation in the construction engineering can be implemented through the improvement of assessment tools: the use of psychoanalytic approach in the development of content assessment and interpretation of its results.

Investco: Ranking and Promotion Redesign

To retain competitive advantage in uncertain times, a leading investment bank aligns HR practices with its corporate values and mission through a new 360-degree assessment system. Rolled out among officer-level employees, the Performance Management System is put to the test at promotion time. This case supports the exploration of unconscious bias in decision making. Excerpt UVA-OB-1024 Rev. Oct. 26, 2011 InvestCo: Ranking and Promotion Redesign InvestCo, a leading investment bank with operations worldwide, was making significant changes to firm culture and key management practices to become a powerhouse in the marketplace. The challenges facing the company, however, were made increasingly difficult as the 2008 financial crisis hit. If previous recessions were any indication, the financial uncertainty likely meant that InvestCo would become more conservative in its decision making. Among the first changes implemented by InvestCo's CEO was to the Ranking and Promotion Process (RPP). Up to this point, the RPP was simply a manager's evaluation that concluded with the manager assigning the employee a number between 1 (exceeds expectations) and 5 (fails to meet expectations). Recognizing that it was going to take the very best securities talent to move the needle on InvestCo's status in the marketplace, the CEO mandated that HR devise a new and more comprehensive RPP—one that would align with the new corporate values and mission to be “The Firm of Choice” for clients and shareholders. After extensive work with an external consulting firm, the HR group unveiled the new Performance Management System. As part of its rollout, the new system required a 360-degree assessment of every officer-level employee, with the intention of universal implementation later. Employees were now evaluated on concrete business objectives that were linked to the firm's strategic goals. In addition to the strategic business goals, employees were to be assessed by peers, their manager, and direct reports on a range of skills (Table 1). . . .

Assessing Competences in Medical Students with a Newly Designed 360- Degree Examination of a Simulated First Day of Residency: A Feasibility Study

Abstract Background: Many medical schools worldwide are in the process of curricular change towards competencebased undergraduate medical education to ease the transition to residency. Aspects of patient management, interprofessional interaction and the concept of entrustable professional activities are in the focus of medical educators. Such curricular changes require an assessment with valid and reliable measurements of competences feasible for large numbers of medical students. Methods: Seventy medical students from three German medical schools (Hamburg, Oldenburg, and Munich) participated in our newly designed 360-degree examination based on selected competences relevant for first year residents. A consulting hour with five simulated patients is followed by a patient management phase of 2.5 hours with interprofessional disturbances, followed by a 30-minutes handover of the patients to a resident. Different competences are assessed by the supervisors, simulated patients, nurses, residents, and by the participants themselves. All participants and research assistants evaluated the assessment regarding aspects of organization and content. Results: All participants, assessors, and research assistants were satisfied with the process, technical equipment, and organization of the assessment. All assessors and research assistants stated that their respective training prepared them well for their role in the assessment. The participating students felt satisfied with the content of the assessment. They considered the patient cases to be very realistic. While there was no difference between students in their final year and students below semester 11 with respect to feeling confident during history taking and handover, final year students felt significantly more confident (p=0.02) during the patient management phase. Conclusion: It is feasible to implement a competence-based 360-degree assessment for a large group of students. Further analysis of the data will provide evidence whether students from medical schools with different undergraduate curricula perform differently with respect to competences relevant for first year residents.

Assessing the Effects of Short-Term Culture and Language Immersion Program: A Hong Kong Case

<p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The current study examines the effects of a four-week short-term culture and language immersion program. The Program involves four key curricular components and covered three phases: the pre-trip planning and preparations, implementation of the Program, and the post-trip debriefings. </span><span style="font-size: medium;">D</span><span style="font-size: medium;">ata were collected prior to, during, and after the students’ taking their four-week immersion program. A 360-degree assessment of the Program was employed to evaluate its effectiveness. The assessment involves </span><span style="font-size: medium;">triangulation of </span><span style="font-size: medium;">quantitative and qualitative data. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Two statistical measurements (Analysis and Variance and Pearson Correlation Coefficient tests) were employed to assess the Program effectiveness. </span><span style="font-size: medium;">The results show that the for-week short-term culture and language immersion program achieved all its learning objectives.</span><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="font-size: medium;">By all measures, the students experienced increased confidence in using English, demonstrated a greater awareness of culture, were able to identify and explain cultural differences between Hong Kong and the host culture, and learned to apply language learning strategies and to begin to develop intercultural communication skills.</span></span></p>

