Strengths passion assessment free pdf download

We were both shaking our heads at how accurate it was to describe us. Over people from all walks of life have used HIGH5 to find their best possible selves and to live the life they have always wanted. Disclaimer: HIGH5 does not intend to replicate or to substitute the Gallup CliftonStrengths StrengthsFinder test as both tests follow different methodologies, yet bring value in similar ways.

Exemplary leaders know that if they want to gain commit- ment and achieve the highest standards, they must be models of the behav- ior they expect of others.

Leaders model the way. To effectively model the behavior they expect of others, leaders must first be clear about guiding principles. They must clarify values. This means talk- ing about your values. They speak and act on behalf of a larger organization. Leaders must forge agreement around common principles and common ideals. Words and deeds must be consistent. Exemplary leaders go first. They go first by setting the example through daily actions that demonstrate they are deeply commit- ted to their beliefs.

The personal-best projects we heard about in our research were all dis- tinguished by relentless effort, steadfastness, competence, and attention to detail. We were also struck by how the actions leaders took to set an example were often simple things. Sure, leaders had operational and strategic plans. But the examples they gave were not about elaborate designs.

They were about the power of spending time with someone, of working side by side with colleagues, of telling stories that made values come alive, of being highly vis- ible during times of uncertainty, and of asking questions to get people to think about values and priorities.

Modeling the way is about earning the right and the respect to lead through direct involvement and action. People follow first the person, then the plan. Inspire a Shared Vision When people described to us their personal-best leadership experiences, they told of times when they imagined an exciting, highly attractive future for their organization. They had visions and dreams of what could be. Every organization, every social movement, begins with a dream. The dream or vision is the force that invents the future.

Leaders inspire a shared vision. They envision exciting and ennobling possibilities. Leaders have a desire to make something happen, to change the way things are, to create something that no one else has ever created before.

In some ways, leaders live their lives backward. Their clear image of the future pulls them forward. Yet visions seen only by leaders are insufficient to create an or- ganized movement or a significant change in a company. A person with no constituents is not a leader, and people will not follow until they accept a vi- sion as their own.

Leaders cannot command commitment, only inspire it. Leaders have to enlist others in a common vision. To enlist people in a vi- sion, leaders must know their constituents and speak their language. People must believe that leaders understand their needs and have their interests at heart. Leadership is a dialogue, not a monologue. Evelia Davis, merchandise manager for Mervyns, told us that while she was good at telling people where they were going together, she also needed to do a good job of explaining why they should follow her, how they could help reach the destination, and what this meant for them.

Leaders forge a unity of purpose by showing constituents how the dream is for the common good. Leaders stir the fire of passion in others by expressing enthusiasm for the compelling vision of their group. Leaders communicate their passion through vivid language and an expressive style. Whatever the venue, and without exception, the people in our study reported that they were incredibly enthusiastic about their personal-best projects.

Their own enthusiasm was catching; it spread from leader to constituents. Their be- lief in and enthusiasm for the vision were the sparks that ignited the flame of inspiration. Challenge the Process Every single personal-best leadership case we collected involved some kind of challenge.

The challenge might have been an innovative new product, a cutting-edge service, a groundbreaking piece of legislation, an invigorating campaign to get adolescents to join an environmental program, a revolu- tionary turnaround of a bureaucratic military program, or the start-up of a new plant or business.

Whatever the challenge, all the cases involved a change from the status quo. Not one person claimed to have achieved a personal best by keeping things the same. All leaders challenge the process. Leaders venture out. None of the individuals in our study sat idly by wait- ing for fate to smile upon them.

They are willing to step out into the unknown. They search for opportunities to innovate, grow, and improve. Product and service innovations tend to come from customers, clients, vendors, people in the labs, and people on the front lines; process in- novations, from the people doing the work. Sometimes a dramatic external event thrusts an organization into a radically new condition. Leaders have to constantly be looking outside of themselves and their organizations for new and innovative products, processes, and services.

