Ministry Leadership Style Questionnaire
The purpose of the Ministry Leadership Style Questionnaire is to provide you with information about your perceptions of your own leadership style. The questionnaire consists of twenty typical ministry situations that involve a leader and one or more volunteers (from a ministry team or program). Following each situation are four possible actions that a leader may take. All are viable options. Assume that you are the leader involved in each of the twenty situations. In each of the instances you must choose one of the four leader decisions. Circle the letter of the decisions that you think would most closely describe your behavior in the situation presented. Circle only one choice. Do not think about your decisions for too long.
1. You have asked the worship committee chairperson to prepare several prayer experiences for the parish. She/he usually can be given an assignment and it is completed on tie with the encouragement from you. The prayer services are late. YOU WOULD…
a. Tell the chairperson you want the prayer services, explain what you want in the prayer services, and call the chairperson regularly to make sure they are completed.
b. Give the chairperson more time to complete the prayer services.
c. Tell the chairperson what you expect, when you must have the prayer services completed by, but discuss with the chairperson why the prayer services are late.
d. Talk to the chairperson and encourage her/him to complete the prayer services.
2. The catechetical team for the adult program that you coordinate has been working hard to prepare the monthly catechetical sessions. You have recruited a new team member, who is responsible for leading small group during the monthly session. He/she is excited and enthused about learning more concerning his or her role on the catechetical team, but has not been involved in the planning of monthly sessions. YOU WOULD…
a. Tell/teach the new member what is included in the monthly session and what his/her role as a small group leader will be, and then closely monitor his/her performance.
b. Ask if there is anything you can do to help the new member and support his or her excitement about being a new team member.
c. Explain the monthly session design and his or her role as a small group leader but incorporate any ideas or suggestions the new member may have.
d.Welcome the new member to the team, put him or her in touch with other members of the team who could help him or her prepare to be a small group leader at the monthly sessions.
3. Recently, you have begun to have trouble with one of your volunteers. She/he has become lazy, and only with your constant prodding has her/his work been completed. Because of past experience with this volunteer, you suspect she/he may not have all the expertise needed to complete the job tasks she/he has volunteered for. YOU WOULD…
a. Continue to give the volunteer direction and follow-up on the volunteer’s efforts to do the job she/he has volunteered for.
b. Continue to closely monitor the volunteer’s work and try to draw out her/his attitudes and feelings concerning the job she/he has volunteered for.
c. Involve the volunteer in problem-solving with the job tasks, offer support, and use her/his ideas in completing the job tasks.
d. Let the volunteer know this is an important job and ask her/him to contact you if she/he has any questions or problems.
4. Your catechetical team plans and organizes programs effectively with encouragement and direction from you. Despite your continued support and direction, their work has dropped off drastically. The group seems to need more expertise and experience to organize programming. Your pastor has become concerned. YOU WOULD…
a. Emphasize the need to organize new programming and ask the team to work out their problems by themselves.
b. Make sure that the team organizes quality programs and that deadlines are met, but talk with them to get their recommendations.
c. Inform the team exactly what you expect, what is needed, what some of the consequences could be if programming continues to drop off; provide the information and resources that are needed to improve their work, and frequently check their work.
d. Help the team determine what needs to be done and encourage them to take the necessary steps.
5. The chairperson of the service program in your parish has just moved to another state. You have asked a highly experienced member of your ministry team to take charge of the service program until another chairperson can be found. This person has worked in all areas of ministry. In the past, she/he has always been eager to help with whatever needed to be done. While you feel she/he has the ability to coordinate the service program, she/he seems indifferent to this responsibility. YOU WOULD…
a. Coordinate the service program yourself, but make sure you listen to his/her suggestions.
b. Assign the service program to him/her and let him/her determine how to coordinate it.
c. Discuss the situation with him/her. Encourage her/him to accept the responsibility in light of her/his skills and experience.
d. Coordinate the service program yourself and indicate to him/her precisely what to do. Monitor his/her work closely.
6. A highly productive and efficient volunteer on your team has asked for your help on a task. This volunteer is accustomed to working effectively on his/her own. Recently, some work problems have developed that the volunteer feels he/she cannot solve by him/herself. YOU WOULD…
a. Analyze the problems and outline methods to solve them.
b. Continue to allow the volunteer to figure out an appropriate solution independently.
c. Determine and implement an appropriate solution but work with the volunteer in problem-solving.
d. Discuss the problems with the volunteer and support his/her efforts to find appropriate solutions.
7. You have asked one of your experienced catechists to take on the job of organizing a weekend retreat. As a teacher, the catechist has performed well with support from you. She/he is excited about the new job but doesn’t know where to begin because of a lack of experience with organizing retreats. YOU WOULD…
a. Discuss the task of organizing a retreat, support her/his ability to do it. Emphasize the catechist’s outstanding performance in the past.
b. Define and explain/teach the tasks necessary to organize a retreat and regularly check to see how things are going.
c. Give the catechist the assignment and let him/her determine who to do the job. Tell him/her to call you if there are any problems.
d. Specify the tasks necessary to organize a retreat, but include any ideas he/she may have.
