GPS Resources
Tools for leaders
who take the work of leadership
seriously.
Frameworks, books, and thinking curated from 20+ years building leadership capability inside enterprise organizations.
01 Insights & Articles
GPS thinking on
leadership development
Feedback & Communication
Why Most Feedback Conversations Fail Before They Start
The problem isn't the words managers choose. It's the threat response they trigger before a single word is spoken. Here's the neuroscience behind it and how the SBI model addresses the root cause.
Nick Ghizzone - 5 min read - August 2026
Manager Effectiveness
The Manager Effectiveness Gap Nobody Talks About
Most mid-market companies can identify their best individual contributors. Very few can tell you which of those people will thrive as managers. Here's how to close that gap before it becomes a retention problem.
Nick Ghizzone - 7 min read - August 2026
02 Essential Reading
Books that belong on every leader's shelf
Curated from 20+ years of enterprise leadership development. These aren't trending titles. They're the books GPS uses as anchors for coaching and program work.
Disclosure: Links below are Amazon affiliate links. GPS earns a small commission if you purchase — at no additional cost to you.
03 Assessment Instruments
The tools GPS uses and why we chose them
Personality · Leadership Potential
Hogan Assessments
The HPI, HDS, and MVPI together form the most comprehensive picture of how a leader behaves at their best, how they derail under pressure, and what core values drive their decisions. GPS uses Hogan in executive coaching and succession readiness work.
Used for: Executive coaching, succession planning, high-potential identification
Adaptive Leadership · Blanchard Authorized
Situational Leadership (SLII®): LBAII & LAPII
The Leader Behavior Analysis II measures leadership style flexibility and effectiveness. The Leader Action Profile II measures directive and supportive behavior patterns. Both anchor the GPS Manager Effectiveness Program and the standalone Situational Leadership One-Day Workshop.
Used for: Manager Effectiveness Program, SLII One-Day Workshop
Behavioral Style
Everything DiSC
A practical, highly accessible behavioral style assessment that builds self-awareness and communication effectiveness across teams. GPS uses DiSC in cohort programs where broad participation and ease of application matter more than deep individual profiling.
Used for: Team workshops, new leader onboarding, manager programs
Emotional Intelligence
MHS EQ-i 2.0
The world's most widely used emotional intelligence assessment, measuring 15 competencies across self-perception, self-expression, interpersonal skills, decision-making, and stress management. Highly actionable for coaching debrief conversations.
Used for: Emerging leader programs, manager development, coaching debrief
Conflict Style
Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI)
35+ years of validation data behind the five-mode conflict framework. GPS uses the TKI in standalone conflict workshops and as a companion to team effectiveness engagements. Each participant completes the online assessment before the session and brings their results.
Used for: Conflict workshops, team effectiveness, manager development
Competency Modeling
Korn Ferry Leadership Architect
The framework GPS uses to build competency models and align individual development to organizational strategy. The Korn Ferry research base connects behavioral competencies to business outcomes — making it the bridge between assessment data and CHRO-level conversations.
Used for: Competency model design, program alignment, succession frameworks