Running head: LEADERSHIP ASSESSMENT 1 Leadership Style, Skills, and Characteristics A leader possesses the ability to influence, motivate and inspire others to accomplish the goals of the organization. A leader’s personal philosophy influences the leader’s style of leadership. The leadership style sets the climate for the organization in either a negative or positive manner. As a social worker, it is critical to be able to identify your strengths and weaknesses and how it influences the culture of the organization. Being able to be self-aware of your strengths afford an individual the opportunity to better understand the critical role they play within the organization (Northouse, 2018) Flynn (2013) asserts there are three important styles of leadership – democratic, authoritarian, and laissez-faire. My leadership style is that of a democracy style, this style of leadership has the most positive outcome in that leaders tend to treat their employers as able beings who are capable of completing their job without being micro-managed, they have independence and the leader trust their abilities to accomplish the mission. The authoritarian leadership style often finds more productive and efficient results by establishing goals and work standards, they also are likely to foster dependence and loss of individuality. In a human services organization’s culture, this may lead staff to avoid sharing ideas because this type of leadership style perceives that employees need direction (Northouse, 2018). Laissez-faire style leadership we find that leaders are not giving their employers any guidance or direction and this often tend to lead to less productivity (Flynn, 2013). Leadership Assessment It is important to have self-awareness of your leadership style and strength and in achieving that, I completed four leadership questionnaires – Conceptualizing Leadership, Leadership Strengths, Leadership Styles, and Leadership Skills. The questionnaires allowed me the opportunity to evaluate my leadership characteristics and self-reflect on the accuracy of my results. LEADERSHIP ASSESSMENT 2 Conceptualizing Leadership The questionnaire consisted of 24 questions that placed emphasis on traits, abilities, skills, behavior, relationships, and processes responses ranging from strongly agree to strongly disagree. Upon completion of the questionnaire, I realized the area that returned the highest number was skill emphasis. I feel having skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, strategic planner, great communicator and people person are all necessary to lead an organization. A positive aspect of skills emphasis is that it suggests a person can become a leader through practice, learning, and experience. I was shocked that my second lowest was relationship emphasis because it is important for a leader to build relationships with peers and subordinates as it is essential to mission success. Northouse (2018) asserts that leadership becomes a process of collaboration that occurs between leaders and followers (Northouse, 2018). The overall purpose of this questionnaire was to gauge how I viewed leadership. The results of the questionnaire depict how I viewed leadership as skills, ability, relationship which were my strongest scores. Leadership Strengths The second questionnaire consisted of 30 questions that examined leadership strengths in 5 areas. It was interesting to see that I scored 30 in four of these areas and 28 in the fifth area. The purpose of this questionnaire was to identify leadership strengths in the areas of implementer, innovator, encourager, analytic, and mediator. I scored 30 in all areas except analytic and I agree with that as I’m the type leader that excels at exploiting new ideas, being creative, remaining on task, and accomplishing the mission while encouraging others to do their best. LEADERSHIP ASSESSMENT 3 Leadership Styles The third questionnaire was leadership styles and consisted of 18 questions that examined leadership styles in 3 areas. The purpose of this questionnaire is to measure the three common leadership styles. It was interesting to see that I scored higher in Laissez-Faire than Authoritarian. I don’t think that I believe in Laissez-Faire because as a leader with vision for your organization, it is important to provide guidance and direction to your follower. My score was exceedingly high in democratic style leadership as I believe a leader can learn from their followers and should not be afraid to allow their followers to feel respected, important and heard. Northouse (2018) asserts that democratic leadership style occurs when a leader values the capabilities of their follower and believe in their capability to perform the mission. Leadership Skills The final questionnaire was leadership skills and consisted of 18 questions that examined leadership skills in 3 areas. The purpose of this questionnaire is to measure three broad leadership skills – administrative, interpersonal, and conceptual. This questionnaire allows the leader to determine their areas of strengths and weaknesses. I received 30 in all areas except interpersonal which I thought would have been equal to administrative and conceptual, however, it was only a couple of points lower. I pride myself on being able to have compassion, empathy, and sensitive to other’s feelings or problems. I’m also comfortable handling conflicts in the workplace. I scored high in the areas of administrative and conceptual skills which is accurate in that leaders who normally have high levels of administrative skills can increase organizational productivity by creating effective and efficient processes to best manage resources, while LEADERSHIP ASSESSMENT 4 influencing others to reach their full potential. I have always been a creative