Assessing Your Own Management Skills

I. How Do I Rate as a Manager?

The following self-assessment should help you understand your current understanding of the
practice of management and your own approach to management. This assessment outlines four
important functions of management: planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. You should
respond to this in one of three ways:
a. respond based on your own managerial experience if you have any,
b. respond about effective (or ineffective) managers you have observed in your work
experience, or
c. respond in terms of how you think an ideal manager should behave.
Instructions: Recall a situation in which you were a member of a group or team that had a specific
task or project to complete. This may have been at work, in a class, or in a church, club, or civic
organization. Now assess your behavior in each of the functions. For each question, rate yourself
according to the following scale:
Rating Scale:
5 - Definitely true of me
4 - Probably true of me
3 - Neither true nor not true; undecided
2 - Probably not true of me
1 - Definitely not true of me

A. Planning
1. I prepare an agenda for meetings.
2. I try to anticipate what will happen in the future as a result of my current actions
and decisions.
3. I establish clear goals for myself and others.
4. I carefully analyze the pros and cons involved in situations before reaching
decisions.
5. I am quite willing to try new things, to experiment.
6. I have a clear vision for accomplishing the task at hand.
7. I put plans in writing so that others can know exactly what they are.
8. I try to remain flexible so that I can adapt to changing conditions.
9. I try to anticipate barriers to goal accomplishment and how to overcome them.
10. I discuss plans and involve others in arriving at those plans.
Section I Total: _______________

B. Organizing
1. I try to follow the plan while working on the task.
2. I try to develop any understanding of the different steps or parts needed to
accomplish the task at hand.
3. I evaluate different ways of working on the task before deciding on which course
of action to follow.
4. I have a clear sense of the priorities neces sary to accomplish the task.
5. I arrange for others to be informed about the degree of progress in accomplishing
the task.
6. I am open to alternative, even novel, ways of working on the task.
7. I adapt the sequence of activities involved if circumstances change.
8. I have a clear sense of how the steps involved in accomplishing the task should
be structured.
9. I lead or follow where appropriate to see that progress is made toward
accomplish ing the task.
10. I coordinate with others to assure steady progress on the task.
Section II Total: _______________

C. Leading
1. I set an example for others to follow.
2. I am effective at motivating others.
 3. I try to keep a balance between getting the work done and keeping a spirit of
teamwork.
4. I try to handle conflict in nonthreatening, constructive ways.
5. I help others in the group and provide guidance and training to better perform their
roles.
6. I am open to suggestions from others.
7. I keep everyone informed about the group’s activities and progress.
8. I show a genuine interest in the work of others.
9. I am considerate when providing constructive suggestions to others.
10. I understand the needs of others and encourage initiative in their meeting those
needs. Section III Total: ______________

D. Controlling
1. I regularly assess the quantity and quality of progress on the task at hand.
2. I try to assure that the information I have is timely, accurate, complete, and
relevant.
3. I routinely share information with others to help them accomplish their tasks.
4. I compare progress with plans and take corrective action as warranted.
5. I manage my time and help others to manage theirs.
6. I have good sources of information or methods for obtaining information.
7. I use technology (computers, tablets, smart phones, etc.) to aid in monitoring
progress and communicating with others.
8. I anticipate possible negative reactions and take action to minimize them.
9. I recognize that “fixing problems before they occur” is better than “fixing problems
after they occur.”
10. I try to balance my attention on the many different steps in accomplishing the task
at hand.
Section IV Total: ______________
II. Cross-Cultural Awareness
The following questions are intended to provide insights into your awareness of other cultures.
Please indicate the best answers to the questions listed below. There is no passing or failing
answer. Use the following scale, recording it in the space before each question.
1 - definitely no
2 - not likely
3 - not sure
4 - likely
5 - definitely yes

