Running Head: LEADERSHIP SELF-ASSESSMENT

Leadership Self-Assessment
Keston Trammell
Auburn University and Auburn University Montgomery

LEADERSHIP SELF-ASSESSMENT

Leadership Self-Assessment
To be an effective leader, one must constantly focus on change. A leader must be
willing to transform themselves as well as encourage others to transform in order to
benefit the organization and ultimately the work in which they partake (Porter-OGrady,
2011). With this in mind, self-assessment tools can be highly beneficial to ones
development as a leader. It can aid in the recognition of strengths to continue in and
weaknesses to improve upon. By using self-assessment tools, leaders can work on being
well rounded in the many aspects to being a quality leader.
The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire
The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) is a multiple item self-analysis
survey that can have various factors depending on the format to identify different
strengths and weaknesses of various aspects of leadership (Kanste, Miettunen, & Kyngas,
2006). The various factors depict strengths and weaknesses in two distinct styles of
leadership. The first style is transformational leadership. In a seven-factor questionnaire,
the transformational leadership style has four factors, Idealized Influence (IIB),
Inspirational Motivation (IM), Intellectual Stimulation (IS), and Individualized
Consideration (IC). The transactional leadership style has three factors, Contingent
Reward (CR), Management by Exception (MBE), and Laissez Faire (LF) (Kanste,
Miettunen, & Kyngas, 2006). The seven factor MLQ is a 21 question survery that will
combine 3 of the questions to generate results for each factor. A high rating is between 912, moderate ratings between 5-8 and low ratings are between 0-4 for the three questions
added together.

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Although there has been inconsistency in reliability and validity reports, which
are dependent on the amount of factors included, the MLQ has been proven reliable and
valid especially when identifying more than five separate leadership factors. In a study of
604 participants with follow-up after 1 year involving 78, the Chronbachs alpha results
for each leadership factor was 0.78-.094 (Kanste, Miettunen, & Kyngas, 2006). This
revealed a stability and reliability of the questionnaire given the consistency of results
after one-year follow-up. In another analysis of two prior studies involving 138
participants, chi-square results of 540.18, df=474, p<.01 revealed a reasonable fit of the
indicators of the different factors within the MLQ (Muenjohn & Armstrong, 2008).
Strengths
Leadership strengths are great bases to sustain and say much about ones comfort
zone. Based on the seven factor MLQ, my current strengths are in Individualized
Influence, Intellectual Stimulation, Management by Exception, and Laissez-faire
Leadership. This reveals that I am balanced between transformational and transactional
leadership philosophies. My highest scores, being on that of management by exception
and laissez faire reveals that I am okay with standard work and allow freedom of my
workers to do their own thing. I have a high-moderate ability to achieve trust of my
workers, and be dedicated to the group I am working with.
Weaknesses
Weaknesses in aspects of leadership can be improved to become a better leader.
Based on the seven factor MLQ, my current weaknesses are in the areas of Inspirational
Motivation, Individualized Consideration, and Contingent Rewards. This reveals that I do
not typically provide a vision and make others work seem significant. I also lack in

LEADERSHIP SELF-ASSESSMENT

provided an established reward for quality work. As my lowest score was assessed to
Individualized Consideration, I do not show interest in the well being of the individual
and I do not seek out those who are not involved with programs and goal-achievement.
Acknowledging these weaknesses and a need for change is the first step to improvement.
By putting the negatives together and weighing them against the positives for
comparison, I feel that I am very oriented to group based activities and encouragement
but fail to recognize individuals in the group. By focusing on the individuals and
promoting inspirational thinking by reward contingency, I can improve on my
weaknesses. Another key to improvement is to allow my strengths in the two
philosophies to encourage my weaknesses to improve. For example my strengths in trust
from my coworkers and challenging new thoughts can benefit and help me to build on
my weakness of individual consideration.
Conclusion
The MLQ can be beneficial to those in a leadership position as well as one trying to
determine their strengths or even desires in a leader. The MLQ is an effective and reliable
survey used to differentiate strengths and weaknesses in both transformational and
transactional leadership styles. By determining strengths and weaknesses in leadership
style, one can find areas to improve upon and strengths to lean on in times of crisis.

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5
References

Kanste, O., Miettunen, J., & Kyngs, H. (2007). Psychometric properties of the
Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire among nurses. Journal Of Advanced
Nursing, 57(2), 201-212. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2648.2006.04100.x
Muenjohn, N., & Armstrong, A. (2008). Evaluating the structural validity of the
Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ), capturing the leadership factors of
transformational-transactional leadership. Contemporary Management
Research, 4(1), 3-14. Retrieved from http://www.cmr-journal.org/article/view/704
Porter-O'Grady, T., & Malloch, K. (2011). Quantum leadership: Advancing innovation,
transforming health care. Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.