California Psychological Inventory™ 260 (CPI 260®)
Identify Leadership Potential and Develop Individuals with Actionable Insights
Grow individuals and build a strong talent pipeline at your organization.
The CPI 260 assessment measures leadership and management potential across 26 behavioural scales, drawn directly from the California Psychological Inventory. The assessment takes approximately 30 minutes and provides two report options.
Available in English and French.
Why Choose the CPI 260?
The CPI 260 connects 26 validated behavioural scales to how individuals and leaders actually perform, relate, and grow at work.
Succession decisions lack a consistent, objective framework and rely on past performance reviews…
Past performance tells you what someone has done. It says very little about how they will lead when the stakes and complexity both go up.
…give HR directors data to make defensible hiring decisions.
The CPI 260 assessment puts validated behavioural evidence at the centre of promotion decisions.
Leaders repeat patterns that undermine team performance…
Without visibility into their own behavioural style, leaders lack the self-awareness needed to adjust how they lead under pressure or in complex team environments.
…CPI 260 scale scores reveal interpersonal blind spots and development priorities.
Results highlight where leaders may unknowingly create friction, and supports coaching and development conversations.
Apply CPI 260 Insights Across Your Organization
Here are some ways that CPI 260 insights can help guide development and support leaders.
Coaching and Development
Get a framework for development conversations to help improve and grow individuals. Support self-awareness work by helping the individual understand how their behavioural style influences those around them.
Leadership Identification
Build succession plans for leaders by assessing Managerial Potential, Leadership, and Dominance scales. Objective data helps compare candidates in a consistent and defensible way.
Executive Coaching
The CPI 260 analyzes strengths and developmental needs and, where appropriate, offers Suggested Action Steps your client can take to gather more information or develop new behaviors.
Training and Management Programs
Administer the CPI 260 to a full management cohort and use group-level data to design training programs that address shared behavioural gaps. Scales like Achievement via Independence, Conceptual Fluency, and Tolerance reveal how the group as a whole approaches leadership challenges.
Comprehensive Assessment Categories
The CPI 260 assessment measures 26 scales across five behavioural categories. Learn more about what the insights can uncover below.
Dominance
Measures the tendency to take initiative, lead others, and assert authority in group settings.
Capacity for Status
Evaluates the drive to achieve social recognition and upward mobility in organizational contexts.
Sociability
Assesses comfort and enjoyment in social situations and interpersonal interactions at work.
Social Presence
Measures the tendency to make a strong impression and engage actively in social environments.
Self-Acceptance
Evaluates a positive sense of personal worth and confidence in one’s own abilities and decisions.
Independence
Identifies the capacity to make autonomous decisions and resist pressure from others.
Empathy
Measures the ability to understand and share the perspectives and feelings of colleagues and direct reports.
CPI 260 Reports for Coaching and Leadership Development
Psychometrics.com offers two CPI 260 reports upon assessment completion. Each report serves a distinct coaching or development purpose.
Client Feedback Report
The Client Feedback Report provides each assessed individual with insight into their approach to life, self-perception, and how their characteristics compare to others in work contexts. This report lays the foundation for personal objective-setting and self-directed development conversations.
Coaching Report for Leaders
The Coaching Report for Leaders maps the 26 CPI 260 scale scores to key dimensions of management and leadership. This Report helps leaders capitalize on strengths, identify development targets, set measurable goals, and plan specific action steps.
How Organizations Use CPI 260 Insights
Optimizing Leadership in the Executive MBA Program
See how the University of Alberta Executive MBA program integrates the CPI 260 with the MBTI® Step II tool to help high-level executives optimize their leadership potential and enhance team dynamics.
Common Questions About the CPI 260
What qualification do I need to administer the CPI 260?
The CPI 260 is a Level B instrument, which means practitioners must receive certification or hold a graduate degree in Psychology before accessing and administering the assessment. Contact the Psychometrics Canada team to confirm whether your credential meets this standard.
How long does the CPI 260 take to complete?
The 260-item assessment can be completed in approximately 30 minutes online via Psychometrics.com. Reports are generated immediately upon completion and are available to the administering practitioner.
What is the difference between the Client Feedback Report and the Coaching Report for Leaders?
The Client Feedback Report focuses on self-awareness, helping individuals understand their behavioural style and how it compares to others in work contexts. The Coaching Report for Leaders maps 26 scale scores directly to leadership development action steps. Both reports are available through Psychometrics.com upon completing the 260-item assessment.
Is the CPI 260 available in French?
Yes. The CPI 260 assessment is available in both French and English via Psychometrics.com.
How does the CPI 260 differ from the CPI 434?
The CPI 260 uses 260 items from the 434-item California Psychological Inventory and focuses on scales most relevant to management and leadership development. The CPI 434 is a Level C instrument, available to psychologists only, that includes additional personality insights.
Bring Real Behavioural Data to Your Development Conversations!
Whether you are building a coaching practice, identifying your next generation of leaders, or designing a development training plan for group training, a Psychometrics Canada expert can help you get started with the CPI 260.
Prefer to call? You can reach us at: