leadership research question examples

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277 Top Leadership Research Topics for Your Thesis

For most students, working on leadership research topics is a fascinating task. That’s because this subject spans different disciplines, including education, management, sociology, politics, and psychology. For this reason, many learners choose these topics when writing college and university papers.

In most cases, educators do not specify the topic for learners. That means every learner must choose or develop a topic for their academic paper. Consequently, learners look for leadership areas that interest them and then pick their leadership paper topics.

Here are pointers for selecting a topic for your leadership essay or paper:

Start by choosing a subject area Narrow down your subject area Focus on leadership, not management Bear the educator’s instructions in mind Aim to answer a question in your subject area

If interested in this subject, here is a list of leadership topics you consider for your papers.

Interesting Dissertation Topics in Educational Leadership

When pursuing a course in educational leadership, educators require learners to complete a dissertation by employing their new learning and professional knowledge. When writing this paper, a learner should demonstrate organization, transformative leadership, and the ability to initiate community change. Here are sample topics in this category.

Interrelation between poor school results and poor leadership
How social media affects educational leadership
Impacts of technology on educational leadership
How leadership in mediocre schools can simulate top performing learning institutions
Effects of the leadership culture on running educational institutions
How to blend strategic teaching methods with efficient organization
How educational leadership affects society
How educational leadership influence researchers and literature
Educational leadership and success path
Educational leadership and social transformation
Educational leadership’s role in society
Can education leadership bring about change?
How to include the community in education leadership
Effectiveness of interdisciplinary teams in the running of the middle schools
Women role in education leadership
How cultural organization affects educational institutions
Diluting racist habits in accredited universities
How to seamlessly pass teachers’ excellence to students
How educational institutions can offer exceptional leadership by thinking outside the box
How to evaluate negative traits of instructors teaching similar subjects
How fighting for leadership positions affect schools and students
How to compassionately develop students with dyslexia
How to strategically blend teaching methods with efficient organization
How culture influences educational institutions’ leadership
How effective educational leadership helps learners achieve academic goals
How educational leadership affect how learners think about their future and intellectual abilities
How teachers can encourage learners to take exams and testing more seriously
Do teachers have adequate training on how to be influential leaders?
Should learning institutions evaluate teachers depending on their leadership abilities?
What changes in training opportunities can encourage teachers to exercise leadership strategies?

Pick any of these educational leadership research topics and investigate them extensively to develop a brilliant dissertation.

Hot Leadership Training Topics

Leadership training is crucial for future and current leaders. Anybody that wants to become a supervisor, manager, or leader at any capacity should undergo some training to cultivate and nurture their skills. Here are some of the best leadership topics to write about in this category.

How organizational leaders can enhance productivity
How company leaders can retain the best employees
How to improve decision making in an organization
How to implement effective leadership styles
How leaders can support succession in their organizations
How to delegate and empower employees
Role of organizational leaders in conflict resolution
How to change management and executive leadership
How leaders can command respect without issuing commands
How leaders can motivate and engage employees
How corporate leaders can enhance interpersonal relationships
How decision skills can streamline organizations and nurture confidence
How leaders can train employees on energy and time management
How leaders can train employees about self-awareness
Practical communication skills for organizational leaders
How leaders can encourage peer-to-peer training
The role of leadership in organizational development
How to design helpful leadership training modules
How to automate corporate learning paths
How to measure results in leadership training
Importance of leadership training
How leaders can deal with organizational change
How leaders can use coaching to enhance employee performance
Qualities of practical leadership training and mentorship programs
How leaders can create a learning culture in an organization
How a company employee can benefit from a leadership course
Which leadership strategies can enhance a team’s performance?
Describe different leadership styles with examples
What leadership training means for a business
Can leadership training affect organizational success?

Any of these topics can be the basis of an excellent paper. However, take your time to research your preferred idea to come up with a high-quality paper.

Trendy Leadership Development Topics for Research

Leadership development entails expanding individuals’ capacity to perform their leadership roles in organizations. Here are topic ideas to consider in this category.

