Ministry Leadership Style Questionnaire

[Based on Situational Leadership theory and the LBA II Instrument (Leadership

Behavior Analysis II: Self-Perceptions of Leadership Style) by Kenneth Blanchard et al.
from Blanchard Training and Development, Inc.]

Directions: (read carefully)

The purpose of the Ministry Leadership Style Questionnaire is to provide you with
information about your perceptions of your own leadership style. The questionnaire
consists of 20 ministry situations that involve a leader and one or more volunteers.
Following each situation are four possible actions that a leader may take. Assume that you
are the leader involved in each of the 20 situations. Circle the letter of the decision which
you think would most closely describe your actual behavior in the situation presented.
Circle only one choice for each situation: A, B, C or D.

1. You have asked the worship committee chairperson to prepare several prayer
services for an upcoming retreat. She usually can be given an assignment and it is
completed on time with encouragement from you. The prayer services are late.
YOU WOULD…
A. Tell the chairperson you want the prayer services, explain what you want in the
prayer services, and text her regularly to make sure they are completed.
B. Give the chairperson more time to complete the prayer services.
C. Tell the chairperson what you expect, when you must have the prayer services
completed by, but discuss with her why the prayer services are late.
D. Talk to the chairperson and encourage her to complete the prayer services.

2. A team of catechists in the parish have been working hard to prepare special
monthly sessions for parents of the children. You have recruited a new member of
the team who will be responsible for leading one of the small groups of parents
during the monthly sessions. He is excited and enthused about learning more
about his role on the team, but he has not been involved in the planning of the
monthly sessions. YOU WOULD…
A. Tell/teach the new member what will be included in the monthly sessions and
what his role will be as a small group leader, and then closely monitor his
performance.
B. Ask if there is anything you can do to help the new member and support his
excitement about being a new team member.
C. Explain the monthly session design and his role as a small group leader but
incorporate any ideas or suggestions the new member may have.
D. Welcome the new member to the team, and thank him for agreeing to be a small
group leader at the monthly sessions.

3. Recently, you have begun to have trouble with one of your volunteers. She has
become lazy, and only with your constant prodding has her work been completed.
Because of past experience with this volunteer, you suspect she may not have all
the expertise needed to complete the tasks she has undertaken. YOU WOULD…
A. Continue to give the volunteer direction and follow-up on the volunteer’s efforts
to do the job she volunteered for.
B. Continue to closely monitor the volunteer’s work and try to draw out her attitudes
and feelings concerning the job she has volunteered for.
C. Involve the volunteer in problem-solving about the tasks, offer support, and use
her ideas in completing the tasks.
D. Let the volunteer know that these are important tasks and ask her to contact you if
she has any questions or problems.

4. In the past, your Campus Ministry Team has planned and organized programs
effectively with encouragement and direction from you. Despite your continued
support and direction, their work has dropped off drastically. The group seems to
need more expertise and experience in organizing programs. The director of the
school has become concerned. YOU WOULD…
A. Emphasize the need to organize new programming and ask the team to work out
their problems on their own.
B. Make sure that the team organizes quality programs and that deadlines are met,
but talk to them to get their recommendations.
C. Inform the team of exactly what you expect, what is needed, what some of the
consequences could be if programming continues to drop off; provide the
information and resources that are needed to improve their work, and frequently
check their progress.
D. Help the team to determine what needs to be done and encourage them to take the
necessary steps.

5. The chairperson of the Christian service committee has just moved to another
city. You have asked an experienced member of the committee to take charge of
the service program until a new chairperson can be found. This person has worked
in all areas of parish ministry. In the past, he has always been eager to help in
whatever needed to be done. However, while you think he has the ability to
coordinate the service committee, he does not seem motivated to take on the
responsibility. YOU WOULD…
A. Coordinate the Christian service program yourself, but make sure you listen to his
suggestions.
B. Assign the service program to him and let him determine how to coordinate it.
C. Discuss the situation with him encouraging him to accept the responsibility in
light of his skills and expertise.
D. Coordinate the service program yourself and indicate to him precisely what to do.
Monitor his work closely.

