Leadership Diagnostic Tools

Complete Three of the following diagnostic tools to assess your leadership strengths,
weaknesses and skills:

1. Skill Inventory
2. Locus of Control: Self-assessment
3. Diversity Management Capability: Self-assessment
4. Cultural Intelligence: Self-assessment
5. Ability to Work under Ambiguity/Uncertainty/Change: Self-assessment
6. Networking Skills
7. Negotiating Skills
Skills inventory
Instructions: read each item carefully and decide whether the item describes you as a person. Indicate
your response to each item by circling one of the five numbers to the right of each item.
Key: 1 = not 2 = Seldom 3 = occasionally 4 =Somewhat 5 = Very
true true true true true

1. I enjoy getting into the details of how things work. 1 2 3 4 5

2. As a rule, adapting ideas to people’s needs is easy for me. 1 2 3 4 5

3. I enjoy working with abstract ideas. 1 2 3 4 5
4. Technical things fascinate me. 1 2 3 4 5
5. Being able to understand others is the most important part of my work.
1 2 3 4 5

6. Seeing the big picture comes easy for me. 1 2 3 4 5

7. One of my skills is being good at making things work. 1 2 3 4 5
8. My main concern is to have a supportive communication climate.
1 2 3 4 5

9. I am intrigued by complex organizational problems. 1 2 3 4 5

10. Following directions and filling out forms comes easily for me.
1 2 3 4 5

11. Understanding the social fabric of the organization is important to me.

1 2 3 4 5

12. I would enjoy working out strategies for my organization’s growth.

1 2 3 4 5

13. I am good at completing the things I’ve been assigned to do. 1 2 3 4 5

14. Getting all parties to work together is a challenge i enjoy. 1 2 3 4 5
15. Creating a mission statement is rewarding work. 1 2 3 4 5
16. I understand how to do the basic things required of me. 1 2 3 4 5
17. I am concerned with how my decisions affect the lives of others.
1 2 3 4 5

18. Thinking about organizational values and philosophy appeals to me.

1 2 3 4 5

Scoring

The skills inventory is designed to measure three broad types of leadership skills: technical,
human, and conceptual. Score the questionnaire by doing the following. First, sum the
responses on items 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, and 16. This is your technical skill score. Second, sum the
responses on items 2, 5, 8, 11, 14, and 17. This is your human skill score. Third, sum the responses
on items 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, and 18. This is your conceptual skill score.
Total scores: Technical skill ____human skill______ conceptual skill______
Scoring interpretation

23–30 high range I 14–22 Moderate range I 6–13 Low range

The scores you received on the skills inventory provide information about your leadership skills
in three areas. By comparing the differences between your scores, you can determine where you
have leadership strengths and where you have leadership weaknesses. your scores also point
toward the level of management for which you might be most suited.

Source: Northouse, P. (2018) Leadership: Theory and Practice, Sage

 Locus of Control: Self-assessment
This questionnaire is designed to measure locus-of-control beliefs. Researchers using this questionnaire
in a study of college students found a mean of 51.8 for men and 52.2 for women, with a standard
deviation of 6 for each. The higher your score on this questionnaire, the more you tend to believe that
you are generally responsible for what happens to you; in other words, higher scores are associated with
internal locus of control. Low scores are associated with external locus of control. Scoring low indicates
that you tend to believe that forces beyond your control, such as powerful other people, fate, or chance,
are responsible for what happens to you.

For each of these 10 questions, indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree using the following
scale:
1 _ strongly disagree
2 _ disagree
3 _ slightly disagree
4 _ neither disagree nor agree
5 _ slightly agree
6 _ agree
7 _ strongly agree

1. When I get what I want, it is usually because I worked hard for it. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

2. When I make plans, I am almost certain to make them work. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

3. I prefer games involving some luck over games requiring pure skill. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

4. I can learn almost anything if I set my mind to it. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

5. My major accomplishments are entirely due to my hard work and ability. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

6. I usually don’t set goals because I have a hard time following through on them. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

7. Competition discourages excellence. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

8. Often people get ahead just by being lucky. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

9. On any sort of exam or competition, I like to know how well I do relative to everyone else. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

10. It’s pointless to keep working on something that’s too difficult for me. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Scoring and Interpretation

To determine your score, reverse the values you selected for questions 3, 6, 7, 8, and 10 (1 =7, 2 = 6, 3
= 5, 4 = 4, 5 = 3, 6 = 2, 7 = 1).
For example, if you strongly disagree with the statement in question 3, you would have given it a value of
1. Change this value to a 7.
Reverse the scores in a similar manner for questions 6, 7, 8, and 10. Now add the point values for all 10
questions together.
Your score ________
Source: https://www.16personalities.com/free-personality-test
 Diversity Management Capability: Self-assessment
For each of the following questions, circle the answer that best describes you.

