Leadership Style Survey
Leadership Style Survey
This informal tool is designed to help you think about the different leadership styles and the style you use most often when working with employees or team members.
This questionnaire contains statements about leadership style beliefs. Next to each statement, circle the number that represents how strongly you feel about the statement by using the following scoring system:
- Almost always true (AAT) = 5
- Frequently true (FT) = 4
- Occasionally true (OT)= 3
- Seldom true (ST) = 2
- Almost never true (ANT) 1
Be honest about your choices as there are no right or wrong answers—it is only for your own self-assessment.
|
|
|
AAT |
FT |
OF |
ST |
ANT |
|
1 |
I always retain the final decision-making authority within my team. |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
2 |
I always try to include one or more team members in determining what to do and how to do it. However, I maintain the final decision-making authority. |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
3 |
My team and I always vote whenever a major decision has to be made |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
4 |
I do not consider suggestions made by my team members, as I do not have the time for them. |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
5 |
I ask for ideas and input on upcoming plans and projects from team members. |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
6 |
For a major decision to pass, it must have the approval of each individual or the majority. |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
7 |
I tell my team what has to be done and how to do it. |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
8 |
When things go wrong and I need to create a strategy to keep a project or process running on schedule, I call a meeting to get my team’s advice. |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
9 |
To get information out, I send it by e-mail, memos, or voice mail; very rarely is a meeting called. My team members are then expected to act upon the information. |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
10 |
When someone makes a mistake, I tell him or her not to ever do that again and make a note of it. |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
11 |
I allow my team to determine what needs to be done and how to do it. |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
12 |
I allow my team to determine what needs to be done and how to do it. |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
13 |
New hires are not allowed to make any decisions unless I approve it first. |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
14 |
I ask team members for their vision of where they see their jobs going and then use their vision where appropriate. |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
15 |
My team members know more about their jobs than I do, so I allow them to carry out the decisions to do their job. |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
16 |
When something goes wrong, I tell my team that a procedure is not working correctly, and I establish a new one. |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
17 |
I allow my team to set priorities with my guidance. |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
18 |
I delegate tasks in order to implement a new procedure or process. |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
19 |
I closely monitor my team to ensure they are performing correctly. |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
20 |
When there are differences in role expectations, I work with them to resolve the differences. |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
21 |
Each individual is responsible for defining his or her job. |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
22 |
I like the power that my leadership position holds over subordinates. |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
23 |
I like to use my leadership power to help subordinates grow. |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
24 |
I like to share my power with my subordinates. |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
25 |
Team members must be directed or threatened with punishment in order to get them to achieve the organizational objectives. |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
26 |
The team will exercise self-direction if members are committed to the objectives. |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
27 |
The team members will have the right to determine their own organizational objectives. |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
28 |
Team members seek mainly security. |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
29 |
The team knows how to use creativity and ingenuity to solve organizational problems. |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
30 |
My team can lead itself just as well as I can. |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
Your Results
If you scored item one with a 3 (occasionally), and then enter a 3 next to Item 1. When you have entered all the scores for each question, total each of the three columns.
Item Score
1 ________________ 2 ________________ 3 ________________
4 ________________ 5 ________________ 6 ________________
7 ________________ 8 ________________ 9 ________________
10 ________________ 11 ________________ 12 ________________
13 ________________ 14 ________________ 15 ________________
16 ________________ 17 ________________ 18 ________________
19 ________________ 20 ________________ 21 ________________
22 ________________ 23 ________________ 24 ________________
25 ________________ 26 ________________ 27 ________________
28 ________________ 29 ________________ 30 ________________
TOTAL _______ TOTAL _______ TOTAL _______
Authoritarian (Autocratic) Participative (Democratic) Delegative (Free Reign)
This questionnaire is designed to help you assess the leadership style under which you normally operate. The lowest score possible for a stage is 10 (almost never) while the highest score possible for a stage is 50 (almost always).
The highest of the three scores (as determined by the column totals) indicates which style of leadership you normally use. If your highest score is 40 or more, it is a strong indicator of your normal style.
The lowest of the three scores is an indicator of the style you least use. If your lowest score is 20 or less, it is a strong indicator that you normally do not operate out of this mode.
If two of the scores are close to the same, you might be going through a transition phase, either personally or at work, except: If you score high in both the participative and the delegative, then you are probably a delegative leader.
If there is only a small difference between the three scores, this indicates that you have no clear perception of the mode under which you operate, or you are a new leader and you are trying to feel out the correct style for you.
Normally, some of the best leaders operate out of the participative mode and use the other two modes as needed. The exception would be a leader who has a new crew or temporary work force. That leader would probably be operating out of the authoritarian mode. On the other side, a leader who has a crew of professionals or a crew that knows more than she or he does would probably operate out of the delegative mode.
Source: Clark, D. R. (2007), Leadership Style Survey.originally created July 15,1998 , last updated December 30th, 2007 .