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Self-Assessment Exercise: Private Leadership Behaviours

The purpose of this exercise is to help you see which of the 14 private leadership behaviours you need to work on. These are outlined in chapter 3 of The Three Levels of Leadership: How to Develop Your Leadership Presence, Knowhow and Skill by James Scouller. The idea behind it is that you will probably need to work on a leadership

behaviour if one or more of the following conditions is true:

(A) You rarely or never perform the behaviour because it makes you anxious or because you doubt your ability to do it well. (B) Not performing the behaviour is holding back your group’s performance. (C) You perform the behaviour and believe you do it well, but your colleagues would disagree if you asked them. (D) You judge that although you perform the behaviour, you always or sometimes do it poorly.

Instructions: For each behaviour, tick one of the Often/Rarely/Never boxes and then one of the Well/Poorly/Sometimes Poorly boxes. Then consider the questions below each behaviour and note down your answers. Finally, based on your answers, decide whether that behaviour is a development priority for you. Then move on to the next behaviour.

How Often Do You Perform It? How Well Do You Perform it? Private Leadership Behaviours Often Rarely Never Well Poorly Sometimes Poorly

1: Appraising – giving and receiving honest, effective feedback about the need for behavioural change

If you answered, “Rarely” or “Never”… − Why? Do you avoid it? Does it make you anxious? Do you doubt your ability to do it well?

− Does not doing it affect your group’s performance? If so, positively or negatively?

Answers:

If you answered, “Well”… − How do you know? What is the evidence? What do

your colleagues tell you? If you answered, “Poorly” or “Sometimes Poorly”… − Do you want to improve on this behaviour? − What have you tried to improve your effectiveness on

this behaviour? Why didn’t that work? What else could you try?

Answers:

Individual Purpose & Task

Is this behaviour a priority to work on? Yes / No (delete as applicable)

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How Often Do You Perform It? How Well Do You Perform it? Private Leadership Behaviours Often Rarely Never Well Poorly Sometimes Poorly

2: Choosing – selecting individuals, assigning new or alternative roles, promoting talented people

If you answered, “Rarely” or “Never”… − Why? Do you avoid it? Does it make you anxious? Do you doubt your ability to do it well?

− Does not doing it affect your group’s performance? If so, positively or negatively?

Answers:

If you answered, “Well”… − How do you know? What is the evidence? What do your colleagues tell you?

If you answered, “Poorly” or “Sometimes Poorly”… − Do you want to improve on this behaviour? − What have you tried to improve your effectiveness on

this behaviour? Why didn’t that work? What else could you try?

Answers:

Is this behaviour a priority to work on? Yes / No (delete as applicable) 3: Disciplining – confronting, reprimanding or removing people who under-perform or under-collaborate

If you answered, “Rarely” or “Never”… − Why? Do you avoid it? Does it make you anxious?

Do you doubt your ability to do it well? − Does not doing it affect your group’s performance? If

vely? so, positively or negati

Answers:

If you answered, “Well”… − How do you know? What is the evidence? What do

−

your colleagues tell you? If you answered, “Poorly” or “Sometimes Poorly”… − Do you want to improve on this behaviour?

What have you tried to improve your effectiveness on What else

Answers:

this behaviour? Why didn’t that work? could you try?

Individual Purpose & Task continued…

Is this behaviour a priority to work on? Yes / No (delete as applicable)

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How Often PerformDo You It? How Well u Pe Do Yo rform it? Private Leadership Behaviours Often Rarely Never Well Poorly Sometimes Poorly

4: Goal-setting – with the individual, for individual performance and career growth

If you answered, “Rarely” or “Never”… − Why? Do you avoid it? Does it make you anxious?

Do you doubt your ability to do it well? t your group’s performance? If

Answers:

− Does not doing it affecso, positively or negatively?