8. One of your team members is feeling insecure about a job she/he has volunteered for. The volunteer is highly competent and you know that he/she has the skills to complete the job tasks successfully. YOU WOULD…
a. Listen to the volunteer’s concerns and let her/him know you have confidence in his/her ability to complete the job.
b. tructure the job so that it is clear, but consider any helpful suggestions the volunteer may have about completing the job tasks.
c. xplain/teach the volunteer exactly what to do to get the job done and check his/her work regularly.
d. Let the volunteer figure out how to do the job on his/her own.
9. Your Ministry Team has asked you to consider a change in next year’s programming. In the past, you have encouraged and supported their suggestions. In this case, your team is well aware of the need for change and is ready to suggest and try new programming. Members are very competent and work well together as a group. YOU WOULD…
a. Allow team involvement in developing new programming and support the suggestions of group members.
b. Design and implement the new programming yourself, but incorporate team recommendations.
c. llow the team to plan and implement the new programming on their own.
d. Design the new programming yourself and closely direct its implementation.
10. You have arrived thirty minutes late for a planning meeting. When you arrive, the meeting has still not started. A couple members tried to start the meeting but most team members were discouraged because of a lack of group member cooperation. This situation surprises you because the team has been making good progress toward planning next year’s programming. YOU WOULD…
a. Restate the purpose of the meeting, then let the team work without any direction from you unless they ask for help.
b. Take control immediately and lead the team in the planning steps for organizing next year’s programming.
c. Direct the interaction towards the planning steps for organizing next year’s programming and encourage group members to discuss problems and feelings.
d. Ask the team to continue planning next year’s programming and provide as much support and encouragement as possible.
11. Your community life/social coordinator has done a fine job of organizing community life programs and activities with your support and encouragement but little direction. He/she has been given similar tasks to accomplish for the coming year and you must decide how to monitor his/her work. YOU WOULD…
a. Let the coordinator work by her/himself providing her/him own support and direction.
b. Emphasize to the coordinator the importance of meeting deadlines and direct his/her efforts at accomplishing assigned tasks.
c. Talk with the coordinator and set goals for his/her work, but consider his/her suggestions.
d. Involve the coordinator in setting goals and support his/her efforts.
12. In the past, you worked closely with your retreat team directing and supporting their efforts. The work is excellent and the team gets along well together. Recognizing their abilities, you feel they can now work more on their own. You have redirected your energies to new areas and they have continued to work well and effectively. You must now ask them to accept the additional responsibility of conducting the retreat program on their own. YOU WOULD…
a. Assign them the additional responsibility, make sure they know exactly what to do, and supervise them closely.
b. Give them additional responsibility. Tell them that you are pleased with their past performance and that you are sure they will do well with this additional responsibility.
c. Make sure they know what you want them to do, but incorporate any helpful suggestions they have.
d. Let them determine how to complete the additional responsibility.
13. You have just recruited a new volunteer to lead a small, scripture study group. Even though the new volunteer is inexperienced, he/she is enthusiastic and feels she/he has the confidence to do the job. YOU WOULD…
a. Let the new volunteer determine what the job entails and how to do it.
b. Tell the new volunteer what the job entails, teach him/her how to lead a scripture study group, and monitor his/her work closely and regularly.
c. Let the new volunteer know what you want him/her to do, but see if he/she has any suggestions or ideas.
d. Encourage and praise the new volunteer’s enthusiasm and ask him/her how he/she would tackle the job.
14. Your pastor has asked you to take on the task of coordinating the high school confirmation program. You know that you can do it, but it will require time and energy. To free yourself up to do it, you must delegate a major program to one of your youth ministry team members. The person to whom you are thinking of assigning the task has had considerable experience with this program, but is a little unsure about doing this program on his/her own. YOU WOULD…
a. Ask him/her to take on the project. Encourage and support his/her efforts.
b. Discuss the project with him/her. Explain how you want the job done, but see if she/he has any ideas.
c. Assign her/him the project and let her/him determine how to do it.
d. Assign her/him the project and prepare a detailed outline explaining all the steps necessary to get the project done.
15. The justice and service coordinator of the parish has made a suggestion for a change in the way service projects are organized that makes sense to you. In the past the coordinator has been able to offer and implement other helpful suggestions with your support and encouragement. You have confidence in her/his abilities. YOU WOULD…
a. Take charge of the suggestion and direct the coordinator in its implementation.
b. Discuss the suggestion with the coordinator, and support her/his efforts to direct its implementation.
c. Organize the implementation, but include the coordinator’s suggestions.
d. Give the coordinator the responsibility for implementing the suggestions without involvement from you.