thinker, constantly looking for new approaches and ideas to make the organization better. Supervisor’s Assessment For my final assessment, I used a previous supervisor to complete the Culturally Diversity Awareness. The survey showed a high score range of 108 and posit how culturally aware and sensitive I am to the prejudices that exist in society. It is important for me to understand to remain nonjudgmental and not place my bias on others. Final Comments/Conclusion This exercise was a great way to reaffirm the leadership styles, skills, and strengths I possess. As a leader in the military for over 23 years, the questionnaires I completed were spot on in describing my strengths and leadership styles and skills. Often times we do not take a step back to examine who we are as a leader and how we measure up. This exercise allowed me to do just that and reassure me of how I value my role as a leader and how I want to continue leading change in the area of social justice. LEADERSHIP ASSESSMENT 5 References Flynn, S. I. (2013). Authoritarian, Democratic, and Laissez-Faire Leadership. Research Starters: Sociology (Online Edition). Retrieved from the Walden Library databases. Northouse, P. G. (2018). Introduction to leadership: Concepts and practice (4th ed.). Washington, DC: Sage. North House Engines 10/22/18, 1:35 AM To print, please use the print page range feature within the application. 1.2 Conceptualizing Leadership Questionnaire Purpose 1. To identify how you view leadership. 2. To explore your perceptions of different aspects of leadership. Directions 1. Consider for a moment your own impressions of the word leadership. Based on your experiences with leaders in your lifetime, what is leadership? 2. Using the scale below, indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with the following statements about leadership. Statements Strongly Disagree Neutral disagree Agree Strongly agree 1. When I think of leadership, I think of a person with special personality traits. 1 2 3 4 5 2. Much like playing the piano or tennis, leadership is a learned ability. 1 2 3 4 5 3. Leadership requires knowledge and knowhow. 1 2 3 4 5 4. Leadership is about what people do rather than who they are. 1 2 3 4 5 about:blank Page 1 of 9 North House Engines 10/22/18, 1:35 AM 5. Followers can influence the leadership process as much as leaders. 1 2 3 4 5 6. Leadership is about the process of influencing others. 1 2 3 4 5 7. Some people are born to be leaders. 1 2 3 4 5 8. Some people have the natural ability to be leaders. 1 2 3 4 5 9. The key to successful leadership is having the right skills. 1 2 3 4 5 10. Leadership is best described by what leaders do. 1 2 3 4 5 11. Leaders and followers share in the leadership process. 1 2 3 4 5 12. Leadership is a series of actions directed toward positive ends. 1 2 3 4 5 13. A person needs to have certain traits to be an effective leader. 1 2 3 4 5 14. Everyone has the capacity to be a leader. 1 2 3 4 5 15. Effective leaders are competent in their roles. 1 2 3 4 5 about:blank Page 2 of 9 North House Engines 10/22/18, 1:35 AM 16. The essence of leadership is performing tasks and dealing with people. 1 2 3 4 5 17. Leadership is about the common purposes of leaders and followers. 1 2 3 4 5 18. Leadership does not rely on the leader alone but is a process involving the leader, followers, and the situation. 1 2 3 4 5 19. People become great leaders because of their traits. 1 2 3 4 5 20. People can develop the ability to lead. 1 2 3 4 5 21. Effective leaders have competence and knowledge. 1 2 3 4 5 22. Leadership is about how leaders work with people to accomplish goals. 1 2 3 4 5 23. Effective leadership is best explained by the leader-follower relationship. 1 2 3 4 5 24. Leaders influence and are influenced by followers. 1 2 3 4 5 Submit Scoring about:blank Page 3 of 9 North House Engines 10/22/18, 1:35 AM Sum scores on items 1, 7, 13, and 19 (trait emphasis). Sum scores on items 2, 8, 14, and 20 (ability emphasis). Sum scores on items 3, 9, 15, and 21 (skill emphasis). Sum scores on items 4, 10, 16, and 22 (behavior emphasis). Sum scores on items 5, 11, 17, and 23 (relationship emphasis). Sum scores on items 6, 12, 18, and 24 (process emphasis). Total Scores Trait emphasis: Ability emphasis: Skill emphasis: 19 19 20 Behavior emphasis: 15 16 Relationship emphasis: Process emphasis: 18 Scoring Interpretation The scores you received on this questionnaire provide information about how you define and view leadership. The emphasis you give to the various dimensions of leadership has implications for how you approach the leadership process. For example, if your highest score is for trait emphasis, it suggests that you emphasize the role of the leader and the leader’s special gifts in the leadership process. However, if your highest score is for relationship emphasis, it indicates that you think leadership is centered on the communication between leaders and followers, rather than on the unique qualities of the leader. By comparing your scores, you can gain an understanding of the aspects of leadership that you find most important and least important. The way you think about leadership will influence how you practice leadership. Suggestions for Improving Your Leadership about:blank Page 4 of 9 North House Engines 10/22/18, 1:35 AM Trait Emphasis The trait emphasis approach views leadership abilities as an inherent or innate set of qualities that strong leaders naturally possess. Those who believe in this approach agree that leaders have particular characteristics that set them apart from the average person. This is why early theories of trait leadership were also called the “great man theories.” Early research suggested that people are born leaders, and leadership is not something that can be