Step 1: Identify a true-life situation requiring leadership in your work, personal, or community life. Examples include creating a business, raising a family, and leading a task force or team.
Step 2: Answer the following questions.
The Combination Lock—The Leadership Equation Describe your leadership traits, behaviors, qualities, and style. Describe the characteristics of your followers. Describe the situation in terms of time and circumstances. Are the people and conditions right for you to provide leadership?
The Ignition Key—The Power of Vision What is your vision—what do you want to accomplish? How will your picture of the future focus and energize others? Why would you provide leadership in this situation—for power, achievement, or affiliation? How strong is your interest in providing leadership?
The Golden Key—The Importance of Ethics Do you base your actions on moral principles, regardless of personal loss or gain, and without regard to social influence? Describe your values in terms of honesty, respect, concern for others, and the like. Do you have conviction and courage so that others will follow you?
The Front Door Key—The Empowerment of People What authority do you have? Do you possess the power of position? Do you view leader- ship as the opportunity to serve others? What will you do to empower people? What steps will you take to develop a high-performance workplace?
The Vault Key—Leadership Principles What principles of leadership will you practice that will help your followers be effective? What will you do to keep work morale high? What will you do to develop communication, teamwork, and a one-team attitude?
The Skeleton Key—Understanding People Do you understand the nature and needs of the people you lead? What are their motiva- tions? What are your own reasons for doing what you do? What will you say or do to per- suade others to take action? Do you value and utilize diversity as a strength?
The Multiplication Key—Multiplying Effectiveness How will you increase your leadership effectiveness? Are you willing to delegate duties and authority to others? Who will you assign to do what by when? Are you effective in meet- ing the needs of and achieving results with the different personalities reporting to you?
The Master Key—Developing Others What will you do to attract and keep good people? Do you have the ability to train and develop others? Do you have the ability to help people through change? Do you focus on exploration, responsibility, and commitment, versus denial, resistance, and the attitude trough? Do you model and reinforce the characteristics of a hardy personality?
The Score Key—Performance Management Do you set high goals, reinforce good performance, and correct performance problems? What are your strengths and weaknesses in the areas of statesmanship, entrepreneurship, and innovation? Do you have, or are you developing, the paradoxical qualities of personal humility and strong resolve?
Step 3: What is your prediction of the outcome? To what extent are the nine keys of leadership present in this situation? Whether you would be hero, teacher, or ruler as a leader, how successful will you be in lighting the path and encouraging others to follow? Will your ideas and actions show the way and influence the behavior of others? Explain.