An evaluation of the competencies of primary health care clinic nursing managers in two South African provinces

BackgroundManagerial competencies to enhance individual and organisational performance have gained currency in global efforts to strengthen health systems. Competent managers are essential in the implementation of primary health care (PHC) reforms that aim to achieve universal health coverage.ObjectiveTo evaluate the competencies of PHC clinic nursing managers in two South African provinces.DesignA cross-sectional study was conducted in two South African provinces. Using stratified random sampling, 111 PHC clinic nursing managers were selected. All supervisors (n=104) and subordinate nurses (n=383) were invited to participate in the survey on the day of data collection. Following informed consent, the nursing managers, their supervisors, and subordinate nurses completed a 40-item, 360-degree competency assessment questionnaire, with six domains: communication, leadership and management, staff management, financial management, planning and priority setting, and problem-solving. Standard deviations, medians, and inter-quartile ranges (IQRs) were computed separately for PHC nursing managers, supervisors, and subordinate nurses for competencies in the six domains. The Tinsley and Weiss index was used to assess agreement between each of the three possible pairs of raters.ResultsA 95.4% response rate was obtained, with 105 nursing managers in Gauteng and Free State completing the questionnaires. There was a lack of agreement about nursing managers’ competencies among the three groups of raters. Overall, clinic nursing managers rated themselves high on the five domains of communication (8.6), leadership and management (8.67), staff management (8.75), planning and priority setting (8.6), and problem-solving (8.83). The exception was financial management with a median score of 7.94 (IQR 6.33–9.11). Compared to the PHC clinic managers, the supervisors and subordinate nurses gave PHC nursing managers lower ratings on all six competency domains, with the lowest rating for financial management (supervisor median rating 6.56; subordinate median rating 7.31).ConclusionThe financial management competencies of PHC clinic nursing managers need to be prioritised in continuing professional development programmes.

Utility of 360-degree assessment of residents in a Turkish academic emergency medicine residency program

ObjectivesThis study was designed to test a 360-degree assessment tool for four of the emergency medicine resident competencies as outlined by the Council of Residency Directors in Emergency Medicine on patient care, communication skills, professionalism and system based practice in an academic Emergency Department. Material and methodsUsing the competency framework of the American Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, a 57 item-containing assessment tool was created. Based on the different exposure aspects of the involved evaluator groups, the items were integrated into seven different evaluation forms. All sixteen of 16 residents and members from each evaluator group voluntarily participated in the study. Internal consistency scores, multilayer and multilevel Kappa values were measured. Evaluator group scores and resident ranks in competency areas were compared. All evaluators were asked to comment on the applicability and usefulness of the assessment tool in emergency medicine. ResultsSeven groups completed a total of 1088 forms to evaluate 16 residents. The reliability coefficient for the faculty members was 0.99 while it was 0.60 for the ancillary staff. The interrater Kappa values for faculty members, nurses and peer assessment were relevant with a value of greater than 70%. Discussion and conclusionOur results showed that the 360-degree assessment did meet expectations by the evaluator group and residents, and that this method was readily accepted in the setting of a Akdeniz University Emergency Medicine residency training program. However, only evaluations by faculty, nurses, self and peers were reliable to have any value. Doing a 360° evaluation is time and effort consuming and thus may not be an ideal tool for larger programs.

How to change organisational culture: Action research in a South African public sector primary care facility.

