Dear Division:

I am attempting to evaluate the organizational behavior of the division and my own leadership style. I do not know who will head the division next year. I may be asked to continue as chair of the division. The final decision rests with the incoming president.

Two years ago when I returned to the division I had no thought of heading the division, let alone heading the division for more than one year. After two years of heading the division and with prospects of heading the division again next year, I need to take stock and determine what I am doing wrong and work to rectify those wrongs.

I know this is a busy time of the year, but please help me be a better chair next year by taking some time and filling out the following two surveys and returning them to my mail box. This is anonymous! Do not put your name on your survey.

This survey was adapted from material copyrighted by Donald Clark. Further information on these surveys is included in URLs at the end of the document. Thanks!

Organizational Behavior Survey

Objective: To identify what behavioral model the division prefers to operate in.

Instructions: This questionnaire contains statements about the organization. Next to each question indicate how rarely or often the division displays each behavior by using the following scoring system:

1. Almost never
2. Seldom
3. Occasionally
4. Frequently
5. Almost always

1. _____ Things get accomplished around here because instructors fear for their jobs.
2. _____ Most employees do not leave this organization because it provides a lot of security.
3. _____ The division chair displays real leadership traits and is respected by the instructors.
4. _____ There is a real feeling of teamwork.
5. _____ Only the chair is allowed to make decisions.
6. _____ Although the instructors are happy and contented, they give only passive cooperation.
7. _____ Both the chair and instructors want to create better job performance.
8. _____ There is a partnership between the chair and employees.
9. _____ Although people obey their chair, they do not respect the chair.
10. _____ The chair's main concern is passing students in order to maintain the student's financial aid status and thereby make money for the institution.
11. _____ The instructors feel they are part of the organization.
12. _____ The instructors feel a real responsibility to make things work.
13. _____ Most of the tasks assigned to instructors by the chair are trivial and require little thinking or initiative on the part of the instructor.
14. _____ The instructors' main concern is for the security of their families and themselves.
15. _____ When things go wrong, the main concern is to fix it, not to lay blame.
16. _____ There is enthusiasm among the instructors to better job performance.
17. _____ The instructors' main concern is to provide for their families and themselves.
18. _____ Although the instructors have good benefits, they tend to give only minimal performance.
19. _____ The instructors feel they are recognized for their work.
20. _____ The instructors feel their jobs hold high esteem and are of great value to the organization.
21. _____ The division chair does not expect the instructors to give more than minimal performance.
22. _____ Most of the instructors seem content to stay in their position.
23. _____ Instructors are part of the decision making process.
24. _____ Things happen around here because of the self-discipline of every instructor.

To help me tally the division data, please, in the fill-in lines below, mark the score of each item on the questionnaire. For example, if you scored item one with a 3 (Occasionally), then enter a 3 next to Item One. When you have entered all the scores for each question, total each of the four columns. Thanks!

Leadership Style Survey

This questionnaire contains statements about leadership style beliefs. Next to each statement, circle the number that represents how strongly you feel about the statement by using the following scoring system:

1. Almost Never True
2. Seldom True
3. Occasionally True
4. Frequently True
5. Almost Always True

Be honest about your choices!

1. _____ The division chair always retains the final decision making authority within my division.
2. _____ The chair always tries to include one or more instructors in determining what to do and how to do it. However, the chair maintains the final decision making authority.
3. _____ The chair and the instructors always vote whenever a major decision has to be made.
4. _____ The chair does not consider suggestions made by the instructors as the chair does not have the time for them.
5. _____ The chair asks for instructor ideas and input on upcoming plans and projects.
6. _____ For a major decision to pass in the division, it must have the approval of each individual or the majority.
7. _____ The chair tells the instructors what has to be done and how to do it.
8. _____ When things go wrong and the chair needs to create a strategy to keep a project or process running on schedule, the chair calls a meeting to get the instructor's advice.
9. _____ To get information out, the division chair sends it by email, memos, or voice mail; very rarely is a meeting called. The instructors are then expected to act upon the information.
10. _____ When someone makes a mistake, the chair tells them not to ever do that again and makes a note of it.
11. _____ The chair wants to create an environment where the instructors take ownership of the project. The chair allows them to participate in the decision making process.
12. _____ The chair allows the instructors to determine what needs to be done and how to do it.
13. _____ New hires are not allowed to make any decisions unless it is approved by the chair first.
14. _____ The chair asks instructors for their vision of where they see their jobs going and then uses their vision where appropriate.
15. _____ The instructors know more about their jobs than the division chair, so the chair allows them to carry out the decisions to do their job.
16. _____ When something goes wrong, the chair tells the instructors that a procedure is not working correctly and the chair establishes a new one.
17. _____ The chair allows the instructors to set priorities with the chair's guidance.
18. _____ The chair delegates tasks in order to implement a new procedure or process.
19. _____ The chair closely monitors the instructors to ensure they are performing correctly.
20. _____ When there are differences in role expectations, the chair works with them to resolve the differences.
21. _____ Each individual in the division is responsible for defining their job.
22. _____ The chair likes the power that his leadership position holds over subordinates.
23. _____ The chair likes to use his leadership power to help subordinates grow.
24. _____ The chair likes to share his leadership power with my subordinates.
25. _____ Instructors must be directed or threatened with punishment in order to get them to achieve the organizational objectives.
26. _____ Instructors will exercise self-direction if they are committed to the objectives.
27. _____ Instructors have the right to determine their own organizational objectives.
28. _____ The division chair seeks mainly security.
29. _____ The chair knows how to use creativity and ingenuity to solve organizational problems.
30. _____ The instructors can lead themselves just as well as the division chair can.

To help me tally the leadership style data, please, in the fill-in lines below, mark the score of each item on the questionnaire. For example, if you scored item one with a 3 (Occasionally), then enter a 3 next to Item One. When you have entered all the scores for each question, total each of the three columns.

Once again, thank-you for your input and assistance!

Other comments

In the area that follows or on additional paper as necessary, please provide any comments or suggestions you might have for the chair in regards the above areas.