2.10: Management Skills Application Exercises

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1. What Is Your Locus of Control?

Instructions: This instrument lists several pairs of statements concerning the possible causes of behavior. For each pair, select the letter (A or B) that better describes your own beliefs. Remember: there are no right or wrong answers. To view the scoring key, go to Appendix B.

A. In the long run, the bad things that happen to us are balanced by the good ones. B. Most misfortunes are the result of lack of ability, ignorance, laziness, or all three.
A. I have often found that what is going to happen will happen.
B. Trusting to fate has never turned out as well for me as making a decision to take a definite course of
action.
A. Many of the unhappy things in people’s lives are partly due to bad luck.
B. People’s misfortunes result from the mistakes they make.
A. Without the right breaks, one cannot be an effective leader.
B. Capable people who fail to become leaders have not taken advantage of their opportunities.
A. Many times, I feel I have little influence over the things that happen to me.
B. It is impossible for me to believe that chance or luck plays an important role in my life.
A. Most people don’t realize the extent to which their lives are controlled by accidental happenings.
B. There really is no such thing as “luck.”
A. Unfortunately, an individual’s worth often passes unrecognized no matter how hard she tries.
B. In the long run, people get the respect they deserve.

Source: Adapted from Julian B. Rotter, “Generalized Expectancies for Internal Versus External Control of Reinforcement.” Psychological Monographs, 80 (Whole No. 609, 1966), pp. 11–12.

2. Which Values Are Most Important to You?

Instructions: People are influenced by a wide variety of personal values. In fact, it has been argued that values represent a major influence on how we process information, how we feel about issues, and how we behave. In this exercise, you are given an opportunity to consider your own personal values. Below are listed two sets of statements. The first list presents several instrumental values, while the second list presents several terminal values. For each list you are asked to rank the statements according to how important each is to you personally. In the list of instrumental values, place a “1” next to the value that is most important to you, a “2” next to the second most important, and so forth. Clearly, you will have to make some difficult decisions concerning your priorities. When you have completed the list for instrumental values, follow the same procedure for the terminal values. Please remember that this is not a test—there are no right or wrong answers—so be completely honest with yourself. To view the scoring key, go to Appendix B.

Instrumental Values

_____ Assertiveness; standing up for yourself
_____ Being helpful or caring toward others
_____ Dependability; being counted upon by others
_____ Education and intellectual pursuits
_____ Hard work and achievement
_____ Obedience; following the wishes of others
_____ Open-mindedness; receptivity to new ideas
_____ Self-sufficiency; independence
_____ Truthfulness; honesty
_____ Being well-mannered and courteous toward others

Terminal Values

_____ Happiness; satisfaction in life _____ Knowledge and wisdom
_____ Peace and harmony in the world _____ Pride in accomplishment

_____ Prosperity; wealth
_____ Lasting friendships
_____ Recognition from peers
_____ Salvation; finding eternal life _____ Security; freedom from threat _____ Self-esteem; self-respect