16. Due to illness in your family, you have been forced to miss the first two meetings of a program committee under your direction. You have found, upon attending the third meeting, that the committee is functioning well and making good progress in planning the program. You are unsure about how you fit into the group and what your role should be. YOU WOULD…
a. Attend, but let the group continue to work as it has during the first two meetings.
b. Assume the leadership of the committee and begin to direct the planning of the program.
c. Do what you can to make the committee feel important and involved, and support their past efforts.
d. Direct the planning of the program, but incorporate group members’ suggestions.
17. Your liturgy committee, which plans weekly Sunday Eucharist celebrations, is very competent and able to work well on their own. You have generally left them alone. Key responsibilities have been delegated to individual members. Their performance has been outstanding. YOU WOULD…
a. Provide continual support and encouragement to group members.
b. Direct and closely monitor the activities of the committee.
c. Continue to let the committee work on its own.
d. Direct their efforts, but work closely with your committee to solicit their suggestions for planning Sunday liturgies.
18. You, the pastor and the parish religious education committee have decided that a new catechetical curriculum with new youth materials has to be implements if young people are to have an effective catechetical program. In the past, when changes were made, your catechists have been eager to use them but have initially lacked the skills to do so. YOU WOULD…
a. Make sure that you direct the implementation of the new curriculum and youth materials, but involve the catechists in discussing alternatives.
b. Closely direct the catechists in their initial use of the new curriculum and materials.
c. Get the group involved in a discussion of the new curriculum and youth materials; encourage their cooperation and involvement.
d. Allow the group to formulate and implement the new curriculum and youth materials on its own.
19. You have recently been hired by a school to serve as Coordinator of Campus Ministry. Under the former coordinator, the Campus Ministry team worked adequately with considerable support and encouragement. Since you have taken over, however, the team appears to be more concerned with social activities than with carrying out their responsibilities. The team’s performance to date has been poor. YOU WOULD…
a. Discuss the team’s low performance with them and support their efforts to identify ways to improve.
b. Direct and organize improvement strategies, but solicit ideas from the group.
c. Point out the problem and allow team members to identify and implement improvement strategies.
d. Define the responsibilities of the team, present strategies to improve their performance, and check to see if their performance is improving.
20. One of your veteran volunteers is reluctant to take on a new assignment. He/she has had little experience in the program area in which you want her/him to work. She/he has done a good job with other programs you have given him/her to conduct. YOU WOULD…
a. Explain to the volunteer what must be done and how to do it, but listen to why she/he is reluctant to do the job.
b. Give the volunteer the new job and let her/him determine the best way to do it.
c. Encourage the volunteer to try the job and facilitate her/his efforts through mutual problem-solving.
d. Tell/teach the volunteer exactly what must be done to successfully complete the job and frequently monitor the results.
(Based on Situational Leadership theory and the LBA II Instrument (Leader Behavior Analysis II Self: Perceptions of Leadership Style) by Kenneth Blanchard, et al. from Blanchard Training and Development, Inc.)
S1 Directing Behavior – (high directive, low supportive): The leader defines the roles of the followers and tells them what, when, how, and where to do various tasks. Problem solving and decision-making are initiated solely by the leader. Solutions and decisions are announced; communication is largely one-way, and implementation is closely supervised by the leader.
S2 Coaching Behavior – (high directive/high supportive): The leader provides a great deal of direction and leads with his/her ideas but also attempts to hear the followers’ feelings about decisions as well as their ideas or suggestions. Two-way communication is increased, but the control over decision-making remains with the leader.
S3 Supporting Behavior – (high supportive/low directive): The decision-making and problem-solving control shifts from leader to follower. The leader’s role is to provide recognition and to actively listen and facilitate problem-solving/decision-making in the part of the follower.
S4 Delegating Behavior – (low supportive/low directive): The leader takes the responsibility from problem-solving, involving the flowers, but the decision-making is left solely to the followers. The followers are left “to run their own show.”
The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader
by John C. Maxwell
“Leaders are effective because of who they are on the inside –
in the qualities that make them up as people.”
- Character
“Leadership is the capacity and will to rally men and women to a common purpose, and the character which inspires confidence.”–Bernard Montgomery, British Field Marshal
- Character is more than talk
- Talent is a gift, but character is a choice
- Character brings lasting success with people
- Leaders cannot rise above the limitations of their character
2. Charisma
“How can you have charisma? Be more concerned about making others feel good about themselves than you are making them feel good about you.”
–Dan Reiland, Vice President of Leadership Development, INJOY
“Charisma, plainly stated, is the ability to draw people to you.
