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Method foundation

Research, method and practical application

Nova Deep Insight was developed to make self-insight useful in real leadership situations. The system builds on established knowledge in personality, feedback, coaching, goal setting, behavioural change, group dynamics and systematic follow-up. Its distinctive strength lies in connecting these areas in one coherent process where insight becomes concrete behaviour, practice and follow-up over time.

01

Big Five as a basis for reflection

The Big Five, also called the five-factor model, is one of the most established models for describing personality traits. It offers a more nuanced basis than simplified type categories and is used in Nova to prompt reflection on communication, priorities, reactions under pressure and interaction with others.

Personality traits are not a verdict on a person and do not determine leadership on their own. Results are therefore interpreted in relation to responsibilities, experience, context, relationships and actual day-to-day behaviour.

02

When self-image meets the outside view

Self-assessment can create valuable understanding, but leadership always affects other people. Nova 360 therefore complements the individual’s own view with anonymous feedback from people who experience their leadership in daily work.

The purpose is not to award a score. It is to identify confirmed strengths, possible blind spots and differences between intention and experienced effect. Feedback becomes valuable when combined with respect, professional interpretation, clear development goals and concrete action.

03

A small number of behaviours at a time

When development becomes too broad, it is often difficult to implement. Nova helps participants choose a limited number of behaviours that are clearly connected to real situations.

  • Ask questions before giving advice
  • Pause and build alignment before decisions
  • Delegate with clearer mandates
  • End meetings with ownership and next steps
  • Follow up agreements at a set time
  • Adapt pace and communication to the recipient

The aim is not to change a personality. The aim is to develop behaviours that strengthen leadership impact.

04

The report must be understood in context

An assessment report can reveal patterns, but it cannot understand the full situation on its own. Nova therefore includes professionally led interpretation that connects results to responsibilities, relationships, goals, concrete challenges and daily leadership situations.

The conversation helps participants distinguish recognition from actual development. The focus is on what to preserve, what to strengthen and what to practise differently.

05

Change needs to be kept active

Insight does not automatically create new habits. Change requires new behaviours to be tested, followed up, adjusted and repeated in real situations. Nova therefore continues after the assessment and interpretation conversation.

Participants receive concrete practice steps, an action plan and a follow-up structure. Development can be tracked over time and adjusted based on what actually happens in daily work.

06

The dashboard makes development visible

The dashboard brings together current state, desired state, priority behaviours, practice steps, recurring assessments and the next action in one overview.

Development does not disappear after the report or conversation. Participants can see what to practise, what has been completed, what is changing and what needs adjustment. The leadership trainer gains a clearer basis for future conversations and follow-up.

The dashboard does not replace human dialogue. It strengthens it by making development more concrete, coherent and possible to follow over time.

Method transparency

Clear about what is established, developed by Nova and not yet documented.

What Nova Deep Insight has developed

Nova’s own practical application is the combination of the NOVA model, the structure from current to desired state, the translation of insight into practice behaviours, the dashboard, weekly follow-up and the connection between individual, team and organisation. Research on the separate elements does not validate the integrated system.

Current method status

The theories and development principles used by Nova are supported by research and professional practice. Nova Deep Insight as an integrated development system has been developed through practical work with leaders, teams and organisations. It must not be described as a clinical or independently psychometrically validated diagnostic method.

Continued quality assurance

Continued quality assurance will document how questions were developed, how stable results are, how scales perform and which comparison data are used. Statistical measures and comparison data will only be published when methods, samples, results and limitations can be reported openly.

What results must not be used for

Results must not be used for clinical diagnosis, medical assessment, automated judgement of future potential, sole decisions about recruitment or dismissal, employee control or public ranking of individuals.

Important scope

Nova Deep Insight is a development system for leaders, teams and organisations. It is not a clinical, medical or diagnostic tool. It must not be used to diagnose or to make simplified judgements about a person’s value, suitability or future potential.

The established models and development principles included have support in research and professional practice. Nova Deep Insight as an integrated system has been developed and refined through practical work with leaders, teams and organisations. Professional feedback and continued method development remain important parts of its evolution.

Scientific foundations

The references below support the research areas and development principles on which Nova builds. No single study validates Nova as an integrated system.

  1. McCrae, R. R. & Costa, P. T. Jr. (1997). Personality trait structure as a human universal. American Psychologist, 52(5), 509–516.
  2. Judge, T. A., Bono, J. E., Ilies, R. & Gerhardt, M. W. (2002). Personality and leadership: A qualitative and quantitative review. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87(4), 765–780.
  3. Bono, J. E. & Judge, T. A. (2004). Personality and transformational and transactional leadership: A meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 89(5), 901–910.
  4. Javalagi, A. A., Newman, D. A. & Li, M. (2024). Personality and leadership: Meta-analytic review of cross-cultural moderation, behavioral mediation, and honesty-humility. Journal of Applied Psychology, 109(9), 1489–1511.
  5. Smither, J. W., London, M. & Reilly, R. R. (2005). Does performance improve following multisource feedback? A theoretical model, meta-analysis, and review of empirical findings. Personnel Psychology, 58(1), 33–66.
  6. Locke, E. A. & Latham, G. P. (2002). Building a practically useful theory of goal setting and task motivation. American Psychologist, 57(9), 705–717.
  7. Gollwitzer, P. M. (1999). Implementation intentions: Strong effects of simple plans. American Psychologist, 54(7), 493–503.
  8. Kluger, A. N. & DeNisi, A. (1996). The effects of feedback interventions on performance. Psychological Bulletin, 119(2), 254–284.
  9. Edmondson, A. (1999). Psychological safety and learning behavior in work teams. Administrative Science Quarterly, 44(2), 350–383.
  10. Theeboom, T., Beersma, B. & van Vianen, A. E. M. (2014). Does coaching work? A meta-analysis on the effects of coaching on individual level outcomes in an organizational context. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 9(1), 1–18.

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