taught. Researchers have been studying the trait approach since the early 20th century, and it was one of the first theories developed that suggested innate characteristics are needed to be an effective leader. While trait theories have changed, shifted emphasis, and been reevaluated over the years, they are still used to analyze and assess the leaders of our world today. To expand your understanding of leadership as a trait: Consider your own leadership. Which of your own innate traits stand out to other people? How do these traits improve your effectiveness as a leader? How did you acquire these traits? Can you develop them further? Think of a leader in your life who had a significant impact on you and your development. What traits did this person exhibit? What was your reaction to these traits? Was it her or his traits alone that accounted for the impact this person had on you? Reflect on a specific supervisor or manager in your life. How would you describe this person’s leadership? How much of this person’s leadership is explained by his or her traits? Or, is this person’s leadership explained more by how he or she acts toward you (i.e., a behavior emphasis) or by his or her competencies (i.e., a skills emphasis). Remember, your understanding of leadership is influenced by how you conceptualize it. Ability Emphasis Ability emphasis stresses that while some people may be natural-born leaders, leadership ability can also be learned with dedication and hard work. This perspective suggests that anyone can be a leader in the right situation if she or he has the desire and the determination to develop the necessary abilities to be effective. Consequently, this approach stresses the importance of studying and practicing the important abilities one needs to become the best leader possible. To expand your understanding of leadership as an ability: Think back to your high school days. Were certain people always the leaders? Why were they leaders? Did they have “natural” ability or were these abilities they practiced? Are these people still leaders today? Ask your parents or friends to tell you what they see as your leadership abilities. Take their responses seriously and then explore ways you could express these abilities more effectively in school or work settings. Identify two things you could do each day to practice your leadership. For example, if you about:blank Page 5 of 9 North House Engines 10/22/18, 1:35 AM struggle with public speaking, you could join Toastmasters or another organization designed to develop public speaking abilities. Skill Emphasis Skill emphasis implies that leadership skills can be acquired and developed through learning and practice. Three important types of leadership skills, which you will learn more about in a later chapter, are administrative skills, interpersonal skills, and conceptual skills. Administrative skills are what a leader needs to help carry out the goals of an organization. Interpersonal skills are the communication and people skills needed to work effectively with followers, peers, and superiors. Conceptual skills include problem solving, strategic planning, and creating vision. One positive aspect of the skill emphasis is that it suggests a person can become a leader through practice, learning, and experience. It does not limit one’s idea of who can be a leader, but alternatively embraces the idea that anyone has the potential to become a great leader by improving and learning the necessary skills. To expand your understanding of leadership as a skill: Consider the people around you who others do not consider to be leaders. What leadership skills do they have that often go unrecognized? Think about ways you could help others show their leadership skills. Remember, everyone has leadership skill. Name one skill you have developed in your life through practice. Did it take hard work and practice? Once you mastered that skill, how did you feel about yourself? Consider how you could apply that same kind of hard work to improving your leadership skills. Viewing leadership as a skill means you think leadership can be learned and it is something all of us can learn to do better. Reflect on the three general types of leadership skills: administrative, interpersonal, and conceptual. Which of these skills comes easiest for you and which is hardest? The next time you are working with others on a project, let them know what specific skills you bring to the group. Identify strategies for improving your weaker skills. Behavior Emphasis Behavior emphasis theories focus more on what leaders do, instead of who they are. This leadership approach stresses that a leader’s traits and skills are not always as important as how they accomplish tasks and interact with people. It is important to understand that some leaders may have the tools necessary to lead; the way they practice their leadership will determine their effectiveness. An interesting quality of the behavior approach is that it is observable. One of the easiest ways to assess leaders is by watching how good are they at interacting with others, organizing tasks, and motivating others to finish the work expected of them. Behavior approach theories began receiving attention in the late 1930s, reaching their about:blank Page 6 of 9 North House Engines 10/22/18, 1:35 AM peak of importance in the early 1960s when two researchers, Blake and Moulton, studied task and relationship behaviors among managers in organizations. To expand your understanding of leadership as a behavior: Think of a time when you had a really good experience with a leader and you accomplished a lot. What was it about the leader that made things work out so well? How did the leader relate to followers? How did the leader get people to stay on task? Describe how