Leaders know well that innovation and change involve experimenting and taking risks. Despite the inevitability of mistakes and failures leaders proceed anyway. One way of dealing with the potential risks and failures of experi- mentation is to approach change through incremental steps and small wins. Little victories, when piled on top of each other, build confidence that even the biggest challenges can be met.

In so doing, they strengthen commitment to the long-term future. Not everyone is equally comfortable with risk and uncertainty. Leaders must pay attention to the capacity of their constituents to take control of challenging situations and become fully committed to change. It would be ridiculous to assert that those who fail over and over again eventually succeed as leaders.

Leaders are constantly learning from their errors and failures. Try, fail, learn. Leaders are learners. They learn from their failures as well as their successes, and they make it possible for others to do the same. It requires a team effort. It requires solid trust and strong rela- tionships. It requires deep competence and cool confidence.

It requires group collaboration and individual accountability. To get extraordinary things done in organizations, leaders have to enable others to act. After reviewing thousands of personal-best cases, we developed a simple test to detect whether someone is on the road to becoming a leader.

That test is the frequency of the use of the word we. In our interviews, we found that people used we nearly three times more often than I in explaining their personal-best leadership experience.

This sense of teamwork goes far beyond a few direct reports or close confidants. They engage all those who must make the project work—and in some way, all who must live with the results. They know that those who are expected to produce the results must feel a sense of personal power and ownership. Leaders understand that the command-and-control techniques of traditional management no longer apply.

Instead, leaders work to make people feel strong, capable, and committed. Leaders enable others to act not by hoard- ing the power they have but by giving it away. She seeks out the opinions of others and uses the ensuing discussion not only to build up their capabilities but also to educate and update her own information and perspective.

In the cases we analyzed, leaders proudly discussed teamwork, trust, and empowerment as essential elements of their efforts. Constituents neither perform at their best nor stick around for very long if their leader makes them feel weak, dependent, or alienated. Authentic leadership is founded on trust, and the more people trust their leader, and each other, the more they take risks, make changes, and keep organizations and movements alive.

Through that relationship, leaders turn their constituents into leaders themselves. Encourage the Heart The climb to the top is arduous and long. People become exhausted, frus- trated, and disenchanted. Genuine acts of caring uplift the spirits and draw people forward. It can come from dramatic gestures or simple actions. One of the first actions that Abraham Kuruvilla took upon becoming CEO of the Dredging Corporation of India a government-owned private-sector company providing services to all ten major Indian ports was to send out to every employee a monthly newsletter DCI News that was full of success stories.

In addition, he intro- duced, for the first time, a public-recognition program through which awards and simple appreciation notices were given out to individuals and teams for doing great work. In the cases we col- lected, we saw thousands of examples of individual recognition and group celebration. When people see a charlatan making noisy affectations, they turn away in disgust.

Encouragement is, cu- riously, serious business. Lead- ers also know that celebrations and rituals, when done with authenticity and from the heart, build a strong sense of collective identity and community spirit that can carry a group through extraordinarily tough times.

We found it everywhere. These findings also challenge the belief that leadership is reserved for a few charismatic men and women. Leadership is an identifiable set of skills and abilities that are available to all of us.

Or, we should say, the theory that there are only a few great men and women who can lead others to greatness is just plain wrong. Likewise, it is plain wrong that leaders only come from large, or great, or small, or new organi- zations, or from established economies, or from start-up companies. We con- sider the women and men in our research to be great, and so do those with whom they worked. They are the everyday heroes of our world. To us this is inspiring and should give everyone hope.

Hope, because it means that no one needs to wait around to be saved by someone riding into town on a white horse. And you are one of them, too. In talking to leaders and reading their cases, there was a very clear message that wove itself throughout every situation and every action.

The message was: leadership is a relationship. Leadership is a relationship between those who aspire to lead and those who choose to follow. A relationship characterized by mutual respect and confidence will overcome the greatest adversities and leave a legacy of significance. Evidence abounds for this point of view. In an online survey, respondents were asked to indicate, among other things, which would be more essential to busi- ness success in five years—social skills or skills in using the Internet.

