Management Style and Skills Test

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MANSSA

Presentation by Ilona Jerabek, PhD

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Workshop Plan

Introduction Competency model used in construction of the assessment Overview of the factors covered by the assessment Management styles and how they play out in the workplace Leadership coaching according to one’s strengths and

challenges Validation of the MANSSA

Summary of results from studies Tidbits and insights

Question period

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Introduction Identifying management potential is a complex task Often, companies pick very competent specialists and promote them into managerial

role disregarding whether the person actually has what it takes to do the job Consequences of hiring or promoting a mediocre manager are significant

Impact on morale, job satisfaction, turnover, performance Impact on the bottom line

Good job fit is essential A big gap between the position’s requirements and the manager’s traits can cause

major problems Different times, situations, and kinds of organizations need different types of

managers Tough times may call for an authoritative manager who can take charge and make firm

decisions During labor shortages, a people-oriented leader who can keep good employees may be

needed However, there are certain key skills and traits that should be present in a good

candidate for a managerial position

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Competency model: o*Net Tasks

Oversee activities directly related to making products or providing services. Direct and coordinate activities of businesses or departments concerned with the

production, pricing, sales, or distribution of products. Review financial statements, sales and activity reports, and other performance data to

measure productivity and goal achievement and to determine areas needing cost reduction and program improvement.

Manage staff, preparing work schedules and assigning specific duties. Direct and coordinate organization's financial and budget activities to fund operations,

maximize investments, and increase efficiency. Establish and implement departmental policies, goals, objectives, and procedures,

conferring with board members, organization officials, and staff members as necessary. Determine staffing requirements, and interview, hire and train new employees, or oversee

those personnel processes. Plan and direct activities such as sales promotions, coordinating with other department

heads as required. Determine goods and services to be sold, and set prices and credit terms, based on

forecasts of customer demand. Locate, select, and procure merchandise for resale, representing management in purchase

negotiations.

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Competency model: o*Net Knowledge

Administration and Management — Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Customer and Personal Service — Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Personnel and Human Resources — Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.

Economics and Accounting — Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking and the analysis and reporting of financial data.

Mathematics — Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

English Language — Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Clerical — Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.

Sales and Marketing — Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

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Competency model: o*Net Skills

Active Listening — Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Reading Comprehension — Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Speaking — Talking to others to convey information effectively. Critical Thinking — Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of

alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems. Monitoring — Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or

organizations to make improvements or take corrective action. Coordination — Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions. Social Perceptiveness — Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they

react as they do. Active Learning — Understanding the implications of new information for both current and

future problem-solving and decision-making. Complex Problem Solving — Identifying complex problems and reviewing related

information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions. Judgment and Decision Making — Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential

actions to choose the most appropriate one.

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Competency model: o*Net Abilities

Oral Comprehension — The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Oral Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

Problem Sensitivity — The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.

Written Comprehension — The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Written Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

Speech Clarity — The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you. Deductive Reasoning — The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce

answers that make sense. Speech Recognition — The ability to identify and understand the speech of another

person. Information Ordering — The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern

according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

Inductive Reasoning — The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

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Overview of the factors covered by the assessment

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Factor 1: Intrapersonal Skills

There are certain personal qualities that are essential to being an effective manager. A successful manager has a solid sense of self, is capable of withstanding the stress of running a department or organization, and possesses solid self-confidence.

Self-oriented perfectionism: Whether the individual is overly self-critical. (Ideal is mid-range) Coping skills: Whether the person can survive setbacks. Self-confidence: Whether the individual feels good about him or herself and feels confident in

his or her abilities. Comfort with authority: Whether the individual feels comfortable being the one in charge. Decision-making: Measures decisiveness and the ability to feel confident in his or her decision. Optimism: Assesses whether s/he has a tendency to look on the bright side, even in some

difficult situations. Concentration: Evaluates the test-taker’s ability to set aside distractions and get work done. Locus of control: Measures whether the individual feels that things that happen in his or her life

are the result of his or her actions or out of his or her control. Integrity: Assesses whether a person's behavior is marked by integrity.

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Factor 2: Interpersonal Skills

Interpersonal competencies include sensitivity to social cues, communication skills, approachability, and the ability to build positive relationships. It also entails being able to control negative emotions and putting aside personal problems with subordinates for the better of the organization.