the leader both got the job done and made work enjoyable. Imagine a leader who focuses on tasks all of the time. What would be the results of his or her leadership? If the leader accomplished a lot, would you describe him or her as an effective leader? Consider whether you are more “task” focused or “relationship” focused. Which of these two types of behaviors dominates your style when you are in a leadership role? How could you incorporate more of the behavior that comes less easily to you? Relationship Emphasis Relationship emphasis focuses on how a leader initiates, builds, and maintains relationships with followers. Leadership is often viewed as a process that starts at the top and moves down, but relationship-oriented leadership is a horizontal process where followers’ needs, views, and opinions are just as important as the leader’s. Authority and influence are not just reserved for the leader but rather shared among everyone involved. Leadership as relationship is a less common way to think about leadership than, for example, leadership as a trait or ability. When leadership is viewed as relationship, both the leader and follower are emphasized rather than just the leader. To expand your understanding of leadership as relationship: Step back and analyze your manager or supervisor at work. What kind of relationship does she or he have with you and each of the other employees? To be a better leader, with whom could your leader exchange more relationship-building behaviors? Imagine yourself as a coach for your little sister’s soccer (or any other sport) team. List five things you could do to create strong relationships with each of the individual team members. Reflect on how you could make your relationship “special” with each one of the players. Think about your leadership as how you connect with your followers. Explore unique ways you could relate to them on a one-to-one basis. This could include, for example, giving them special attention, listening to them talk about their pet projects, or giving them praise for a job well done. In the end, you want to have unique relationships with all of your workers. Process Emphasis Put simply, process emphasizes that leadership is a phenomenon characterized by gradual changes that lead to a particular outcome. As a process, leadership includes the leader, about:blank Page 7 of 9 North House Engines 10/22/18, 1:35 AM followers, and influence as well as movement toward a common goal. A leader has the opportunity and the responsibility to influence followers. This is why it is so important that a leader focus on the common goals of the group, as opposed to just the leader’s personal goals. When taking this approach, it is more likely a leader will act with good ethics and values, if the leader wants to have a positive impact on the group as a whole. The process of leadership emphasizes the interaction between the leader and the follower. When a leader sees that the way she or he leads has a direct impact on the group as a whole, it can benefit the leader, the followers, and the end product. To expand your understanding of leadership as process: Consider the leadership of the president of the United States. As a process, presidential leadership includes, in part, the president, the president’s personality, the president’s relationship to Congress and the people, the goals of the president, and the goals of the people. Presidential leadership encompasses a huge array of components. Leadership from this vantage point is complex and multidimensional, including far more than simply a few traits of the leader. Create a list of all the factors that come to play for a leader of a service-learning project. Which of these factors is most important to the success of the project? Does viewing leadership as a process put more or less responsibility on the leader? Identify a historical or current movement that is important to you (e.g., civil rights movement, feminism, environmental sustainability). Who were some prominent leaders in the movement and how did they influence others to create change? Summary How you think about leadership may be affected by your age and life experience, as well as the culture in which you were raised. The key take-away here is: How you think about leadership will strongly influence how you practice leadership. Do you see this connection in your own life? Disclaimer These questionnaires and summaries are intended to help you understand the process of leadership through practical application and self-assessment. They are not designed to be used as personality assessments or for personnel evaluation. They are only one snapshot of your responses on a given day. The scores you receive are subjective and could change if you completed the questionnaires at a different time or in a different place. No matter what, you should check your responses with reality. If they are consistent and valid with what your experiences are, that is good. If they do not match, you are free to disregard this feedback. Taken collectively, the overall goal of these questionnaires is to help you understand and develop your own leadership style and ability. Neither SAGE nor the Author assumes nor shall have any liability for injury and/or damage directly or indirectly arising out of or related to any of the material in this about:blank Page 8 of 9 North House Engines 10/22/18, 1:35 AM book. All opinions expressed by authors and quoted sources are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher. about:blank Page 9 of 9 North House Engines 10/22/18, 1:40 AM To print, please use the print page range feature within the application. 3.2 Leadership Strengths Questionnaire Purpose 1. To develop an understanding of your leadership strengths. 