Sample Company
Determining Style Flexibility Calculating Style Flexibility Style flexibility is your ability to use different leadership styles. Your responses on the LBAII for Team Leaders self questionnaire are shown in bold on the grid to the right. Each of the twenty situations on the questionnaire has four possible answers A, B, C, or D which represent the four leadership styles on the Situational Leadership II Model for teams. These leadership styles are listed on the grid as S1, S2, S3, and S4. The totals at the bottom of the grid indicate the number of times you selected each style. Each of these totals is then subtracted from 5 (without regard for positive or negative numbers) and the differences are shown in the square boxes below the grid. These numbers are added to obtain a subtotal and subtracted from 30, which gives you your Style Flexibility Score at the bottom of the page. Your Style Flexibility Score Your Style Flexibility Score, which can range from 0 to 30, is an indicator of how flexible you think you are. A score closer to 30 suggests that you use more than one leadership style with others. Most team leaders fall within the 15 to 21 (norm) range when rating themselves. A score above 21 indicates that you are more willing to use two or three styles when working with those you lead. A score below 15 suggests you use only one leadership style. 2006 The Ken Blanchard Companies. All rights reserved. Do not duplicate WEB041606 2
Identifying Leadership Styles Primary Leadership Style Secondary Leadership Style Developing Leadership Style Your primary style is the style you use most often. The number in the circle shows how many times you chose that leadership style. (If you have more than one primary style, numbers will appear in the corresponding leadership style quadrants.) Your secondary styles are backup styles styles you tend to use when your primary style is not working. Developing styles are those styles you chose three or fewer times. 2006 The Ken Blanchard Companies. All rights reserved. Do not duplicate WEB041606 3
Determining Style Effectiveness Calculating Style Effectiveness Style effectiveness is your ability to provide the appropriate leadership style according to the situation. The Situational Leadership II Model for teams advocates matching the appropriate leadership style to the team s stage of development. The Style Effectiveness grid on the right organizes the responses to each situation according to their effectiveness. The E (Excellent) column lists the most appropriate response for the development level represented in each situation. The G (Good) column is a good response, but not the best. The F (Fair) signifies a fair response, and P (Poor) indicates theoretically poorest answers. Your effectiveness score is calculated by totaling each column and weighting all Excellent responses with 4, all Good responses with 3, and Fair and Poor responses with 1. The sum of those totals equals your effectiveness score. Your Style Effectiveness Score Your Style Effectiveness Score, which can range from 20 to 80, is an indicator of how well you match your leadership style to the team s development needs based on your perceptions. A score closer to 80 indicates you match leadership behaviors to the needs of the team in most situations. Most team leaders fall within 48 and 56 (norm) when rating themselves. A score above 56 suggests that you match your leadership style to the team s development needs depicted in the twenty situations more often than other team leaders. A score below 48 indicates that you did not diagnose the needs of the team in each situation as accurately as other team leaders. Scoring high on effectiveness requires demonstrating a high level of flexibility and selecting the most appropriate leadership style in each situation. 2006 The Ken Blanchard Companies. All rights reserved. Do not duplicate WEB041606 4
Improving Style Effectiveness The Style Diagnosis Matrix shows the number of times you chose a Fair or Poor response for each of the four leadership styles. A four or more in any quadrant indicates that you may not be diagnosing team development stage before choosing a leadership style. Style Diagnosis Matrix 2006 The Ken Blanchard Companies. All rights reserved. Do not duplicate WEB041606 5
LBAII for Team Leaders Self Questionnaire 1. The team seems to be drifting, and individual members have been withdrawing during the meetings. There is little excitement among members or about the team s current task. The team has been meeting every two weeks for the last six months. Little productivity comes from the meetings because the team is not using the technical expertise of its members. As team leader, you would A Identify the lack of productivity and withdrawal. Define a plan to get the team back on track, and follow up to see that team members are getting things done. During the back-to-basics meeting, establish clear procedures and strategies to ensure involvement and progress. B Identify the lack of productivity and withdrawal, but show trust in the team by letting these issues run their course. Allow members time to reach their own solutions to team issues. Be available to help as the need arises. C Identify the lack of productivity and withdrawal. Define a plan that utilizes everyone s skills. Ask for their suggestions, and incorporate their ideas when appropriate. D Identify the lack of productivity and withdrawal. Participate with the team in identifying productivity issues, and reinforce the strategies they develop. Support their ideas and solutions, and express appreciation for their participation. 