If yWhat do

−−

ou answered, “Well”… − How do you know? What is the evidence?

your colleagues tell you? If you answered, “Poorly” or “Sometimes Poorly”…

Do you want to improve on this behaviour? What have you tried to improve your ethis behaviour? Why didn’t that work? What els

ffectiveness on e

Answers:

could you try? Is this behaviour a priority to work on? Yes / No (delete as applicable) 5: Reviewing – receiving task progrprop

ess updates, osals, ideas or solutions and following up

individually

If you answered, “Rarely” or “Never”… − Why? Do you avoid it? Does it make you anxious?

ility tDo you doubt your ab

o do it well?

y?

Answers:

− Does not doing it affect your group’s performance? If so, positively or negativel

If you answered, “Well”… − How do you know? What is the evidence? What do

If y− our?

your colleagues tell you? ou answered, “Poorly” or “Sometimes Poorly”… Do you want to improve on this behavi− What have you tried to improve your effectiveness on

this behaviour? Why didn’t that work? What else could you try?

Answers:

Individual Purpose & Task continued…

Is this behaviour a priority to work on? Yes / No (delete as applicable)

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How Often Do You Perform It? How Well Do You Perform it? Private Leadership Behaviours Often Rarely Never Well Poorly Sometimes Poorly

6: Assessing & matching – gauging a person’s competence and commitment to know how to flex your one-to-one behaviour and then choosing a suitable approach

If you answered, “Rarely” or “Never”… t? Doe− Why? Do you avoid i s it make you anxious?

our group’s performance? If

Answers:

Do you doubt your ability to do it well? − Does not doing it affect y

so, positively or negatively? If you answered, “Well”… − How do you know? What is the evidence? What do

your colleagues tell you? If you answered, “Poorly” or “Sometimes Poorly”… − Do you want to improve on this behaviour? − What have you tried to improve your effectiveness

this behaviour? Why didn’t that wor on

k? What else

Answers:

could you try? Is this behaviour a priority to work on? Yes / No (delete as applicable) 7: Attracting – bringing new talented individuals into the group or wider organisation

If you answered, “Rarely” o−

r “Never”…

ance? If

Why? Do you avoid it? Does it make you anxious? Do you doubt your ability to do it well?

− Does not doing it affect your group’s performso, positively or negatively?

Answers:

If you answered, “Well”… − How do you know? What is the evidence? What d

your colleagues o

tell you? y”…

− Do you want to improve on this behaviour? −

If you answered, “Poorly” or “Sometimes Poorl

What have you tried to improve your effectiveness on this behaviour? Why didn’t that work? What else could you try?

Answers:

Individual Building & Maint-enance

Is this behaviour a priority to work on? Yes / No (delete as applicable)

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How Often Do You Perform It? How Well Do You Perform it? Private Leadership Behaviours Often Rarely Never Well Poorly Sometimes Poorly

8: Consulting – conferring privately on sensitive issues that you cannot address in a public forum

If you answered, “Rarely” or “Never”…

nce? If

− Why? Do you avoid it? Does it make you anxious? Do you doubt your ability to do it well?

− Does not doing it affect your group’s performaso, positively or negatively?

Answers:

If you answered, “Well”… How do you kn− ow? What is the evidence? What do

e you tried to improve your effectiveness on ork? What else

Answers:

your colleagues tell you? If you answered, “Poorly” or “Sometimes Poorly”… − Do you want to improve on this behaviour? − What hav

this behaviour? Why didn’t that wcould you try?

Is this behaviour a priority to work on? Yes / No (delete as applicable) 9: Developing – agreeing personal growth priorities

d actions; helping directly an through coaching or

mentoring If you answered, “Rarely” or “Never”…

Why? Do you avoid it? − nxious? Answers:

Does it make you aDo you doubt your ability to do it well?

− Does not doing it affect your group’s performance? If so, positively or negatively?

If you answered, “Well”… − How do you know? What is the eviden

your colleagues tell you? ce? What do

If you answered, “Poorly” or “Sometimes Poorly”… − Do you want to improve on this behaviour? − What have you tried to improve your effectiveness on

this behaviour? Why didn’t that work? What else could you try?

Answers:

Individual Building & Maint-enance continued…

Is this behaviour a priority to work on? Yes / No (delete as applicable)

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How Often Do You Perform It? How Well Do You Perform it? Private Leadership Behaviours Often Rarely Never Well Poorly Sometimes Poorly

10 hat motivates each allenges, unspoken thoughts

: Discovering – learning windividual, their inner chand feelings If you answered, “Rarely” or “Never”… − Why? Do you avoid it? Does it make you anxious?