2. To rank your strengths in selected areas of performance. Directions 1. Please answer the statements below in terms of whether the statement describes what you are like. 2. For each of the statements, circle the number that indicates the degree to which you feel the statement is like you. Very Much Unlike Me Unlike Me 1. I am an energetic participant when working with others. 1 2 3 4 5 2. Brainstorming is one of my strengths. 1 2 3 4 5 3. I am good at encouraging coworkers when they feel frustrated about their work. 1 2 3 4 5 4. I want to know “why” we are doing what we are doing. 1 2 3 4 5 Statements about:blank Neutral Like Me Very Much Like Me Page 1 of 9 North House Engines 10/22/18, 1:40 AM 5. I look for common ground in opposing opinions of others. 1 2 3 4 5 6. I enjoy implementing the details of projects. 1 2 3 4 5 7. I like to explore creative approaches to problems. 1 2 3 4 5 8. I go out of my way to help others feel good about their accomplishments. 1 2 3 4 5 9. Examining complex problems or issues is one of my strengths. 1 2 3 4 5 10. I am a mediator in conflict situations. 1 2 3 4 5 11. I stick with the task until the work is completed. 1 2 3 4 5 12. I can initiate change, if it is needed, when working with others. 1 2 3 4 5 13. I show concern for the personal well-being of others. 1 2 3 4 5 14. I like to consider various options for doing things. 1 2 3 4 5 15. I am effective communicating with people who are inflexible. 1 2 3 4 5 about:blank Page 2 of 9 North House Engines 10/22/18, 1:40 AM 16. I try to follow through with ideas so that the work gets done. 1 2 3 4 5 17. I enjoy creating a vision for a work-related project. 1 2 3 4 5 18. I am the “glue” that helps hold the group together. 1 2 3 4 5 19. I like exploring the details of a problem before trying to solve it. 1 2 3 4 5 20. I can draw the best out of people with diverse opinions. 1 2 3 4 5 21. I like making to-do lists so that the work gets completed. 1 2 3 4 5 22. I can “think outside of the box.” 1 2 3 4 5 23. Encouraging others comes easily for me. 1 2 3 4 5 24. I like thinking things through before engaging in work projects. 1 2 3 4 5 25. I am good at finding common ground when a conflict is present. 1 2 3 4 5 26. I enjoy scheduling and coordinating activities so the work is completed. 1 2 3 4 5 about:blank Page 3 of 9 North House Engines 10/22/18, 1:40 AM 27. I am good at developing new ideas for others to consider. 1 2 3 4 5 28. I am good at encouraging others to participate on projects. 1 2 3 4 5 29. I like to explore problems from many different perspectives. 1 2 3 4 5 30. I am effective at helping coworkers reach consensus. 1 2 3 4 5 Submit Scoring 1. Sum the responses on items 1, 6, 11, 16, 21, and 26 (implementer score). 2. Sum the responses on items 2, 7, 12, 17, 22, and 27 (innovator score). 3. Sum the responses on items 3, 8, 13, 18, 23, and 28 (encourager score). 4. Sum the responses on items 4, 9, 14, 19, 24, and 29 (analytic score). 5. Sum the responses on items 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 (mediator score). Total Scores 1. Implementer: 2. Innovator: 3. Encourager: about:blank 30 30 30 Page 4 of 9 North House Engines 4. Analytic: 5. Mediator: 10/22/18, 1:40 AM 28 30 Scoring Interpretation The Leadership Strengths Questionnaire is designed to measure your strengths in the areas of implementation, innovation, encouragement, analysis, and mediation. By assessing the rank order of your scores, you can determine the areas in which you have the greatest strengths and the areas in which you are weaker. A high score in a certain area indicates where you are strong; a low score shows where you are weak. As discussed in this chapter, every person has multiple strengths. In addition to the strengths revealed by the Leadership Strengths Questionnaire, you may wish to complete other strengths assessments to obtain a more complete picture of all of your strengths. 1. If your score is 26–30, you are in the very high range. 2. If your score is 21–25, you are in the high range. 3. If your score is 16–20, you are in the moderate range. 4. If your score is 11–15, you are in the low range. 5. If your score is 6–10, you are in the very low range. Suggestions for Improving Your Leadership Implementer Very High Implementer Score: 26–30 A very high implementer score indicates that you excel at sticking to the task and remain committed to accomplishing goals. You enjoy beginning a project and leading a group of people to accomplish that project, not stopping until the project is complete and meets the agreed-on standards. Persistence is a quality that you both admire and practice. A high implementer score may also indicate you prefer to live in an orderly fashion. For example, you may create daily or weekly to-do lists and enjoy crossing off each task on the list. To further improve your high implementer leadership style, please consider the following suggestions: about:blank Page 5 of 9 North House Engines 10/22/18, 1:40 AM Lead an organization/club to accomplish a stretch goal (i.e., a goal that goes above and beyond an existing goal). Make a list of the steps necessary to reach this goal and begin taking the necessary actions to complete each step. Offer to develop a long-term strategic plan for an organization or club if one does not exist already. Make a deliberate point to focus on the details of your next project or activity. As the cliché states, the devil is in the details. Consider mentoring someone who struggles with implementation. Share tips and best practices that work for you. You may want to check in with this person periodically to make sure project details are being implemented correctly. When working in culturally diverse groups recognize that expressing this strength area might not be universally appreciated. Innovator Very