Management and Leadership Questionnaire

Case Studies

Management and Leadership Questionnaire Case Studies

MLQ30 is a trademark of MySkillsProfile.com Limited. MLQ30 is distributed in the USA by Performance Assessment Network, Inc Please contact us at. pan@panpowered.com, (317) 566-3270, or 1-877-449-TEST (Toll Free) Performance Assessment Network, Inc. 11590 North Meridian St. Suite 200 Carmel, IN 46032-6955 Fax. (317) 566-3271

Management and Leadership Questionnaire Case Studies

Contents
Introduction Case Study 1. Selection Case Study 2. Leadership development Case Study 3. Management development strategy Case Study 4. Team development Case Study 5. Executive education Case Study 6. Coaching MLQ30 Competency Framework 4 5 5 6 6 7 7 9

Management and Leadership Questionnaire Case Studies

Introduction
The Management and Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ30) is a practical and straightforward
instrument that measures a managers perception of their leadership style and competencies. The 1 questionnaire measures 30 management and leadership competencies covering six key areas. The feedback report from the questionnaire provides a rich picture of a managers competence based on a comparison of their responses against those of a large benchmark group. The report covers leadership level, leadership style (management versus leadership focus and task versus people orientation) and situational leadership effectiveness. The MLQ30 is a standardized instrument. Norms are based on a large international sample of first level, middle and senior managers. The instrument meets key standards for reliability and validity. The strengths of the MLQ30 lie in its simplicity and ease of interpretation. The questionnaire is suitable for a wide range of assessment and development applications including selection, coaching, training, team building and career counseling. This paper describes six case studies using the questionnaire.

MLQ30 Concept Model

Leadership competencies Management competencies

Strategic and creative thinking

Implementing and improving

Leading and deciding

Communicating and presenting

Developing and changing

Relating and supporting

The strengths of the MLQ30 lie in its simplicity and ease of interpretation. The questionnaire is suitable for a wide range of assessment and development applications including selection, coaching, training, team building and career counseling.
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The full competency model is shown on pages 9-10

Case Study 1. Selection

The HR Director of a large provider of insurance and financial services in the United States hired consultants to design and help carry out an assessment center to recruit internal candidates for senior leadership positions. The consultants decided to use the MLQ30 along with a personality measure as part of the assessment process. The objective of using the two assessment tests together was to get a rich picture of a candidates personality, work style and competencies. Candidates completed the two instruments online prior to attending a one-day assessment center. The information from the two instruments along with performance data from the assessment center was used to help shortlist candidates for interview by a selection panel chaired by a board member of the company. The computer-generated feedback reports were shared with successful and unsuccessful candidates as part of a broader debriefing about the outcomes of the assessment center. The effectiveness of the two tests was considered as part of the evaluation of the assessment center. The HR director and assessors reported that the personality and competency profiles generated by the two instruments gave a very comprehensive picture of how a candidate viewed their leadership style and skills.

MLQ30 leadership level framework

Level Summary Description
5 4 3 2 1 Outstanding leader who delivers exceptional performance through a combination of welldeveloped skills and competencies in management and leadership. Effective leader who possesses many well-developed skills and competencies in management and leadership. Competent manager who possesses moderately well-developed skills and competencies in management and leadership. Junior-level manager with some moderately well-developed skills and competencies in management and leadership and some weaker areas and gaps. Individual contributor who needs to boost management and leadership skills and competencies in order to join the management ranks.

Case Study 2. Leadership development

A business networking organization in the United States providing leadership development, industry research and career outreach for its members decided to use the MLQ30 assessment test as part of a leadership seminar at an annual conference for its members. The purpose of the leadership seminar was to bring participants up to date with some of the latest thinking on leadership and offer participants a practical method of benchmarking their skills. The leadership development manager for the organization selected the MLQ30 after trying out several different leadership assessment instruments. Invitations to complete the assessment test were emailed to over 200 delegates attending the conference.