Seventy- two percent selected social skills; 28 percent, Internet skills. Similar results were found in a study by Public Allies, an AmeriCorps or- ganization dedicated to creating young leaders who can strengthen their com- munities. Among the items was a question about the qual- ities that were important in a good leader. Success in leading will be wholly dependent upon the capacity to build and sustain those human relationships that enable people to get extra- ordinary things done on a regular basis.

If leadership is a relationship, as we have discovered, then what do people expect from that relationship? What do peo- ple look for and admire in a leader? Practice Commitment Model the Way 1. Clarify values by finding your voice and affirming shared ideals. Set the example by aligning actions with shared values. Inspire a Shared Vision 3.

Envision the future by imagining exciting and ennobling possibilities. Enlist others in a common vision by appealing to shared aspirations. Challenge the Process 5. Search for opportunities by seizing the initiative and by looking outward for innovative ways to improve. Experiment and take risks by constantly generating small wins and learning from experience.

Enable Others to Act 7. Foster collaboration by building trust and facilitating relationships. Strengthen others by increasing self-determination and developing competence. Encourage the Heart 9. Recognize contributions by showing appreciation for individual excellence. Celebrate the values and victories by creating a spirit of community. But they paint only a partial picture. With these brush strokes the picture takes on depth and vitality.

What leaders say they do is one thing; what constituents say they want and how well leaders meet these expectations is another. Because leadership is a reciprocal process between leaders and their constituents, any discussion of leadership must attend to the dynamics of this relationship. Strategies, tac- tics, skills, and practices are empty without an understanding of the funda- mental human aspirations that connect leaders and constituents.

To balance our understanding of leadership, we investigated the expecta- tions that constituents have of leaders. We asked constituents to tell us what they look for in a person that they would be willing to follow, someone who had the personal traits, characteristics, and attributes they wanted in a leader.

Their responses both affirm and enrich the picture that emerged from our studies of personal leadership bests. Subsequent content analysis by several in- dependent judges, followed by further empirical analyses, reduced these items to a list of twenty characteristics each grouped with several synonyms for clarification and completeness.

What do they expect from a leader they would follow, not because they have to, but because they want to? The results have been striking in their regularity over the years, and they do not significantly vary by de- mographical, organizational, or cultural differences.

And these same four have consistently been ranked at the top across different countries, as shown by the data in Table 2. What people most look for in a leader a person that they would be will- ing to follow has been constant over time. And our research documents this consistent pattern across countries, cultures, ethnicities, organizational func- tions and hierarchies, gender, educational, and age groups.

The Five Practices of Exemplary Lead- ership and the behaviors of people whom others think of as exemplary leaders are complementary perspectives on the same subject. The majority of respondents are from the United States. Since we asked people to select seven characteristics, the total adds up to more than percent. For example, leaders cannot Model the Way without being seen as honest. The leadership practice of Inspire a Shared Vision in- volves being forward-looking and inspiring.

When leaders demonstrate capacity in all of The Five Practices, they show others they have the competence to get extraordinary things done. The percentages vary, but the final ranking does not. Since the very first time we conducted our studies honesty has been at the top of the list. They want to know that the person is truthful, ethical, and principled.

When people talk to us about the qualities they admire in leaders, they often use the terms integrity and character as synonymous with honesty. No mat- ter what the setting, everyone wants to be fully confident in their leaders, and to be fully confident they have to believe that their leaders are individuals of strong character and solid integrity.

We want to be told the truth. We want a leader who knows right from wrong. We want our leaders to be honest because their honesty is also a reflec- tion upon our own honesty. Of all the qualities that people look for and ad- mire in a leader, honesty is by far the most personal.

More than likely this is also why it consistently ranks number one. Over time, we not only lose respect for the leader, we lose respect for ourselves. Honesty is strongly tied to values and ethics. We appreciate people who know where they stand on important principles. We resolutely refuse to fol- low those who lack confidence in their own beliefs.

