Posted: April 24th, 2025

leadership compass

 

The Leadership Compass Assessment (Work Styles) gives us a vocabulary and a way of thinking about working with each other and within our teams.  It provides us with:

• Deepen our appreciation of everyone’s different work styles
• Understand the need for a variety of work styles
• Reflect on our own individual work styles and identify areas for growth
• Understand the negative and positive impacts of each style taken to excess
• Learn the qualities we can develop to become better leaders

1. Read each of the statements and place a check mark in the box next to the statements that apply to how you make choices and decisions at work.
2. Each of these statements will apply to all of us some of the time; we are interested in knowing which of these statements represent you most of the time.
3. Count the total number of check marks on each section and place that number in the star shape to the right of the section.
4. The section with the highest number in the star shape is your dominant decision-making style. No style is considered “better” or “worse” than the other.
5. Explore your styles approaches and the impact when the style is taken to excess.

Complete your Leadership Reflection.  Focus on your thoughts, concerns, and ah-ha moments related to your dominant style. Be sure to provide your result and examples of how your dominant style can be a strength but also a potential weakness if taken to excess.

This paper should not be written in a question-and-answer format.  It should be written as a reflection paper with a proper introduction and conclusion.

The following writing prompts may help you explore your Leadership work style:

• Were there characteristics or behaviors that you strongly agreed with or that “struck a chord” for
  you? (Explain)
• Were there characteristics or behaviors within your dominant style that you were unsure about or thought were wrong?
• Ask someone who knows you very well to read an overview of your dominant style and ask them if they agree with your results? If so, How?
• Discuss three strengths of your style and you feel it is an asset as a leader?
• Discuss three weaknesses (opportunities) that you feel may hinder your effectiveness as a leader?

 Your reflection submission must be at least 5 paragraphs minimum (APA format- double spaced, 12 pt font, 1-inch margins and title page). For this assignment, you do not need to reference page unless you choose to cite a source (then you must add a reference page). 

The Leadership Compass Self-Assessment

“When I dare to be powerful—to use my strength in the service of my
vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.”
—audre lorde

Goals

• Give us a vocabulary and a way of thinking about
working with each other in our teams

• Deepen our appreciation of everyone’s different work
styles

• Understand the need for a variety of work styles
• Reflect on our own individual work styles and identify

areas for growth
• Understand the negative and positive impacts of each

style taken to excess
• Learn the qualities we can develop to become better

leaders

Basic assumptions

• We will categorize ourselves into the work style that fits
us best at work

• No one is purely one style, rather everyone typically has
portions of all styles

• For this discussion we will pick one that fits us best at
work

• All comments will be directed towards a work style, not
a person with the qualities of that direction

l

The Leade rship Compass se lf-assessment, Continued

North—Action

Approaches to Work/Work style

I am usually assertive, active, and decisive.

I like to determine the course of events and be in control of professional
relationships.

I am quick to act and express a sense of urgency for others to act.

I enjoy challenges presented by difficult situations and people.

I think in terms of the bottom line or results.

I like a quick pace and fast track.

I persevere and am not stopped by hearing “No”; I probe and press to get at hidden resistances.

I like variety, novelty, and new projects.

I am comfortable being in front of a room or crowd.

Some of my value-oriented words phrases include “Do it now!,” “I’ll do it!,” and “What’s the
bottom line?”

East—Vision

Approaches to Work/Work style

I am a visionary who sees the big picture.

I am a generative and creative thinker; I am able to think outside the box.

I am very idea-oriented and focus on future thought.

I make decisions by standing in the future.

I usually have insight into mission and purpose.

I look for overarching themes and ideas.

I am adept at problem-solving.

I like to experiment and explore new ways of doing things.

I appreciate a lot of information.

My value-oriented words are “option,” “possibility,” and “imagine.”

EAST

The Leade rship Compass se lf-assessment, Continued

South—Empathy

Approaches to Work/Work style

I understand how people need to receive information in order to act
upon it.