Management and Leadership Questionnaire Case Studies

Consultants recruited to facilitate the leadership event analyzed the data and presented the results of the analysis to the conference highlighting members perceived strengths and weaknesses based on analysis of leadership level scores, management versus leadership scores, task versus people scores and the six MLQ30 key factor scorecards. Printed versions of the feedback reports along with copies of the MLQ30 performance improvement suggestions booklet were distributed during small group sessions facilitated by experienced leadership coaches. PDF versions of reports were emailed to members after the event.

Case Study 3. Management development strategy

A multi-national company headquartered in Canada recruited consultants to help develop a management development strategy and development program for first level, middle and senior managers. The consultants interviewed board directors, conducted focus groups with managers at different levels and in different business units and locations and conducted an online survey of management and leadership competencies. The consultants decided to use the MLQ30 for the online survey rather than develop a bespoke survey because they judged that it provided comprehensive coverage of the management and leadership domain and it provided an excellent method of giving participants feedback from the survey. The MLQ30 was completed online by a large sample of managers in the company. Item-level data was downloaded and analyzed and the results were used to identify the strengths and weaknesses of managers at different levels and in different parts of the company. Managers who completed the questionnaire were sent the computer-generated feedback report and invited to send comments to the consultants on their current and future development needs. The consultants used the results of the MLQ30 survey along with data from interviews with senior managers and focus groups to develop proposals for a management development strategy to present to the board.

Case Study 4. Team development

The head of a business unit in a specialty pharmaceutical company in the United Kingdom engaged consultants to help deliver a business planning and team development event. The consultants suggested to the head of the unit that the MLQ30 should be used to inform a session on the event about management and leadership competencies and styles with a view to identifying the teams strengths and weaknesses. At the recommendation of the consultants, the head of the business unit tried out the assessment before agreeing that it should be used for the event. The MLQ30 was then completed by the business unit staff online before the event.

Management and Leadership Questionnaire Case Studies

At the event, the consultants gave a presentation covering the business units competency profile before distributing individual feedback reports to participants. The consultants presentation covered the groups scores on leadership level, management versus leaders focus, task versus people approach and situational leadership effectiveness. The presentation provided a picture of a taskoriented management culture. At the end of the presentation, the participants broke into small groups to discuss the results of the survey.

Each group was tasked to discuss the information that had been presented and come back to a plenary session with three practical suggestions to improve the units performance and culture.

Case Study 5. Executive education

A leading provider of executive education in USA used the MLQ30 on the leadership element of a MBA course. The leadership module course leader decided to use the MLQ30 because she considered that the test measured many of the competencies that appear frequently in company competency frameworks. The course leader also chose the MLQ30 for the course because the feedback report touched on a number of management and leadership concepts covered on the programfor example, leadership level, management versus leadership focus, task versus people approach and situation leadership effectiveness. Students completed the MLQ30 half way through the leadership module and received their feedback reports by email. Students were required to write an essay on leadership drawing on the research literature and what they had learned about their own leadership style and strengths from the lectures and group work, and from the results of their own MLQ30 feedback report.

Case Study 6. Coaching

A business psychologist coaching a newly promoted senior manager working for a bank used the MLQ30 alongside a 360 feedback test to help develop a shared understanding of the managers leadership style and competencies. The psychologist selected the MLQ30 because it provided good coverage of management and leadership competencies and because the feedback report provided a framework for the psychologist and client to discuss and explore the clients strengths and weaknesses. The discussions focusing on the MLQ30 assessment pointed to a number of potential improvement areas in the way the manager handled relationships which was confirmed by a 360 degree feedback assessment where views were sought from the managers bosses, peers and direct reports . The psychologist felt that the MLQ30 provided a useful tool to guide early discussions with the client.

Management and Leadership Questionnaire Case Studies

MLQ30 management and leadership matrix

Strategist Strategists are strong on competencies to do with strategic and creative thinking, leading and deciding, and developing and changing. However, they often tend to neglect some of the transactional aspects of management. Leader The best leaders are strategists and managers. They transform and manage organizations through a combination of transformational leadership competencies and transactional management competencies.

