I am currently doing a qualitative study that includes me knowing the leadership styles of my subjects. I wanted to use the MLQ survey but my committee says I should find another way as this study may take me towards more of a mixed methods approach. What questions should I ask my subject that could help me gauge my subject's leadership styles without sacrificing the validity of the study?
Hi Dena - Why does your committee not want you to perform a mixed methods approach? It could be a more pragmatic approach to your research. To be quite honest - it would be hard to 'guess' the type of questions that you should ask in a semi-structured interview without full context or seeing your proposal. I favour a 'funnelling approach' i.e. starting with broad questions i.e. 'what does leadership mean to you'? (to allow participants to settle to the interview' and then progress to more specific questions i.e. what is your specific leadership style'? Any controversial/emotive questions i.e. describe your worst experience as a leader - are best left to later in interviews.
Dena,
When I was in the military, I was invited to participate in a
The Myers Briggs Personality Type Leadership Preference development program. This instrument assessed personality versus the type of leadership skills I should use with other personalities on my team. It was enlightening for me and taught me that one leadership style doesn't work as well for all situations. Adams (2009) highlighted "No type is better than the other, they are all just ways in which we interact with the world and make decisions" (Adams, 2009, p. 114). I've included a link for a paper that discusses this tool.
Best wishes!
Karen
http://www.journalofleadershiped.org/attachments/article/181/Adams.pdf
Dean Whitehead thank you so much for your input. I think I am on the right track. I am in the process of sending my revised interview questions now.
Maybe it would be helpful:
Florentina Scârneci: WHO ARE THE ROMANIAN MANAGERS AND HOW THEY IDENTIFY THEMSELVES?. Management & Marketing . 2011, Vol. 6 Issue 1, p177-192.
Florentina Scârneci-Domnişoru: QUALITATIVE STUDY OF ROMANIAN MANAGERS’ IDENTITY. International Journal of Social Inquiry Volume 7, Number 1, 2014, pp. 19-46.
Dena Brown ,
Mixed-methods approach will open wide opportunities for your research.
Survey questionnaires and interviews are good ways to measure leadership skills for your considerations. Have a look on these references will be useful.
- Cattell, Raymond B. "New concepts for measuring leadership, in terms of group syntality." Human Relations 4, no. 2 (1951): 161-184.
-Lashway, Larry. "Measuring Leadership." Research Roundup 14, no. 2 (1998).
- Kanji, Gopal K., and Patrícia Moura e Sa´. "Measuring leadership excellence." Total Quality Management 12, no. 6 (2001): 701-718.
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