Assignment: Leadership Self-Assessment

Assignment: Leadership Self-Assessment

Permalink: 

Assignment: Leadership Self-Assessment

Leadership style can be defined in several different ways. One expert might suggest 10 different styles, while another may highlight three major styles. Any given leader is likely to have more than one style depending on the situation and the followers involved. Your course text covers three interpersonal styles that can influence the way you lead: directive, participative, and free rein. Such interpersonal styles can vary by culture in that certain cultures tend to produce leaders that have more of one style than another because of the nature and values of the particular culture.

In addition to culture, your leadership style also is influenced by your personality. The Big Five Personality Traits is a psychological model that helps explain different dimensions of personality. Thinking back to last week’s Discussion about nature vs. nurture, these traits are influenced by both heredity and the environment. Two traits, neuroticism and extraversion, are more influenced by heredity than the others. In order to understand leadership effectiveness, it valuable to consider a wide variety of interpersonal styles, leadership styles, and personality traits.

To prepare for this assignment:

Review Chapter 3 in your course text, The Art of Leadership. Pay particular attention to the discussion of styles of leading.

Review Chapter 15 in your course text. Focus on interpersonal styles, types of people and types of culture, and the Big Five Personality Traits.

Review the online article, “Leadership Styles,” and think about which style(s) might best describe you in a leadership role.

Complete Exercise 3–4 , What Is Your Leadership Style? Think about your results.

Complete Exercise 15–1 , Interpersonal Style Questionnaire. Reflect on which of the three interpersonal styles fits you and how your style may be influenced by your culture.

Complete Exercise 15–2 , The Big Five Personality Test, and consider the implications of your results.

Think about how your leadership styles and personal qualities relate to your potential as an effective leader.

Consider how knowing your Big Five Personality Traits may help or hinder you in being an effective leader.

The assignment: (1–2 pages)

Briefly summarize your personal leadership style (based on Exercise 3–4).

Briefly summarize additional leadership style elements that are relevant to you (based on the “Leadership Styles” article).

Briefly summarize your interpersonal style (based on Exercise 15–1). Explain the influence or lack of influence of your culture on your determination of your style as traditional, participative, or individualistic.

Briefly summarize your personality characteristics from The Big Five Personality Test (based on Exercise 15–2).

Analyze what you learned and how your leadership style and interpersonal qualities relate to your potential as an effective leader. Explain how your personality traits and knowledge of where you are in The Big Five Personality Test can help or hinder you in being an effective leader. Give specific examples.