Navy Leadership Assessment Program (NLAP) Enhances Surface Force Leadership

by Petty Officer 1st Class Marcus Meredith

28 November 2023
SAN DIEGO — The Surface Force’s most effective warfighting teams are the result of a connected crew, inspired by a leader with admirable character. Just as seamanship and technical expertise ready our teams for the fight, a crew’s culture and warrior toughness provide the Surface Force with an advantage over potential adversaries.

With increasing importance placed on leading effective warfighting teams, the Surface Force is working to match the investment in shiphandling and warfighting with an investment in developing the leadership character of our officers.

This professional development initiative is part of the Navy’s Leadership Assessment Program (NLAP). The Surface Force recently completed a third test of the Surface Force (LAP-S) pilot. The goal of LAP-S is to enhance and augment the existing command qualification processes across the Surface Force. LAP-S unlocks a more complete and science-informed methodology in coaching leaders to ensure the best and most qualified leaders are developed for command.

“This (LAP-S) is something we can’t afford not to do,” said Rear Adm. Brendan McLane, Special Assistant to Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet, who led in two of the three pilot boards.

McLane emphasized LAP-S is a significant development for guiding the success of future Commanding Officers and leaders in the Surface Force.

“I was impressed with the process and the results of this pilot. I’m confident LAP-S is the right investment in our officer development to produce winning and learning teams.”

McLane noted the LAP-S initiative represents a significant investment in the Navy's most valuable asset – its people. He praised the focus on character development as a crucial step toward nurturing exemplary leaders. McLane also emphasized the importance of continuous learning and growth throughout the career of a Surface Warfare Officer.

The LAP-S initiative is intended to go beyond the assessments of an officers’ technical competence, which SCSTC currently performs, by looking at the character development and the intangible connections that strong leaders build with winning teams.

As part of the LAP process, candidates complete cognitive and non-cognitive assessments that evaluate specific leadership attributes identified by the community as essential for success. Relevant results from assessments are presented to the board to provide a more holistic picture of the candidate’s capabilities.

Candidates also receive individual developmental feedback related to their strengths and weaknesses from the operational psychologists along with recommendations for improvement.

“What makes this unique is its tailored approach,” said Lt. Cmdr. Rachel Passmore, operational psychologist and current lead of the NLAP team.

“To create a customized and scientifically-driven experience for candidates, we interviewed 20 subject matter experts to formulate specific leadership attributes and relevant questions for each warfare community.”

The process, Passmore said, is a data-driven, holistic approach, ensuring candidates are thoroughly evaluated, ensuring a fair and equitable process. Using scientific assessment methods, NLAP and LAP-S establish a series of benchmarks for leadership evaluation and growth to enable a candidate’s professional growth.

The program has other benefits with the valuable feedback candidates receive.

“The feedback our leaders receive is paramount to help them self-assess and self-correct to maximize their potential and effectiveness as a leader,” Passmore said. “We want to develop Navy leaders who are not just capable operators and mariners, but also dynamic individuals who possess the necessary character and leadership traits that inspire connected teams primed for warfighting effectiveness.”