Forward-Looking A little more than 70 percent of our most recent respondents selected the ability to look ahead as one of their most sought-after leadership traits. Peo- ple expect leaders to have a sense of direction and a concern for the future of the organization.

This expectation directly corresponds to the ability to en- vision the future that leaders described in their personal-best cases. They have to have a point of view about the future envisioned for their organizations, and they need to be able to connect that point of view to the hopes and dreams of their constituents.

The reality is far more down to earth. Vision reveals the beckoning summit that provides others with the capacity to chart their course toward the future. We want to know what the organization will look like, feel like, and be like when it arrives at its destination in six quarters or six years.

Compared to all the other leadership qual- ities constituents expect, this is the one that most distinguishes leaders from other credible people.

But this expectation does mean that leaders have a special responsibility to attend to the future of their organizations. A leader must be able to communicate the vision in ways that encourage people to sign on for the duration and excite them about the cause.

Although the enthusiasm, energy, and positive attitude of an exemplary leader may not change the content of work, they certainly can make the context more meaningful. If a leader displays no passion for a cause, why should anyone else?

Being upbeat, positive, and optimistic about the future offers people hope. Instead, they need leaders who communicate in words, demeanor, and actions that they believe their constituents will over- come. Emotions are contagious, and positive emotions resonate throughout an organization and into relationships with other constituents.

To get extra- ordinary things done in extraordinary times, leaders must inspire optimal performance—and that can only be fueled with positive emotions.

They must see the leader as having relevant experience and sound judgment. This kind of competence inspires confidence that the leader will be able to guide the entire organization, large or small, in the direction in which it needs to go. Organizations are too complex and multifunctional for that ever to be the case. This is particularly true as people reach the more se- nior levels. For example, those who hold officer positions are definitely ex- pected to demonstrate abilities in strategic planning and policymaking.

If a company desperately needs to clarify its core competence and market posi- tion, a CEO who is savvy in competitive marketing may be perceived as a fine leader. But in the line function, where people expect guidance in technical areas, these same strategic marketing abilities will be insufficient. Relevant experience is a dimension of competence, one that is different from technical expertise.

Experience is about active participation in situational, functional, and industry events and activities and the accumulation of knowl- edge derived from participation. An effective leader in a high-technology company, for example, may not need to be a master programmer but must understand the business implications of electronic data interchange, net- working, and the Internet. A health care administrator with experience only in the insurance industry is more than likely doomed; the job needs extensive experience in the delivery of human services.

There may be notable excep- tions, but it is highly unlikely that a leader can succeed without both relevant experience and, most important, exceptionally good people skills. The relative importance of the most de- sired qualities has varied somewhat over time, but there has been no change in the fact that these are the four qualities people want most in their leaders.

Whether they believe their leaders are true to these values is another matter, but what they would like from them has remained constant. Those who are rated more highly on these dimen- sions are considered to be more credible sources of information. What we found in our in- foundation of vestigation of admired leadership qualities is that more leadership. Credibility is the foundation of leadership.

Above all else, we as constituents must be able to believe in our leaders. Adding forward-looking to what we expect from our leaders is what sets leaders apart from other credible individuals. Compared to other sources of information for example, news anchors , leaders must do more than be reliable reporters of the news.

Leaders make the news, interpret the news, and make sense of the news. We expect our leaders to have a point of view about the future. We expect them to articulate excit- ing possibilities.

Even so, although compelling visions are necessary for leadership, if the leader is not credible the message rests on a weak and precarious foundation. Their ability to take strong stands, to challenge the status quo, and to point us in new directions depends on their being highly credible.

Leaders must never take their credibility for granted, regardless of the times or their positions. To be- lieve in the exciting future possibilities leaders present, constituents must first believe in their leaders.

Does credibility really matter? Does it make a difference? We asked people to rate their immediate managers. As part of our quantitative research, using a behavioral measure of credibility, we asked organization members to think about the extent to which their im- mediate manager exhibited credibility-enhancing behaviors.

