Participatory Leadership Attitudes
Instructions: In the section below, you will see a series of statements. Please indicate your agreement or disagreement. Use the scale below for each statement.
For example: It is easier to work in cool weather than hot.
: ________ : ________ : ________ : ________ : ________
Strongly Agree Undecided Disagree Strongly
Agree Disagree
If you think it is easier to in cool weather, put an (X) above “agree”; if you think it is much easier to work in cool weather, put a mark above “strongly agree.” If you think it doesn’t matter, put a mark over undecided and so on. Put a mark on the space, not on the boundaries.
There is no right or wrong answer. It is only your opinion about the statements that follow the matters.
- The average human being prefers to be directed, wishes to avoid responsibility, and has relatively little ambition.
: ________ : ___X_____ : ________ : ________ : ________
Strongly Agree Undecided Disagree Strongly
Agree Disagree
- Leadership skills can be acquired by most people regardless of their inborn traits and abilities.
: ________ : ____X____ : ________ : ________ : ________
Strongly Agree Undecided Disagree Strongly
Agree Disagree
- The use of rewards (pay, promotion, etc.) and punishment (failure to promote, etc.) is not the best way to get subordinates to do their work.
: ________ : ____X____ : ________ : ________ : ________
Strongly Agree Undecided Disagree Strongly
Agree Disagree
- In a work situation, if the subordinates cannot influence me, then I lose some influence on them.
: ________ : ________ : ________ : _____X___ : ________
Strongly Agree Undecided Disagree Strongly
Agree Disagree
- A good leader should give detailed and complete instructions to his or her subordinates rather than merely giving them general directions and depending upon their initiative to work out the details.
: ________ : ____X____ : ________ : ________ : ________
Strongly Agree Undecided Disagree Strongly
Agree Disagree
- Group goal setting offers advantages that cannot be obtained by individual goal setting.
: ________ : ____X____ : ________ : ________ : ________
Strongly Agree Undecided Disagree Strongly
Agree Disagree
- A superior should give his or her subordinates only that information which is needed for them to do their immediate tasks.
: ________ : ________ : ________ : ____X____ : ________
Strongly Agree Undecided Disagree Strongly
Agree Disagree
- The superior’s authority over his or her subordinates in an organization is primarily economic.
: ________ : ________ : ________ : ____X____ : ________
Strongly Agree Undecided Disagree Strongly
Agree Disagree
Scoring: Four attitudes are being assessed by these 8 questions: (1) attitudes toward belief in the average person’s capacities (questions 1 and 2); (2) attitudes toward sharing information (questions 5 and 7); (3) attitudes toward participation (questions 4 and 6); and (4) attitudes toward the nature of supervisory controls (questions 3 and 8).
For each of the 8 questions assign:
5 points for “strongly agree”
4 points for “agree”
3 points for “undecided”
2 points for “disagree”
1 point for “strongly disagree”
- Rescore your answers to questions 1, 5, 7 and 8 by subtracting your score from 6.
- Next, sum your scores for questions 1 and 2, and divide by 2.
- Sum your scores for questions 5 and 7, and divide by 2.
- Sum your scores for questions 4 and 6, and divide by 2.
- Sum your scores for questions 3 and 8, and divide by 2.
- Finally, sum your final scores as produced in steps 2, 3, 4 and 5 above and divide by 4.
My participatory attitude scores are:
Person’s capacity __4_____.
Information sharing __3_____.
Participation ____3___.
Control _____3__.
Overall score _____4__.
Interpretation: These questions on leadership according to Haire, Ghiselli, and Porter (1966), are focused upon attitudes that pertain to a somewhat unilateral, autocratic approach to management at one extreme and a more group-oriented, team, participatory approach at the other. The questions are intended to capture beliefs in “the capacity of subordinates,” and views on “the efficiency of participation, of sharing information, and of providing opportunities for internal self control on the job” (p.3).
A high score (4 and greater) foe each of the four attitudes and in the aggregate would reflect a “favorable” disposition toward subordinates (followers), their capacities, and their involvement in organizational activities. A score of 2 and less might reflect a hesitancy toward the full and active involvement of followers in the leadership context (i.e., a propensity toward self-control as opposed to a participatory style of leadership). The high score might be reflective of McGregor’s vision of the Theory Y leader, while the low score is reflective of Theory X.
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Source: M. Haire, E. E. Ghiselli, and L. W. Porter, Managerial Thinking: An International Study (New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1966).
