The Validated Mind®, Decision Intelligence Research
Multi-rater · 45 items · 7 domains · 4 rater groups

Self-report has a ceiling. This is where you go through it.

A client can only report the judgment they can see. DI360™ asks the people who live downstream of their decisions, meaning self, manager, peers, stakeholders, two questions about each behavior: how much does it matter here, and how well do you actually see it demonstrated?

The distance between those two answers is the deliverable.

The two-phase design

A low score on something nobody cares about is noise.

A conventional 360 rates performance and leaves you to guess what is worth fixing. Rating importance separately means the report can rank by consequence. A behavior rated essential and rarely demonstrated outranks a dozen mediocre scores on things that do not move this organization.

Importance versus demonstrationIllustrative example. For each behavior, one bar shows how important raters say it is and a second shows how well they see it demonstrated. The distance between the two bars is the gap the report acts on.ImportanceDemonstrationNames when emotion is shaping their jud…gapResponds constructively when assumption…gapTreats resistance in others as relevant…
Illustrative, not a real result. A behavior everyone agrees is critical and nobody sees demonstrated is worth more than any single score, which is why 4 rater groups answer both questions, across 7 domains.

Seven domains

Six domains you will recognize. One you will not.

This is the clearest example of layering rather than competing. Six of the seven domains are the established emotional-intelligence territory any experienced coach already works in, so most of this instrument will feel familiar on sight. The seventh is what we added, and it carries the majority of the index.

  1. 01

    Self-Awareness

    Emotional intelligence foundation

  2. 02

    Awareness of Others

    Emotional intelligence foundation

  3. 03

    Authentic Communication

    Emotional intelligence foundation

  4. 04

    Emotional Reasoning

    Emotional intelligence foundation

  5. 05

    Adaptability & Self-Management

    Emotional intelligence foundation

  6. 06

    Developing & Influencing Others

    Emotional intelligence foundation

  7. 07

    Decision Validation

    Apex domain, 60% of the index

    How a leader validates is what the rest of the organization ends up living inside, so it is weighted at 60% of the composite, not averaged in as a seventh of the whole.

The output

The Decision Validation Index

One number between 1.0 and 5.0, weighted 60% to the apex domain and 40% across the other six. Every band is named for what it says about decisions, not about the person.

The Decision Validation Index scaleA continuous scale from 1.0 to 5.0 divided into five bands: Decision Fragility, Decision Risk, Decision Dependency, Decision Readiness, and Decision Maturity.DECISION VALIDATION INDEX (DVI)1.0–1.4Fragility1.5–2.4Risk2.5–3.4Dependency3.5–4.4Readiness4.5–5.0Maturity1.05.0Every band is “Decision ___” and the index measures validation, not likeability.
Decision Maturity · 4.5–5.0
Validated decision-making is habitual and transferable.
Decision Readiness · 3.5–4.4
Validated behaviors present, with consistency developing.
Decision Dependency · 2.5–3.4
Validation happening, but often reactive or incomplete.
Decision Risk · 1.5–2.4
Significant validation gaps creating exposure.
Decision Fragility · 1.0–1.4
Decisions primarily unvalidated, with high organizational risk.

The engagement-opener for executive work.

The gap between self and observer scores is usually the fastest route to a client taking the work seriously. DI360™ unlocks with certification.

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Decision Intelligence 360™ · Multi-Rater Decision Validation · The Validated Mind