Korn Ferry Leadership Assessment Guide & Practice [KFALP, KF4D, viaEDGE]
If you are headed toward an executive position, you will be requested to take the Korn Ferry Leadership Assessment. You may take three Korn Ferry assessments: Korn Ferry Assessment of Leadership Potential (KFALP) | Korn Ferry Four-Dimensional (KF4D) | and Korn Ferry via Edge.
The Korn Ferry Leadership measuring assessments are known for being a big challenge for both executive directors and juniors, as they are tricky, complex, and long. This guide will be your first step in acquiring all the crucial knowledge you need to pass the tests, including sample questions for the different test parts.
💡 Check our Free Korn Ferry Assessment sample test for practice questions.
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Korn Ferry Assessment of Leadership Potential - KFALP
The Korn Ferry Assessment of Leadership Potential (KFALP) is the most famous Korn Ferry assessment. KFALP is an unsupervised internet test you can take from any place you like. The test is not time-limited, although according to official information, it takes around 45 minutes for most of the candidates.
The Korn Ferry Leadership Assessment aims to assess whether you've got the personality traits that fit leadership positions. The KFALP is designed to identify candidates with the highest potential for success.
This test highlights cognitive and learning agility as the most significant predictors of leadership performance. Other factors highly rated as important in successful leaders include personality motivators, self-awareness, leadership traits and skills, problem-solving skills, the propensity to avoid project derailment, and more. Here's an official Korn Ferry KFALP figure explaining their KFALP Leadership Model:
The Korn Ferry Leadership Assessment is often taken together with an adapted version of the Talent Q Elements test. Together they can provide your potential employers with a full image of the managerial candidate's cognitive abilities, personality traits, and behavioural attitude.
This part of the test aims to assess your cognitive and learning skills and includes questions like Raven's Progressive Matrices, and it often contains 23 questions within a 40 minutes time limit.
The trickiest part about it is that it progressively becomes more difficult - if you choose the right answer, the next question will be more difficult; if you choose the wrong answer, the next question will remain at the same difficulty.
Leadership, Personality, and Behavioral Questions
- Job Profile Questions:
In this section of the KFALP and KF4D tests, the provider aims to gather information about your current or most recent job, work experience, and career development.
The Job Profile section consists of three parts involving the selection, sorting, and ranking of cards that display personality characteristics.
Let's take a look at a sample question (All of the sample questions here are taken directly from our PrepPack):
Step 1 - Selection: Sort the cards above into one of the 3 categories based on your experience at your current or previous job roles.
In the Job Profile section, the first section is the most difficult to navigate since it is the first time you will be exposed to the tabs that describe the features you need to sort (In the real test, and in our PrepPack, there will be 30 and not 8). As such, it is recommended that you approach this section with concentration and focus and notice the following tips:
- Read each tab carefully and attempt to characterise the value it refers to.
- When comparing similar statements, differentiate between personal, social, and professional skills and their importance to your position.
- Using the Korn Ferry guide, try matching the answers with the top values.
- At this stage, there is no instruction to keep an equal number of tabs between the categories, but it is recommended that you keep an even number of tabs between them.
Therefore, it is important to note that you are sorting into all categories and not just one, since you will have to balance the tabs between the categories in the next step of the test.
Step 2 - Sorting & Balancing: Balance the columns so that each has an equal amount of cards.
An organisation's management qualities depend on its context, industry, and workplace. There are, however, a number of qualities that are generally regarded as essential for effective management from the cards below:
Influence: Having the ability to inspire and motivate your team toward the achievement of a common goal is one of the most critical skills a manager can possess.
Effective communication: The ability to communicate effectively between managers and their teams is essential for effectively conveying ideas, giving feedback, and providing guidance.
Assures accountability: Managers need to organise multiple tasks, deadlines, and priorities.
Step 3 - Ranking: Inside each category, reorder the cards by their rank, from the most to the least.
After you balance the tabs between the categories, you must rank them.
