Introduction to the Pathfinder Assessment
Pathfinders do not accept the status quo. They innovate and find a new way.
They create a path that benefits not just their own journey, but all others that follow.
What is a Pathfinder?
Faced with opportunities and challenges, Pathfinders are the explorers, the trailblazers who just pick up the baton and figure out how to get the job done. They have a combination of characteristics that make them more likely to succeed when dealing with the associated ambiguity and risk.
Here are a few examples of how Pathfinders are different from other individuals:
- Pathfinders have a strong ability to deal with ambiguity. When in situations without precedent, Pathfinders need to be agile and not just deal with ambiguity, but actually find a way to thrive within it.
- Pathfinders don't need to be told what to do. They can operate without a playbook of any kind. They are self-directed, able to fully engage in tasks/roles largely, or even entirely, motivated by meeting a need. Broadly, Pathfinders see a need and jump in and figure things out as they go.
- They have a curiosity that allows for creative solutions. This is critical when a lot of latitude is provided to find new solutions, products, or markets.
- A Pathfinder's hunger is intrinsically rather than extrinsically motivated. They are looking for something that is deeper and has a personal meaning for them.
Where Do Pathfinders Fit?
Pathfinders are a great fit when a company or organization needs to find a new way to do something, such as expanding into a new market or developing a new product.
In self-managed companies everyone needs to be a Pathfinder to deal with and flourish with the autonomy provided while dealing with increased responsibility and accountability.
Startups also tend to be full of Pathfinders who will hack through the proverbial jungle, developing the trail others follow.
Companies with rigid hierarchies that are heavily rules-based and/or roles that require a playbook to be followed are not good fits for a Pathfinder.
Understanding where you are on the Pathfinder spectrum will be a great start in finding a role that is a good fit for you.
The Pathfinder assessment has been designed to identify the key skills that define a Pathfinder. These are the enduring human qualities that provide the foundations of success of a Pathfinder. While presented as four modules, each with constituent values, they all work together in an interconnected and symbiotic whole.
The Four Pathfinder Modules and their Constituent Values
The score is normalized between 0 and 100 and displayed from left to right.
The solid dark line indicates the threshold for Pathfinder performance.
A score in the first (reddish) segment indicates the individual has not yet reached the expected Pathfinder level.
A score in the final (green) segment indicates the individual has reached the expected Pathfinder level.
While there is a definite, quantified threshold for Pathfinder performance, the nature of assessments is that there is a trade-off between depth of assessment and accuracy. For this reason, we provide a tolerance for scores around the threshold. This is the central (amber) segment.
Scores above or below the threshold can help identify strengths to leverage and/or opportunities for growth.
Introduction to the Pathfinder Assessment
Pathfinders do not accept the status quo. They innovate and find a new way.
They create a path that benefits not just their own journey, but all others that follow.
What is a Pathfinder?
Faced with opportunities and challenges, Pathfinders are the explorers, the trailblazers who just pick up the baton and figure out how to get the job done. They have a combination of characteristics that make them more likely to succeed when dealing with the associated ambiguity and risk.
Here are a few examples of how Pathfinders are different from other individuals:
- Pathfinders have a strong ability to deal with ambiguity. When in situations without precedent, Pathfinders need to be agile and not just deal with ambiguity, but actually find a way to thrive within it.
- Pathfinders don't need to be told what to do. They can operate without a playbook of any kind. They are self-directed, able to fully engage in tasks/roles largely, or even entirely, motivated by meeting a need. Broadly, Pathfinders see a need and jump in and figure things out as they go.
- They have a curiosity that allows for creative solutions. This is critical when a lot of latitude is provided to find new solutions, products, or markets.
- A Pathfinder's hunger is intrinsically rather than extrinsically motivated. They are looking for something that is deeper and has a personal meaning for them.
Where Do Pathfinders Fit?
Pathfinders are a great fit when a company or organization needs to find a new way to do something, such as expanding into a new market or developing a new product.
In self-managed companies everyone needs to be a Pathfinder to deal with and flourish with the autonomy provided while dealing with increased responsibility and accountability.
Startups also tend to be full of Pathfinders who will hack through the proverbial jungle, developing the trail others follow.
Companies with rigid hierarchies that are heavily rules-based and/or roles that require a playbook to be followed are not good fits for a Pathfinder.
Understanding where you are on the Pathfinder spectrum will be a great start in finding a role that is a good fit for you.
The Pathfinder assessment has been designed to identify the key skills that define a Pathfinder. These are the enduring human qualities that provide the foundations of success of a Pathfinder. While presented as four modules, each with constituent values, they all work together in an interconnected and symbiotic whole.
The Four Pathfinder Modules and their Constituent Values
The score is normalized between 0 and 100 and displayed from left to right.
The solid dark line indicates the threshold for Pathfinder performance.
A score in the first (reddish) segment indicates the individual has not yet reached the expected Pathfinder level.
A score in the final (green) segment indicates the individual has reached the expected Pathfinder level.
While there is a definite, quantified threshold for Pathfinder performance, the nature of assessments is that there is a trade-off between depth of assessment and accuracy. For this reason, we provide a tolerance for scores around the threshold. This is the central (amber) segment.
Scores above or below the threshold can help identify strengths to leverage and/or opportunities for growth.