BackgroundOrganisational culture is a key factor in both patient and staff experience of the healthcare services. Patient satisfaction, staff engagement and performance are related to this experience. The department of health in the Western Cape espouses a values-based culture characterised by caring, competence, accountability, integrity, responsiveness and respect. However, transformation of the existing culture is required to achieve this vision.AimTo explore how to transform the organisational culture in line with the desired values.SettingRetreat Community Health Centre, Cape Town, South Africa.MethodsParticipatory action research with the leadership engaged with action and reflection over a period of 18 months. Change in the organisational culture was measured at baseline and after 18 months by means of a cultural values assessment (CVA) survey. The three key leaders at the health centre also completed a 360-degree leadership values assessment (LVA) and had 6 months of coaching.ResultsCultural entropy was reduced from 33 to 13% indicating significant transformation of organisational culture. The key driver of this transformation was change in the leadership style and functioning. Retreat health centre shifted from a culture that emphasised hierarchy, authority, command and control to one that established a greater sense of cohesion, shared vision, open communication, appreciation, respect, fairness and accountability.ConclusionTransformation of organisational culture was possible through a participatory process that focused on the leadership style, communication and building relationships by means of CVA and feedback, 360-degree LVA, feedback and coaching and action learning in a co-operative inquiry group.

Academic Excellent Educators: A Student Election or an Administrator Selection?

Dear Editor in chief Each year, Iranian university authorities, as a good tradition on Teacher’s Day, choose and introduce their top educators to their academic community. Undoubtedly, this effort is a good action, generally leading to effective promotion of educational system. However, criteria for these selections are always a matter of big debate. In overview, an academic excellent educator is supposed to be at a superior level of educational competency in comparison with his/her colleagues. University administrators and students are two individual references may rate to criteria. However, many surveys have revealed that students distinctively highlight different criteria for teacher excellence (1, 2). From academic authorities’ perspective, faculty members must be excelled in a combination of abilities and activities in three fields: Ability of teaching, quantity of teaching, and scholar engagement (3). In contrast, students commonly believe that an excellent educator is distinct from his/her colleagues by the quality of his/her course delivery and type of his/her educational interactions with learners. (4). In essence, from learners’ point of view, quantity of teaching is not generally a privilege for a teacher. Moreover, learners are not concerned about scholarship engagement of their educators. Consequently, neither quantity of teaching activities, nor scholar engagement of educators does affect on learners’ assessment of their educational competency. What learners notice sharply and consider it well in their teacher evaluation is quality of teaching and type of educational communication, behavior and characteristics of an educator. Despite some disagreement, many educational researchers believe that learner assessment provides a legitimate measurement tool with multi criteria to rate excellent educators. The same researchers have also shown that professional ability of faculty members in course delivery, their personality and type of their communications with learners both inside and outside classrooms are of utmost plausible criteria in learner assessments (3-7). In a student-centered academic system and especially in terms of customer approval, student satisfaction is one of major evidence of a successful teaching. If learners accept their teacher professionally and emotionally, then they are ready to hear, understand, communicate with, and especially learn from him/her. We all have heard this Persian old statement: “If an educator teaches with passion and love, then he/ she can make an uninterested learner to take part in classroom even on weekends willingly”. The above statement clearly indicates that from old days, learner’s viewpoint has had a key value in enhancement of educational communication of learners as well as their enthusiasm to learn. Therefore, it seems that in a student-centered educational system, learner assessment make significant contribution to rate educators and allocates their level of excellence. The attitude of students towards teachers is highly important in American and Canadian universities. There are many local and national websites where students can vote for choosing best academic teachers. For example, site www.ratemyprofessors.com works daily to record university students’ assessments for more than 3.1 million educators. In some modern universities, learner assessments weigh up to 30-40% of a comprehensive assessment (360-Degree Assessment) aiming educator excellence (3، 7 (. This means that less weight of learner assessment, more lose of teaching quality - a criterion considered as focal point for annual teaching excellence and educator promotion. In addition, in a 360-Degree Assessment of educators, any decline weight of learner assessment, leads to wider gap between students’ selections and university administrators’ elections. This may consequently distrust students to academic educational evaluation system.

