WHAT IS YOUR PERSONAL DECISION STYLE?

Directions

For each of the following questions, select the one alternative that best describes how you see yourself in your typical work situation.

  1. when performing my job, I usually look for:
  2. practical results

b.  the best solutions to problems

  1. new ideas or approaches
  2. pleasant working conditions
  3. When faced with a problem, I usually:
  4. Use approaches that have worked in the past

b.  Analyze it carefully

  1. Try to find a creative approach
  2. Rely on my feelings.
  3. When making plans, I usually emphasize”
  4. The problems I currently face

b.  Attaining objectives

  1. Future goals
  2. Developing my career
  3. The kind of information I usually prefer to use is:
  4. Specific facts
  5. Complete and accurate data

c.  Broad information covering many options

  1. Data that is limited and simple to understand
  2. whenever I am uncertain about what to do, I:
  3. rely on my intuition
  4. look for facts
  5. try to find a compromise

d.  wait, and decide later

  1. The people with whom I work best are usually:

a.  Ambitious and full of energy

  1. Self-confident
  2. Open minded
  3. Trusting and polite
  4. the decisions I make are usually:
  5. direct and realistic

b.  abstract or systematic

  1. broad and flexible
  2. sensitive to other’s needs

Scoring

  1. For each a you select, give yourself a point in the directive category
  2. For each b you select, give yourself a point in the analytical category
  3. For each c you select, give yourself a point in the conceptual category
  4. For each d you select, give yourself a point in the behavioral category

The points reflect the relative strength of your preferences for each decision style.

There are individual differences in the way people make decisions. Generally, people demonstrate one of four dominant decision styles: directive (preference for simple, clear solutions), analytical ( willingness to consider complex situations based on ambiguous information), conceptual (a humanistic and artistic orientation), or behavioral (a concern for the organization).

Directive 1

Analytical 3

Conceptual 1

Behavior 1