Human Resource Management
Selection or Development Assessment
Ascend Talent Strategies
Human Resource Management
established

Leadership consulting services play a vital role in today’s dynamic and competitive business landscape. It is hard to identify great leaders and even harder to develop them. Understanding leadership theory doesn’t make people great leaders, and not every leader will align with your organization’s specific culture, values, and needs. Drawing on our experience working with leaders and a deep understanding of your organization, we help companies assess fit to the role, compatibility with your culture, and leadership potential. We then align the on-boarding process and development plan with business results.

Packages

Clerical-Office Assessment
$575/project
Timeframe: 3 days

Having the right people in the seat for clerical or office staff is vital for an organization's success. This assessment helps to determine role and culture fit.

Professional Technical Assessment
$1,100/project
Timeframe: 3 days

This assessment is designed for those who are not yet in a people-management position; however, those who have responsibility of complex projects, teams, and/or resources that require the integration and understanding of the business attributes.

Middle Manager/Supervisory Assessment
$2,400/project
Timeframe: 3 days

This assessment was designed to assess the role and culture fit of a middle manager or supervisory candidate, or an employee being considered for a people or task management role.

Leadership Assessment (Development)
$5,000/project
Timeframe: 3 days

An insightful assessment of a leader is a powerful aid in making the right decisions for your organization. We leverage an objective, in-depth, and consistent process to describe and predict relevant leadership behavior. We invest in learning business issues, organizational culture, and the leadership role, which enables our clients to make better-informed decisions about their most strategic assets - their current and future leaders.

This package is for organizations looking to help develop a current or future leader by including data-driven insights that guide in tailoring development goals to the unique needs of the individual, team, and organization.

Candidate (Pre-Hire) Leadership Assessment
$5,000/project
Timeframe: 3 days

An insightful assessment of a leader is a powerful aid in making the right decisions for your organization. We leverage an objective, in-depth, and consistent process to describe and predict relevant leadership behavior. We invest in learning business issues, organizational culture, and the leadership role, which enables our clients to make better-informed decisions about their most strategic assets - their current and future leaders.

This package is for organizations looking to add another layer of discernment to their Talent Acquisition process by assessing pre-hire or external candidates. The inclusion of data-driven insights helps hiring teams feel more confident about their decision to hire an external candidate into a role within their company.

About Ascend Talent Strategies
Consulting Services
established
We provide our clients with data to support their most critical people and team decision making such as hiring, promotion, succession planning, team and organizational development.
Company Experts
Elizabeth Fleming, PsyD
Business Psychologist
Elizabeth is a seasoned professional with over a decade of experience dedicated to transforming organizations by delivering tailored solutions that cater to her clients' unique needs. Her expertise encompasses evidence-based approaches in talent and leadership assessment, succession planning, HR transformation, learning and development, and executive coaching. Her academic and professional journey showcases a dedication to helping organizations thrive through strategic, people-centric solutions. Elizabeth earned her B.A.S. in Psychology from the University of Minnesota – Duluth and completed her M.A. and PsyD in Counseling Psychology at Saint Mary's University of Minnesota.
PsyD
["Human Resources","Leadership","Strategy","Operations"]
Robert E Young, PsyD
Co-Founder and Business Psychologist
Bob is a seasoned professional with over two decades of experience in delivering leadership assessment services. He assists clients in identifying candidates that align with role requirements, cultural context, and future potential. Additionally, Bob provides team effectiveness workshops, individual and team development, succession planning, and offers practical executive coaching services. He also provides valuable support to private equity firms and client organizations in M&A due diligence and integration. As a Veteran of the United States Air Force, Bob consulted with command staff on a range of critical issues. In 2019, he co-founded Ascend Talent Strategies, Inc., driven by the belief that organizations investing wisely in their people will ultimately outlast, outmaneuver, and outperform their competition. Bob holds a B.A. in psychology from Hope College in Holland, Michigan and a Psy.D. in psychology from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology.
Psy.D.
["Leadership","Operations","Strategy"]
Russell J Barcelona, PhD
Co-Founder and Business Psychologist
With over 25 years of experience, Russ is an expert in leadership assessment, succession planning, organizational cultural transformation, and executive coaching. He combines scientific industrial psychology knowledge with keen intuition and a deep understanding of business. He has worked within a multi-billion-dollar organization's HR department and played a role in a national task force for testing and personnel research in the electric utility industry. Since 1997, Russ has partnered with two Industrial/Organizational Psychology firms; his client base includes Fortune 500 companies, governmental agencies, private equity firms, merger and acquisition due diligence activities, and entrepreneurial start-ups. In 2019, he co-founded Ascend Talent Strategies, Inc. Russ holds a B.S. in psychology from Saint Mary's University of Minnesota and an M.S. and Ph.D. in industrial and organizational psychology from the Illinois Institute of Technology.
Ph.D.
["Human Resources","Leadership","Operations","Strategy"]
Julie Unite, PhD
Co-Founder and Business Psychologist
Julie brings over two decades of international experience across Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Her expertise centers on assessment, succession planning, organizational cultural transformation, and coaching for individuals and teams spanning various sectors. Drawing from her educational and counseling psychology background, Julie leverages extensive one-on-one consulting to help clients address workplace challenges effectively. Julie excels in training individuals and teams, applying techniques such as personality assessments, emotional intelligence, and team dynamics to facilitate their development. She is well equipped to embrace a multicultural perspective in all her endeavors. Julie holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Adelaide, Australia. She earned an MSc in Organizational Psychology from the University of London, England, and completed her Ph.D. in Industrial and Organizational Psychology at Northern Illinois University.
PhD
["Leadership"]

Project Phases

Overview

1. Understanding and Aligning the Business
We take the time to get to know YOU - your people, your organizational culture, your structure, and your goals. In addition, we examine the role you are looking to fill to better undersand what type of candidate (internal or external) would be the best fit.
2. Assessment
This is the 'bread and butter' of the process. This is where we gather individualized data, speak with your candidate(s), and put together our main deliverable - a written report outlining our findings and offering recommendations.
3. Feedback and Development Planning
We then come back together with your hiring manager and/or HR team to review the written report, answer any questions, and help you to determine whether the candidate(s) you're assessing are a good match for the role, team, and organization. If hired, the candidate will also be given direct feedback on the results by our Business Psychologist. We then work with them to create a development plan that can be reviewed with their manager.
4. Manager Alignment
A meeting with the employee, manager, and Business Psychologist is held to align each individual with the development plan previously created.
5. Coaching (Development or Onboarding)
OPTIONAL PHASE Frequently, our clients request that their candidate be supported by a Business Psychologist through coaching. This phase enables our clients to better onboard and/or develop their employees.

Scope

What Is Included:

The result is a comprehensive, data-driven report of the participant’s strengths and development needs in the context of the company, their role, and their leadership potential.

1:1 feedback meeting with the participant to review the assessment data, draft the development plan, and SMART goals.

Meeting with the participant’s manager and HR to discuss the assessment results.

Manager Alignment Meeting to solidify the development plan with the manager, participation, and HR (optional).

What Is NOT Included:

Individual coaching is not included in the assessment, but can be added as an additional service.

from
$575
/project
Select Package
Clerical-Office Assessment
$575/project
Timeframe: 3 days

Having the right people in the seat for clerical or office staff is vital for an organization's success. This assessment helps to determine role and culture fit.

Professional Technical Assessment
Middle Manager/Supervisory Assessment
Leadership Assessment (Development)
Candidate (Pre-Hire) Leadership Assessment
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