In this section, the ranking depends entirely on your past experiences, business experience, and who you are. Consequently, there are no unambiguous recommendations with regard to the rating of character traits within a category.
A major aim of this stage is to test your level of decisiveness, judgment, and observation of your character traits.
We recommend replacing 2-4 tabs within each category at this stage.
- Job Analysis Questions:
This section is designed to examine your work experience and the character traits, values, and behaviours you have encountered during your current and past roles. To answer each question, you will have to rate, on 1-9 scale, the extent to which your current job involves each one of the characteristics.
Statement 1:
On this scale, the recommended range is 7–9.
Scale Values:
Need for achievement: Motivation by work or activities that allow testing of skills and abilities against an external standard. High scorers appreciate working hard, judge achievement according to the goal, and strive to meet and exceed standards. Low scorers are not motivated externally and tend not to work energetically to exceed expectations.
Persistence: A tendency toward the passionate and steadfast pursuit of personally valued long-term or lifetime goals, despite obstacles, discouragement, or distraction. High scorers are seen to push through obstacles and not give up on complex tasks. Low scorers are more likely to pull back from barriers or lower expectations for their attainment.
The left option presents a person not used to accomplishing and meeting workplace goals and whose motivation and drive could be higher.
The correct option emphasises the value of persistence and the need for achievements central to their values.
Statement 2:
On this scale, the recommended range is 7–9.
Scale Values:
Composure: How people are prone to react in stressful situations. High scorers tend to be calm, poised, and take pressure well. Low scorers are often seen as anxious, unsettled, and reacting negatively to stressful situations.
Focus: Preference for organisation, procedure, and exactitude. High scorers demand structure and tend to be seen as systematic, detail-oriented, and in control. Low scorers dislike detail and design and may be perceived as spontaneous and disorganised.
The left option presents a person who is not used to working under time constraints and who usually performs tasks that do not have to meet a specific deadline.
The correct option emphasises working through stressful situations and paying attention to details central to their values.
- Individual Exercises:
This section is designed to get to know you better as a person and potential employee. It includes 4 different tasks.
Where Do You Excel?
Each question will include seven descriptions. Rate them on a scale between "Most like me" and "Least Like me"
|
My past experiences help me to adapt to new situations |
Most Like Me | Neutral | Least Like Me |
|
I assign my co-workers motivating tasks |
Most Like Me | Neutral | Least Like Me |
| Developing my skills and knowledge is a low priority for me | Most Like Me | Neutral | Least Like Me |
Most: My past experiences help me to adapt to new situations: This statement suggests that you are capable of learning from past experiences and applying them to new situations. Continuous growth and development are indicators of adaptability which is a very important value for Korn Ferry.
I assign my coworkers motivating tasks: This statement suggests that you have a good understanding of your coworkers' strengths and motivations. This shows that you can assign tasks that align with your employees' skills and motivate them to perform well.
Least: Developing my skills and knowledge is a low priority for me: According to this statement, you may not be a big believer in personal growth and learning. It suggests that you should prioritize other aspects over continuous development, such as completing tasks or achieving immediate results.
Who Are You?
Each question will include 4 tabs. Rank them in the following order:
- Most like me
- Somewhat like me
- Slightly like me
- Nothing like me
Since "who are you" is an individual question, the rating in the explanation is just a recommendation based on Korn Ferry's values and the leading values associated with leadership.
Therefore, even if your rating differs, you should read the explanation of the question to determine what are the important values that should be considered.
Our recommended rating:
1. Under pressure, I remain calm and collected: In challenging and high-pressure situations, effective leaders often have to make decisions and lead their teams. The highest ranking indicates that the candidate is capable of maintaining composure and making rational decisions in stressful circumstances, which is strongly aligned with leadership values.
2. Despite the risk of criticism, I can make tough decisions: A leader must make difficult choices, even if they face criticism or resistance. This statement demonstrates a willingness to take risks and make tough decisions despite the potential backlash, demonstrating a key leadership quality and ranking second highest.