2. The task force is going to have its first team meeting. Many of the team members do not know each other and have not participated on any company teams. Most of the team members were chosen because they have solid technical skills. They are looking forward to working with each other on important issues facing the new team. As team leader, you would A Set the time and place of the meeting. Formulate an agenda and prepare the necessary documents and handouts. Structure the meeting once it begins. After the meeting, make sure that minutes are distributed to all team members. B Set the time and place of the meeting. Encourage and support the team in setting the agenda. Together, decide how the meeting should be conducted. Following the meeting, praise progress and suggest that minutes be distributed. C Set the time and place of the meeting. Formulate an agenda and draft the documents to be used in the meeting. Check with team members to get their input about the meeting structure and content. Incorporate their ideas where appropriate. Structure the meeting once it begins. Following the meeting, ensure that minutes of the meeting are distributed to all team members. D Set the time and place of the meeting. Allow the team to decide on its structure and content. Assist in the team interaction if they request your help. Assume that minutes will be distributed after the meeting. 2006 The Ken Blanchard Companies. All rights reserved. Do not duplicate WEB041606 6
3. The marketing task force has shown increasing success in deciding which products to acquire and which to reject. Their choices have increased revenue significantly. Although capable of making tough decisions, the discussion around the newest product seems tentative. The team is pleasant and polite. There seems to be agreement, but you sense that differing views are not being expressed. As team leader, you would A Share your perceptions of the underlying disagreement and encourage an open discussion of differences. Set up a process for the team to follow in exploring the pros and cons of the newest product. Ask if they have other suggestions and incorporate them into your procedures if appropriate. B Share your perceptions of the underlying disagreement and the importance of openly discussing differences. Allow the team to proceed, trusting that they will work through problems as they have in the past. Ensure that everyone is in agreement before the decision is considered final. C Share your perceptions of the underlying disagreement and the importance of openly discussing differences. Ask the team how they want to proceed in discussing the pros and cons of the product. Encourage them to risk being honest and facilitate a consensus. D Share your perceptions of an underlying disagreement and encourage them to be open about their differences. Set up a process to explore the pros and cons of the newest product and manage the process carefully. 4. As the employee involvement director, you have created a cross-functional task force to help you decide on the next steps in the organization s efforts to develop a team-based management system. All of the members are enthusiastic and have an excellent work record; however, they have little team experience. At the first meeting, you would A Explain the purpose and goals of the team and describe team-based management. Facilitate a discussion to develop a work plan for the task force. Support their ideas as they decide on the next meeting time, agenda, and distribution of minutes. B Explain the purpose and goals of the task force, as well as the fundamentals of team-based management. Outline your plan for the team s operation. Individually assign specific tasks and strategies for accomplishing the work. Schedule the next meeting and ask them to come prepared to report briefly on their assignments. C Explain the purpose and goals of the task force and describe team-based management. Ask them to decide on roles, strategies, procedures, and timelines for the task force to follow. Let them know you trust their decisions and would like them to act on them. Be available if they need assistance. Schedule the next meeting. D Explain the purpose and goals of the task force, as well as the fundamentals of team-based management. Present your ideas about specific tasks for each team member, along with strategies for accomplishing the work. Ask team members for their thoughts, and incorporate appropriate suggestions into an action plan. Schedule the next meeting. 2006 The Ken Blanchard Companies. All rights reserved. Do not duplicate WEB041606 7
5. Your project team has been meeting for several weeks. At first they were eager to get started. You established initial goals, action plans, and team roles; and team members began to study the issues. During the last couple of meetings, enthusiasm seems to have declined. A few members have come in late, and others seem frustrated or unclear about how to proceed. You think there has been some progress, but there is little to show for it. At your next meeting, you would A Restate the team goals and review the action plans. Reemphasize the importance of the team s mission. Present an outline of next steps and clarify each person s assignment. Ask team members to prepare a progress report for the next meeting. Stress the importance of everyone s contribution to the project. B Restate the goals of the team and present an action plan for the next steps. Ask team members to brainstorm possible barriers, as well as ways to overcome difficulties with the task and with the team s progress. Incorporate appropriate suggestions into a revised action plan. Thank them for their ideas and point out that everyone s full involvement is important for the team s success. Encourage their continued commitment. C Restate the goals of the team