High Innovator Score: 26–30 A very high innovator score indicates that you excel at creating new ways to do things and providing creative ideas for your organization. Leaders who have the strength of innovation are great at leading brainstorming sessions, developing new ideas, and finding unique solutions to common processes or problems. Innovators create an atmosphere of creativity and intellectual stimulation that is an asset to any organization. Additionally, innovative leaders can effectively lead change in an organization by providing everyone with a purpose and plan. To further improve your ability to innovate, please consider engaging in the following actions: Focus on how an existing procedure can be improved as problem-solving can help stimulate creativity. Help another leader in your organization create a vision for an upcoming project. Visions are helpful for any project, regardless of the scope or duration. Listen intently to another member’s idea and then ensure that idea is heard and discussed by the organization/club. Knowing that each individual’s ideas will be heard fosters an atmosphere of creativity within an organization. Make your followers’ work stimulating and challenging. Mundane or repetitive work can stifle creativity. Consider mentoring someone who struggles with innovation. Share tips and best practices that work for you. You may want to check in with this person periodically to see if he or she needs help brainstorming or mindmapping new ideas. When working in culturally diverse groups recognize that expressing this strength area might not be universally appreciated. Encourager about:blank Page 6 of 9 North House Engines 10/22/18, 1:40 AM Very High Encourager Score: 26–30 A very high encourager score indicates that you excel at fostering team cohesiveness through affirming words, uplifting expressions, and demonstrating an upbeat, positive attitude. You can create synergy by making others feel good about themselves and their accomplishments. Encouraging leaders focus on the positive and find ways to celebrate the small victories within their organization. Positivity is a great leader strength that creates effective and productive relationships among people that facilitates goal accomplishment. To further improve your ability to encourage others, please consider engaging in the following actions: Create a “positivity” award within your organization that highlights the most positive person each month. Creating awareness about positivity and recognizing those with positive attitudes can foster a more positive group environment. Handwrite notes to three people each week complimenting them on a positive behavior they exhibited (e.g., an act of kindness toward someone else, an optimistic perspective despite challenging circumstances). Model encouragement for others by publically recognizing follower accomplishments, always saying “thank you” and “please,” and celebrating organizational accomplishments. When working in culturally diverse groups recognize that expressing this strength area might not be universally appreciated. Analytic Very High Analytic Score: 26–30 A very high analytic score indicates that you have strengths for analyzing complex problems and will carefully consider your options before determining the correct course of action. You may also excel at focusing on details or underlying situational factors. Leaders who are attuned to nuances and details understand that a minor aspect of a situation or problem can present the greatest challenges or contribute to inefficiencies, lack of productivity, or poor decision-making. Analytic leaders excel at providing clarity and focus when ambiguity and confusion create uncertain situations for organizations. To further improve your analytic strength, please consider engaging in the following leader actions: Acknowledge that change is vital to organizations. Focus on creating an atmosphere within your organization that challenges the status quo. After determining the best solution for a problem or a complex situation, lead a brainstorming or mindmapping session to help identify future problems you can address now. Promote diversity. Surrounding yourself with people with different backgrounds and perspectives will help you develop a wide range of possible solutions to a problem. about:blank Page 7 of 9 North House Engines 10/22/18, 1:40 AM When working in culturally diverse groups recognize that expressing this strength area might not be universally appreciated. Mediator Very High Mediator Score: 26–30 A very high mediator score indicates that you excel at achieving consensus and effectively managing conflict. Your ability to find common ground and mediate conflicts is a tremendous, leader strength and greatly serves the members of your organization. Leaders must find ways to ensure all voices are heard and considered within a group or organization, bringing about the best solutions to problems or difficult situations. Mediating conflict, bringing about consensus, and ensuring diverse views are heard promotes synergy. To further improve your ability to reach consensus and resolve conflict, please consider engaging in the following leader actions: Establish a mediation process within your organization if one does not currently exist. Having a defined process for managing conflict can assist leaders in determining the root cause of the conflict and the best course of action. Volunteer to lead or develop conflict resolution sessions within your organization in an effort to help others navigate conflict. Mentor others who struggle with conflict (e.g., someone who avoids conflict at all costs or someone who always seems to be at odds with others in the organization). Help them understand best practices for understanding conflict