leadership of organization

HONEST SELF ASSESSMENT 1

Honest Self-Assessment: An Evaluation of Leadership Competency

Anish Pillai

University of Houston Clear Lake

HONEST SELF ASSESSMENT 2

Summary

In order to evaluate my leadership and management abilities, I completed 41

assessment tests. These tests determined my competency in various skills required within

and outside of the workplace in order excel as a healthcare administrator. The results of

these tests are shown in Appendix A. The first 9 tests were provided by the course

instructor on the course website. The remaining 32 tests are part of the Stephen Robbins’

Self Assessment Library, a compilation of questionnaires that are meant to provide insight

into one’s interests, skills, and abilities. In this paper, I discuss the results that I obtained

on these various tests and present an action plan for how I plan to enhance and develop

various skills and abilities.

Introduction

Many times in our lives we tend to deny our shortcomings. When things do not

happen according to plan we tell ourselves that nothing could have been done to prevent

it when in actuality it could have been prevented. We deny that that the occurrence

happened due to our lack of skill, intelligence, or organization, and we force ourselves to

believe that it was a matter of a chance. An American writer and poet, Don Williams, Jr.,

once said, “A man can never hope to be more than he is if he is not first honest about

what he isn’t.” As I started to complete these assessments, I was certainly in denial. It

was difficult to actually choose the answers that actually represented me rather than

choosing the answers that represented how I should be. Through the process of

completing these assessments, I realized the value of Williams’ quote. Honestly assessing

oneself is imperative for identifying who I am and what I want. Without understanding

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my true self it is practically impossible for me to improve and develop my skills and

abilities.

The assessments have helped me become aware of my strengths and weaknesses,

identify habits and skills that I need develop, and recognize abilities that I need to

improve. In this paper, I will give an overview of the results that I obtained and present

an action plan for how I plan to fulfill various competencies.

I will discuss the results in three parts: (1) my character, which include my views, needs,

and values; (2) my ability to work with others, which include my leadership,

communication, and team skills; and (3) my ability to manage time and stress.

Personality and Character

The following 20 assessment tests provided insight into my personality and

character: 1A1, IA2, IA3, IA4, IA5, IVA2, IVA3, 2, 6, 7, IB1, IC2, IC3, IC4, IC5, IC6,

IC7, IE1, and IE4. The scores obtained for each of these tests are shown in Appendix A.

Assessment IA1 looked at five different dimensions of my basic personality:

extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability, openness to

experience. I scored high in conscientiousness and emotional stability and obtained

moderate scores in extraversion, agreeableness, and openness to experience. My scores

indicate that I am an introvert. It shows that I am somewhat cooperative and tend to find

more comfort in doing what is familiar since my lowest score was in openness to

experience. I think if I were more open to experience I could be more appreciative of

others ideas and thoughts when working in a group and this way work more

cooperatively and agreeably. Scoring high in emotional stability is certainly a positive,

however scoring high in conscientiousness could be seen as a negative. When one is too

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concerned with details, as I tend to be at times, one loses sight of the big picture. It is

important to see the larger picture when conducting any project or assignment.

Although assessment IA1 identified me as an introvert, the results for assessment

IA2 indicated that I am an extrovert. This may indicate that I am somewhere in between

the two. I find myself to be introverted for the most part, but at the same time extroverted

in certain situations and circumstances. Sometimes I feel the need for heavy interaction

with others in order to recharge, however at other times I prefer to reflect alone. In fact,

my score for I and E were the same in assessment IA2, therefore I certainly stand

somewhere in between. Assessment IA2 indicated that I fit under the ENTJ personality

type, which means that I am extroverted, intuitive, thinking, and judging. The results

indicate that I am outgoing, visionary, and often seen as a natural leader. It is also stated

that I have a low tolerance for incompetence, which is not good when working with

others. I need to become more tolerant and learn how to deal with those who are

incompetent by speaking to them in a more appropriate manner or providing them with

proper training.