and summarize the progress to date. Emphasize that although progress has been slow, there has been some progress. Explain that it is a complex task and express your confidence that they can successfully complete the project. Facilitate a discussion on plans for increasing productivity and encourage their continued commitment. D Restate the team s goals and summarize the progress to date. Stress the importance of the team s mission in relation to the larger organization. Express confidence in their capabilities and ask them to be persistent. Assure them that you are available if they need you. 6. Your research and development team was formed about two months ago. Team members have highly developed technical skills and are accustomed to working as independent contributors. They have been meeting regularly. At first, they seemed excited about the opportunity to work on a complex new product together. Lately, however, you have noticed some frustration among team members. Progress on the task is slow, and you believe there is confusion about the team s goals and action plans. At the next team meeting, you would A Restate the team s goals and the importance of the project in the overall plan for the company. Remind them of deadlines and assure them that frustration is normal. Trust their skills and allow them to continue working on their own. B Restate the team s goals and the importance of the project in the overall plan for the company. Remind the team of the project deadlines. Clarify the roles and specify the tasks you want each team member to complete prior to the next team meeting. C Restate the team s goals and the importance of the project in the overall plan for the company. Remind the team of the project deadlines. Explain that frustration is normal. Listen carefully to their input and assign the action steps to be accomplished before the next meeting. Revise goals, if necessary, based on their input. D Restate the team s goals and the importance of the project in the overall plan for the company. Explain that frustration is normal, and express confidence in their ability to improve progress. Facilitate a problem solving discussion to modify or generate new action plans and goals if needed. 2006 The Ken Blanchard Companies. All rights reserved. Do not duplicate WEB041606 8
7. You have recently been assigned as manager of one of the most productive and skilled regional teams in the organization. People on the team seem to work well together and enjoy their work. The former manager was liked and respected and had encouraged the team to manage itself. At your first meeting, you would A Introduce yourself and get to know the team. Praise them for their past performance. Hold a discussion about the team s current goals and operational procedures. Mutually decide whether changes should be made because of the change in management. B Introduce yourself and get to know the team. Outline your goals and operational procedures for the region. Incorporate any appropriate ideas and opinions they offer and outline procedures you want them to follow. Let them know you are pleased with their past performance. C Introduce yourself and get to know the team. Acknowledge their exceptional work record and your confidence in their ability to perform well. Tell them to continue their good work and let them know you will be available if they need your assistance. D Introduce yourself and get to know the team. Define the steps and timeline for your orientation. After the orientation, present the goals and operational procedures for them to follow. 8. Your organization has just completed a major downsizing and reorganization effort. Your work team remained stable, yet responsibilities have changed somewhat. The team has a history of being fairly productive, but recent changes have left team members upset and concerned. Most team members are demotivated and angry about things that have happened in the organization. Productivity is down. At the next meeting, you would A Acknowledge team members concerns. Outline team goals, new responsibilities, and altered work procedures. Make sure that everyone is aware of their specific responsibilities and lay out a plan of action. Tell them you will check on their individual progress before next week s meeting. B Acknowledge team members concerns and confusion. Ask them to create a plan for their altered responsibilities. Let them know you are available to help if needed. Check to see how they progress. C Explain to the team that you understand their concerns and confusion. Outline a plan to change necessary work procedures and ask for their suggestions. Incorporate their ideas where possible and establish checkpoints to monitor progress. D Ask team members to talk about their issues and concerns. Assure them you have confidence in their ability to deal with the impact of the reorganization and praise their past record. Jointly discuss a plan to change necessary work procedures and support their decisions. Mutually develop a method to track progress. 2006 The Ken Blanchard Companies. All rights reserved. Do not duplicate WEB041606 9