6. A highly productive and efficient member on your team has asked for your help
on a task. This volunteer is accustomed to working effectively on her own.
Recently, some problems in the tasks have developed that the volunteer feels she
cannot solve by herself. YOU WOULD…
A. Analyze the problem and outline the methods to solve them.

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B. Continue to allow the volunteer to figure out an appropriate solution
independently.
C. Determine and implement an appropriate solution but work with the volunteer in
problem-solving.
D. Discuss the problems with the volunteer and support her efforts to find
appropriate solutions.

7. You have asked one of your experienced catechists to take on the job of
organizing a weekend retreat for the other catechists. As a teacher, the catechist
has performed well with support from you. She is excited about the new challenge
but doesn’t know where to begin because of lack of experience in organizing
retreats. YOU WOULD…
A. Discuss the task of organizing a retreat, support her ability to do it. Emphasize her
outstanding performance in the past.
B. Determine and explain/teach each of the tasks necessary for organizing a retreat
and regularly check to see how things are going.
C. Give the catechist the assignment and let her determine how to do the job. Tell her
to call you if there are any problems.
D. Specify the tasks necessary to organize a retreat, but include and ideas she may
have.

8. One of the members of your team is feeling insecure about a task he has
volunteered for. The person is highly competent and you know that he has the
skills to complete the task successfully. YOU WOULD…
A. Listen to the person’s concerns and let him know that you have confidence in his
ability to complete the task well.
B. Structure the job so that it is clear, but consider any helpful suggestions he may
have about completing the task.
C. Explain/teach him exactly what to do to get the job done and check on his work
regularly.
D. Let the volunteer figure out how to do the job on his own.

9. The Youth Ministry Board has asked you to consider a change in next year’s
programming. In the past, you have encouraged and supported their suggestions.
In this case, your board is well aware of the need for change and is ready to
suggest and implement new programming. YOU WOULD…
A. Allow team involvement in developing new programming and support the
suggestions of the group members.
B. Design and implement the new programming yourself, but incorporate team
recommendations.
C. Allow the team to plan and implement the new programming on their own.
D. Design the new programming yourself and closely direct its implementation.

10. You have arrived 30 minutes late for the Pastoral Council meeting. When you
arrive, the meeting still has not started. A couple of members tried to start the
meeting but most members were discouraged because of a lack of cooperation

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 among members. This situation surprises you because the council had been
making good progress in setting goals for the next year. YOU WOULD…
A. Restate the purpose of the meeting, then let the council work without any
direction from you unless they ask for it.
B. Take control immediately and lead the council in the planning step for organizing
next year’s goals.
C. Direct the interaction towards the goal setting and encourage the members to
discuss problems and feelings.
D. Ask the council to continue setting goals for next year and provide as much
support and encouragement as possible.

11. Your parish respect life coordinator has done a fine job of organizing programs
and activities with your support and encouragement but little direction. She has
been given similar tasks to accomplish for the coming year and you must decide
how to monitor her work. YOU WOULD…
A. Let the coordinator work by her herself providing her own support and direction.
B. Emphasize to the coordinator the importance of meeting deadlines and direct her
efforts at accomplishing assigned tasks.
C. Talk with the coordinator and set goals for her work, but consider her suggestions.
D. Involve the coordinator in setting goals and support her efforts.

12. In the past, you worked closely with your retreat team, directing and supporting
their efforts. Their work is excellent and the team gets along well together.
Recognizing their abilities, you think that they can now work more on their own.
You have directed your energies to new areas and they have continued to work
effectively. You must now ask them to accept the additional responsibility of
conducting the retreat programs on their own. YOU WOULD…
A. Assign them the additional responsibility, make sure they know exactly what to
do, and supervise them closely.
B. Give them the additional responsibility. Tell them that you are pleased with their
past performance and that you are sure they will do well with this additional
responsibility.
C. Make sure they know what you want them to do, but incorporate any helpful
suggestions they have.
D. Let them determine how to complete the additional responsibility.