Answers:

Do you doubt your ability to do it well? − Does not doing it affect your group’s performance? If

so, positively or negatively? If you answered, “Well”… − How do you know? What is the evidence? What do

this behaviour?

your colleagues tell you? If you answered, “Poorly” or “Sometimes Poorly”…− Do you want to improve on− What have you tried to improve your effectiveness o

this behaviour? Why didn’t that work? What else could you try?

n

Answers:

Is this behaviour a priority to work on? Yes / No (delete as applicable) 11: Encouraging – praising, affirming, building confidence and showing you have noticed individuals’ contributions

If you answered, “Rarely” or “Never”… − Why? Do you avoid it? Does it make you anxious?

− If negatively?

Answers:

Do you doubt your ability to do it well? Does not doing it affect your group’s performance? so, positively or

If you answered, “Well”… − How do you know? What is the evidence? What do

your colleagues tell you? If you answered, “Poorly” or “Sometimes Poorly”… − Do you want to improve on this behaviour? − What have you tried to improve your effectiveness on

this behaviour? Why didn’t that work? What else could you try?

Answers:

Individual Building & Maint-enance continued…

Is this behaviour a priority to work on? Yes / No (delete as applicable)

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How Often Do You Perform It? How Well Do You Perform it? Private Leadership Behaviours Often Rarely Never Well Poorly Sometimes Poorly

12: Intervening – noticing and interceding with those who find their role frustrating or are

demotivating colleagues If you answered, “Rarely” or “Never”… − Why? Do you avoid it? Does it make you anxious?

Do you doubt your ability to do it well? Does not doing i− t affect your group’s performance? If

Answers:

so, positively or negatively? If you answered, “Well”… − How do you know? What is the evidence? What do

− rove your effectiveness on

Answers:

your colleagues tell you? If you answered, “Poorly” or “Sometimes Poorly”… − Do you want to improve on this behaviour?

o impWhat have you tried tthis behaviour? Why didn’t that work? What else could you try?

Is this behaviour a priority to work on? Yes / No (delete as applicable) 13: Recognising – spotting rising talent If you answered, “Rarely” or “Never”…

Why? Do you avoid it? Does it make you anxious? Do you doubt y

−our ability to do it well?

up’s performance? If so, positively or negatively?

Answers:

− Does not doing it affect your gro

If you answered, “Well”… − How do you know? What is the evidence? What do

your colleagues tell you? If you answered, “Poorly” or “Sometimes Poorly”… − Do you want to improve on this behaviour? − What have you tried to improve your effectiveness on

this behaviour? Why didn’t that work? What else could you try?

Answers:

Individual Building & Maint-enance continued…

Is this behaviour a priority to work on? Yes / No (delete as applicable)

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How Often Do You Perform It? How Well Do You Perform it? Private Leadership Behaviours Often Rarely Never Well Poorly Sometimes Poorly

14: Understanding – watching and learning your impact on individuals (how they perceive and respond to you) If y− void it? Does it make you anxious?

− Does not doing it affect your group’s performance? If

so, positively or negatively?

Answers: ou answered, “Rarely” or “Never”… Why? Do you aDo you doubt your ability to do it well?

If you answered, “Well”… − How do you know? What is the evidence? What do

your colleagues tell you? If you answered, “Poorly” or “Sometimes Poorly”… − Do you want to improve on this behaviour?

− Whatthis bcould

have you tried to improve your effectiveness on ehaviour? e you try?

Why didn’t that work? What els

Answers:

Individual Building & Maint-enance continued…

Is this behaviour a priority to work on? Yes / No (delete as applicable)

… Now summarise your Yes/No answers in the ta below to see the overall picture…

OVERALL SUMMARY

ble

Scores Behaviour Numbers Behaviour Type

Yes No Key Behaviour Numbers to Work On

1 – 5 Individual Purpose & Task

6 – 14 Individual Building & Maintenance

Total