9. The company s newly formed operations team, made up of cross-department members, is enthusiastic about the tasks that lie before them. At the first meeting, you would A Explain how this team was formed and how individuals were selected. Ask the team to decide on goals, standards, roles, and operating procedures on its own. Provide assistance if they ask for your help. Ensure that they schedule the next meeting. B Explain how this team was formed and how individuals were selected. Gather their input on the goals, standards, roles, and operating procedures they would like to see in place. Come to the next meeting with a plan that uses their input where appropriate. Set the next meeting. C Explain how this team was formed and how individuals were selected. Explain the goals and standards, and establish individual roles and initial operating procedures. Ensure that everyone is clear on how to proceed. Set the next meeting. D Explain how this team was formed and how individuals were selected. Participate with the team to establish the goals, standards, roles, and operating procedures. Encourage them to discuss any difficulties they anticipate in carrying out their task. Facilitate the discussion and encourage input. Set the next meeting. 10. Your team has effectively progressed toward its goals in the past few months. Team members have high technical knowledge, and their commitment to the goal is evident. Team members have been relating well and enjoy working together. Their commitment to team productivity is high. Due to a recent budget cut, however, the team will have to take a 15 percent reduction in operating resources. As team leader, you would A Convene the team and present the problem. Ask the team to decide where the cuts should be made. Offer assistance, but wait for the team to make a decision. B Convene the team and define the problem. Explain where the budget cuts should be made. Ensure that the team knows the whats and whys of the cuts. Closely monitor the impact of the proposed cuts to determine any difficulties. C Convene the team and present the problem. Support the team s efforts by working with them to generate a list of proposed cuts. D Convene the team and define the problem. Ask the team where they think the cuts should be made. Make the final decision after considering the team s input. 2006 The Ken Blanchard Companies. All rights reserved. Do not duplicate WEB041606 10
11. The team has begun to work well together. In the past, team members fought openly with each other; however, frank discussion of individual feelings has allowed many interpersonal issues to be resolved. Although much of the team s work is yet to be done, team members show a growing knowledge of the task. Morale is improving, but most members doubt that the conflict is truly in the past. As team leader, you would A Identify the tentative feelings that are present in the team. Facilitate the team as they explore these feelings. Support and encourage them to develop healthy ways to deal with conflict. B Identify the tentative feelings that are present in the team. Invite members to discuss the causes of these feelings. Share your strategies for dealing with future conflicts and ask the team to suggest their ideas. Incorporate their suggestions, if appropriate, but be sure your approach is used. C Identify the tentative feelings that are present in the team. Assure them that it is normal to avoid conflict after going through a rough period. Outline conflict-resolution strategies and establish these strategies as ground rules. D Identify the tentative feelings that are present in the team. Assure them that conflict avoidance is normal behavior following a rough period. Ask them to discuss their feelings and come up with strategies for dealing with conflict. Intervene only if they are going off in the wrong direction. 12. Because of the success of your interdepartmental team s work on planning a regional conference, they were asked to take on a similar short-term project. Morale is high. Even though it is an important event, the team is confident in their ability to work together successfully and plan an event of a similar nature. As team leader, you would A Inform them of the new project and its purpose. Mutually determine goals and standards. Allow the team to develop its own objectives, strategies, and action plans. Be available for meetings and guidance if needed. B Inform them of the new project and its purpose. Establish goals and strategies, and outline action plans to ensure that the project is managed effectively. Meet often at first to make sure progress is on track. C Inform them of the new project and its purpose. Ask team members for their ideas about goals, roles, and strategies. Incorporate their ideas when appropriate, and present a game plan and meeting schedule for the project. D Inform them of the new project and its purpose. Express your confidence that the team will develop an effective plan. Work with the team to decide on goals, roles, and appropriate strategies. Together, decide on target dates for objectives and a meeting schedule. 2006 The Ken Blanchard Companies. All rights reserved. Do not duplicate WEB041606 11
13. Recently, your organization has been encouraging the development of quality improvement teams. You have decided to form a team in the finance department to focus on reducing payment time for accounts receivable. You have asked several people within the department to be members. No one has much team experience, but they all seem eager to participate. Members have many financial skills but have never worked together on this kind of problem. At the first meeting, you would A Explain that you have formed this team to focus on reducing payment time for accounts receivable. Tell them you want to reduce the time it takes to receive payments. Ask them to develop some plans and strategies and let you know how they are going to proceed. B Explain that you have formed this team to focus on reducing payment time for accounts receivable. Assign responsibilities to each person and ask them to present a report at the next meeting. Tell them you will meet weekly and check with each person midweek to look at his or her initial data. C Explain that you have formed this team to focus on reducing payment time for accounts receivable. Share