1. Most of your friends

a. Are very similar to you
b. Are very different from you and from each other
c. Are like you in some respects but different in others

2. When someone does something you disapprove of, you

a. Break off the relationship
b. Tell how you feel but keep in touch
c. Tell yourself it matters little and behave as you always have

3. Which virtue is most important to you?

a. Kindness
b. Objectivity
c. Obedience

4. When it comes to beliefs, you

a. Do all you can to make others see things the same way you do
b. Actively advance your point of view but stop short of argument
c. Keep your feelings to yourself

5. Would you hire a person who has had emotional problems?

a. No
b. Yes, provided the person shows evidence of complete recovery
c. Yes, if the person is suitable for the job

6. Do you voluntarily read material that support views different from your own?
a. Never
b. Sometimes
c. Often

7. You react to old people with

a. Patience
b. Annoyance
c. Sometimes a, sometimes b

8. Do you agree with the statement, “What is right and wrong depends upon the time, place, and
circumstance”?
a. Strongly agree
b. Agree to a point
c. Strongly disagree

9. Would you marry someone from a different race?

a. Yes
b. No
c. Probably not

10. If someone in your family were homosexual, you would

a. View this as a problem and try to change the person to a heterosexual orientation
b. Accept the person as a homosexual with no change in feelings or treatment
c. Avoid or reject the person

11. You react to little children with

a. Patience
b. Annoyance
 c. Sometimes a, sometimes b

12. Other people’s personal habits annoy you

a. Often
b. Not at all
c. Only if extreme

13. If you stay in a household run differently from yours (cleanliness, manners, meals, and other
customs), you
a. Adapt readily
b. Quickly become uncomfortable and irritated
c. Adjust for a while, but not for long

14. Which statement do you agree with most?

a. We should avoid judging others because no one can fully understand the motives of another
person.
b. People are responsible for their actions and have to accept the consequences.
c. Both motives and actions are important when considering questions of right and wrong.

Scoring and Interpretation

Circle your score for each of the answers and total the scores:

1. a = 4; b = 0; c = 2
2. a = 4; b = 2; c = 0
3. a = 0; b = 2; c = 4
4. a = 4; b = 2; c = 0
5. a = 4; b = 2; c = 0
6. a = 4; b = 2; c = 0
7. a = 0; b = 4; c = 2
8. a = 0; b = 2; c = 4
9. a = 0; b = 4; c = 2
10. a = 2; b = 0; c = 4
11. a = 0; b = 4; c = 2
12. a = 4; b = 0; c = 2
13. a = 0; b = 4; c = 2
14. a = 0; b = 4; c = 2

Total Score
0–14: If you score 14 or below, you are a very tolerant person and dealing with diversity comes easily to
you.

15–28: You are basically a tolerant person and others think of you as tolerant. In general, diversity
presents few problems for you; you may be broad-minded in some areas and have less tolerant ideas in
other areas of life, such as attitudes toward older people or male/female social roles.

29–42: You are less tolerant than most people and should work on developing greater tolerance of
people different from you. Your low tolerance level could affect your business or personal relationships.

43–56: You have a very low tolerance for diversity. The only people you are likely to respect are those
with beliefs similar to your own. You reflect a level of intolerance that could cause difficulties in today’s
multicultural business environment.
Source: https://www.16personalities.com/free-personality-test
 Cultural Intelligence: Self-assessment
The job of a manager demands a lot, and before long your activities will include situations that will test
your knowledge and capacity for dealing with people from other national cultures. Are you ready? To find
out, think about your experiences in other countries or with people from other countries.
To what extent does each of the following statements characterize your behavior? Please answer each
of the following items as Mostly True or Mostly False for you.

