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Students who know their strengths and weaknesses can also benefit by comparing them to corporate position profiles. the student for between one and five years. For the 360- degree results to be credible, students must choose raters who are familiar with how they respond and function in life. A key decision in the 360 process is choosing which com- petencies will be assessed. Competencies aren't about spe- cific business skills like financial analysis or market research, which MBA schools already effectively cover. Instead, 360- degree assessments focus on measuring other characteristics that are related to success, such as behavioral skills, attri- butes, and attitudes. These are critical. The authors of a September 2006 Wall Street Journal article asked 4,125 corporate recruiters about the top five attributes they look for when hiring MBAs. In or- der, the answers are communication and interpersonal skills; the ability to work well within a team; personal ethics and integrity; analytical and problem-solving skills; and a strong work ethic. All good research-based competency systems will assess abilities in these areas. And while life experiences help most people improve in these areas, b-schools can give stu- dents a head start—especially if a modified 360-degree as- sessment has helped identify skills that need work. To integrate a 360 process into the two-year MBA pro- gram, schools might ask raters to complete their confidential and anonymous online assessments over the summer between years one and two. Such a task would involve some admin- istrative support, but it could be accomplished fairly easily via e-mail. At the beginning of year two, students would re- ceive their feedback reports, typically more than 100 pages of analysis with development recommendations and steps. Ideally, the 360 reports are presented one-on-one in a facilitated session, but it's also possible to give feedback to groups of 15 to 20, which would be more realistic for an MBA setting. It's essential that feedback facilitation be han- dled by someone who will command the respect of gradu- ate students and assist them in understanding their reports. Strong-willed MBA types may have more to learn about themselves than they realize. If presented incorrectly, the re- sults of a 360-degree evaluation can be potentially devastat- ing, rather than developmental. The goal of the process is to motivate students to improve the skills that they need as they enter the messy world of work, where IQ is not a strong predictor of success. Many corporate managers experiencing 360 for the first time have said with feeling: "If I had gone through this sooner, I wouldn't have made so many mistakes." Some MBA programs already offer 360-degree assess- ments, but schools need to be very deliberate about the instrument construction and content they choose. I rec- 44 BizEd MARCH/APRIL 2007 ommend one of the many research-based systems available instead of homegrown systems. Not only are research- based systems accurate and reliable, they provide quality content and offer comparative data. In addition, students are likely to encounter such systems on the job, and it's helpful if they become acquainted with these tools while they're still in school. Developing Leadership Skills After students learn about their highest—and lowest—scor- ing competencies, they can create a development plan. Development of any competency is possible if learners are motivated and very specific how-to steps are provided. For example, students who are interested in improving their listening skills might want to focus on how to avoid giving chilling nonverbal cues and to refrain from interrupt- ing others. Those wanting to make decisions more quickly might want to determine what reasons lie behind their tar- diness—perfectionism, procrastination, disorganization, and so on—and take concrete steps to change. Students who know their strengths and weaknesses can also benefit by comparing them to corporate position pro- files. Corporations and competency experts have created lists of the abilities essential for success in hundreds of differ- ent corporate positions. For example, the top competencies needed for a vice president of sales or finance are already well-known. Students interested in such positions could use their final year in school to develop the skills for that job as well as the right language to use in resumes and cover letters. Students who have developed those skills and who under- stand the language of competency-based assessment are also likely to do well in interviews with recruiters, who tend to use the same language and look for the same competencies. Creating Leaders If business schools truly want to develop leaders, they may want to implement some of the assessment and development techniques already widely used among corporations. They could implement these systems in three or four specific ses- sions during the two years of the typical program with some outside assistance and administrative support. Thinkers indeed can become leaders. But to do so, they must learn more than the language and analytical tools of business. They must also learn about themselves, others, and the competencies needed to lead effectively. ■ z Julie Lenee Scott is a principal consultant in leadership development at The Woods Group, headquartered in Lake Oswego, Oregon.