Assessment IA3 identified me to be a hard core Type A individual, which

indicates that I tend to focus on quantity over quality. This means that I am better at

performing routine tasks that require speed rather than tasks that rely on creativity. I have

a tendency to try to accomplish more tasks even with less time rather than trying to do

few tasks really well. I feel that creativity takes time and I feel that the time spent

thinking creatively could be spent accomplishing more of something less creative. I have

noticed in my teamwork experiences that I sometimes inflict this aggressive nature on the

entire group, which makes everyone feel stressed. I need to learn to take the time to think

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of creative approaches. Assessment IA5 indicated that I have some creative ability. I

received a score of 9 in a range between -12 and +18. Thus, I feel that I have the ability to

think creatively, but I just do not have the patience, which is what I need to develop.

According to Assessment IA4 and Assessment 3 tested my tolerance for

ambiguity. I received moderate scores for both tests. . From my experience I have seen

that the field of healthcare is so dynamic and thus it is important to be able to tolerate

ambiguity. Assessment 3 states that tolerance for ambiguity is connected to ability to

think creatively. If I develop the patience to think more creatively, I may be able to

enhance my creative ability and thus increase my tolerance for ambiguity.

Assessment IVA2 assessed my decision-making ability. I received a high score

for this assessment, which indicates that I take the time to make decisions carefully.

Although this may be seen as a positive quality, taking too much time to make a decision

is not good. The ability to make decisions quickly is an important asset to have when

acting as a leader especially when dealing with unexpected circumstances. Sometimes I

tend to take too long in making a decision, which may be due to my lack of confidence in

the decisions that I make. Assessment IVA3 assessed my confidence level and I scored a

28 in a range between 8 and 40. I also scored lower for Assessment IC6, which assessed

my level of self-confidence. Therefore, there is room for increasing confidence in my

ability to succeed. If I gain more confidence in my ability to succeed I believe I can make

decisions more confidently and with less deliberation.

Assessment 2 tested my optimism in four dimensions: permanence,

pervasiveness, hope, and personalization. In the category of permanence, I found that I do

not find the causes of bad events to be so permanent, and that I am rather very optimistic

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about the likelihood of good events continuing. My PvB score in the second dimension,

pervasiveness, indicates that I am moderately optimistic when bad things happen since I

attribute the occurrences to specific causes rather than universal causes. On the other

hand, my PvG score for pervasiveness indicates that when good things happen I attribute

it to more specific causes and thus I am moderately pessimistic in this sense. When

something positive occurs, I tend to believe that the cause was temporary and that it will

not always be the case. In the hope category, I found that I am moderately hopeful. In the

personalization category, I found that I tend to attribute the cause of good things to other

people or circumstances rather than myself and thus I have only average self-esteem. My

total B score indicates that I am moderately optimistic. My total G score indicates that I

think about good events quite pessimistically, and my final overall G-B score indicates

that I have only average optimism. In conclusion, the results of the optimism assessment

indicate that I have to learn to be more optimistic. I was surprised by these results

because I have seen myself to be an optimist, but after taking this test and doing some

reflection I realized that my previous experiences have made me very skeptical in my

interaction with people. I tend to be careful in my dealings with other people in order to

avoid getting taken advantage of. However, I should not consider the cause of these bad

experiences to be universal otherwise it will be difficult for me to move forward mentally

with a more optimistic attitude.

Assessment IB1 assessed my values. I ranked pride in accomplishment, happiness

and satisfaction in life, and self-respect as my most important terminal values. I selected

assertiveness, hard work and achievement, and dependability as my most important

instrumental values. I aspire to become a hospital executive and I think having pride in

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accomplishment is very important. As an executive one must represent the organization

with pride so that it makes a good impression on the public. Self-respect is also important

because if one does not value the time and energy one puts towards work one cannot

work efficiently. I feel that my values do align with those of successful people in the field

to which I aspire, however I need to carefully maintain these values in order to be

successful.