Soft-skills: Assesses whether the test-taker is able to establish a comfortable, open and friendly environment for employees.

Communication skills: Measures listening skills and whether the individual is able to get his or her points across to others.

Self-monitoring: Evaluates the test-taker’s ability to control his or her emotions and is able to put aside personal feelings in favor of professionalism.

Sensitivity to social cues: Whether the subject picks up on subtle social cues around him or her.

Other-oriented perfectionism: Whether the individual is overly critical of others. (Ideal is mid-range)

Flexibility: Whether the individual is able to compromise and adjust to other people and changing circumstances.

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Factor 3: Executive Skills

The Executive Skills consists of the items relevant to whether you would be able to run a competitive business and be able to perform the actual job functions in an effective manner.

Drive: Whether the test-taker possesses a strong force propelling him or towards important goals and is persistent and motivated.

Creativity: Measures whether this person possesses a different perspective on the world and finds innovative approaches and solutions at work.

Time management: Whether the test-taker is able to juggle the different management tasks, get his or her work done on time, and make the most use of his or her time.

Vision: Whether the individual possesses a solid mental picture for the future while keeping important goals and values of the organization in mind.

Goal-Setting: Whether the individual continually sets both short and long-term goals. Organizational skills: Whether this individual keeps an orderly work environment, maintains

documents properly, as well as keeps his or her schedule in order. Cognitive ability: Whether the individual is intelligent. Risk-taking: Measures whether the test-taker is comfortable with an element of calculated risk

in his or her life.

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Factor 4: Leadership

Measures whether the individual is able to coax out the best possible performance from subordinates. This factor is divided into two Subfactors.

Transactional Leadership: Making sure that employees know what is expected of them, stepping in when problems arise, and providing adequate feedback to keep subordinates on track.

Rewarding performance: Whether the individual believes in rewarding or reprimandeing employees based on performance.

Delegating: Assesses the extent to which the individual is willing to ask for help with his or her work when necessary.

Giving feedback: This scale measures whether the individual is familiar with the best ways of providing feedback to subordinates

Transformational Leadership: Making effort to bring out the best in employees, working as a team with subordinates, seeking creative input and help from them, and communicate a vision to them in a way that makes people excited. Perhaps most important, this factor also entail setting an example that makes employees want to work harder.

Motivating: Whether the individual is able to motivate subordinates. Coaching: Assesses the ability to help subordinates come up with their own solutions for problems. Problem-solving: Measures whether the person is a good problem-solver, whether s/he comes up with

surprising solutions and thinks outside the box. Communication of Vision: This scale assesses whether the individual is able to share his or her ideas in

a convincing manner, charisma. Collaboration: This scale assesses whether the individual would ask for input and help from subordinates,

harnessing the strengths of individuals in each department.

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Leadership Coaching

Powerful leaders are people, not superheroes Even the most talented and skilled individuals can refine

their skills, become more self-aware, and avoid counterproductive behaviors

Coaching should start with an assessment of Personality traits and behavior styles Management and leadership competencies 360-degree assessment is ideal

Coaching should be a structured process focusing sequentially on most important challenges that the person faces

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Management styles

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All-Star Leader

Great scores on all factors Got all that it takes to be an

excellent manager: Good people skills Good intrapersonal skills Good executive skills Stellar leadership skills

Might benefit from coaching in specific areas as indicated by lower scores on certain subscales

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All-business Leader Good executive skills

Strong product orientation Have a great deal of direction,

creative ideas and a solid IQ Poor interpersonal skills

Business-like and focused, they lack the ability to hone-in on how their actions and words will affect those around

So engrossed in achieving goals that they miss important signs that they need to step in and take action

Could benefit from coaching in many areas, starting with specific attention to subscales that show major deficiencies

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Self-Absorbed Manager Decent or great intrapersonal skills Poor interpersonal skills

Lack of sensitivity and diplomacy Authoritarian - ‘My way or the

highway’ attitude May miss signs of trouble and fail

to intervene Don’t really care about direct

reports – sees them as tools, not people

Could benefit from coaching to improve Understanding of others Diplomacy Respect Sensitivity

