A 3-minute leadership assessment
Which Dog Leads You?
Every leader has a strength that built their success, and a blind spot that is quietly costing them. Take the 3-minute assessment and find out which of the 9 leadership breeds is quietly running your team, so you can lead on purpose instead of on instinct.
Free · 12 questions · about 3 minutes · your results by email
22 years
U.S. Navy submarine force
1,000+
Leaders coached and mentored
PhD
Chair, Leadership Program, The American College
Author
Who Let the Dogs Lead?
How it works
Three Minutes. Three Steps.
Step 1
Answer 12 questions
Go with your first instinct. There are no right or wrong answers.
Step 2
Discover your leadership breed
See your primary breed, your top-three mix, and what each one means for how you lead.
Step 3
Get your path forward
Take your results and run, or book a call to go deeper on what they reveal.
12 questions · about 3 minutes
Take the Assessment
Go with your first instinct. This is a reflection tool, not a scientific personality test. Use your results to start a conversation, not to label yourself or anyone else.
You Got Here By Being The Best At The Work. Nobody Trained You For The Rest.
You were the top producer. The one who could fix anything. So they made you the leader, and the truth nobody warned you about is that leading people is a completely different job than doing the work.
You move fast, so your team waits for you to decide. You hold the standard, so nobody else owns it. You carry the whole thing, so it cannot run without you. That is a leadership style operating without a framework.
You cannot fix a style you cannot see. This is exactly why this assessment was created. In 3 minutes you will know exactly how you lead, where you excel, and where you are holding your team back.
Here's What Your Results Reveal
Your primary breed explained
One of 9 leadership styles is running your team right now. You will find out which one, and the specific strength that makes it work.
The blind spot hiding inside your greatest strength
Every breed has a shadow side. Yours is probably a trait you are proud of. We will show you where it costs you.
Your top-three leadership mix
Most of us are not one breed, but a blend. Find out the way your unique way of leadership actually shows up.
Your growth edge
The one shift that turns your natural style into a stronger, more complete leader, drawn from the same framework behind the Certified Professional Business Leader (CPBL) designation.
Meet the pack
Nine Breeds. Which One Is You?
Every leader runs with the pack in their own way. Bold. Strategic. Steady. Decisive. No single breed outshines the rest. What matters is knowing your strengths to lean on, and your shadow to watch.
Yorkshire Terrier
Smythe
Bold Wisdom and Fearless Integrity
Speaks the hard truth with courage, even when it is unpopular.
Labradoodle
Queenie
Adaptability and Creative Resilience
Turns change and setbacks into the next opportunity.
Jack Russell Terrier
Skipper
Practical Planning and Follow-Through
Turns talk into clear next steps and follow-through.
English Bulldog
Spike
Confidence and Inspiring Courage
Leads from the front and gives the team the courage to follow.
English Springer Spaniel
Paula
Humility, Clear Communication and Thoughtful Listening
Leads without ego and draws out the best in people.
German Shepherd
Anderson
Vision and Strategic Purpose
Sees the horizon and sets the direction the team moves toward.
Beagle
Marilee
Empathy and Relationship Building
Builds loyal, connected teams through genuine care.
Pit Bull-Lab Mix
Spot
Decisive Action and Accountability
Delivers on commitments and holds the line on standards.
Border Collie
Martin
Strategic Thinking and Analytical Problem-Solving
Diagnoses the root cause and brings clarity to complexity.
“Let’s face it, most of us are mutts.” That is a good thing. Find your mix.
Built By A Leader Who Has Led Where Failure Was Not An Option.
Jim Petersen spent 22 years in the U.S. Navy submarine force, retiring as a Captain, and 35 years leading in financial services. He went on to chair the Leadership Program at The American College of Financial Services, earn a PhD, write leadership books, and coach and mentor more than 1,000 leaders.
Who Let the Dogs Lead? distills that experience into a framework any leader can use. This assessment is the first step of it.
Ready to see how you actually lead?
Three minutes. Twelve questions. A clearer picture of your leadership than most people ever get.
Prefer to talk it through first? Jim offers a free leadership readiness call.