Assessments IC2, IC3, IC4, IC5, and IC7 helped me recognize the things that

motivate me. Assessment IC2 measured four social needs: achievement, affiliation,

autonomy, and power. I scored above 20 in every category except affiliation. I do not

give as much importance to being accepted by others. I have learned from experience that

it is difficult to be accepted by everyone you interact with because each individual has

unique views and expectations, thus affiliation is less important to me. However, in order

to become a leader, one must be accepted my others, therefore this hold some

importance. Assessment IC3 assessed how much I value various work-related rewards. I

value having interesting work more than anything else. When one is committing one’s

life to something that one is not interested in, it is difficult to stay motivated and driven

therefore this is very important to me. I did not give much value to having pleasant

conditions at work. At a young age, I am looking for adventure and challenge in the

workplace. I am willing to work in unpleasant conditions to gain as much experience and

knowledge as possible. This may certainly change with age but as of now this is my

mood. Assessment IC4 assessed my view on the nature of people. I received a score of

20, which indicates that I am flexible in my perception of others. I do not let my first

impression of an individual take over my entire view of an individual, but I tend to give

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every person I work with a chance to prove his or her abilities and skills. Assessment IC5

indicated my course performance goals. I scored a 9 out of 12, which indicates that I have

specific goals that motivate me to study hard. I study hard because I value achievement,

as indicated by my score for assessment IC7. Results from assessment IC7 indicate that I

do not enjoy seeing successful people fall and that a favor reward for success.

Assessments IE1 and IE4 tested emotional intelligence and likelihood of

becoming an entrepreneur. The results indicated that I have a high level of emotional

intelligence. However I sometimes struggle knowing when to use emotional intelligence

because sometimes the use of logic is more appropriate. For example, when discussing

the financial status of an organization during a meeting one should use logic, but while

trying to inspire your subordinates to improve the financial status and develop an

effective plan, one may need to use emotional intelligence. For assessment IE4, I

received a high score, which indicates that I have a very proactive personality. I am

always prepared to take action and show initiative, but at times this is not a good thing.

Sometimes I tend to take action too swiftly without proper deliberation, which can result

in unfavorable situations.

Finally, assessment 7 tested for the self-limiting behaviors in four different

categories: control, predictability, accountability, and esteem. I scored much higher than

the average for every dimension except predictability. I have a tendency to be controlling

at times. I get frustrated when things do not go the way that I intended. Sometimes I try to

make sure I am involved in everything within my organization even after delegating

responsibilities. I need to develop more trust in the other individuals that work with me

otherwise I am just creating more stress for myself. By engaging too much energy in

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trying to control everything, I am taking time and energy away from doing my work and

developing my skills. I had a high score for avoidance of accountability because of my

tendency to blame problems on other people and things rather than myself. Sometimes I

refuse to accept that a negative incidence could have been prevented with careful

planning and organization on my part. The key is self-honesty, which means taking

responsibility for one’s mistakes and holding yourself accountable for making sure that

your various tasks within an organization are completed to the highest standard. Lastly, I

scored high in esteem. Sometimes approach situations with a more passive attitude rather

than being assertive. However dealing with another person in a passive manner does not

allow me to get what I want and as a result I get irritated. This does not allow me to

develop good relationships with other people and thus I have to build my self-esteem and

learn to be more assertive and open in my interaction with people.

Leadership and Team Skills

The following assessments related to skills required when working with others:

IIA1, IIA2, IIB1, 5, IIB2, IIB3, IIB4, IIB5, IIB6, IIC1, IIC2, IIC3, IIC4, IIC5, IIC6, 4,

and IIIA3. The scores obtained for each of these tests are shown in Appendix A.

Assessment IIA1 assessed my communication style in 9 different categories: dominant,

dramatic, contentious, animated, impression leaving, relaxed, attentive, open, and

friendly. I got a moderate (mid-range) score in each of these categories, thus I have much

room for improvement. I scored highest on impression leaving, and lowest on

attentiveness. Assessment IIA2 indicated that I have poor listening skills, which is

consistent with my low score in attentiveness in Assessment IIA1. Within any workplace,

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effective communication is critical thus it is important that I improve my attentiveness,

openness, and friendliness in communicating with others.

Assessment IIB1 and 5 assessed my leadership style. Assessment IIB1 assessed

the degree to which I am task or people-oriented. I scored a 5/11 for task/people

orientation, which indicates that I am too task oriented and less people oriented.

