Life styles inventory self development guide

LSI Assignment Guidelines

Developing a willingness and ability to engage in self-reflection is a critical leadership skill that is not easily learned yet which reaps many rewards. The LSI enables you to examine your own unique way of thinking and how it influences your behavior.

Your Assignment:

Complete (on your own) the LSI according to the procedure outlined here, so that you end up with your "Life Styles Circumplex" profile: 12 "personal thinking style" scores, one score for each section of the circumplex.

Write a 3–5 page paper examining and explaining your LSI results. There are more details in the table below.

LSI Style Interpretations: Go to the LSI1 Results page, find your circumplex profile, and click on the circumplex "slice" of one of the styles. The site will bring you to a customized interpretation of the style you clicked on. Click on each of the 12 "slices" to see all of the customized style description pages.

How to Use the Inventory

Click here to go to the Life Styles Inventory (LSI) exercise. Follow the instructions given on the LSI Website.

The content of your LSI paper must include a copy of your LSI results (circumplex and chart) and the following written sections:

Section

Points

Description

Title page

Title of your applied research paper, your name, e-mail address, course number and title, instructor, and date.

Personal Thinking Styles

25

Identify your primary and backup thinking styles: What are your "primary" (highest percentile score) and "backup" (second highest percentile) personal thinking styles as shown in your circumplex? Discuss how your primary and backup personal styles are manifested in your life and work (see the LSI Self Development Guide online). Using the style interpretations in the LSI Guide, describe the styles and give your perceptions about the results. Do you agree or disagree with them and why?

Identify your limiting style: Identify and illustrate one style you think might be working against you to reduce your overall effectiveness. Name the style you have chosen, make a few remarks about why you are choosing this style as limiting your professional effectiveness in organizations.

Select one behavior associated with this style that you think you would like to change and the difference it will make. Be sure to support your interpretation with examples, etc.

LSI Style Interpretations: Go to the LSI1 Results page, find your circumplex profile, and click on the circumplex "slice" of one of the styles. The site will bring you to a customized interpretation of the style you clicked on. Click on each of the 12 "slices" to see all of the customized style description pages.

Impact on Management Style

35

What impact do your personal styles have on your management style? Explore and assess the impact of your personal styles on your effectiveness as a manager in terms of the four functions of management:

a. Planning;

b. Organizing;

c. Leading; and

d. Controlling.

If you are currently not a manager, assume you are and predict your effectiveness as such.

Genesis of Personal Style

35

Critically evaluate and explain on how you developed the personal styles that were revealed in your LSI. What role, for example, did family relationships, school, organizational memberships, culture, etc. have in shaping your personal style?

Conclusion and Reflection

25

Think about your LSI results and your responses to the above questions. Summarize any concluding comments. Close your paper with a statement of at least one question or goal you hope your work in MGMT591 will help you to address and comment with a few sentences to describe the value of this exercise to your personal and professional development.

Please note: The LSI Self-Development Guide is integrated into the LSI1 Participant account, and is available after you complete the LSI Survey and have access to your results. In-depth and personalized style descriptions can be found by clicking on the style "slices" of the circumplex. For example, if you would like to learn more about the Humanistic-Encouraging style (Style 1), you simply click on the circumplex "slice" for that style. The same goes for the other 11 styles.

You can find the Challenge of Change and the Self-Improvement Plan information by using two of the additional links that become available in you LSI online account after the survey is complete. These links are "The Challenge of Change" and "Your Self-Improvement Plan." Good luck with the exercise!

LSI Grading Rubric:

WRITTEN LSI PAPER RUBRIC

Criteria

Failed to Meet Minimum Standards

Met Minimum Standards (60% = 72 pts) D

Satisfactory (70% = 84 pts) C

Good (80 % = 96 pts) B

Superior (90% = 108 pts) A

Part I: Personal Thinking Styles (25 Points)

Results not apparent 0

Mentions style names; does not describe; does not evaluate 17.0

Defines styles; reflects barely adequate information to acquaint the reader with the style's application 19.5

Contains a focus and provides sufficient detail to set the stage for the analysis but may not support evaluative statements 22.0

Defines styles; validates results; supports impressions; complete information 25.0

Part II: Impact On Management Style (35 Points)

No managerial impact apparent 0

Gives examples of behaviors, but does not relate them to the managment functions or the personal styles 21.5

Mentions the management functions with examples or relates to the personal styles, but not both 24.5

Loosely connects management functions and styles; uses vague examples or examples lacking depth of application 28.0

Shows clear connection between styles and their impact on the management styles; uses specific examples 35.0

Part III: Genesis of Personal Styles (35 Points)

None provided 0

Too shallow; insufficient depth; provides only one example to support development 21.5

Provides a review of 2–3 supporting experiences; does not relate them to style development 24.5

Loosely connects personal experiences to style results; uses vague examples lacking depth of application 28.0

Gives a clear and focused analysis; uses several specific examples; directly relates experiences to how styles were formed 35.0

Part IV: Conclusion and Reflection (25 Points)

No reflective statement or summary offered 0

Perfunctory effort at drawing lessons from the assignment 17.0

One key lesson; no other insights offered 19.5

Good faith effort in discussing the lessons from the assignment; some insights are included 22.0

Well presented insights on how the assignment influenced personal, academic, and professional development; includes statement regarding MGMT591 25.0