Velocity Gap Assessment

Find out exactly where AI would change everything for you.

This 21-question diagnostic maps your leadership across the three domains where not using AI costs executives the most — Strategy, Relationships, and Teams. It takes 8 minutes. At the end, you'll know which gap is largest and what to do about it first.

21
Questions across 3 domains
~8
Minutes to complete
1
Clear primary gap identified

No spam. Your results are private. Sterling may follow up with context specific to your gap.

Domain 1 of 3 · Strategy

Strategic Clarity & Operating Speed

Rate yourself honestly on each statement. There are no right answers — only an accurate picture of where you are right now.

S1
I can articulate how my organization wins against its competitive set — not just what it does, but specifically how it differentiates.
S2
I have ranked my top 2–3 strategic priorities for the next 90 days — and I can explain why those three and not others.
S3
I can describe how my organizational structure serves the strategy — where it enables execution and where it creates friction.
S4
I know where decisions actually get made in my organization — not where the org chart says they live, but where they actually land.
S5
When I need to stress-test a strategic assumption, I have a method — and it doesn't take weeks to produce something actionable.
S6
My strategic thinking is visible to the people who need to execute it — it's documented and shared, not just in my head.
S7
I can name the gap between what my organization says it values and what it actually rewards — and I'm operating with that gap in mind.
Answer all 7 questions to continue.
Domain 2 of 3 · Relationships

Stakeholder Intelligence & Influence

Rate yourself honestly. Think about the stakeholders who matter most to your success right now — not the ideal state, where you actually are.

R1
I have a complete map of my key stakeholders — I know who matters most to my success, why, and in what order.
R2
I understand what each key stakeholder is personally trying to accomplish — their ambitions, not just their official mandate.
R3
I know what each key stakeholder is being measured on — what success looks like for them this quarter, not just their general role.
R4
I know which stakeholder relationships are most at risk right now — and I'm actively managing them, not waiting for a signal.
R5
Before important stakeholder conversations, I prepare systematically — I know not just what I want to say, but what they need to hear.
R6
I build trust with key stakeholders proactively and deliberately — not just when I need something from them.
R7
My stakeholder strategy is documented and deliberate — it exists outside my head, and I review and update it regularly.
Answer all 7 questions to continue.
Domain 3 of 3 · Teams

Team Capability & Development Velocity

Rate yourself on how you're actually building and deploying your team — not how you'd like to be, where things genuinely stand today.

T1
I can describe the capability gaps on my team in behavioral terms — specific, observable behaviors, not general impressions or performance ratings.
T2
I have mapped what the strategy actually requires from my team — the competencies the work demands, not just the job description.
T3
My stretch assignments go to the people who need to develop that capability — not just to the people I trust most to deliver.
T4
My direct reports know exactly what they can decide without checking with me — decision rights are explicit, not assumed.
T5
When I give feedback, I'm specific — I name the situation, the observable behavior, and the impact. Not just the result or my overall impression.
T6
My team's capability distribution is improving — people are getting better at the things the strategy requires, on my watch.
T7
My team operates at my intention — I can see a direct line between my decisions and how the org runs, not just momentum and habit.
Answer all 7 questions to see your results.
Your Results

Your Velocity Gap

Strategy —
Relationships —
Teams —
Your Primary Gap

What this means for you

Ready to close the gap?

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