3. It is not a priority for me to make my work perfect: While it important to pay attention to details, but effective leaders prioritize results, progress, and prioritizing tasks strategically. The third option suggests a focus on practicality and progress rather than perfection, which aligns with leadership values.
4. I find it difficult to admit that I don't know everything: As a leader, you must be aware of yourself, humble yourself, and be willing to seek other people's advice. It suggests a challenge in embracing one's limitations and seeking assistance or knowledge, making it the least aligned with leadership values.
What Drives You?
Each question will include 6 statements. Rank them on a scale from most to least important.
| Establishing strong partnerships | Most important to me | Neutral | Least important to me |
| Making sacrifices for career advancement | Most important to me | Neutral | Least important to me |
| Team-based decision-making | Most important to me | Neutral | Least important to me |
Most: Establishing strong partnerships: This statement suggests a motivation to build meaningful relationships and collaborations. It indicates a preference for teamwork, networking, and the ability to leverage partnerships for mutual success.
Team-based decision-making: This statement highlights the importance of collaboration and teamwork. It suggests a motivation to work in an environment that values diverse perspectives, fosters cooperation, and seeks consensus in decision-making processes.
Least: Making sacrifices for career advancement: This statement emphasizes a strong dedication to career progression and success. It suggests a motivation to make sacrifices, such as sacrificing personal life or other priorities, in order to advance professionally.
What's Your Background?
In this section, you will be asked to elaborate on personal information about yourself and your employment history. While subjective, make sure to take into consideration how different parts and details can be emphasized to further improve your fitness for the role.
As you can see, Korn Ferry Leadership assessments can be highly demanding. At times, it may feel as if you are being strongarmed into choosing between statements that appear equal in importance. The key is to understand how Korn Ferry sees the difference in importance and act on that knowledge. The best method to achieve such comprehension is by solving questions mimicking the actual test you will face and with a similar number of statements. Find personality and behavioural questions, along with the variety of Korn Ferry/Talent Q cognitive tests in our all-inclusive Korn Ferry/Talent Q PrepPack.
Cognitive Questions
- Raven's Metrics Questions:
In these types of questions, you will be presented with a patterned background that has a portion of it cut out. Your task is to identify the missing cutout from a series of six possible options. It is important to note that there is only one missing piece that matches the given background.
Here are sample questions so you can see what it is all about:
Choose the image that completes the pattern (1= most left, 5= most right)
You can see more Raven's Questions here.
Korn Ferry Leadership Assessment Free Practice Test
It is well known that proper practice and familiarity with the test questions can significantly reduce stress and anxiety on test day and raise your chance for success. That's precisely why our experts at JobTestPrep have made a dedicated short free sample test for you.
The sample questions you have seen don't include all the types you may face in the Korn Ferry Leadership Assessment. If you want to practice more types of questions, you can check out our Korn Ferry Leadership Assessment PrepPack.
Need More Practice?
Over 50 practice tests are waiting for you. Solve questions that accurately mimic all the main different types of questions from your exam:
- KF4D & KFALP Practice Questions & Study Guides: These preparation guides and unique practice questions are in the exact format of those you will be asked to solve the KFALP and KF4D exams.
- Additional Practice Tests: Includes all the topics and sections you'll face in KFALP & KF4D exams like Ravens Metrics. The practice tests will allow you to practice your weak points and improve your skills.
Korn Ferry Four-Dimensional (KF4D) Executive Assessment
Korn Ferry Four Dimensions of Leadership (KF4D) is a leadership assessment tool that measures an individual's ability to lead in four dimensions: Drivers and Traits, which aims to measure who you are in terms of your personality traits, what drives you to actions, etc; Competencies and Experiences, which measures your skills and expertise based on your past experience.