Sometimes I tend to care more about getting the job done even if that means ignoring the

needs of other individuals. I need to develop a balance between the two in order to be an

effective leader. The results of assessment 5 indicated my skill level in five different

areas: initiating and maintaining action, directing and coordinating, motivating and

stimulating others, assigning and delegating tasks, and holding others accountable. I

scored fairly high (above 20) in all the categories except assigning and delegating tasks,

where I received a moderated score. I commented earlier about my tendency to

sometimes take control over every task. When wanting too much control, I fail to assign

and delegate responsibilities appropriately. Much of this has to do with not trusting in

others. Assessment IIB3 indicates that I have very low faith in other people. Thus I need

to develop my faith in others’ abilities. Normally when I take too much control I become

stressed and the work is not done as well as it could have been done if it were delegated

properly. Assessment IIB4 also relates to trust and answers the question of whether or not

others see you as trustworthy. I received a high score for this assessment, which indicates

that I’m likely to be perceived as a person who can be trusted. Within my organization, I

found that individuals do have a lot of trust in me and thus they are somewhat

comfortable with me taking on several tasks at once because they have seen me do things

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well. However this does not favor the development of the group as a whole, therefore

tasks should be delegated and the entire team should be fully engaged.

Assessment IIB2 tested one’s tendency to be charismatic in six categories:

management of attention, management of meaning, management of trust, management of

self, management of risk, and management of feelings. I scored high in all these

categories and my total score indicates that I have strong charismatic qualities.

Charismatic qualities are favorable when building and leading a team of which I have

scored in the second quartile (Assessment IIB6). As the inaugural president of two

student organizations during my undergraduate years, I found that being charismatic was

certainly important in order to inspire students to get involved and be active within the

organization. In trying to build an organization from scratch I was forced into a situation

where I knew that I had to be charismatic in order to build the organization and attract

people. However in a normal setting this may not be my natural tendency.

Assessment 4 tested my ability to work with a team in four categories: initiation,

ideation, elaboration, and completion. Teamwork sequentially involves these four steps.

It is most effective to spread out these four tasks among different team members. I scored

highest in the initiation stage and lower in the other three categories, which indicates that

I would prefer to take on the role of the leader or the moderator in a team. I scored lowest

on elaboration, which indicates that I would prefer not to take on the role of managing or

organizing.

Assessment IIB5 and IIIA3 tested my ability to discipline others and give

performance feedback, two important aspects of being a leader which I need to improve

on. Assessment IIB5 indicated that I have deficiencies in disciplining others and

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assessment IIA3 indicated that I have significant self-perceived weaknesses that can be

improved on. As I have commented earlier, my ability to discipline others and provide

feedback is related to my lack of self-confidence and self-esteem. Building self-esteem is

the key to becoming more assertive and through assertiveness I can improve my

competency in this area.

Assessments IICI, IIC2, IIC3, IIC4, IIC5, and IIC6 relate to power and ability to

resolve conflict conflicts. Assessment IIC1 indicates that I am not so power-oriented

(IIC1). Assessment IIC2 assess five different way in which I prefer to execute power:

reward, coercive, legitimate, expert, and referent. I received a high score for legitimate,

expert, and referent, which indicates that I prefer to influence others using these forms of

power. This means that I prefer to influence others through my formal position, my

knowledge or skills, and others’ desire to identify with me. I prefer for an individual to do

work because they truly care about completing the task rather than doing it for a reward.

If they do not care about their work then I do not think they are appropriate for that

particular task or work. In addition, coerciveness does not encourage a healthy working

environment and can ruin relationships between individuals. Assessment IIC3 indicates

that I am fairly good at playing politics. Assessment IIC4 assessed my ability to make an

impression in five categories: self-promotion, ingratification, exemplification,

intimidation, and supplication. The results indicate that I do not make consistent use of

self-promotion, intimidation, and supplication in making an impression. This involves

pointing out my talents and accomplishments, showing how much power I have, and

advertising my weaknesses in order to show that I am needy. Assessment IIC5 tested for

my preferred conflict style in five categories: competing, collaborating, avoiding,

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accommodating, and compromising. My highest score was a 14, which is what I scored

in four out of five of the categories. This indicates that I do not have a particular

preference but I am flexible in the way that I handle conflicts depending on the

circumstance or situation. The assessment does indicate that I do not prefer to resolve

conflicts through competing, which is where I received the lowest score. Competing can

sometimes hurt the other party involved in the conflict and result in more problems

therefore it is best to avoid this style. Assessment IIC6 assessed my negotiating style. I

have much room for improving my negotiating style. Particularly I must learn to be more

direct and open, which will allow for better collaboration during conflict resolution.

