Evaluate Leadership

Apply what you have learned to your current profession by completing the Leadership Inventory of Skills and Traits (The LIST) and relating it to an incident where these skills and traits were used or not used. For this assignment, you will need to access The LIST from the resources tab.

Consider sitting in a quiet place to read each section and questions carefully as you reflect on your leadership style.

Part 1: Complete the Leadership Inventory of Skills and Traits Document as stated in the directions. You will use this information to complete Part 2 of this assignment. Submit your results with Part 2 as one assignment. After completing the LIST, respond to the following questions:

What is one thing you wish people you lead knew about you?
What is one question you would like to ask the people you lead?

Length: 1 page

Part 2: Share a time you stood up for someone treated differently because of their race, age, religion, cultural beliefs, language, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or natural origin. Which of your 5 to 10-strengths were present at that moment? Explain your thinking. If you were in the situation and did nothing, which of your 3-5 gap areas caused you to inadvertently become complicit? How did your dispositions impact DEI and social justice?

If you have not been in a situation where you have stood up for someone being treated differently because of their race, age, religion, cultural beliefs, language, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or natural origin. What would you do? Which 5-10 strengths from your assessment would you use to support the individual? Or what 3-5 gaps in your assessment would cause you to be complicit? How would your dispositions impact DEI and social justice?

Length: 2-3 pages, not including title or reference page.

References: Include a minimum of 3 scholarly sources.

The Leadership Inventory of Skills and Traits

(The LIST)©i

A Professional Development Exercise1

The purpose of The Leadership Inventory of Skills and Traits (The LIST) is to facilitate reflection

and evaluation to discover where your leadership strengths lie and where there may be gaps in your

leadership skills and traits. Your organization likely has people with a variety of talents and abilities,

and certainly does not expect any individual to be “strong” in every area. Few leadership positions or

leadership situations require every skill and trait on The LIST. This exercise will help you identify

your leadership strengths and gaps in your leadership skills. You can then capitalize on your strengths

and work to develop areas identified as gaps. Please reflect on your leadership knowledge, skills, and

abilities and respond honestly to each item on the inventory.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Reflect on your experience as a leader. For each skill/trait on The LIST decide whether it is

A Strength – something you would say characterizes you.

If the skill/trait describes you, then mark it as a strength. Identifying a skill/trait

as a “Strength” indicates that the characteristic is typical of you or how you

regularly respond to situations.

A Gap – something you would say does not characterize you.

Identifying a trait as a “Gap” means that it is atypical of you or that it is

not how you regularly respond to situations.

2. In the column to the right of each skill/trait, mark ONLY ONE response to indicate if you

believe that trait is a STRENGTH or GAP. Please MARK EVERY TRAIT in the inventory

as either a strength or a gap. If there are leadership skills and traits relevant to your job but not

on The LIST, you may write them in at the end of the inventory.

3. After you have marked every skill/trait in the inventory, review the ones you identified as

strengths. Identify 5 to 10 of these behaviors as your GREATEST STRENGTHS by

marking the column to the far right (+). Mark at least 5 but no more than 10 Greatest

Strengths.

Finally, review the skills/traits you identified as gaps and identify 3 to 5 Gaps that are

particularly relevant to your job that you will TARGET for IMPROVEMENT through

training or other professional development activities. Mark these targeted gaps in the column

to the far right (-).

1 The Leadership Inventory of Skills and Traits (The LIST) may be used for job analysis purposes to identify

which skills and traits are most critical for a given leadership position. The LIST also may be used for multi-

source/360o feedback where the supervisor, peers, and subordinates (and/or clients or customers and self)

complete The LIST, each from their perspective, to indicate which leadership skills and traits are or are not

observed. This multi-source feedback can be consolidated to provide feedback for professional development.

Name: ________________________________ Date: _________________

Leadership Inventory of Skills and Traits (The LIST)

Carefully read the definition of each item and decide if it is a “Strength” or a “Gap.” Then, mark the

column to the right of the skill/trait that reflects your decision. Mark only one column per skill/trait;

respond to every skill/trait in the inventory. Thank you.

# PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS

(SELF) Strength Gap

Greatest Strengths &

Targeted Gaps

S1 DRIVE – high energy and effort directed toward

accomplishing identified goals and outcomes

ACHIEVEMENT MOTIVATION – desire to complete

challenging tasks, attain standards of excellence, & develop

better ways to do things.

S3 AMBITION – desire to get ahead; actively take steps to

demonstrate your drive and determination

S4 ENERGY – physical, mental, and emotional vitality

S5 TENACITY – perseverance to overcome obstacles

S6 INITIATIVE – proactive; makes choices and takes action

that leads to change

S7 LEADERSHIP MOTIVATION – desire to influence and

lead others; need for power; willingness to assume

responsibility

SELF-CONFIDENCE – confidence to take the necessary

actions to lead, including problem solving, decision making,

convincing others to pursue specific actions, and dealing with

obstacles & setbacks

EMOTIONAL STABILITY / EIQ – ability to manage

emotions (self & others); ability to remain even tempered;

may get excited, but does not become angry or enraged

S10

COGNITIVE ABILITY / INTELLIGENCE – ability to

formulate strategies, solve problems, and make correct

decisions; ability to gather, integrate, and interpret large

amounts of information.