Credibility makes a difference, and leaders must take it personally. Loyalty, commitment, energy, and productivity depend on it. Credibility goes far beyond employee attitudes.

It influences customer and investor loyalty as well as employee loyalty. They found further that disloyalty can dampen performance by a stunning 25—50 percent.

So what accounts for business loyalty? Price does not rule the Web; trust does. The data confirm that credibility is the foundation of leadership. But what is credibility behaviorally? How do you know it when you see it? When it comes to deciding whether a leader is believable, people first listen to the words, then they watch the actions. They listen to the talk, and then they watch the walk. They listen to the promises of resources to support change initiatives, and then they wait to see if the money and materials follow.

They hear the promises to de- liver, and then they look for evidence that the commitments are met. If leaders espouse one set of values but personally practice another, people find them to be duplicitous. If leaders practice what they preach, people are more willing to entrust them with their livelihood and even their lives. To be credible in action, leaders must be clear about their beliefs; they must know what they stand for. This practice includes the clarification of a set of values and being an example of those values to others.

This consistent living out of values is a behavioral way of demonstrating honesty and trustworthiness. People trust leaders when their deeds and words match. Who is that leader? What do leaders such as these have in common? Among these most ad- mired leaders, one quality stands out above all else. They all have, or had, unwavering commitment to a clear set of values.

They all are, or were, pas- sionate about their causes. The lesson from this simple exercise is unmistak- able. People admire most those who believe strongly in something, and who are willing to stand up for their beliefs. If anyone is ever to become a leader whom others would willingly follow, one certain prerequisite is that they must be someone of principle.

All exemplary lead- ers share this quality no matter what status they may have achieved. It could be a leader in your local community, one down the hall from you, one next door—and also you. I was a walking corpse. This means that I have to let people know and understand what my thoughts are so that I can become a good leader.

People expect their leaders to speak out on matters of values and con- science. But to speak out you have to know what to speak about. To stand up for your beliefs, you have to know what you stand for. To walk the talk, you have to have a talk to walk. To do what you say, you have to know what you want to say. To earn and sustain personal credibility, you must first be able to clearly articulate deeply held beliefs.

That is why Clarify Values is the first of the leader commitments we dis- cuss in this book. Either way, you can save and edit the quiz for later use using the document's menu bar. If you have any problems with the document, this guide for Adobe printables can provide you with troubleshooting tips.

There are no right or wrong answers. This is not a test, but rather an assessment designed to help you get a sense of your leadership abilities at this point in time.

To complete the quiz, you will need to. This quiz is based on your own perceptions of your comfort-level, tendencies and preferences regarding a number of key areas associated with leadership best practices. Doing well on this quiz does not necessarily mean that you will succeed in a leadership job, and a low score does not indicate that it is not possible for you to be a successful leader. It is just general a general self-assessment to provide you with general information related to several key leadership skills based on the way you see yourself.

Use your as a starting point for getting a sense of what types of leadership development and training activities might best help you set goals and make progress toward growing as a leader, wherever your skills may be at this point in time. Free Leadership Skills Quiz Ready to find out how you score on a leadership skills assessment? Download the Quiz You can fill in some of the information using your computer, or print the document to complete by hand.

There are many reasons for employers to conduct evaluations every once in a while. Employers, understandably, want to guarantee that their money does not go down the drain by wasting it on paying for employees who put out less. Which is why they have employee appraisal forms to determine the value of each of them.

Here are the reasons why employee evaluations matter:. Conducting an effective evaluation using employee evaluation forms requires careful planning, implementation, and documentation in order for it to be effective, unbiased, and objective.

Below is a step-by-step process on how to conduct a constructive evaluation of your employees:. An employee self-evaluation form is a great way for any employee in any company or organization to assess all strengths and weaknesses that he or she possesses. These self-evaluations allow them to keep track of the list of accomplishments that they have done throughout their stay in the company.