I integrate others’ input in determining the direction of what’s happening.

I am value-driven regarding aspects of professional life.

I use professional relationships to accomplish tasks and interaction is primary to me.

I am supportive of colleagues and peers.

I have a willingness to take others’ statements at face value.

I am feeling-based and trust my own emotions and intuition.

I believe my intuition and emotions are regarded as truth.

I am receptive to others’ ideas; I am a team player; I build on the ideas of others.

I am generally non-competitive.

I am able to focus on the present moment.

My value-oriented words are “right” and “fair.”

West—Analytical

Approaches to Work/Work style

I understand what information is needed to assist in decision-making.

I am seen as practical, dependable, and thorough in task situations.

I’m helpful to others by providing planning and resources and come through for the team.

I move carefully and follow procedures and guidelines.

I use data analysis and logic to make decisions.

I weigh all sides of an issue and am balanced.

I am introspective and self-analytical.

I am careful and thoroughly examine people’s needs in situations.

I maximize existing resources and get the most out of what has been done in the past.

I am skilled at finding fatal flaws in an idea or project.

My value-oriented word is “objective.”

The Leade rship Compass se lf-assessment, Continued

Approaches to work/work Style

NORTH—Action

WEST—Analytical

Vision

SOUTH— Empathy

The Leade rship Compass se lf-assessment, Continued

Styles Taken to Excess

NORTH—Action

WEST—Analytical

Vision

SOUTH— Empathy

North—Action

Approaches to Work/Work style

East—Vision

Approaches to Work/Work style

South—Empathy

Approaches to Work/Work style

West—Analytical

Approaches to Work/Work style

Assignment Details: Leadership Reflections #1- 4 (15pts each)

Over the next 4 weeks, you will be asked to reflect on personal aspects of leadership by

completing several self-assessments intended to facilitate self-discovery and increase self-

awareness. The goal is to help you uncover and profile your leadership “beliefs / worldview”

and leadership “skills / style”.

After you complete each self-assessment, you should reflect on your assessment results and

related experience(s). Then, review the writing prompts that accompany each reflection

assignment. Writing prompts are intended to help you connect your results to the concepts and

learning objectives of the course. Each reflection should be completed directly following the

self-assessment to keep your thoughts focused and fresh.

These reflective exercises will be especially helpful as you work on your Developmental

Autobiography project. In fact, you may reference your results and increased awareness in the

paper, as appropriate.

Reflection Submissions

Your reflective entries should be at least 5 paragraphs AND should focus on your thoughts,

concerns, and ah-ha moments related to your results. I do not need you to submit the completed

self-assessment (your reflective entry should cover everything). The writing prompts are simply

a way for you to explore your results, connections to leadership, and the implications or

opportunities for development. The goal is for you to connect, reflect, and raise your

consciousness of self.

Self- Assessments to be completed:

Each assignment will include the resources required to complete the following self-assessments:

1. Leadership Beliefs (no assessment)

2. Personality Preferences (MBTI)

3. Leadership Compass (Work Styles)

4. Listening Skills & Communication Style

Grading Criteria

• Self-Reflection (4pts): How well did you demonstrate an understanding of your self-
assessment results? How well did you connect your results to your world view, leadership
style, and development opportunities? How well did you express unique personal insight
derived from having completed the assessment?

• Self-Analysis (4pts): How well did you utilize descriptive data (results from the self-
assessment) to support your self-analysis? Did you use specific examples to describe and
support your self-analysis? Did you present and interpret the evidence to justify
developmental activities?

• Organization (4pts): How clear, focused, and well-organized was your reflection?

• Writing (3pts): Does your reflection approach the assignment in professional and

graduate-level quality in grammar, writing style, and adherence to APA 6th format?
When necessary (not required) did you cite course materials (lectures, readings, etc.)
appropriately?