Assessing Senior Leadership Competence in MENA Security Agencies: A Psychological and Behavioral Approach

Abstract

The present study aimed to identify the role of psychological and behavioral tests in measuring the competence of senior leaders in security and military institutions in the Middle East and North Africa. The study was conducted on a sample of (61) leaders and officers from security and military institutions in the Middle East and North Africa. The descriptive-analytical approach was adopted to implement the study procedures. The study instrument consisted of a questionnaire developed by the researcher. The results revealed a statistically significant positive relationship between the results of psychological and behavioral tests and both leadership competencies in field situations and the actual leadership performance at senior command positions, confirming the effectiveness of these tests in measuring leadership competence. The findings also indicated the presence of obstacles that limit the application of these tests, albeit to a moderate degree, along with clear agreement that developing and adapting the tests to the regional context contributes to enhancing their accuracy and effectiveness. Furthermore, the results showed statistically significant differences attributed to the variables of age, years of experience, and type of institution, with differences in favor of younger and middle age groups and in favor of military personnel, while no statistically significant differences were found with respect to the educational qualification variable. The researcher recommended adopting a scientifically developed methodology adapted to institutional specificities when implementing tools for assessing the competence of senior leaders.