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Middle-of-the-road Manager

Decent but not great scores Adequate in all four

management areas Interpersonal skills Intrapersonal skills Executive abilities Leadership potential

Could benefit from coaching in all four areas with specific attention to subscales that show deficiencies

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Flock-less Shepherd

Good executive skills Have good ideas Creative Have a vision Disciplined, good organizational

skills Lack leadership skills

Not persuasive Don’t communicate vision

effectively Don’t want to delegate authority Don’t empower employees

Could benefit from coaching but some issues may be difficult to change

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Structure-less Visionary Good leadership ability

Has great influence over others Delegates responsibility Communicates well

Lacks executive skills Lacks structure Poor organizational and time

management skills Lacks creativity Lacks drive Can get people exited and psyched,

but lets it dissipate due to lack of direction

Could benefit from coaching – issues are workable

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Scattered Boss

Good intrapersonal skills Good interpersonal skills Poor leadership skills

Not persuasive Don’t communicate vision effectively Don’t want to delegate authority Don’t empower employees

Lack executive skills Lack structure Poor organizational and time management

skills Lack creativity Lack drive

Can benefit from coaching – issues are workable

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People-pleaser Good interpersonal skills

Put others first Very well-liked Possess a solid understanding of

what makes other people tick Will do whatever it takes to keep

people happy Lack intrapersonal skills

May let others walk all over them Lack solid self-image Don’t feel comfortable in a

management position Could benefit from coaching in

many areas, but some of the issues they need to work on are quite difficult to change

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Challenged Leader

Challenged in all four areas Interpersonal skills Intrapersonal skills Executive abilities Leadership potential

It would be fighting an uphill battle in a management position

Could benefit from coaching in all four areas, starting with specific attention to subscales that show major deficiencies

Many of their issues are difficult to change, while others are trainable.

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Validation study

Highlights and Tidbits

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Sample description Sample size:

4,988 subjects 2,227 with managerial experience 2,761 non-managers

Gender: Women: 2,472 subjects (49%) Men: 1,935 subjects (39%)

Age distribution: Below 17 (n = 513) (10.0 %) 18-24 (n = 750) (15.0 %) 25-29 (n = 583) (12.0 %) 30-39 (n = 1107) (22.0 %) 40-49 (n = 958) (19.0 %) 50+ (n = 496) (10.0 %)

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Reliability: Internal consistency

Factor# of

items alpha

Overall Score 196 0.97

Executive Skills 58 0.88

Intrapersonal Skills 64  0.94

Interpersonal Skills 42  0.9

Leadership Ability 88  0.94

Transactional Leadership 29 0.86

Transformational Leadership

72 0.93

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Ranking of scales (2,227 managers)

Factor Mean SD

Transformational Leadership

79 9

Interpersonal Skills 77 7

Leadership Ability 77 9

Overall Score 75 8

Transactional Leadership 75 10

Intrapersonal Skills 73 9

Executive Skills 67 9

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Ranking of scales (2,227 managers)Factor Mean SD

Goal-Setting 84 13

Motivating 83 12

Coaching 82 13

Collaboration 80 11

Integrity 80 13

Drive 79 10

Setting an example 79 9

Soft Skills 78 11

Vision 78 14

Organizational Skills 78 13

Flexibility 77 12

Problem-Solving 76 11

Time Management 75 15

Rewarding Performance

75 13

Self-Monitoring 75 14

Self-Confidence 74 15

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Ranking of scales (2,227 managers)Factor Mean SD

Sensitivity to Social Cues 73 11

Optimism 73 12

Giving Feedback 72 13

Creativity 72 13

Decision-making 72 16

Delegating 71 16

Communication Skills 71 12

Communicating Vision 70 15

Risk-Taking 67 15

Concentration 66 13

Locus of Control 65 15

Comfort with Authority 64 18

Coping Skills 63 15

Perfectionism (Self-directed) 42 16

Perfectionism (Other directed)

38 17

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Gender differences

Women scored higher on: Communication skills (+3) Coaching (+3) Motivating (+3) Integrity (+3) Soft skills (+2) Internal locus of control

(+2) Delegating (+2) Self-monitoring (+2)

Men scored higher on: Comfort with authority

(+6) Risk-taking (+3) Coping skills (+2) Decision making (+2) Other-oriented

perfectionism (+2) Communicating vision

(+2) Cognitive ability (+2)

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Differences between managers and non-managers

People with managerial experience scored significantly higher than non-managers on all scales except: Perfectionism (self and other-oriented) Rewarding performance Cognitive ability Impression management

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Interesting Tidbits

69% believe that it’s up to them (as mangers) to set the bar high for employees.

