The Z Scale Assessment Series

The Leadership Depth Index (LDI)

The one leadership metric that measures what actually matters: do your leaders create other leaders?

Most metrics judge a leader by their team's output. The LDI judges them by their ability to build a Zealot environment — one that grows more leaders. And to keep it from being gamed, it looks two levels down: not just whether your leader develops their direct reports, but whether that effect cascades to the people those reports lead. You can fake a good immediate team. You cannot fake depth.

Enter the numbers below and the LDI will score three things — how many leaders this person creates, and whether the teams beneath them are rising or slipping — then flag anything serious.

From Raising the Dead: Converting Your Workforce from Zombies to Zealots · by Jerry Peterson

Promotion Velocity

Are they growing leaders, or just managing followers? (Past 24 months.)

Team Trajectory

Average Z Scale (1–5) of the teams run by their direct reports — now vs. 12 months ago.

Second-Level Trajectory — the anti-gaming layer

Average Z Scale (1–5) of employees two levels down — now vs. 12 months ago.

Leadership Depth Index

The three components