And like other character traits, it can be developed.” –John C. Maxwell
- Love life
- Put a “10” on every person’s head
- Give people hope
- Share yourself
Roadblocks to charisma:
Pride Insecurity
Moodiness Perfectionism
Cynicism
3. Commitment
“He who has done his best for his own time has lived for all times.” –Johann von Schiller, Playwright
“The world has never seen a great leader who lacked commitment.”–John C. Maxwell
- Commitment starts in the heart
- Commitment is tested by action
- Commitment opens the door to achievement
4. Communication
“Developing excellent communication skills is absolutely essential to effective leadership. The leader must be able to share knowledge and ideas to transmit a sense of urgency and enthusiasm to others. If a leader can’t get a message across clearly and motivate others to act on it, then having a message doesn’t even matter.”
–Gilbert Amelio, President and CEO of National Semiconductor Corp.
- Simplify your message
- See the person
- Show the truth
- Seek a response
5. Competence
“Competence goes beyond words. It’s the leader’s ability to say it, plan it, and do it in such a way that others know that you know how—and know that they want to follow you.”–John C. Maxwell
- Show up everyday
- Keep improving
- Follow through with excellence
- Accomplish more than expected
- Inspire others
6. Courage
“Courage is fear that has said its prayers.”–Karl Barth, Swiss Theologian
- Courage begins with an inward battle
- Courage is making things right, not just smoothing them over
- Courage in a leader inspires commitment from followers
- Your life expands in proportion to your courage
7. Discernment
“Smart leaders believe only half of what they hear. Discerning leaders know which half to believe.”
–John C. Maxwell
- Discover the root issues
- Enhance your problem solving
- Evaluate your options for maximum impact
- Multiply your opportunities
8. Focus
“If you chase two rabbits, both will escape.”–Unknown
- Focus 70 percent on strengths
- Focus 25 percent on new things
- Focus 5 percent on areas of weakness
9. Generosity
“Your candle loses nothing when it lights another.”–John C. Maxwell
- Be grateful for whatever you have
- Put people first
- Don’t allow the desire for possessions to control you
- Regard money as a resource
- Develop the habit of giving
10Initiative
“Of all the things a leader should fear, complacency should head the list.”–John C. Maxwell
Qualities leaders possess:
- They know what they want
- They push themselves to act
- They take more risks
- They make more mistakes
11. Listening
“A good leader encourages followers to tell him what he needs to know, not what he wants to hear.”
–John C. Maxwell
Two purposes for listening: to connect with people and to learn
12. Passion
“When a leader reaches out in passion, he is usually met with an answering passion.”–John C. Maxwell
- Passion is the first step to achievement
- Passion increases your willpower
- Passion changes you
- Passion makes the impossible possible
13. Positive Attitude
“A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him.”
–David Brinkley, Television Journalist
- Your attitude is a choice
- Your attitude determines your actions
- Your people are a mirror of your attitude
- Maintaining a good attitude is easier than regaining one
14. Problem Solving
“The measure of success is not whether you have a tough problem to deal with, but whether it is the same problem you had last year.”–John Foster Dulles, Former Secretary of State
Leaders with good problem-solving ability demonstrate five qualities:
- They anticipate problems
- They accept the truth
- They see the big picture
- They handle one thing at a time
- They don’t give up a major goal when they’re down
15. Relationships
“People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.”–John C. Maxwell
- Have a leader’s head—understand people
- Have a leader’s heart—love people
- Extend a leader’s hand—help people
16. Responsibility
“A leader can give up anything—except final responsibility.”–John C. Maxwell
- Responsible leaders get the job done
- Responsible leaders are willing to go the extra mile
- Responsible leaders are driven by excellence
- Responsible leaders produce regardless of the situation
17. Security
“No man will make a great leader who wants to do it all himself or get all the credit for doing it.”
–Andrew Carnegie, Industialist
Insecure leaders have several common traits:
- They don’t provide security for others
- They take more from people than they give
- They continually limit their best people
- They continually limit the organization
18. Self-Discipline
“The first and best victory is to conquer self.”–Plato
- Develop and follow your priorities
- Make a disciplined lifestyle your goal
- Challenge your excuses
- Remove rewards until the job is done
- Stay focused on results
19. Servanthood
“You’ve got to love your people more than your position.”–John C. Maxwell
A true servant leader…
- Put others ahead of their own agenda
- Possesses the confidence to serve
- Initiates service to others
- Is not position-conscious
- Serves out of love
20. Teachability
“It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.”–John Wooden, Hall of Fame Basketball Coach
Five guidelines to help cultivate and maintain a teachable attitude:
- Cure your destination disease
- Overcome your success
- Swear off shortcuts
- Trade in your pride
- Never pay twice for the same mistake
21. Vision
“The future belongs to those who see possibilities before they become obvious.”
–John Sculley, Former CEO of Pepsi and Apple Computer
- Vision starts within
- Vision draws on your history
- Vision meets other’s needs
- Vision helps you gather resources