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.
Built on the leadership framework of Jim Petersen, PhD
Captain, U.S. Naval Reserve (Ret.) • Chair, Leadership Program at The American College of Financial Services • 1,000+ leaders coached and mentored • Author of Who Let the Dogs Lead?
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.
Three Minutes. Three Steps.
- Answer 12 questions. Go with your first instinct. There are no right or wrong answers.
- Discover your leadership breed. See your primary breed, your top-three mix, and what each one means for how you lead.
- Get your path forward. Take your results and run, or book a call to go deeper on what they reveal.
The assessment
Which dog leads you?
Twelve questions. Go with your first instinct.
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.
Smythe — Bold Wisdom and Fearless Integrity
Speaks the hard truth with courage, even when it is unpopular.
Queenie — Adaptability and Creative Resilience
Turns change and setbacks into the next opportunity.
Skipper — Transparency and Decisive Action
Turns talk into clear next steps and follow-through.
Spike — Confidence and Inspiring Courage
Leads from the front and gives the team the courage to follow.
Paula — Humility, Clear Communication and Thoughtful Listening
Leads without ego and draws out the best in people.
Anderson — Vision and Strategic Purpose
Sees the horizon and sets the direction the team moves toward.
Marilee — Empathy and Relationship Building
Builds loyal, connected teams through genuine care.
Spot — Decisive Action and Accountability
Delivers on commitments and holds the line on standards.
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.