Life Styles Inventory Essay Example

as well.

In my current and past positions, I worked with staff on all levels. I have always made it a point to get along with everyone. I scored in the medium range in this area.This proves that I can be an effective leader without worrying if I’m pleasing that person.

My main concern is to make sure the individual is receiving the support they need. I’ve never been insubordinate with senior management, and I was always highly respect by the staff I managed. Approval is the need to be liked by everyone, being friendly all the time and is always in agreement. I scored low in this area, meaning I don’t need approval to justify anything that I do. I can speak my mind and feel confident with decisions that I make. If I am lead in such a way that I need guidance, I know how to accept it and move forward.

In my management position, I lead the team with confidence and was always ready to tackle new issues and ideas. I worked side by side with senior management with no problem. I lead several large projects where senior management was satisfied with the end results. This was possible because I was proactive and didn’t have to wait for someone to tell me what to do. A person who needs constant approval will never advance personally because if you can’t reassurance yourself, the approval you think you’re receiving is never beneficial.

Conventional is to conform or settle and agree with most things.This was my second highest lifestyle. My score was in the middle, meaning I have a moderate expectation of achieving goals. Sometimes

I can have a nonchalant attitude and this could be why I didn’t score high or low. Don’t get me wrong, I like to set high goals and reach them, but as long as everyone is happy and getting what they need, I can live with that. This would be an area where I can make changes to become a more aggressive leader.

Not to the point where I’m not being productive, but to obtain better skills to handle more complex risk.A dependent person is one who depends on others, is predictable and seeks help from others. My score is in the medium range, meaning I can hold my own. At some point in time, we all have to depend on someone or something.

I just don’t make it a point to be too dependent where I have to rely on others. Being too dependent can be a bad thing because some people will take advantage of that. If they know you are looking to receive help from them, the ball is always in their court. This would explain why some people have problems with controlling managers.

For example, you have an employee who is self reliant and needs minimum supervision; a controlling manager may find that to be threatening. They may feel like you are not recognizing their authority or they may feel at risk of losing their job to you. Avoidance is to take few chances on things, has a difficult time being accepted by others and lacks self-confidence. I scored in the medium range and this means that I’m not afraid to make decisions, but I’m not very aggressive at doing it either.

Sometimes I second guess myself only because I want to do it right the first time.

I’m not afraid of a challenge, and certainly not perfect, but I tend to dissect things more than I should. To improve in this life style, I will have to build up a little more confidence when making mistakes and learning from them would improve this life style for me. To be oppositional is when someone complains a lot, has a negative attitude and is critical to others. Again, my humanistic score helps balance this style.

I scored in the middle because I can give constructive criticism without making someone feeling worthless. I don’t need to put someone else down to make myself feel great.When people feel you are honest with them, they respect you more. Power is when a person has to control others, tends to be very bossy, vengeful and mean. I scored low in this area because if you look at my humanistic style, I like to help people whether it’s personal or work related.

I don’t need an over abundance of power to make people listen to me. People who demand power may be covering up their insecurities and incompetence; as a result they channel their frustration to others. They feel that if they communicate to you in the monstrous voice or use verbal abuse, you would tend to be more submissive.This only damages the relationship between manager and employee. Being competitive is to only think of self, likes to be seen and noticed and always have to be right.

Although I consider myself somewhat competitive, I don’t go through great lengths to prove myself to

others. I scored in the medium range which means I don’t mind being at the top as long as the big picture is understood. I’ve learned that being first doesn’t always make you a winner. It’s the determination in completing something and learning from it that’s important.

People usually set themselves up for failure trying to compete outside of their realm.I love to be recognized, but I also know when I need to work on things to better myself. When people see you for who you really are, you don’t have to go beyond limits that are uncomfortable to you. A perfectionistic person believes in actions, not words. They are self-centered and try to be the best at things.

I had a low score in this area and according to the LSI, I am mild tempered when approached with things. I’m only human and I’ve learned numerous things by trial and error. Again, it’s about the lessons we learn when we make mistakes. A perfectionist will never have room to grown because supposedly, they’re always right.Being a perfectionist will cause extra stress on a person and is very unhealthy.

As a manager, I had expectations to adhere to, but I was also realistic in how I approached things. For instance, if you know don’t have all the resources or manpower to complete tasks, my approach would be to do the best that I can with what I have. To be self-actualizing is having sound judgment, self-respect and being a good leader. I scored in the medium range, and according to the LSI, I look at situations realistically but I can be more confident with my

decisions.This takes me back to my humanistic and avoidance styles, which gives a clear picture of my result in this area, and that is I care about people, but at the same time, I need to be a little more aggressive in making decisions and stop second guessing myself. The more I develop in this area, the better of leader I can be for others.

