YES.

We use behavioral assessments, but they are not linear. And they don't indicate "good" or "bad" - they just tell us about behavior. We draw conclusions separately, through talking to people and analysis.

Every point you make is correct:

1. Growth need not be linear. I have helped teams to leapfrog to very advanced states.

2. Each situation is different. There is no "best way". And it can look very different from one situation to another.

3. There are no "best practices". It always depends.