Mostly Mostly
True False

1. I plan how I’m going to relate to people from a different culture before
I meet them.

2. I understand the religious beliefs of other cultures.

3. I understand the rules for nonverbal behavior in other cultures.

4. I seek out opportunities to interact with people from different cultures.

5. I can handle the stresses of living in a different culture with relative

ease.

6. I am confident that I can befriend locals in a culture that is unfamiliar

to me.

7. I change my speech style (e.g., accent, tone) when

a cross-cultural interaction requires it.

8. I alter my facial expressions and gestures as needed to facilitate a

cross-culture interaction.

9. I am quick to change the way I behave when a cross-culture

encounter seems to require it.

SCORING AND INTERPRETATION: Each question pertains to some aspect of cultural intelligence.
Questions 1–3 pertain to the head (cognitive CQ subscale), questions 4–6 to the heart (emotional CQ
subscale), and questions 7–9 to behavior (physical CQ subscale). If you have sufficient international
experience and CQ to have answered “Mostly True” to two of three questions for each subscale or six of
nine for all the questions, then consider yourself at a high level of CQ for a new manager. If you scored
one or fewer “Mostly True” on each subscale or three or fewer for all nine questions, it is time to learn
more about other national cultures. Hone your observational skills and learn to pick up on clues about
how people from a different country respond to various situations.
Source: https://www.16personalities.com/free-personality-test
 Ability to Work under Ambiguity/Uncertainty/Change: Self-
assessment
Take a moment to fill out the instrument below to see your own tolerance for ambiguity.

Read each of the following statements. Rate each of them in terms of the extent to which you (dis)agree
with the statement using the following scale:

Completely Disagree to Completely Agree

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Place the number that best describes your degree of agreement in the blank to the left of each
statement.

1. ______An expert who does not come up with a definite answer probably does not know much.
2. ______I would like to live in a foreign country for a while.
3. ______The sooner everyone acquires similar values and ideals the better.
4. ______A good teacher makes you wonder about your way of looking at things.
5. ______I like parties where I know most of the people more than ones where all or most of the people
are complete strangers.
6. ______Teachers or supervisors who hand out vague assignments give a chance for one to show
initiative and originality.
7. ______A person who leads an even, regular life, in which few surprises or unexpected happenings
arise, has a lot to be grateful for.
8. ______Many of our most important decisions are based upon insufficient information.
9. ______All problems can be solved.
10. ______People who fit their lives to a schedule probably miss most of the joy of living.
11. ______A good job is one where what is to be done and how it is to be done are clear.
12. ______It is more fun to tackle a complicated problem than to solve a simple one.
13. ______In the long run, it is possible to get more done by tackling small, simple problems rather than
large and complicated ones.
14. ______Often, the most interesting and stimulating people are those who do not mind being different
and original.
15. ______What we are used to is always preferable to what is unfamiliar.

Scoring:
For odd-numbered questions, add the total points.
For even-numbered questions, use reverse scoring (7 means 1, and 1 means 7), and add the total
points.
Your score is the total of the even-numbered and odd-numbered questions.

A tolerant person would score 15 and an intolerant person 105. Scores ranging from 20 to 80 have been
reported, with a mean of 45. Company managers had an average score of about 45, and non-profit
managers had an average score of about 43 though scores in both groups varied widely.

Typically, people who tolerate ambiguity (low score) will be comfortable in organizations characterized by
rapid change, unclear authority, empowerment, and movement toward a learning organization. People
with low tolerance for ambiguity (high score) are comfortable in more stable, well-defined situations.
However, individuals can grow in the opposite direction of their score if they so choose.

Source: https://www.16personalities.com/free-personality-test
 Networking
Recall that networking is part of politics, and through networking you can develop your
power and influence to get others to help you reach your objectives. Through network- ing
you develop relationships, and the relationships build a community support system to help
you in your career.57 There are many benefits to networking. For example, more people find
jobs through networking than all the other methods combined. Companies have been
recruiting talented workers through social media site LinkedIn for years, and more
companies are now also using Facebook to recruit as well as to increase sales. Assess your
networking skills now in Self-Assessment.