your plan for accomplishing this goal. Ask them for their ideas and suggestions about your strategy. Listen carefully to their input and incorporate appropriate suggestions into a step-by-step plan. D Explain that you have formed this team to focus on reducing payment time for accounts receivable. Engage in a brainstorming discussion with the team and help them develop plans and strategies. Support their ideas and let them know you will help in any way you can. 14. Your work team has been meeting regularly to focus on developing work procedures to reduce production time. They are learning about each other s job(s) and are working together more effectively. They have made progress toward the goal of reducing production time by 10 percent next quarter. Despite the progress, their performance is starting to falter, and they seem to lack confidence in making further advances. At the next team meeting, you would A Tell the team that you are pleased with their progress, although you are concerned that their performance is starting to falter. Reiterate the goal and lead a discussion that addresses their present difficulties and includes a reaffirmation of the goal and ways to reach it. Encourage them to keep up the good work. B Tell the team that you are pleased with their progress, although you are concerned that their performance is starting to falter. Reiterate the goal and outline your plan for achieving it. Ask them for their thoughts about the goal and their suggestions for moving ahead. Incorporate appropriate suggestions and present a modified action plan. Encourage them to keep up the good work. C Tell the team that you are pleased with their progress, although you are concerned that their performance is starting to falter. Tell them further reductions are still needed. Reiterate the 10 percent goal for next quarter. Ask them to continue working on further improvement and to advise you of their progress on a monthly basis. Encourage them to keep up the good work. D Tell the team that you are pleased with their progress, although you are concerned that their performance is starting to falter. Reiterate the goal and strategies. Assign specific tasks to each team member, including the action steps needed to be more effective. Tell them you will check with them weekly to review their progress. 2006 The Ken Blanchard Companies. All rights reserved. Do not duplicate WEB041606 12
15. Due to downsizing, your work team has been reduced by 30 percent. Prior to the downsizing, your team was producing good results and effectively working together. Morale was relatively high. Now your work team is faced with reorganization and additional responsibilities. Although they have experienced a previous restructuring, the team members seem indifferent and apathetic about moving forward. As team leader, you would A Express your confidence in the team s ability to overcome the difficulties. Restate goals, set new objectives and strategies, and assign roles. Meet weekly with the team to monitor progress. B Reaffirm your confidence in the team. Listen to their feelings about the reorganization. Explain your plan to deal with the change. Lead them in a discussion to resolve the difficulties in restructuring and agree on new objectives, roles, and strategies. Incorporate their ideas as much as possible. Monitor their progress regularly. C Reaffirm your confidence in the team. Listen to their feelings about the change. Hold a problem solving session and encourage them to generate ideas on how to restructure. Mutually reestablish goals, strategies, and roles. Follow their suggestions. Monitor progress at team meetings. D Reaffirm your confidence in the team. Allow them to work through their feelings about the change. Suggest they examine the new objectives and come up with strategies, roles, and action plans. Ask them to keep you informed and be available if they ask for help. 16. Your sales staff is very competent and works well together. Goals were exceeded by 25 percent last year, and pride is evident. It is now time for your team to set goals for the next year. In a team meeting, you would A Praise them for last year s results. Explain how their contributions created new positions and products. Challenge them by setting stretching goals for next year and outlining action steps to accomplish these goals. Track the implementation of your plan. B Praise them for last year s results. Explain how their contributions created new positions and products. Involve the team in modifying the goals and action plans for next year. Encourage them to be creative and seek strategies. Track the implementation of their plan. C Praise them for last year s results. Explain how their contributions created new positions and products. Set goals for next year and outline action steps to accomplish these goals. Change your action plans to include their ideas and suggestions where appropriate. Track the implementation of your plan. D Praise them for last year s results. Explain how their contributions created new positions and products. Ask them to set goals for next year and define an action plan to accomplish the goals. Be available to contribute where needed. Track the implementation of their plan. 2006 The Ken Blanchard Companies. All rights reserved. Do not duplicate WEB041606 13