Leadership Focus Low Low Management Focus Contributor Individual contributors are specialists and "doers" who have not acquired the orchestrating competencies required to be a successful manager/leader. They need to learn to adjust their style to manage conflicting demands from bosses, peers, and direct reports. Manager Managers are strong on competencies to do with implementing and improving, communicating and presenting, and relating and supporting. However, they tend to neglect the transformational aspects of strategic leadership.

High

High

Management and Leadership Questionnaire Case Studies

MLQ30 Competency Framework

Leadership/Transformational Competencies
1 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 2 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 3 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Strategic and Creative Thinking Thinking and managing globally Developing strategy and acting strategically Managing knowledge and information Creating and innovating Managing costs and financial performance Leading and Deciding Attracting and managing talent Motivating people and inspiring them to excel Coaching and developing people Managing culture and diversity Making sound decisions Developing and Changing Displaying initiative and drive Showing courage and strength Learning and developing continuously Managing and implementing change Adapting and coping with pressure Competency Requirements Keep up to date with global trends, review the company's position, develop business relationships in other countries. See the big picture, pick up changes in the marketplace, review and analyze the business unit's strategy. Keep up with advances in business area, benchmark performance against industry leaders, seek advice from experts. Help people to think differently about a problem, get buy-in for creative ideas, turn novel ideas into reality. Read and interpret financial reports, set financial targets, review and improve financial performance. Competency Requirements Help new employees get up to speed quickly, give people challenging job assignments, monitor peoples performance. Communicate high expectations of people, trust capable people to do their work, celebrate team achievement. Provide people with assignments to develop their skills, give timely coaching, act as a role model for development. Define acceptable workplace behavior, challenge bias and intolerance, act as a role model of inclusive behavior. Assess options and risks, consult people and take their views and ideas into account, act decisively. Competency Requirements Start tasks right away, get things done quickly, be ready to go the extra mile. Do what is right despite personal risk, say no when necessary, have the courage to take tough decisions. Seek feedback, set personal development goals, show a sense of humor and perspective. Sell the benefits of change, model the change expected of others, establish roles and structures to support change. Adapt quickly to new situations, handle stress successfully, keep composure in difficult circumstances.

Management and Leadership Questionnaire Case Studies

Management/Transactional Competencies
4 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 5 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 6 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 Implementing and Improving Executing strategies and plans Improving processes and systems Managing customer relationships and services Analyzing issues and problems Managing plans and projects Communicating and Presenting Facilitating and improving communication Influencing and persuading people Managing feelings and emotions Speaking with confidence and presenting to groups Writing and reporting Relating and Supporting Relating and networking Listening and showing understanding Building trust and modeling integrity Identifying and resolving conflict Cultivating teamwork and collaboration Competency Requirements Provide direction and support, delegate responsibility to the appropriate people, hold people accountable for delivery. Allocate responsibility for improvement, learn lessons from process breakdowns, improve business processes. Set high standards for customer service, exceed customer expectations, resolve customer issues quickly. Gather information from a wide variety of sources, approach problems from different angles, brainstorm possible solutions with others. Develop bold plans, obtain resources to carry out projects, manage critical dependencies and risks. Competency Requirements Create a climate where people share views and ideas, exchange information with the team, bosses, and stakeholders. Promote views and ideas, influence people by addressing their needs and priorities, negotiate effectively. Know which emotions you are feeling and why, handle other peoples feelings and emotions sensitively. Demonstrate presence, communicate with self-assurance, give effective presentations to groups. Produce clearly written reports, write effectively for different audiences, edit other people's written work skillfully. Competency Requirements Work effectively with other people, build rapport and keeping others in the loop, use networks to get things done. Put people at ease, pay attention to their feelings and emotions, listen without interrupting. Act in accordance with your values and principles, give consistent messages, keep promises. Encourage debate, bring disagreements into the open, address and resolve conflict early. Set the team's direction and priorities, review the team's successes and failures, help team members work well together.

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Management and Leadership Questionnaire Case Studies

pan@panpowered.com, (317) 566-3270, or 1-877-449-TEST (Toll Free) Performance Assessment Network, Inc. 11590 North Meridian St. Suite 200 Carmel, IN 46032-6955 Fax. (317) 566-3271

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