Source: Lussier, A. (2016) Leadership: Theory, Application and Skill Development, 6 eds, Cengage Learning

SELF-ASSESSMENT Networking
Identify each of the 16 statements according to how accurately it describes your behavior. Place a number from 1 to 5
on the line before each statement.
5 — 4 — 3 — 2 — 1
Describes me Does not describe me

1. When I start something (a new project,
a career move, a major purchase), I seek
help from people I know and seek new
contacts for help.
2. I view networking as a way to create win–
win situations.
3. I like to meet new people; I can easily
strike up a conversation with people I
don’t know.
4. I can quickly state two or three of my most
important accomplishments.
5. When I contact business people who can
help me (such as with career information),
I have goals for the communication.
6. When I contact business people who can
help me, I have a planned short opening
statement.
7. When I contact business people who can
help me, I praise their accomplishments.
8. When I contact people who can help me,
I have a set of questions to ask.
9. I know contact information for at least 100
people who can potentially help me.
10. I have a file/database with contact
information of people who can help me in
my career, and I keep it updated and
continue to add new names.
11. During communications with people who
can help me, I ask them for names of others
I can contact for more information.
12. When seeking help from others, I ask
them how I might help them.
13. When people help me, I thank them at the
time and for big favors with a follow-up
thanks.
14. I keep in touch with people who have
helped or can potentially help me in my
career at least once a year, and I update
them on my career progress.
15. I have regular communications with people in
my industry who work for different
organizations, such as members of trade
professional organizations.
16. I attend trade/professional/career types of
meetings to maintain relationships and to
make new contacts.
Add up your score and place it here and on the
continuum below.
80 — 70 — 60 — 50 — 40 — 30 — 16
Effective Networking Ineffective Networking
If you are a full-time student, you may not score high
on networking effectiveness, but that’s okay as you can
develop networking skills by following the steps and
guidelines in this chapter.
 Negotiation
We negotiate to secure a more favorable outcome, so negotiating is an essential career skill,
because good negotiators get more favorable outcomes, such as more pay. Let’s face it,
whether you realize it or not, and whether you like it or not, we are all negotiators because
we attempt to get what we want everyday. Negotiating is a process in which two or more
parties have something the other wants and attempt to come to an agreement.
Influence tactics, power, and politics are commonly used during the negotiation process.
Walmart keeps its everyday low prices because it is such a good negotiator. In this section,
we focus on getting what we want by influencing others through negotiation. Before we
get into the details of negotiating, complete Self-Assessment.
Source: Lussier, A. (2016) Leadership: Theory, Application and Skill Development, 6 eds, Cengage Learning

SELF-ASSESSMENT Negotiating
Identify each of the 16 statements according to how accurately it describes your behavior. Place a number from 1 to 5
on the line before each statement.
5 — 4 — 3 — 2 — 1
Describes me Does not describe me

1. Before I negotiate, if possible, I find out
about the person I will negotiate with to
determine what they want and will be willing
to give up.
2. Before I negotiate, I set objectives.
11. When I compromise and give up some-
thing, I ask for something in return.
12. If the other party tries to postpone the
negotiation, I try to create urgency and tell
them what they might lose.

3. When planning my negotiating presentation 13. If I want to postpone negotiation, I don’t

, I focus on how the other party will let the other party pressure me into
benefit. making a decision.

4. Before I negotiate, I have a target price I 14. When I make a deal, I don’t second-guess,
want to pay, a lowest price I will pay, and wonder whether I got the best price, and
an opening offer. check prices.

5. Before I negotiate, I think through options
and trade-offs in case I don’t get my target
price.
6. Before I negotiate, I think of the questions and
objections the other party might have,and
I prepare answers.
7. At the beginning of negotiations, I develop
rapport and read the person.
8. I let the other party make the first offer.
9. I listen to what the other parties are
saying and focus on helping them get
whatthey want, rather than focusing on
whatI want.
10. I don’t give in too quickly to others’
offers.
15. If I can’t make an agreement, I ask for
advice to help me with future negotiations.
16. During the entire business negotiating
process, I’m trying to develop a
relationship, not just a onetime deal.
Add up your score and place it here and on the
continuum below.
80 — 70 — 60 — 50 — 40 — 30 — 16
Effective Networking Ineffective Networking
If you did not score high on negotiating effective-
ness, that’s okay, as you can develop negotiating skills by
following the steps and guidelines in this chapter.