1. I can effectively conduct business in a language other than my native language.

2. I can read and write a language other than my native language with great ease.
3. I understand the proper protocol for conducting a business card exchange in at least two
countries other than my own.
4. I understand the role of the keiretsu in Japan or the chaebol in Korea.
5. I understand the differences in manager subordinate relationships in two countries other
than my own.
6. I understand the differences in negotiation styles in at least two countries other than my
own.
7. I understand the proper protocols for gift giving in at least three countries.
8. I understand how a country’s characteristic preference for individualism versus
collectivism can influence business practices.
9. I understand the nature and importance of demographic diversity in at least three
countries.
10. I understand my own country’s laws regarding giving gifts or favors while on international
assignments.
11. I understand how cultural factors influ ence the sales, marketing, and distribu tion
systems of different countries.
12. I understand how differences in male female relationships influence business practices
in at least three countries.
13. I have studied and understood the his tory of a country other than my native country.
14. I can identify the countries of the European Union without looking them up.
15. I know which gestures to avoid using overseas because of their obscene meanings.
16. I understand how the communication styles practiced in specific countries can influence
business practices.
17. I know in which countries I can use my first name with recent business acquaintances.
18. I understand the culture and business trends in major countries in which my organization
conducts business.
19. I regularly receive and review news and information from and about overseas locations.
20. I have access to and utilize a cultural informant before conducting business at an overseas
location.
Total Score: ___________
[Note: This brief instrument has not been scientifically validated and is to be used for classroom
discussion purposes only.]
III. What’s Your Learning Style?
“Learning style” refers to the ways you prefer to approach new information. We all learn and process
information in our own special style, although we share some learning patterns, preferences, and
approaches. Knowing your own style also can help you to realize that other people may approach the
same situation in a different way from your own.
Take a few minutes to complete the following questionnaire to assess your preferred learning style.
Begin by reading the words in the left-hand column. Of the three responses to the right, circle the one
that best characterizes you, answering as honestly as possible with the description that applies to you
right now. Count the number of circled items and write your total at the bottom of each column. The
questions you prefer provide insight into how you learn.

1. When I try to I grow distracted by I get distracted by I become distracted by

concentrate clutter or movement, sounds, and I attempt commotion, and I tend to
… and I notice things to control the amount retreat inside myself.
around me other and type of noise
people don’t notice. around me.
2. When I I see vivid, detailed I think in voices and I see images in my
visualize… pictures in my sounds. thoughts that involve
thoughts. movement.
3. When I talk I find it difficult to listen I enjoy listening, or I I gesture and
with for very long. get impatient to talk communicate with my
others… myself hands.
4. When I I prefer face-to-face I prefer speaking by I prefer to interact while
contact meetings telephone for serious walking or participating in
people… conversations. some activity
5. When I see I forget names but I know people’s I remember what we did
an re member faces, and names and I can together and I may almost
acquaintanc I tend to replay where usually quote what we “feel” our time together.
e… we met for the first discussed.
time.
6. When I I watch TV, see a play, I listen to the radio, I play sports, make crafts,
relax… visit an exhibit, or go to play music, read, or or build something with my
a movie. talk with a friend. hands.
7. When I I like descriptive I enjoy the narrative I prefer action-oriented
read… examples and I may most and I can almost stories, but I do not often
pause to imagine the “hear” the characters read for pleasure.
scene. talk.
8. When I I envision the word in I sound out the word, I get a feel for the word by
spell… my mind or imagine sometimes aloud, and writing it out or pretending
what the word looks tend to recall rules to type it.
like when written. about letter order.
9. When I do I seek out I want verbal and I jump right in to try it, keep
something demonstrations, written instructions, trying, and try different
new… pictures, or diagrams. and to talk it over with approaches.
someone else.
10. When I I look at the picture first I look at the picture I usually ignore the
assemble an and then, maybe, read first and then, maybe, directions and figure it out
object… the directions. read the directions. as I go along.
11. When I I examine facial I examine facial I focus on body language.
interpret expressions. expressions.
someone’s
mood…
12. When I I show them. I tell them, write it out, I demonstrate how it is
teach other or I ask them a series done and then ask them to
people… of questions. try.
Total Visual: Auditory: Tactile/Kinesthetic:
____________ __________ ___________

The column with the highest total represents your primary processing style. The column with the
second most choices is your secondary style.
Your primary learning style : ____________
Your secondary learning style : ____________
 IV. Assessing Your Equity Sensitivity
The questions that follow are intended to help you better understand your equity
sensitivity. Answer each question on the scales by circling the number that best
reflects your personal feeling.

1. I think it is important for everyone to be treated fairly.

2. I pay a lot of attention to how I am treated in comparison to how others are

treated.

3. I get really angry if I think I’m being treated unfairly.

4. It makes me uncomfortable if I think someone else is not being treated fairly.

5. It makes me uncomfortable if I think someone else is not being treated fairly.

6. It doesn’t really bother me if someone else gets a better deal than I do.

7. It is impossible for everyone to be treated fairly all the time.

8. When I’m a manager, I’ll make sure that all of my employees are treated fairly.

9. I would quit my job if I thought I was being treated unfairly.

10. Short-term inequities are okay because things all even out in the long run.

Instruction: Add up your total points (note that some items have a “reversed” numbering
arrangement). If you scored 35 or higher, you are highly sensitive to equity and fairness; 15 or
lower, you have very little sensitivity to equity and fairness; between 35 and 15, you have
moderate equity sensitivity