Why this reads differently than most self-assessments.

Behavior, not self-rating

Standard leadership self-assessments ask you to rate yourself from one to five on traits like empathy or decisiveness. The problem is well documented: people rate themselves according to how they wish they behaved, not how they actually behave. The result is noisy and flattering.

CEO Pulse instead forces a choice between four specific, concrete behaviors in a realistic scenario. This is closer to how professional 360 reviews and structured behavioral interviews work, and it produces a more honest signal. No option is framed as the correct answer — but each is weighted, because the tool needs a score in order to point you somewhere useful.

Twelve domains, eighteen questions

Six domains carry two questions each — empathy, delegation, crisis management, receiving feedback, conflict resolution, and board engagement — because they are broad enough that a single scenario would be unreliable. The remaining six carry one question each. Every option is worth between one and four points, putting total scores between 18 and 72.

Because domains carry different numbers of questions, your breakdown ranks them as a share of the points available in each, so a one-question domain compares fairly against a two-question one.

Mapped to the full scope of the role

The twelve domains cover the six responsibilities that leading research on chief executive performance identifies as the core of the job.

• Setting DirectionVision
• Aligning the OrganizationOperational Excellence, Delegation
• Mobilizing LeadersGiving Feedback, Receiving Feedback, Conflict Resolution
• Engaging the BoardBoard Engagement, Conflict Resolution
• Connecting with StakeholdersStakeholder Connection
• Managing Personal EffectivenessTime Management, Energy Management

How scoring routes you

Every result ends in a next step. The two lower bands show enough real friction that a direct conversation is the honest recommendation. The two upper bands look strong on self-report — and self-report is precisely what this tool cannot validate, so the recommendation there is to get outside data first.

• Operating in the Blind Spot Zone18–30

  Your answers point to real, active friction across multiple areas — not isolated slip-ups. This is the range where an outside perspective tends to change outcomes fastest.

• Real Friction31–44

  You're managing, but there are clear patterns costing you time, trust, or team performance. Most CEOs in this range don't fully see the cost until it's named.

• Solid, With Edges45–58

  You're handling most of this well. The question is whether your self-view matches how your team and board actually experience you — self-report only goes so far.

• High-Functioning59–72

  Strong across the board by your own read. Worth validating with real feedback from the people around you before assuming it's the full picture.

What it cannot tell you

This is a self-assessment. However candidly you answer, it reflects your own view of your leadership — not how your team, your peers, or your board actually experience it. That gap is usually where the most useful information lives, and closing it requires asking them directly. That is what Our360 is for.