Taking Responsibility
In order to be successful at school and work, students
must be willing to take personal responsibility for their assigned
tasks. Students also need to be able to identify the range of actions
that will lead to success and to make sure that they are done satisfactorily.
If students do not take personal responsibility for task completion,
they are unlikely to be successful in life, regardless of their natural
abilities or talents.
Students' scores on this scale measure their desire
to complete tasks they begin and to ensure that all aspects of a task
are identified and done well. Students who score low on this measure
need to work on learning strategies for identifying the components
of a task and setting goals for task completion. Students who consistently
neglect their responsibilities may need counseling on the long-term
consequences of such behavior, particularly on their likelihood of
succeeding in a job.
The items for this scale are:
- I keep and use a list of things I've got to
do.
- It really bugs me to see a problem that no one
is trying to solve.
- I check up to make sure that others have done
what they said they would do.
- I don't usually think about what I need to do
until it's almost time to do it. (R)
- As soon as I finish one task, I look for another
one to do.
- I prefer to let others take the lead in getting
something done. (R)
Top
Working in Teams
One of the skills that employers consistently rank
as most important to success in a career is the ability to work in
teams. Teams are used to make products or deliver services, to solve
problems, and to manage the work environment. Employees at all levels
of an organization must be able to work with others to accomplish
tasks and solve problems. Teamwork involves attention to both the
goals of the group and to the social processes used to accomplish
those goals. Students need to be skilled in both the task and the
process of teamwork.
Students' scores on this scale measure the degree
to which they feel comfortable working in teams and are able to use
the skills associated with effective teamwork. Students who score
low on this scale may need more experience in working in teams to
accomplish a task. They need to learn the qualities of an effective
team member, including taking responsibility for individual assignments
and for deciding how the team should accomplish its goal. Communication
is also a critical factor in successful teamwork.
The items for this scale are:
- I don't usually like others giving me suggestions
on how I should do something. (R)
- I like working in teams, I have found that group
decisions are often better than individual decisions.
- I prefer to learn with other people.
- I explain to others why we need to work together.
- I'll frequently hold on to my opinion rather
than compromise with the group. (R)
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Persisting
The desire to stay with a task until it is completed
satisfactorily is an essential quality for success in school, work,
and life. Persisting involves the expenditure of time and effort to
ensure that what is started is finished. Students who are able to
persist until they master information or skills are at a definite
advantage in school and work. Students must also be able to recognize
when enough has been done and to not spend more time than is necessary
on a task.
Students who score either low or very high on this
scale may have trouble in this area. Students who score low have trouble
sticking with a task or learning assignment long enough to see it
to its satisfactory completion. They may give up too soon to really
benefit from instruction. Students who score too high may be seen
as stubborn and unwilling to compromise when such compromise is needed
because of limited resources or available time.
The items for this scale are:
- I won't let go of a problem until I've got it
licked.
- I follow through on things no matter what it
takes.
- I set definite goals, then keep working on them
until I've achieved them.
- If I can't catch onto something quickly, I sometimes
just drop it. (R)
- I get a job done even when it's much harder
than I first thought.
- I don't let go of something until I understand
it.
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A Sense of Quality
A focus on the quality of one's work is essential
for successful performance at school and work. Students need to take
pride in their work and to invest the energy and time needed to produce
quality work. Appropriate attention to details is a key aspect of
a student's orientation to quality, as is the desire to go beyond
stated requirements to enhance a product. Without a desire to produce
quality work, the completion of tasks is less meaningful.
Students who score low on this scale need help in
understanding how exceeding expectations can help them succeed in
everything they do. Students may need guidance in learning how to
judge what is "just enough" versus "more than expected"
and why doing more is beneficial. Students who score low are also
likely to need help in focusing in on details and paying attention
to the quality with which work is done, rather than simply doing work.
The items for the "sense of quality"
scale are:
- I do extra work to make sure things are done
just right.
- I won't settle for doing the minimum on anything,
no matter what it takes.
- I can't quit thinking about something until
I'm sure I've done it very well.
- I don't worry about the little details as long
as I've done the main things okay. (R)
- I seek out new activities and responsibilities.
- I usually do my work with great care only if
someone will be checking up on me. (R)
Top
Life-Long Learning
The pace of change in information and skills dictates
that everyone be willing and able to learn throughout their lifetime.
Some studies predict that people will change careers up to five times
during their working lives. Even those who stay in an occupational
area will be confronted with rapidly changing knowledge and skill
demands. In order to be successful, students must have the desire
and the ability to continue to learn, whether from formal schooling
or on their own.
Employers identify the ability to learn as a key
to success on a first job and to advancement to higher-level work.