S11

TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE – a high degree of

knowledge about the organization, operations, performance,

and technical matters.

S12 CONTINOUS LEARNING – values ongoing intentional

learning, including learning from mistakes/failures

S13

HONESTY & INTEGRITY – being truthful or non-

deceitful; correspondence between word & deed across

situations and circumstances.

S14

ETHICAL – doing “the right thing” across situations and

circumstances, especially in difficult and challenging

situations.

S15 COURAGE – ability to make the tough decisions and take

difficult actions when needed

S16

TOLERANCE FOR STRESS – ability to maintain

effectiveness in diverse situations under varying degrees of

pressure, opposition, and disappointment.

S17

FLEXIBILITY/ADAPTABILITY/AGILITY – ability to

adapt strategy and behavior to fit dynamic, changing

situations and contexts

VERY IMPORTANT: Your responses will be used for professional development purposes, that is, to

help you grow and develop in your role as a leader. Identifying gaps should not be considered a

“negative.” Rather, honestly recognizing strengths and gaps and taking personal action to close gaps will

help you develop as a leader.

After you have marked every item in The LIST, review the characteristics you identified as strengths. Identify

5 to 10 of these items as your GREATEST STRENGTHS by marking the column to the far right. Mark at

least 5 but no more than 10 Greatest Strengths with a “+”.

Identify 3 to 5 Gaps that are particularly relevant to your job that you will TARGET for IMPROVEMENT

through training or other professional development activities. Mark these targeted gaps in the column to the far

right (-).

Thank you for taking the time to carefully complete this inventory.

# TASK SKILLS Strength Gap Greatest

Strengths & Targeted Gaps

T1 VISIONING – ability to effectively create an image of the

future for the unit/organization and develop the necessary

means to achieve that image.

ORGANIZING – ability to systematically arrange own

work and resources, as well as that of others, for efficient

task accomplishment.

T3 PLANNING – ability to anticipate and prepare for the

future.

PROBLEM SOLVING – ability to gather information; to

understand relevant technical and professional information;

to effectively analyze data and information; to generate

viable options, ideas, and solutions; to select supportable

courses of action

INNOVATION/CREATIVITY – ability to use available

resources in new ways; and to generate and recognize

creative solutions

# PEOPLE SKILLS Strength Gap Greatest

Strengths & Targeted Gaps

CONSIDERATION – ability to consider the feelings and

needs of others as well as be aware of the impact and

implications of decisions relevant to others inside and

outside the organization.

TEAM SKILLS – ability to engage and work in

collaboration with other members of the group so that others

are involved in the process and the outcome.

COMMUNICATION – ability to effectively convey both

oral and written information, and to effectively respond to

questions and challenges.

INFLUENCING OTHERS – ability to persuade others to

do something or adopt a point of view in order to produce

desired results (without creating hostility).

CULTURAL INTELLIGENCE / DE&I – understanding

and valuing cultural differences and diversity based on

individual characteristics including race, religion, sex,

sexual orientation, national origin, age, and disability.

P6 CHARISMA – ability to influence others through charm to

engender devotion and to get them to adopt your values and

beliefs

# OTHER SKILLS OR TRAITS (Write in) Strength Gap Greatest

Strengths & Targeted Gaps

i Elizabeth L. Shoenfelt, Ph.D. Permission must be granted to use this instrument.

The Leadership Inventory of Skills and Traits (The LIST) incorporates some elements of other models of leadership, but

is not fully integrative. Models of leadership incorporated into The LIST include those described in the following

references.

 Arthur, Jr., W., Day, E. A., McNelly, T. L., & Edens, P. S. (2003). A meta-analysis of the criterion-related

validity of assessment center dimensions. Personnel Psychology, 53, 125-154.

 Fleishman, E.A. and Hunt, J.G. (1973) Twenty Years of Consideration and Structure. Current Developments in

the Study of Leadership: A Centennial Event Symposium Held at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.

Southern Illinois University Press, 1, 13-26.

 Komaki, J. L., Zlotnick, S., & Jensen, M. (1986). Development of an operant-based taxonomy and observational

index of supervisory behavior. Journal of Applied Psychology, 71(2), 260–269.

 Kirkpatrick, S. A. & Locke, E. A. (1991). Leadership: Do traits matter? Academy of Management Executive, 5,

48-60.

 Sternberg, R. J. (2003). WICS: A model of Leadership in Organizations. Academy of Management Learning and

Education, 2, 386-401.

 Sternberg, R. J. (2007). A systems model of leadership: WICS. American Psychologist, 62, 34-42.

 Yukl, G., Gordon, A. & Tabor T. (2002). A hierarchical taxonomy of leadership behavior: Integrating a half

century of behavior research. Journal of Leadership and Organizational Studies, 9, 15-32.

 Zaccaro, S. J. (2007). Trait-based perspectives of leadership. American Psychologists, 62(1), 6-16.