Design of a new instrument to assess leadership dimensions and styles

Dulewicz, S.V. and Higgs, M.J. (2004) Design of a new instrument to assess leadership dimensions and styles. Selection and Development Review, 20 (2), 7-12.

Abstract

This paper explores a way in which the authors’ research into Emotional Intelligence and senior management (leaders’) competencies has been developed into a framework for assessing an individual’s leadership style within a context that aligns with the conclusions drawn from their review of the leadership literature.

Details are presented on the development of a new questionnaire, The Leadership Dimensions Questionnaire (LDQ), to measure 15 leadership dimensions/constructs. Two pilot studies of the new LDQ are described on a total sample of 222 managers. Data are presented on two item analyses conducted to refine the pilot form. Acceptable reliability and face, content and construct validity of the final instrument was demonstrated. Construct validity was investigated by correlating LDQ scores with personality and team role data.

Three new styles of Leadership, similar to Transformational, Transactional and Participative styles, are proposed and research on these styles is reported. A difference (d2) measure is then used to calculate differences between the manager’s own profile and the mean profile for each style. Difference measures for each style are then related to data on managers’ job function, gender, sector and nationality and on their Personality and Team Role data. Advice on interpreting the styles is also provided. Finally, a discussion of the results of the study and proposals for further work are presented.

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Contributors

Author: M.J. Higgs

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