Korn Ferry provides companies with the ability to customize their requirements for each position and use the test to assess these specific requirements. For instance, a Marketing Manager might need to demonstrate creativity and analytical skills, while a Customer Success Manager is more focused on having strong interpersonal skills and the ability to prioritize. The KF4D allows companies to evaluate candidates based on the skills and traits they deem most important for each role.
According to Korn Ferry, The Four Dimensions of Leadership interact and influence one another within an individual. When assessed together, they create a comprehensive picture of an executive's talent, providing a deeper understanding of which individuals are likely to succeed in senior leadership positions.
Here is a diagram of Korn Ferry's Four Dimensions of Leadership and Talent (Taken from Korn Ferry's website):
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Korn Ferry viaEdge
The viaEDGE assessment is a personality test with a time limit of 30 minutes, that evaluates an individual's and organization's ability to learn and lead through the measurement of the factor of Learning Agility. This is achieved by examining five key aspects: self-awareness, results agility, change agility, people agility, and mental agility.
- Self-awareness pertains to one's understanding of their own strengths and weaknesses.
- Results agility refers to the ability to produce results in new and challenging situations.
- Change agility involves a willingness to experiment and adapt to change.
- People agility entails the ability to communicate effectively with a diverse range of individuals.
- Mental agility refers to the ability to think creatively and unconventionally when solving problems.
Here is a diagram of Korn Ferry's Learning Agilities 5 Factors Model (Taken from Korn Ferry's website):
JobTestPrep is currently engaged in the process of developing a specific, accurate, reliable, and practical online practice pack for the Korn Ferry viaEdge Exam. If you'd like to hear more about what we have in store, please contact me at ask_the_team@jobtestprep.co.uk (I usually reply within 24-48 hours)
All You Need for Acing the Korn Ferry Assessments
Many applicants also have to take the Korn Ferry/Talent Q Elements/Aspects Cognitive tests.
This is why we created the all-inclusive Korn Ferry/Talent Q PrepPack: so you can be sure you have everything you need for your upcoming Korn Ferry Assessment.
Prepare for Korn Ferry Leadership assessment as well as the different Talent Q cognitive and behavioural Tests.
Other Korn Ferry Assessments and Information
FAQ
Korn Ferry is a management consulting firm and part of Hay Group. Since 2014, Talent Q tests have been administered by Korn Ferry. If so, since the term Talent Q tests mainly refer to the cognitive aptitude tests provided by Korn Ferry, while the term Korn Ferry tests refers to their behavioural and leadership tests.
Usually, it takes 3-4 weeks to see the test's results. You should return or log in to your Korn Ferry Assessment Dashboard (homepage). Any outstandingassessments are listed in Section 2 of the Dashboard. If nothing is listed here, you have completed all assessments assigned for this assessment campaign. All completed assessments are listed in Section 3 of the Dashboard.
The Korn Ferry Leadership assessments, personality tests and psychometric tests do not have a pass or fail mark. Instead, it is up to the individual employer to set the scoring criteria.
The advice that states that “there are no right or wrong answers on the personality test” is misleading and can cause test-takers to fail. An example of this can be found when answering the question: “Do you like working with people?" - If you are applying for a service position and you respond with a negative answer, you may not be considered for the job since this answer shows employers that you aren’t the right fit.
Being consistent is very important when taking a personality assessment test. On personality tests, you may be asked similar questions that are worded differently. If you answer these similar questions differently, it will be reflected in your results. For instance, it could appear to assessors as if you did not answer both questions completelyhonestly, which may result in you not getting the job. However, being consistent is not something you need to focus on, as it is not measured. It is a problem only if you significantly contradict yourself; for example, answering "agree" to "I'm never late" and "I have a tendency to be late to some meeting." At times during the test, you may encounter similar statements but not agree or disagree with all of them; in this case, it is fine to answer differently. For example, answering "agree" to both "I prefer working with people rather than working alone" and "Sometimes, I need some alone time."
Although you cannot study for a personality test, you can pass by preparing yourself beforehand, developing optimized answers. Get tips on how to take the personality test.