Self-assessment 2.1.

Sternberg-Wagner Self-Assessment Inventory on the Legislative Style Read each of the following statements, and then rate yourself on a 1-7 scale, where each rating corresponds to how well a statement describes you: 1 = Not at all well; 2 = Not very well; 3 = Slightly well; 4 = Somewhat well; 5 = Well; 6 = Very well; and 7 = Extremely well. 1. When making decisions, I tend to rely on my own ideas and ways of doing things. 2. When faced with a problem, I use my own ideas and strategies to solve it. 3.1 like to play with my ideas and see how far they go. 4. I like problems where I can try my own way of solving them. 5. When working on a task, I like to start with my own ideas. 6. Before starting a task, I like to figure out for myself how I will do my work. 7. I feel happier about a job when I can decide for myself what and how to do it. 8. I like situations where I can use my own ideas and ways of doing things. Interpreting Scores The way you evaluate your score is to add up the eight numbers you wrote down above, and then divide by 8. Carry out the division to one decimal place. You now should have a number between 1.0 and 7.0. There are six categories of scores, which depend on your status and your sex. These six categories are shown below.

If you scored in the "very high" category, then you have all or almost all of the characteristics of an executive person. If you scored in the "high" category, you have many of these characteristics. And if you scored in the "high middle" category, then you have at least some of the characteristics. If you scored in the bottom three categories, then this is not one of your preferred styles. Keep in mind, though, that just how executive you are may vary across tasks, situations, and your time of life. Basically, people with the executive style are implementers: They like to do, and generally prefer to be given guidance as to what to do or how to do what needs to be done. They are like Alex, the contracts lawyer, described in the vignette in Chapter 1.

If you scored in the "very high" category, then you have all or almost all of the characteristics of a judicial person. If you scored in the "high" category, you have many of these characteristics. And if you scored in the "high middle" category, then you have at least some of the characteristics. If you scored in the bottom three categories, however, then this is not one of your preferred styles. Keep in mind, though, that just how judicial you are may vary across tasks, situations, and your time of life. People with a judicial style are like Corwin in the vignette of the three college roommates in Chapter 1. They like to evaluate rules and procedures and to judge things. As reporters, for example, they would rather be columnists than straight news reporters, a job that requires a more executive type of thinking. As teachers, they may actually enjoy evaluating their students more than they enjoy teaching them. As supervisors, they may like rating their employees more than they like supervising them. Judicial people also prefer problems in which they can analyze and evaluate things and ideas.