Time and Stress Management

The following assessments related to time and stress management: IIIC2, 1, 8, and

9. The scores obtained for each of these tests are shown in Appendix A. Overall my stress

level is quite low. Assessment IIIC2 indicated that I have a low stress level and my

overall stress factor in Assessment I was 103.2, which also indicates very low stress. I

have not experienced any major work or life changes within the 12 months, thus I have

had a low overall stress level. However, although my overall stress is low, from time to

time, I experience stress due to my inability to manage my time properly and create a

balance. Assessment 8 indicated to me that I am struggling to meet the demands of my

family life in spite of the fact that I absorbed in work and school. The result of

assessment 9 indicates that I need to manage my time more effectively. If I were to

manage my time more effectively I could create a better balance between family, work,

and school.

Pursuing an Action Plan

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After assessing the results of these tests I created an action plan in order to

improve my abilities and develop various skills (see Appendix B). The action plan

indicates the following: (1) my objectives (areas where I found that I need improvement);

(2) specific steps for achieving each objective; (3) the time in which it will be completed;

and (4) how I will evaluate if I have accomplished each objective. Improving oneself is

certainly a gradual and difficult process, however I think with the proper mindset and

determination it will be an enriching experience. I plan to take inspiration through

reading inspirational novels and I also plan to talk to others about my experience. I feel it

is important to confide in one or more individuals and talk to them about your experience

and share your progress.

Conclusion

Dr. Raymond Khoury, retired hospital CEO and current professor at the

University of Houston Clear Lake, said, “The most important part of being a hospital

executive is humility.” The process of completing these assessments was certainly a

humbling experience. I have realized the importance of honest self-assessment, which

sets one on a clear path for success. This exercise has helped me identify specific areas

where I can improve myself and by refining myself in these areas I can be confident that I

will accomplish my future goals.

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Appendix A

(1) Stress Management*

(6) Flexibility Predisposition Score 6.45

Working with new, changing, and ambiguous situations 19 Emotional Impact Score (I) 4

Emotional Impact Score (O) 12

Working under pressure 20

Total Sources of Stress 16

Dealing with different personal styles 19

Overal Stress Factor 103.2

Handling feedback 19

Resolving conflict 19

(2) Optimism Permanence

(7) Self-Limiting Behavior Inventory PmB 2

Control 39

PmG 7

Predictability 32 Pervasiveness

Accountability 34

PvB 2

Esteem 28 PvG 3

Total Score 133

Hope HoB (PvB + PmB) 4

(8) Work-Life Balance* Personalization

Family Demand Score 3

PsB 4

Work Demand Score 1.5 PsG 3

Work-Family Conflict Score 2

Total B (PmB + PvB + PsB) 8 Total G (PmG + PvG + PsG) 13

(9) Time Management Profile* Total G – Total B 5

Score 8

(3) Tolerance for Ambiguity

(IA1) Basic Personality Score 54

Extraversion 9

Agreeableness 11

(4) Team Work & Team Roles

Conscientiousness 13 Initiation 47

Emotional Stability 12

Ideation 43

Openness to Experience 8 Elaboration 60

Completion 48

(IA1) Basic Personality

Extraversion 9

(5) Assessing Leadership Skills

Agreeableness 11 Initiating and maintaining action 22

Conscientiousness 13

Directing and coordinating 20

Emotional Stability 12 Motivating and stimulating others 22

Openness to Experience 8

Assigning and delegating tasks 17 Holding others accountable 23

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(IA2) Jungian 16 Type Personality

(IC6) Ability to Succeed (Self- Efficacy)

Score for I 4  

Score 37 Score for E 4

     Score for S 4  

(IC7) What's my Attitude Toward Achievement? Score for N 4

 Score for T 7  

Favor successful people fall 42 Score for F 1  

  Favor reward for success 50

Score for J 6        Score for P 2

(IE1) Emotional Intelligence Four letter personality ENTJ

Score 38

(IA3) Am I a Type-A?*

(IE4) Entrepreneurship Score 132

Score 104

(IA4) Ambiguity

(IIA1) Communication Style Score 27

Dominant 0.33

Dramatic 0.2

(IA5) How Creative am I?