Educational Needs Assessment of US Allergy/Immunology Fellowship Programs: Assessment Methods for Determining Competency of Fellows in-Training

ACGME introduced a milestone framework to assist in competency development in GME trainees. Little is known about current use of assessment methods in U.S. Allergy/Immunology (A/I) Fellowship programs. A recommendation by the A/I Milestone Working Group was that programs “should make use of all available data” from a wide variety of assessment sources. IRB approval was obtained for a prospective survey study designed as a needs assessment. A link to a REDcap questionnaire, previously piloted, was e-mailed to 74 U.S. Program Directors (PDs) to identify currently used assessment methods. We were also interested in the provision of feedback to trainees. Program characteristics were examined for continuous and categorical variables. Twenty-one of 74 PDs (28%) responded, with 19 completing questions regarding assessment methods. Thirteen PDs completed all questionnaire items. The most commonly used assessment methods were the ITE (100%), direct observation of trainees (95%), faculty assessments (89%), and 360-degree assessments (89%). Commonly used methods (>50% of programs) included self-assessments, portfolios, and patient surveys. More information about multiple choice examinations (23%), teamwork assessments (15%), chart-stimulated recall (15%), and OSCEs (15%) was wanted. Feedback, verbal and written, was typically provided to trainees every six months and classified as both formative and summative in nature. Our results indicate consistency in the type of assessment methods used in respondents’ training programs. Peer assessments and OSCEs, while recommended, were less commonly used in this sample. Faculty development regarding recommended methods may increase their use and provide additional valuable feedback to trainees.

Explorations into sex, gender and leadership in the UK Civil Service Part 2. Hypotheses and research findings

Purpose – This is the second part of a three-part paper exploring the intersection between sex, gender and leadership in the UK Civil Service. The first part of this paper outlined the training and development activities carried out by the authors, provided a literature review and drew conclusions, in the form of conjectures. The purpose of this paper is to present a series of null hypotheses derived from the conjectures. It then outlines the research methodology and research findings. The final part of this paper discusses the implications of the research findings, presents an evidence-based leadership framework and offers prescriptions for its use. Design/methodology/approach – Information was collected from a wide cross-section of UK Civil Servants between 1993 and 2013. Individuals were participants on training and development activities carried out by the authors. The information collected was a by-product of these activities. Individuals completed a variety of psychometric instruments, including self-assessments and 360-degree assessments, and provided information on their sex, work role and work situation. Statistical analysis was carried out on differences in the behaviour of male and female managers, differences in how such behaviours were assessed, using 360-degree assessments, and differences in behaviour and assessments of behaviour in different contexts. Findings – Research evidence presented points to the existence of contrasting gender stereotypes and sex differences in behaviour. It also shows that such differences are small and that there are far greater differences amongst men and women managers than between the average man and women manager. Differences in behaviour and assessments of behaviour were also more strongly linked to context than either sex or gender. Research limitations/implications – The research was a by-product of training activities. It was not a wide ranging, purpose-built research programme to explain the “glass ceiling”. It was carried out on a particular population and may not generalise to other contexts. Nonetheless, findings are broadly consistent with previous research. Practical implications – The third part of this paper discusses the implications of these findings, particularly for training and development professionals. It also presents and discusses additional research findings on leadership in the UK Civil Service. Social implications – The findings are relevant to the understanding of sex and gender differences in the work place. They relate to wider considerations of equality of opportunity and diversity. Originality/value – There is an extensive body of theory and research on sex, gender and leadership, although little is directly relevant to the UK Civil Service. This is new research, relevant to this context, that brings together these three themes.

Leaders as Males?: The Role of Industry Gender Composition

Does working in a female dominated industry influence how male leaders are perceived? To investigate this question, we draw on Role Congruity Theory and suggest that industry gender composition moderates the relationship between leader gender and four different aspects of leadership effectiveness. The existing literature suggests that male leaders are likely to be perceived more effective than female leaders because leader roles largely resemble male gender roles. However, the perception of leadership effectiveness does not solely depend on the leader gender but also the context that makes the leader gender more salient. Based on the 360-degree leadership assessment data of 952 U.S. leaders and their raters (n = 8684), the current study found that as the gender composition of the industry becomes more congruent with the gender of the leader, both self- and other- leader perceptions become more favorable. In this study, industry gender composition moderated the relationship (a) between leader gender and self-ratings of leadership effectiveness dimensions as well as (b) between leader gender and other-ratings. This was particularly true when looking at perceptions of leaders’ abilities to promote adaptability in their organizations. Overall, this paper provides insight into the role of contextual factors on leadership effectiveness ratings and highlights the importance of considering industry gender composition when utilizing feedback for the purposes of leadership development.