13. You have just recruited a new volunteer to lead a small Bible sharing group. Even
though the new volunteer is inexperienced, he is enthusiastic and confident about
the job. YOU WOULD…
A. Let the volunteer determine what the job entails and how to do it.
B. Tell the volunteer what the job entails, teach him how to lead a Scripture study
group, and monitor his work closely and regularly.
C. Let the new volunteer know what you want him to do, but see if he has any
suggestions or ideas.
D. Encourage and praise the new volunteer’s enthusiasm and ask him how he would
like to tackle the job.

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14. You have asked a reliable and experienced parishioner to coordinate the parish’s
outreach program for new parishioners. The person you have asked has
considerable experience in this area but is a little unsure about doing this program
on her own. YOU WOULD…
A. Ask her to take on the program. Encourage and support her efforts.
B. Discuss the project with her. Explain how you want the job done, but see if she
has any ideas.
C. Assign her the program and let her determine what to do.
D. Assign her the program and prepare a detailed outline explaining all the steps
necessary to get the program going.

15. The justice and service coordinator of your school has made a suggestion for a
change in the way service experiences for the students are organized. The idea
makes sense to you. In the past, the coordinator has been able to offer and
implement other helpful suggestions with your support and encouragement. You
have confidence in her abilities. YOU WOULD…
A. Take charge of the suggestion and direct the coordinator in its implementation.
B. Discuss the suggestion with the coordinator and support her efforts to direct its
implementation.
C. Organize the implementation, but include the coordinator’s suggestions.
D. Give the coordinator the responsibility for implementing the suggestion without
involvement from you.

16. Due to illness in your family, you have been forced to miss the first two meetings
of a program committee under your direction. You have found, upon attending the
third meeting, that the committee is functioning well and making good progress in
planning the program. You are unsure about how you fit into the group and what
your role should be. YOU WOULD…
A. Attend, but let the group continue to work as it has during the first two meetings.
B. Assume leadership of the committee and begin to direct the planning of the
program.
C. Do what you can to make the committee feel important and involved, and support
their past efforts.
D. Direct the planning of the program, but incorporate group member’s suggestions.

17. The liturgy committee that plans special Eucharistic celebrations is very
competent and able to work well on their own. You have generally left them
alone. Key responsibilities have been delegated to individual members. Their
performance has been outstanding. YOU WOULD…
A. Provide continual support and encouragement to the group members.
B. Direct and closely monitor the activities of the committee.
C. Continue to let the committee work on its own.
D. Direct the efforts, but work closely with your committee to solicit their
suggestions for special liturgies.

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18. Your parish will implement a new program for religious formation of families.
You will use the present catechists as leaders. In the past, when changes were
made, your catechists have been eager to use them but have initially lacked the
skills to do so. YOU WOULD…
A. Make sure that you direct the implementation of the new program but involve the
catechists in discussing alternatives.
B. Closely direct the catechists in their initial use of the new curriculum and
materials.
C. Get the catechists involved in a discussion of the new program; encourage their
cooperation and involvement.
D. Allow the group to formulate and implement the new program on their own.

19. You have recently been hired by a local college to serve as Coordinator of
Campus Ministry. Under the former coordinator, the campus ministry team
worked adequately with considerable support and encouragement. Since you have
taken over, however, the team appears to be more concerned with social activities
than with carrying out their responsibilities. The team’s performance to date has
been poor. YOU WOULD…
A. Discuss the team’s low performance with them and support their efforts to
identify ways to improve.
B. Direct and organize improvement strategies, but solicit ideas from the group.
C. Point out the problem and allow team members to identify and implement
strategies to improve.
D. Define the responsibilities of the team, present strategies to improve their
performance, and check to see if their performance is improving.

20. One of your experienced volunteers is reluctant to take on a new assignment. She
has had little experience in the new program area in which you want her to work.
She has done a good job with other programs you have given her to conduct.
YOU WOULD…
A. Explain to the volunteer what must be done and how to do it, but listen to why she
is reluctant to do the job.
B. Give the volunteer the new job and let her determine the best way to do it.
C. Encourage the volunteer to try the new job and facilitate her efforts through
mutual problem-solving.
D. Tell/teach the volunteer exactly what must be done to successfully complete the
job and frequently monitor the results.