17. Your highly productive R & D team is faltering. Project prototypes have been yielding inconsistent results. The team is considerably behind on timelines due to technical changes in the project s requirements. Tension between team members is evident, but conflict is avoided. You would A Encourage the expression of feelings related to the tension in the team. Model by sharing your own feelings. Jointly determine how to clarify technical requirements and other problems related to project output. B Encourage people to express their feelings and the reasons for their difficulty. Listen to the input and use the information to reestablish goals, clarify technical requirements, and redefine roles if necessary. C Trust the team to get over its negativity. Suggest that they explore the tensions caused by low productivity. Ask them to come up with a plan to clarify requirements and let you know how you can support them. Assure them that you are available if needed. D Acknowledge the tension in the team and the lack of clear technical requirements. Restate goals, standards, and roles, and initiate a series of steps to increase project output. 18. Your cross-departmental team has been in operation for 11 months. During that time, it has designed several very effective systems for reducing inefficiency. Initially, you worked closely with the team to track progress, verify results, and praise their success. Over time, the team members have assumed more responsibility for managing themselves. You are pleased with the tracking system that has been developed, and the team is excited about the results. You will be out of town during next week s quarterly review. In a team meeting, you would A Discuss any concerns the team has about the upcoming review process. Listen to their concerns and help them develop their own solutions. Have the team select a leader for the review. Remind them of their past success and of your confidence that they can independently handle the team process and the review. B Remind the team about the upcoming review and go over the steps in detail. Ensure that members are clear about their assignments in preparing for the review. Change the review date so you can attend. C Remind the team about the upcoming quarterly review. Apologize for your absence and express confidence in their ability to carry on without you. Let them know how you can be reached if they need help. D Go over the steps of the review process. Ask team members for questions, suggestions, or revisions, and include appropriate suggestions. Ensure that people are clear about their assignments. Change the review date so you can attend. 2006 The Ken Blanchard Companies. All rights reserved. Do not duplicate WEB041606 14
19. A temporary task force has been created to assess the training needs for the organization. People from various parts of the organization have been selected because of their excellent work records and their broad knowledge of the organization. They are willing to participate, but most of them have little or no experience in assessing the training needs of a company. At the initial meeting, you would A Outline the purpose and goals and emphasize the importance of the task force s work. Tell them they were selected because of their excellent work record and organizational knowledge. Assign critical tasks and ask for their suggestions. Include appropriate suggestions and ensure that everyone is clear about their assignments. Set deadlines for initial task completion and schedule the next meeting. B Outline the purpose and goals and emphasize the importance of the task force s work. Tell them they were selected because of their excellent work record and organizational knowledge. Assign critical tasks and ensure that everyone is clear about their assignments. Set deadlines for initial task completion and schedule the next meeting. C Explain the purpose and emphasize the importance of the task force s work. Tell them they were selected because of their excellent work record and organizational knowledge. Engage them in a discussion to determine goals, strategies, and individual roles. Agree on the tasks to be accomplished by the next meeting. D Explain the purpose of the task force and the importance of their work. Tell them they were selected because of their excellent work record and organizational knowledge. Ask them to set goals, develop strategies, and assign tasks. Ask them to set up a meeting in the near future so you can be kept informed. Assure them that you are available whenever they need your assistance. 20. 0 The team has had a rocky start. Team members have been quarreling with each other because of lack of follow-through. Progress on their project is slow. Two team members have frequently made personal attacks on each other in front of the team. Most team members do not seem to know how to handle the conflict, and some members have begun to take sides. As team leader, you would A Acknowledge the tension in the team and ask the two individuals to stop arguing. Lead a discussion on ground rules for dealing with conflict within the team. Once ground rules are agreed upon, facilitate a discussion between the two team members. Ask the team to help with this confrontation. B Acknowledge the tension in the team and ask the two individuals to stop arguing. Ask the team to come up with guidelines for dealing with conflict and to use these guidelines to resolve their issues. Be prepared to assist if needed. C Acknowledge the tension in the team. Intervene to stop the two individuals from arguing and facilitate the conflict between the two of them. Lay ground rules for dealing with conflict. Solicit input and suggestions from the other team members before solidifying the norms. D Acknowledge the tension in the team and, during a team meeting, tell the two individuals to stop arguing. Structure the flow of conversation between the two individuals in conflict. Establish ground rules for the team to deal with conflict in the future, and monitor their adherence t those ground rules. 2006 The Ken Blanchard Companies. All rights reserved. Do not duplicate WEB041606 15