I believe certain situations will determine how self-actualizing I can be. I work well under pressure; therefore I may have a higher outcome in certain situations. For instance, working on projects with deadlines that seem impossible to meet will enhance my ability to make quick judgments in getting it done.From my early years to the stage I’m at now, I have learned a great deal of things. Within the different stages of my life, I obtained characteristics that helped mold me into the person I am today.

Within this survey, I was able to see a map of my makeup and really understand how each of these styles relates to how I function with others and how I see myself. The creation of these life styles started from childhood. I grew up in a two parent home with five other siblings. Our parents always taught us to stay close as a family and always respect others. Being the fifth child of six, I can say my older siblings quickly became second parents.

This lesson early on has developed my humanistic style, where I care about others and their well being, and learning to work with higher authority. I had a private education from grammar through high school. The work we received

was quite challenging, and the kids I went to school with were very competitive. I also played sports within those same grades. It was very important to be a team player, and whether we won or lost, we were taught to have good sportsmanship. I was often picked to be the captain of a team because I showed a sense of leadership and control.

I married and became a mother in my early 20’s.I quickly learned responsibilities that most people in that age group didn’t have. I didn’t have my parents with me at the time, so I became very independent. Before I enrolled in Graduate school, I experienced working in different industries. In doing this, I was able to exposed and adjusted to different management styles. I was able to build a tolerance for management that was overbearing, I worked with management that was timid and was afraid to lead, and I also worked for management that should have traded places with me.

Going through some of these experiences was a guide line to the type of manager I didn’t want to become.All of the above life experiences had an impact on the development of my life styles explained in this survey. In reviewing my results for my LSI survey, I know that I have great strengths and areas I can improve in. After reading how the different styles connect, I was able to understand why I do what I do.

In regards to my personal life, my humanistic and affiliative life style plays a big roll. This exercise showed me how my relationship with my family can improve. Being married and raising children

is a job in itself. Our lives are so busy, we don’t take the time to really value what we have and making sure it’s well kept.We’re all individuals with feelings, thoughts and ideas. This exercise gave me ideas on how to better manage quality time with the family, taking everyone’s feelings into consideration, and to work as one unit.

My management style has always consisted of an open door policy, and lending a hand whenever the department was in dire need for extra help. Working with staff on different levels proved my affiliative style. If we were ever short staffed, I always rolled up my sleeves to pitch in. I had meetings to communicate to the staff if they were any changes so we all would be on the same page. I work well alone as well as a team player.I’m not too afraid to make decisions for the greater good of the group.

Therefore, I never need approval to move ahead with things. There were times when senior management wasn’t available and I was the next person in command. I could easily supply whatever information was needed. I’m not one who likes confrontations and therefore I would take the more moderate approach when dealing with problems.

I’ve always respected my managers and take direction well. The affiliative style plays a major role in this relationship. Learning to cooperate and being respectful will show the authoritative figure that you are willing to make things work.The life style I would like to change would be Avoidance.

I chose this one because I can learn to be more aggressive in the decisions I make in my

personal and professional life. The goal is to stop second guessing myself and take all lessons learned as a gift. First I would assess how this life style has weakened my ability to perform on a personal and professional level. This step will be done immediately.

Next I would consult the people I associate with who will have a greater benefit once the change is made. On the personal side, I would start now, but this would be a work in progress because I deal with more things on a personal level.In regards to the professional side, I work as a consultant, so by November 23rd, I will be meeting with management to discuss my position. Within this meeting I will propose some recommendations on my position within the organization. This will show them that I am determined and eager to be a part of the team. Completing this survey was a very insightful experience for me.

I not only saw how I function, I saw ways in which I can improve and become a better person and leader. The results were like looking in a mirror and seeing my reflection, only I saw many different things.I believe this class will broaden my horizons to expand my thoughts and the way I approach issues head on. I feel like I’m maturing as an adult all over again. This survey has brought out a new me that I’m so excited to meet. When I made the decision to start graduate school, it was a little scary.

In this class I can honestly say, if I embrace the lessons and concentrate why I enrolled in the first

place, I know I will succeed. I will carry what I’ve learned about myself to other classes and when I come up against something, I can reference my life styles. I am grateful for this experience and I’m looking forward to learning even more.