Students' scores on this scale indicate an interest in engaging in
learning in a variety of settings. Students who score low on this
scale have a reluctance to look for learning opportunities and totake
advantage of them when they are presented. Students may need help
in identifying the many places and ways in which they can learn that
go beyond the traditional educational setting. Students who are not
motivated to continue learning may find their skills obsolete sooner
than they wish.
The items for this scale are:
- I don't usually ask questions that go much beyond
the immediate task at hand. (R)
- I like to experiment with ideas and possibilities
in my head.
- I prefer to know what's in it for me before
I spend a lot of effort learning something. (R)
- I usually don't make a special effort to learn
new things. (R)
- I'm one of the first to volunteer to learn a
new procedure or method.
- When I have to wait, I will read anything I
find lying around.
Top
Adapting to Change
Organizations are experiencing change at a rapid
rate. Employees who can be flexible and adapt to change are more likely
to be retained by an organization and to be successful in it. When
people and organizations undergo frequent changes, the ability to
thrive in ambiguous environments can help an employee to feel less
stress. A student's sense that change is not threatening and that
it can be managed for positive outcomes is an important component
of success in the workplace.
Students' scores on this scale indicate their level
of comfort with frequent or major changes in their environment. Students
who score low are less likely to seek out new experiences or to adjust
to changes they experience. Students with a low tolerance for change
may have trouble working in many environments where change is the
norm. They need counseling to help them identify ways in which they
can increase their ability to adapt to change.
The items for this scale are:
- I adapt quickly to new situations.
- I usually do something I've enjoyed rather than
try something different. (R)
- I am uncomfortable when I have to handle several
things at once.
- I worry a lot about what could happen when things
are changing. (R)
- I am usually most comfortable when things are
predictable.
- It can take me a long time to get used to a
major change in my life. (R)
Top
Permanent Problem Solving
Organizations must be concerned with the ability
of employees to actively participate in solving its problems. Employees
need to be able to recognize problems and to use systematic methods
for identifying the components of a problem and developing solutions
to it. Whether working alone or with others, organizations rely on
employees to help them improve by permanently solving a range of problems.
Students' scores on this scale indicate their interest
and skill at using systematic problem solving methods when approaching
complex problems. Students who score low need help in understanding
how to approach problems in a step-by-step fashion. Experience in
using the scientific method or other systematic problem solving approach
should help them increase their skills in this area.
The items for the "problem solving" scale
are:
- When solving a problem, I keep double-checking
to be sure I'm on the right track.
- I make a detailed plan before I tackle a complex
problem.
- I consciously consider several different approaches
before tackling a problem.
- I will offer a suggested solution whenever I
bring up a problem to someone.
Top
Information Processing
The ability to organize information so that it is
connected to past experiences and to other knowledge enhances its
usefulness. When learning a new skill or subject, students who can
use a variety of strategies to build bridges to what they already
know will have a distinct advantage. Students who understand their
own learning process can use that understanding to learn material
more rapidly and more completely. Since the ability to learn is valued
highly by organizations, effective information processing plays a
role in employees' workplace success.
Students' scores on this scale provide insights into
their competence in managing their own learning and in having and
using multiple strategies when learning. Students who score low on
this measure need to learn methods that they can use to help add meaning
and organization towhat they are trying to learn. Encouraging students
to make active connections to their prior knowledge and experience
is important. Equally important may be many basic study skill techniques,
like outlining, paraphrasing, and summarizing.
The items for this scale are:
- I learn by figuring out how I can apply the
things I'm learning to my life.
- When trying to understand something complicated,
I carefully break it into parts.
- When learning something, I first think carefully
about the very best way to tackle it.
- I understand new things by seeing how they fit
with what I already know.
- I consciously ask myself questions to see how
well I understand something.
- I make a mental picture of what I am trying
to learn or solve.
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Systems Thinking
As organizations assign responsibility for production
and problem solving to all levels, it becomes essential that all employees
understand how their work fits into the overall goals of the organization.
Employees who use systems thinking can see the interrelationships
of the parts of the organization and understand how actions in one
part affect other parts. Systems thinking enhances the ability of
employees to find permanent solutions to problems.
Students' scores on this scale indicate their understanding
of the relationship among parts in a system and the effects of actions
within a system. Students who have a working knowledge of one system
may still need help in translating that knowledge into general principles
of systems thinking. Students who score low may be helped by learning
the components of a specific system before being introduced to these
general principles. These students need to understand that events
do not happen in isolation and that their actions may have effects
that are distant in time or space.
The items for the "systems thinking"
scale are:
- I want to see how one task is related to other
tasks.
- I tackle a problem by first trying to see how
it affects others.
- I frequently come up with new ideas for how
to do things better.
- I know how to get things done in a system or
an organization.
