Quiz: Are you a Strong Manager?

Whether you supervise one other person in your office or lead a group of many, strong managerial skills are a critical part of your success. If you're relatively new to management (like me) you may find yourself wondering how you're doing. Am I providing valuable guidance and training? Am I addressing the necessary issues in a professional and timely manner? What do my subordinates really think of me?

Management can be an enormously time consuming task - so much so, that many managers don't have time to evaluate their own strengths and weaknesses. They simply go through each day - minute by minute - struggling to keep up. As a manager, you may find your own personal development put on the back burner. Take some time to really look at your skills and see where your strengths and weaknesses lie. This quiz can help get you started.

Instructions: Respond to each statement by asking yourself if you do this action:

Most of the Time = Give yourself 3 points

Sometimes = Give yourself 2 points

Never = Give yourself 1 point

1. I tell my staff honestly how they are doing

2. I give both positive feedback and constructive criticism

3. I openly communicate expectations

4. I keep my employees informed about changes taking place within the company

5. I ask for opinions and involve employees in decisions that affect them

6. I do not use threats or intimidation

7. I acknowledge extraordinary effort with praise and special recognition

8. I take the time to explain new procedures thoroughly

9. I make sure that my employees understand the training I provide

10. I make sure my employees have the training and the resources necessary to do their jobs

11. I encourage my employees to ask questions when they have them

12. I treat my staff with respect

13. I am not afraid to admit my mistakes and apologize when necessary

Count up your points.

If you have 32 to 39 points:

Congratulations! You appear to have some very strong managerial skills. You communicate openly with your team, sharing information and helping them feel secure in their roles. You recognize the importance of setting expectations, you avoid negative reinforcement, and you graciously acknowledge a job well done. Your respect for your team is abundant, and it's very likely that they feel the same way about you. Keep up the good work by constantly honing your skills and encouraging regular feedback from your staff.

If you have 26 to 31 points:

Good news! You're managerial skills are on the way to being great. You may be struggling a bit with communication. As a manager, this is a critical skill. Remember that communication is a two way street - share your expectations, your appreciation and your knowledge. But don't be afraid to ask your staff to share their thoughts as well. Practice your active listening skills. You know the right things to do. Now you just have to commit to doing them all the time. As a manager, consistency is incredibly important. Pushing yourself to take that extra step now and again will really make your leadership skills top-notch.

If you have 20 to 25 points:

It looks like you have a little work to do. You're doing most of the items on this list "sometimes" which means that you're not consistently embracing the role of manager. Treating your subordinates will little respect, using intimidation to get your way, or failing to provide positive feedback - even sometimes - can have a tremendous impact on employee morale. I commend you for looking at this list honestly. But now it's time to do something to change your situation. The good news is this: you can definitely make some simple changes that will have a big impact. Let your staff know that you're trying to improve your leadership skills. This helps them understand that you're human and it also gives them a little more patience. Open those lines of communication and be willing to face that fact that you've made some mistakes. Acknowledge those mistakes and move on. Use the list above to help you focus on the areas you need help with. Ask for guidance from your mentors and investigate tried and true techniques. There are plenty of books, seminars and workshops out there aimed at helping you become the leader you know you can be.

If you have 13 to 19 points:

Ok. How do I put this gently? You're not quite management material. At least, not right now. And that's ok! Not everyone is meant for management. You need to face the facts: you responded with "never" to the majority of the statements above. Look at these items. A strong leader should be doing each of these things "most of the time". Sure, it's not always easy. But being a leader is tough. You have to be willing to listen to others, acknowledge your own mistakes, and communicate in a respectful manner. Perhaps you've just taken your position for granted. Maybe you've gotten so absorbed in your daily tasks that you've forgotten how your actions impact your team. I hope that this quiz has given you some things to think about. Take a good long look at the list above and ask yourself if you can meet these standards. If you can't (or aren't willing to) maybe it's time to re-evaluate your leadership role.