Leadership Inventory
This questionnaire contains statements regarding how you choose to lead your
hall/community. Next to each statement, circle the number that represents how you run
your hall/community or your beliefs regarding your position, using the following scoring
system:
Almost always true – 5
Frequently true – 4
Occasionally true – 3
Seldom True – 2
Almost Never True – 1
This is a self-assessment and you will not need to share the results with anyone, so please
be honest.
1. I always retain the final decision making
authority within my community.
5
4
3
2
1
2. I always try to include one or more
community members in determining
what to do and how to do it. However,
I maintain the final decision making authority. 5
4
3
2
1
3. My community always votes whenever a
major decision has to be made.
5
4
3
2
1
4. I do not consider suggestions made by
community members.
5
4
3
2
1
5. I ask for community member’s ideas and
input on upcoming plans and projects.
5
4
3
2
1
6. For a major decision to pass in the community,
I must have the approval of each individual
or the majority.
5
4
3
2
1
7. I tell my floor what has to be done & how to do it. 5
4
3
2
1
8. When things go wrong in the community and
I need to create a strategy to keep things going
well or to address problems, I call a meeting
to get community input.
5
4
3
2
1
9. To get info out, I send it by e-mail, memos or signs.
Very rarely do I call a meeting. I expect the
community to act on the info I send out.
5
4
3
2
1
10. When someone makes a mistake, (non-policy)
I make sure I confront it.
5
4
3
2
1
11. I want to create a community where the
members take ownership of the community
and what happens. I allow them to participate
in the decision making process.
5
4
3
2
1
12. I allow the community to decide what
needs to be done and how to do it.
5
4
3
2
1
13. New community members are asked for
their opinion less than those already established 5
4
3
2
1
14. I ask the community for their vision of where
we are going and then try to use that vision
when appropriate.
5
4
3
2
1
15. The community knows more about what
they want that I do, so I allow them to do
want they want in forming the community.
5
4
3
2
1
16. When something goes wrong I tell the community
that things are not working and I establish a
new way to do things.
5
4
3
2
1
17. I allow the community to set priorities
within my guidance.
5
4
3
2
1
18. I delegate tasks in order to implement new ideas. 5
4
3
2
1
19. I closely monitor the community members
to ensure they are doing things right.
5
4
3
2
1
20. When there are differences within the community
I work to resolve the differences
5
4
3
2
1
21. Each individual is responsible for defining
their role in the community.
5
4
3
2
1
22. I like the power that my leadership position
holds over the community.
5
4
3
2
1
23. I like to use my leadership power to help
community members grow.
5
4
3
2
1
4
3
2
1
24. I like to share my power with community members5
25. Community members must be directed
or threatened with punishment in order to
get them to achieve the community goals.
5
4
3
2
1
26. Community members will exercise self-direction
if they are committed to the end goals.
5
4
3
2
1
27. Community members have the right to
determine their own objectives.
5
4
3
2
1
28. Community members mainly seek acceptance.
5
4
3
2
1
29. Community members know how to use
creativity and ingenuity to solve our
community problems.
5
4
3
2
1
30. My community members can lead
themselves as well as I can.
5
4
3
2
1
Scoring:
In the fill-in lines below, mark the score of each item on the questionnaire. For example,
if you scored item one with a 3 (occasionally) then enter a 3 next to item one. When you
have entered all the scores for each question, total each of the three columns.
Item
1
4
7
10
13
16
19
22
25
28
Total
Score
Item
2
5
8
11
14
17
20
23
26
29
Score
Item
3
6
9
12
15
18
21
24
27
30
Score
Scoring Explanation for Leadership Inventory
Column 1 is your Authoritarian Leadership Score
Column 2 is your Delegative Leadership Score
Column 3 is your Participatory Leadership Score

The highest score you can get for any column is 50. If you scored a 40 or
higher that indicates that is your preferred style of leading your community
and the style you most often rely upon.

If you scored a 20 or lower you probably do not use that style very often.

If you are equal in participatory and delegative, then you are most likely
more delegative.
Although good leaders use all three styles, with one of them normally dominate,
bad leaders tend to stick with one style.
Authoritarian (autocratic)
This style is used when the leader tells her employees (community members)
what she wants done and how she wants it done, without getting the advice of
her followers. Some of the appropriate conditions to use this style is when you
have all the information to solve the problem, you are short on time, and your
employees (community members) are well motivated.
Some people tend to think of this style as a vehicle for yelling, using demeaning
language, and leading by threats and abusing their power. This is not the
authoritarian style...rather it is an abusive, unprofessional style called bossing
people around, which has no place in a leaders repertoire.
The authoritarian style should normally only be used on rare occasions. If you
have the time and want to gain more commitment and motivation from your
employees, then you should use the participative style.
Participative (democratic)
This type of style involves the leader including one or more employees
(community members) in on the decision making process (determining what to
do and how to do it). However, the leader maintains the final decision making
authority. Using this style is not a sign of weakness; rather it is a sign of strength
that your employees (community members) will respect.
This is normally used when you have part of the information, and your employees
(community members) have other parts. Note that a leader is not expected to
know everything – they can rely on knowledge and skills that the group
possesses. Using this style is of mutual benefit -- it allows them to become part
of the team and allows you to make better decisions.
Delegative (free reign)
In this style, the leader allows the employees (community members) to make the
decision. However, the leader is still responsible for the decisions that are made.
This is used when employees (community members) are able to analyze the
situation and determine what needs to be done and how to do it. You cannot do
everything! You must set priorities and delegate certain tasks.
This is not a style to use so that you can blame others when things go wrong;
rather this is a style to be used when you have the full trust and confidence in the
people below you. Do not be afraid to use it, however, use it wisely!