and achieving consensus. When working in culturally diverse groups recognize that people may respond differently to this strength area. Summary Engaging people’s strengths to maximize their value to a group or organization is a great way for leaders to build credibility while best serving their group or organization. People who use their strengths and maximize their potential enjoy their work more, are more efficient and productive, tend to remain loyal to a leader and/or organization, and assist in creating a positive work climate. Everyone enjoys success and those who work to their fullest potential by using what they do best serve both themselves and others. Strengths-based leadership is becoming more popular as leaders realize the tremendous value of using one’s best qualities and attributes for successful performance. Leaders who leverage the strengths of others create win-win climates within their organizations that increase productivity and advance that organization toward achieving its goals and vision. Disclaimer about:blank Page 8 of 9 North House Engines 10/22/18, 1:40 AM These questionnaires and summaries are intended to help you understand the process of leadership through practical application and self-assessment. They are not designed to be used as personality assessments or for personnel evaluation. They are only one snapshot of your responses on a given day. The scores you receive are subjective and could change if you completed the questionnaires at a different time or in a different place. No matter what, you should check your responses with reality. If they are consistent and valid with what your experiences are, that is good. If they do not match, you are free to disregard this feedback. Taken collectively, the overall goal of these questionnaires is to help you understand and develop your own leadership style and ability. Neither SAGE nor the Author assumes nor shall have any liability for injury and/or damage directly or indirectly arising out of or related to any of the material in this book. All opinions expressed by authors and quoted sources are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher. about:blank Page 9 of 9 North House Engines 10/22/18, 1:28 AM To print, please use the print page range feature within the application. 6.2 Leadership Skills Questionnaire Purpose 1. To identify your leadership skills. 2. To provide a profile of your leadership skills showing your strengths and weaknesses. Directions 1. Place yourself in the role of a leader when responding to this questionnaire. 2. For each of the statements below, circle the number that indicates the degree to which you feel the statement is true. Statements Not true Seldom OccasionallySomewhat true true true Very true 1. I am effective with the detailed aspects of my work. 1 2 3 4 5 2. I usually know ahead of time how people will respond to a new idea or proposal. 1 2 3 4 5 3. I am effective at problem solving. 1 2 3 4 5 4. Filling out forms and working with details come easily for me. 1 2 3 4 5 5. Understanding the social fabric of the organization is important to me. 1 2 3 4 5 about:blank Page 1 of 6 North House Engines 10/22/18, 1:28 AM 6. When problems arise, I immediately address them. 1 2 3 4 5 7. Managing people and resources is one of my strengths. 1 2 3 4 5 8. I am able to sense the emotional undercurrents in my group. 1 2 3 4 5 9. Seeing the big picture comes easily for me. 1 2 3 4 5 10. In my work, I enjoy responding to people’s requests and concerns. 1 2 3 4 5 11. I use my emotional energy to motivate others. 1 2 3 4 5 12. Making strategic plans for my company appeals to me. 1 2 3 4 5 13. Obtaining and allocating resources is a challenging aspect of my job. 1 2 3 4 5 14. The key to successful conflict resolution is respecting my opponent. 1 2 3 4 5 15. I enjoy discussing organizational values and philosophy. 1 2 3 4 5 about:blank Page 2 of 6 North House Engines 10/22/18, 1:28 AM 16. I am effective at obtaining resources to support our programs. 1 2 3 4 5 17. I work hard to find consensus in conflict situations. 1 2 3 4 5 18. I am flexible about making changes in our organization. 1 2 3 4 5 Submit Scoring 1. Sum the responses on items 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, and 16 (administrative skill score). 2. Sum the responses on items 2, 5, 8, 11, 14, and 17 (interpersonal skill score). 3. Sum the responses on items 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, and 18 (conceptual skill score). Total Scores 1. Administrative skill: 2. Interpersonal skill: 3. Conceptual skill: 30 27 30 Scoring Interpretation The Leadership Skills Questionnaire is designed to measure three broad types of leadership skills: administrative, interpersonal, and conceptual. By comparing your scores, you can determine where you have leadership strengths and where you have leadership weaknesses. about:blank Page 3 of 6 North House Engines 10/22/18, 1:28 AM 1. If your score is 26–30, you are in the very high range. 2. If your score is 21–25, you are in the high range. 3. If your score is 16–20, you are in the moderate range. 4. If your score is 11–15, you are in the low range. 