Only 3% indicated that they don’t care about their relationship with their subordinates.

71% would accept advice from subordinates. 69% believe that it’s very important for employees to be aware of

the organization’s long-term goals. 20% feel that if they were to delegate one of their tasks to an

employee, it won’t be completed to their satisfaction. 51% feel that managers must share some of the blame if an

employee has an accident, or makes a mistake.

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Interesting Tidbits

10% have trouble showing gratitude to employees after a job well done.

87% indicated that, if forced to choose, they would do the right thing (i.e. follow legal/ethical standards) rather than what is easier or more profitable – which means that 13% admit that they would be less-than-scrupulous managers!

73% indicated that they remember little details about their employees (e.g. hobbies, favorite sports, etc.).

81% stated that they have a clear vision of where they want their group/organization to head – which means that 19% will simply wing it…not a comforting thought for employees.

32% worry that they are not as good a manager as they should be. 74% feel that they inspire their employees.

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Interesting Tidbits

87% feel that asking employees about motivates them is a smart idea.

3% would fire an employee who appears to lack motivation…6% would threaten to fire the employee if there is no improvement.

Despite being completely overwhelmed with work, 38% still wouldn’t delegate some of their tasks to employees.

84% will offer clear ways for an employee to improve if said employee was given negative feedback.

11% believe that maximum efficiency is achieved when everyone is told exactly what to do.

7% believe that the best way to motivate an employee is to offer him/her money.

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Interesting Tidbits

With great power comes great responsibility… 22% are comfortable warning an employee to shape up, or else. 36% are comfortable telling an employee that his/her work is only

satisfactory. 39% are comfortable talking to an employee about his/her poor performance

rating. 35% are comfortable responding to an employee who is upset about his/her

poor performance rating. 44% are comfortable conducting a formal performance appraisal for an

ineffective employee. 36% are comfortable telling an employee that his/her assigned project has

been re-assigned to someone else (i.e. someone more capable). 41% are comfortable confronting an employee suspected of theft. 55% are comfortable intervening in a conflict between two employees.

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MANSSA Factors as a Function of Age

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Overall Score Scale as a Function of Age

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Executive Skills Scale as a Function of Age

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Intrapersonal Skills Scale as a Function of Age

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Interpersonal Skills Scale as a Function of Age

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Leadership Ability Scale as a Function of Age

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Transactional Leadership Scale as a Function of Age

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Transformational Leadership Scale as a Function of Age

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Drive Scale as a Function of Age

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MANSSA Factors as a Function of Position

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Overall Score Scale as a Function of Position

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Executive Skills Scale as a Function of Position

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Intrapersonal Skills Scale as a Function of Position

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Interpersonal Skills Scale as a Function of Position

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Leadership Ability Scale as a Function of Position

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Transactional Leadership Scale as a Function of Position

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Transformational Leadership Scale as a Function of Position

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Conclusion

Assessment of management skills and styles is a must for leaders who want to develop their potential to the fullest

Leadership coaching is an activity with a major return on investment If a managers is reluctant to take assessments and/or have a 360

done on him/her, it should raise a red flag Either thee are aware that there are problems and don’t want to face

them Or they feel that it’s degrading for them to be evaluated by direct reports Either way, these are specifically the people who would benefit most

from the program. If the biggest asset of a company is the “human capital”, then

logically, managing that asset is the most important function. They say that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Don’t let

a weak link sit at the top of your company’s food chain.

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Ilona Jerabek, PhD9001 blvd. de l’Acadie, Suite 802

Montreal, Qc H4N 3H5

[email protected] line: 514-745-3189, ext 112

Fax: 514-745-6242

http://archprofile.comhttp://www.psychtests.com