Leadership Essay 1
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1.2_Conceptualizing_Leadership_Questionnaire.pdf
13Chapter 1 Understanding Leadership
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Purpose
1. To identify how you view leadership
2. To explore your perceptions of different aspects of leadership
Directions
1. Consider for a moment your own impressions of the word leadership. Based on your experiences with lead- ers in your lifetime, what is leadership?
2. Using the scale below, indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with the following statements about
leadership.
1.2 CONCEPTUALIZING LEADERSHIP QUESTIONNAIRE
Statement Strongly disagree Disagree Neutral Agree
Strongly agree
1. When I think of leadership, I think of a person
with special personality traits.
1 2 3 4 5
2. Much like playing the piano or tennis,
leadership is a learned ability.
1 2 3 4 5
3. Leadership requires knowledge and
know-how.
1 2 3 4 5
4. Leadership is about what people do rather
than who they are.
1 2 3 4 5
5. Followers can influence the leadership
process as much as leaders.
1 2 3 4 5
6. Leadership is about the process of
influencing others.
1 2 3 4 5
7. Some people are born to be leaders. 1 2 3 4 5
8. Some people have the natural ability to be
leaders.
1 2 3 4 5
9. The key to successful leadership is having
the right skills.
1 2 3 4 5
10. Leadership is best described by what leaders
do.
1 2 3 4 5
I N T R O D U C T I O N T O L E A D E R S H I P14
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Visit edge.sagepub.com/northouseintro3e for a downloadable version of this questionnaire.
Statement Strongly disagree Disagree Neutral Agree
Strongly agree
11. Leaders and followers share in the
leadership process.
1 2 3 4 5
12. Leadership is a series of actions directed
toward positive ends.
1 2 3 4 5
13. A person needs to have certain traits to be
an effective leader.
1 2 3 4 5
14. Everyone has the capacity to be a leader. 1 2 3 4 5
15. Effective leaders are competent in their
roles.
1 2 3 4 5
16. The essence of leadership is performing
tasks and dealing with people.
1 2 3 4 5
17. Leadership is about the common purposes
of leaders and followers.
1 2 3 4 5
18. Leadership does not rely on the leader
alone but is a process involving the leader,
followers, and the situation.
1 2 3 4 5
19. People become great leaders because of
their traits.
1 2 3 4 5
20. People can develop the ability to lead. 1 2 3 4 5
21. Effective leaders have competence and
knowledge.
1 2 3 4 5
22. Leadership is about how leaders work with
people to accomplish goals.
1 2 3 4 5
23. Effective leadership is best explained by the
leader-follower relationship.
1 2 3 4 5
24. Leaders influence and are influenced by
followers.
1 2 3 4 5
1.2 CONCEPTUALIZING LEADERSHIP QUESTIONNAIRE (continued)
15Chapter 1 Understanding Leadership
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Scoring
1. Sum scores on items 1, 7, 13, and 19 (trait emphasis)
2. Sum scores on items 2, 8, 14, and 20 (ability emphasis)
3. Sum scores on items 3, 9, 15, and 21 (skill emphasis)
4. Sum scores on items 4, 10, 16, and 22 (behavior emphasis)
5. Sum scores on items 5, 11, 17, and 23 (relationship emphasis)
6. Sum scores on items 6, 12, 18, and 24 (process emphasis)
Total Scores
1. Trait emphasis: ___________
2. Ability emphasis: ___________
3. Skill emphasis: ___________
4. Behavior emphasis: ___________
5. Relationship emphasis: ___________
6. Process emphasis: ___________
Scoring Interpretation
The scores you received on this questionnaire provide information about how you define and view leadership.
The emphasis you give to the various dimensions of leadership has implications for how you approach the lead-
ership process. For example, if your highest score is for trait emphasis, it suggests that you emphasize the role of the leader and the leader’s special gifts in the leadership process. However, if your highest score is for relation- ship emphasis, it indicates that you think leadership is centered on the communication between leaders and followers, rather than on the unique qualities of the leader. By comparing your scores, you can gain an under-
standing of the aspects of leadership that you find most important and least important. The way you think about
leadership will influence how you practice leadership.
Building Your Leadership Profile
If you have the interactive eBook version of this text, log in to access the Leadership Profile Tool. After complet-
ing this chapter’s questionnaire, you will receive individualized feedback and practical suggestions for further
strengthening your leadership based on your responses in this questionnaire.
1.2 CONCEPTUALIZING LEADERSHIP QUESTIONNAIRE (continued)
