Life Styles Inventory

Life Styles Inventory

Thinking and Behavior

Tiffany Funny

Leadership and Organizational Behavior

Professor Dave Luvison

July 10, 2010

Abstract

Self-awareness is a simple definition that is being aware of oneself including one's traits, feelings, and or behaviors; having knowledge, conscious, being aware of danger, being alert and knowledgeable. These are some of the qualities that you as a person who is a leadership role should come to terms with. These are just a few of the qualities show that you know yourself and that you are aware of your strengths and weaknesses when not only the working world of management but when dealing with people of all different types of personalities. Throughout this paper I have research and will discuss my findings and what I feel are my strength and weaknesses as a person coming from a management stand point.

The opening quote to this assignment was "The quest for leadership is first an inner quest to discover who you are" (p.391.) From that quote, my mind started to wonder on what the context of that meant to me. Does anyone ever really "find" themselves as a person? Does anyone manifest to the person that they are destined to be in this life? It made me sit and think of all the values, goals, and my ability to reach my highest potential and what are my strength that I possess to get to that one, and or, what weaknesses I possess that hinder me from becoming that person.

Through this survey I discovered some interesting and semi true facts about myself. In a way it proved my thinking process and how I carry myself and deal with people around me and in my working environment. I am, in a sense, very guarded I trust no one, and I know my results in some areas prove that. I feel in a working environment it may seem as though it is a "team", but, at the end of the day every man is for themselves. Meaning, if it is between you and someone else in getting a raise you may have the person whom qualifies, has the experience, and knowledge to do the job; then you may have the person whom is the exact opposite but know the person who has the authority on a personal level, so in that case who gets the raise, so that brings in my logic of having the sense of security in my daily doings.

My finding was very interesting. In some areas true and in other I agree but disagree. With Conventional being my highest percentile I was not surprised, but, didn't agree as well. Conventional style is someone who wants to hind behind the scenes. It is described as someone is goes by the book, someone who wants to "blend in" with their peers. This form of person vies rules as a comfort zone a security blanket, does not want his or her mistakes to be seen and notice so therefore they try to go unseen.

A person who has the qualities of Conventional style when it comes to management is also in my eyes dramatic. A person with these traits in a management position makes is difficult in the workplace. Reasons being because in my eyes there is no room for growth as an employee; managers of this style follow the rules so the motivations to expect high performances from their employees are slim to none. This form of behavior hinders a person from expanding their mind to open ideas and people.

I do not feel that my highest percentile should be in this category. I disagree with this style because I feel as though the only characteristic that I show is the wanting of security. I am very open to new ideas and change, change is what makes a person and or an organization grow and continue to develop. Rules should be followed but over time it should be evaluated and adjusted to fit the organization at that point in time as society changes. As a manager, under this particular category there is not space and opportunity to grow or to develop yourself into the best manager and or whatever position. The need and desire to blend in, or to go unseen, in my option are traits of an unsuccessful manager who will have a low production team for the lack of drive and push to exceed the limit and to pursue personal goals.

My backup style was Achievement. Achievement is the style that I relate to the most and feel that it best describes me. All managers should possess this quality. Achievers always have the desire to improve and having the willingness to want to improve things and knowing that they can succeed on their personal beliefs and values. Achievers also don't hesitate when an new opportunity presents itself, as well as being a person who is able to encourage others, able to share responsibility and have the confidence to know that they will be successful.

In my case, I possess all these qualities and feel that this style should be my primary. In many cases in my work history I have always started at the bottom. When it was retail positions, I started as the cashier or "sales associate"; and at that current time at a young age I already possess all the qualities of a leader. From being a seventeen year old female and within a year becoming a manager and being in charge of other individuals, some of which older than myself I set goals and always accomplished them. I never feel that a performance if based on "the luck of the draw", I feel that