Contentious 0.42 Score 7

Animated -0.2

Impression 0.8

(IB1) Values

Relaxed 0.6 See page # for results.

Attentive -0.4

Open -0.5

(IC2) What are my Dominant Needs?

Friendly 0.5 Achievement 21

     Affiliation 16  

(IIA2) Listening Skills Autonomy 22

  Score 42

Power 23      

      (IIB1) Leadership Style

(IC3) Rewards  

People 5 See page # for results.

  Task 11

         (IC4) What's My View on the Nature of People?*  

(IIB2) How Charismatic am I?

  Management of attention 15

Score 20  

Management of meaning 17

      Management of trust 17

(IC5) What are my Course Performance Goals?*  

Management of self 15

  Management of risk 16

Score 9  

Management of feelings 15  

       

HONEST SELF ASSESSMENT 17

(IIB3) Do I Trust Others?*  

(IIC6) Negotiating Style Score 5

  Score 23

      (IIB4) Do I Trust Others?*

 

(IIIA3) Giving Performance Feedback

Score 50  

Self-perceived strengths 3

      Self-perceived weakenesses 5

(IIB5) Disciplining Others      Score 20  

(IIIC2) How Stressful is my Life?*

      Score 31

(IIB6) Building and Leading a Team      Score 76  

(IVA2) Deliberate Decision Maker

      Score 28

(IIC1) Power      Score 20  

(IVA3) Confidence in Ability

      Score 28

(IIC2) What's my Preferred Type of Power?      

  *Additional assessments which are not required Reward 3.7

 Coercive 2.2      Legitimate 4      Expert 4.2      Referent 4      

         (IIC3) Politics      Score 97      (IIC4) Impressions      Self-Promotion 2.25      Ingratification 4      Exemplification 3.75      Intimidation 1.6      Supplication 1      (IIC5) Preferred Conflict Style      Competing 12      Collaborating 14      Avoiding 14      Accomodating 14      Compromising 14      

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Appendix B

Action Plan Objective Specific Step(s) Timeline Evaluation • To become

more tolerant of ambiguity and others’ actions.

• To become more open to experience.

1) Ask questions and try to understand the opposing viewpoint of where I stand on an issue.

2) Try a new restaurant that I have always thought I did not like.

3) Engage myself in a new hobby or sport.

September 2011- January 2012

Retake Assessment IA1, IA2, IA4, and 3.

To become less aggressive and take the time to think creatively.

1) Engage others in my team who do think creatively.

2) Strive to appreciate originality.

3) Experience something new every month.

September 2011- September 2012

Retake Assessment IA3.

To improve my self-confidence and self-esteem.

1) Make it a point to compliment someone at least every other day.

2) Dress nicely and professionally consistently.

3) Exercise 5 times each week.

Septmber 2011- January 2012

Retake Assessment IVA3 and Assessment IC6.

To become more optimistic and improve my trust in others’ abilities and skills.

1) For positive events that happen in life, stop and give myself credit.

2) Let go of the past because the past does not determine the

September 2011- September 2012

Retake Assessment 2 and 7.

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future. 3) Think more

positively. 4) Be trustworthy.

The faults I see in others are actually in myself. If I can be trustworthy, I can then trust others.

To follow effective time- management skills.

1) Plan out the entire week of events at the beginning of each event.

2) Designate time each week for family to ensure balance.

3) At the end of each week, write down what I have accomplished for that week so I can track my progress.

September 2011- January 2012

Retake Assesment 8 and 9.

To develop better listening skills.

1) Face the person who is speaking to. Stop what I am doing if I am busy so I can give my focus.

2) Minimize my internal thoughts when speaking to someone else.

3) Practice maintaining eye contact.

September 2011- January 2012

Retake Assessment IIA2.