5. If your score is 6–10, you are in the very low range. Suggestions for Improving Your Leadership Administrative Skills Very High Administrative Skill Score: 26–30 A very high administrative skill score indicates that you clearly understand and effectively use administrative skills. Having strong administrative skills can increase your credibility as a leader. Administrative skills include managing resources, managing people, and exhibiting technical competence. Leaders who have high levels of administrative skills can increase organizational productivity by creating effective and efficient processes to best manage resources, while influencing others to contribute to the organization at their fullest potential. To further develop your administrative strength, consider engaging in the following actions: After completing a project or event, organize a debriefing meeting to discuss what went well, what could have gone better, and what lessons were learned to keep in mind for the future. Acknowledge and celebrate the contributions of all participants. Develop a plan or review existing plans to increase the administrative expertise of your organization or club. The plan should focus on long-term goals and address existing concerns. Getting others involved in developing administrative skills will enhance your understanding of the administrative concerns and needs of your organization while building your administrative skills and credibility. Conduct “leadership by walking around.” Walk around your area of responsibility within the organization and ask those familiar with the operation of equipment, processes, devices, etc. questions to increase your administrative knowledge regarding that aspect of the organization. This leader action will also increase opportunities to create and maintain effective relationships. Interpersonal Skills Very High Interpersonal Skill Score: 26-30 about:blank Page 4 of 6 North House Engines 10/22/18, 1:28 AM Your very high interpersonal skill score indicates you are sensitive to others’ feelings and problems. You are comfortable dealing with conflicts in the workplace. You should seek out leadership situations that allow you to capitalize on your interpersonal skills. To strengthen your interpersonal skills, consider engaging in the following actions: Send two handwritten notes each week thanking or encouraging a coworker, student, or friend. Seek out a mentor with whom you can meet periodically and who will provide honest, critical feedback regarding your ability to create and maintain relationships. With your supervisor's approval, find ways to organize informal discussion groups among workers on work-related issues such as work-life balance, creating a career path within the company, and so on. See the Xerox Corporation example in Chapter 9 on how workers came together to offer support, information and mentoring for one another. Or, if you are a college student, organize a panel presentation by community leaders, alumni, and campus staff on how students can best find meaningful work after graduation. Seek out networking opportunities to meet people in related fields. Stay in contact with them periodically, asking questions and occasionally sharing relevant articles and information when appropriate. Conceptual Skills Very High Conceptual Skill Score: 26-30 Your very high conceptual skill score indicates that thinking creatively and developing ideas and concepts is one of your strengths. You are effective at problem solving, strategic planning, and developing a vision for a group or organization. Leaders who can think innovatively and develop unique solutions and ideas increase their value to their organization and provide a conduit for increasing their credibility with those they want to influence and lead. To strengthen your conceptual skills, consider engaging in the following actions: Volunteer to participate in or lead a strategic planning session within your organization. If this is not possible, conduct your own planning session and then compare it to the existing plan. Redesign the structure of your organization or club without any resource constraints. What outcomes could you achieve if you could implement this structure? Create a new vision and mission/purpose statement for your organization. Share this with your colleagues and use it as a discussion point for critical thinking regarding how to improve the organization. Summary As you analyze your scores in administrative, interpersonal, and conceptual skills, reflect on your personal leadership strengths and weaknesses. Do these scores align with your strengths and about:blank Page 5 of 6 North House Engines 10/22/18, 1:28 AM weaknesses? Can you detect a trend or pattern with this assessment and other assessments you have taken? Based on your skill scores, are you leading at that level now and at what level do you want to effectively lead? How can you best leverage the combination of the three skill areas to improve your leadership effectiveness? Please reflect on these scores and consider discussing your leadership based on these skill scores with someone who knows your leadership and can provide honest, candid feedback. Leadership is an art that everyone can improve on if they have a sincere desire. Disclaimer These questionnaires and summaries are intended to help you understand the process of leadership through practical application and self-assessment. They are not designed to be used as personality assessments or for personnel evaluation. They are only one snapshot of your responses on a given day. The scores you receive are subjective and could change if you completed the questionnaires at a different time or in a different place. No matter what, you should check your responses with reality. If they are consistent and valid with what your experiences are, that is good. If they do not match, you are free to disregard this feedback. Taken collectively, the overall goal of these questionnaires is to help you understand and develop your own leadership style and ability. Neither SAGE nor the Author assumes nor shall have any liability for injury and/or damage directly or indirectly arising out of or related to any of the material in this book. All opinions expressed by authors and quoted sources are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher. about:blank Page 6 of 6
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