Leadership Assessment for Aspiring EX-1s (LAEX)

This is a developmental assessment that offers you an opportunity to demonstrate the key leadership competencies.

Assessment tools

The assessment consists of a case-study scenario where you’ll engage in work-related challenges as a director in a fictitious organization, as well as a question period.

The question period explores broader leadership themes, including diversity, inclusion and self-awareness, among others.

The assessment board includes 2 executive assessors and an assessment specialist from the Public Service Commission of Canada.

This assessment is conducted virtually on MS Teams.

Assessment process

The assessment process lasts 4 hours, including preparation time.

1. Oral presentation

This part of the assessment lasts roughly 1 hour and 50 minutes.

You’ll be provided with a case study scenario, with background information on a fictitious organization, your role as a director, and various issues and problems that require your attention and action. 

You’ll have 90 minutes to study the information and prepare a 20-minute oral presentation to the assessment team about your management decisions, recommendations and rationales for planned courses of action.

2. Situational role play

This part of the assessment lasts roughly 30 minutes.

You’ll engage in a 15-minute role play based on issues presented in the case study scenario. The role play allows you to go beyond what you say you’ll do and demonstrate your competencies by responding to challenges that EX-1 directors encounter in the public service. You’ll receive brief instructions for the role play and you’ll have 15 minutes to prepare on your own before the exercise begins.

3. Question period

This part of the assessment lasts roughly 1 hour.

You’ll have 30 minutes to respond orally to questions related to your experience and on topics relevant to leadership in general. This exercise includes behavioural and situational questions that have been tailored to you, to provide you with more opportunities to demonstrate key leadership competencies. You’ll receive the full list of questions 30 minutes in advance, and you can use that time to prepare your responses.

Create vision and strategy

Leaders define the future and chart a path forward. They are adept at understanding and communicating context, factoring in the economic, social and political environment. Intellectually agile, they leverage their deep and broad knowledge, build on diverse ideas and perspectives and create consensus around compelling visions. Leaders balance organizational and government-wide priorities and improve outcomes for Canada and Canadians.

Mobilize people

Leaders inspire and motivate the people they lead. They lead by example, setting goals for themselves that are more demanding than those that they set for others.

Uphold integrity and respect

Leaders exemplify ethical practices, professionalism and personal integrity. They create respectful and trusting work environments where sound advice is valued. They encourage the expression of diverse opinions and perspectives, while fostering collegiality. Leaders are self-aware and seek out opportunities for personal growth.

Collaborate with partners and stakeholders

Leaders are deliberate and resourceful about seeking the widest possible range of perspectives. They demonstrate openness and flexibility to forge consensus and improve outcomes. They bring a whole-of-government perspective to their interactions. In negotiating solutions, they are open to alternatives and skillful at managing expectations. Leaders share recognition with their teams and partners.

Promote innovation and guide change

Leaders have the courage and resilience to challenge convention. They create an environment that supports bold thinking, experimentation and intelligent risk taking. They use setbacks as a valuable source of insight and learning. Leaders take change in their stride, aligning and adjusting milestones and targets to maintain forward momentum.

Achieve results

Leaders mobilize and manage resources to deliver on the priorities of the government, improve outcomes and add value. They consider context, risks and business intelligence to support high-quality and timely decisions. They anticipate, plan, monitor progress and adjust as needed. Leaders take personal responsibility for their actions and outcomes of their decisions.

Communication

Leaders present and discuss concepts and issues in a clear, concise and effective manner.

Communication is not scored, but comments are provided.

The board members assess candidates on the competencies. Ratings are made using a 7-point scale.

We want to make sure you have the support you need to fully demonstrate your abilities.

Accommodation measures during an assessment can be tailored to each situation. They can include working with sign language interpreters or reader services, and using alternative formats, technical support or attendant services.

If you think that accommodation measures could make this assessment more accessible to you, please notify the person in charge of the hiring process as soon as possible. Look for their contact information at the bottom of the job poster or in the email inviting you to the assessment.

Learn more about testing accommodation measures.

The Leadership Assessment for Aspiring EX-1s requires no specialized or technical training, knowledge or experience, so you cannot study for it directly.

You’ll be invited to take part in an orientation session ahead of the assessment date to help you understand expectations and prepare.

For the assessment, you’ll need access to a reliable internet connection and an electronic device (desktop computer, laptop, or tablet) with a functional webcam. You’ll also need a space for the assessment. If these are not available, other options are possible. For example, you could use a phone, and work out of a government office. 

• Have one piece of identification that includes your signature and photo, and if you’re a public servant, also have your Personal Record Identifier (PRI)
• Ensure you will be alone in a closed room for approximately 4 hours without interruption
• Ensure your connection to the network is reliable
• Ensure you have direct access to your email on the day of the assessment to receive the test material
• During the assessment, use headphones to eliminate background noise
• You are not permitted to access any additional files on your computer or information on the internet

Personal information is used to provide assessment services to clients of the Personnel Psychology Centre. It is collected for staffing-related purposes, in accordance with sections 11, 30 and 36 of the Public Service Employment Act. For departments and agencies not subject to this act, personal information is collected under the authority of that department or agency’s enabling statute and section 35 of the Public Service Employment Act. Second language evaluation results will be disclosed to authorized departmental officials. Results of all other tests will be disclosed only to the requesting department or agency. Test results may be disclosed to the Investigations Directorate of the Public Service Commission of Canada (PSC) if an investigation is conducted pursuant to section 66 or 69 of the Public Service Employment Act. Your information may also be used for statistical and analytical research purposes. In some cases, information may be disclosed without your consent, pursuant to subsection 8(2) of the Privacy Act. Providing your personal information is voluntary, but if you choose not to provide your information, you may not be able to receive Personnel Psychology Centre services.

The information is collected and used as described in the Personnel Psychology Centre’s (PSC PCU 025) Personal Information Bank.

You have the right to access and correct your personal information, and to request corrections where you believe there is an error or omission. You also have the right to file a complaint to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada about the handling of your personal information.

The Public Service Commission is responsible for communicating the results to candidates, and the information is stored in their file.

An optional feedback session with an assessment specialist is also offered to discuss the results of the evaluation.