When is leadership coaching necessary?
Who should provide leadership coaching?
Which are the best leadership development opportunities?
How emotional intelligence can enhance leadership development
Describe executive development
How innovation can enhance leadership development
Mentorship for leadership development- How does it work?
Can leaders act as teachers?
Why strategic planning matters when it comes to leadership development
Role of leadership development in team building
How coaching can enhance leadership development
Can leadership development enhance accountability?
Why change management coaching should be part of a leadership development program
How leadership development can turn leaders into negotiators and influencers
How communication skills can enhance leadership development
How organizational leaders can develop creativity
Essential skills to acquire from a leadership development program

Pick any of these topic ideas and then develop them via research to develop a winning paper. Use different information sources to gather relevant information before writing your essay.

Organizational Leadership Dissertation Topics

Organizational leadership is an exciting research field. What’s more, you can use a topic in this category to impact a difference in an organization. And this can enhance your employability when seeking a job. Depending on your dissertation requirements, you can pick and work with any of these topics.

How blended-learning techniques can enhance the critical thinking of organizational leaders
Essential administrative services that hospitality industry leaders should provide
Qualities of charismatic and prevention-oriented leaders for the success of medium-sized enterprises
How leadership behaviors affect the corporate culture
How leadership practices influence the success of an organization
How organizational leadership and culture affect the success of a small enterprise
Why executive leadership is essential in developing countries
Organizational leadership’s role in a multicultural environment
Investigating variations in conventional organizational leadership and charismatic leadership
How leadership quality and training can improve organizational performance
How corporate culture can influence the leadership decisions to try a new business strategy
How a country can produce the organizational leaders it requires
How managers can provide leadership aspirations to subordinates
How global company leaders can influence their overall cultures
How corporate culture impacts a company’s leadership
How assumption-based planning can save money for an organization
How organizational leadership differs from management
How differentiating leadership from management can enhance the achievement of organizational goals
How to evaluate the effects of administration on the organizational performance
How to examine leadership effects and vision clarity on business organizations
How leadership affects organizational performance
How a corporate leader can devise work teams in a company
Impacts of leadership skills on employees performance

Any of these organizational leadership topics can be the basis of a brilliant paper. However, you must research the idea extensively to include relevant information in your writing. That way, your educator and organizational leaders will find your essay worth reading.

Fantastic Women’s Leadership Topics

It’s no secret that studies about women in leadership topics have increased over the years. Perhaps, that’s because women’s status in workplaces has improved recently. Here are brilliant ideas to explore if interested in writing a research paper in this category.

The role of women personality in leadership
What are the primary barriers to women’s leadership?
Society stereotypes that threaten women leadership
How the responsibilities of women differ from those of their counterpart males
How the personality of women leaders differ from that of men
How women’s leadership style differs from that of men
How family responsibilities affect female leaders
Do current male leaders resist female leaders?
Must women leaders outperform their male counterparts to be considered adequate?
How lack of sufficient household support affects women leaders
How women leaders can help in unlocking the full economic potential of a country
How influential women leaders juggle between family and work
How powerful women leaders define work and success
How gender stereotypes affect female leaders
How modern female leaders balance careers and family
How stereotypes shape women leaders’ performance and intellectual identity
Family business success- What is the role of women?
Gender, sex, and leadership
How women can change organizational leadership
How great women leaders can inspire people to take action

Take any of these topics and develop them into an excellent paper through research. The internet is awash with resources that cover women and leadership issues. That means you won’t have a hard time finding relevant information for your topic.

Interesting Leadership Topics

Perhaps, you’re looking for an exciting topic for your research paper or essay. In that case, here are some of the best ideas to explore.

A case study of Bill Gates’ leadership
Motivation and leadership- What’s the difference?
What are the key characteristics of transformational leadership?
Investigating leadership and management across culture
Characteristics and distinctions of management and leadership
Explain radical leadership with examples
Discuss different leadership and management styles
Ethical leadership theories and models
Othello and Machiavelli’s leadership skills
Leadership concepts, according to Kentucky Fried Chicke
Moral and cultural contingencies of leadership
An investigation into team leadership
Discuss the hospitality industry’s leadership and management
How diversity affects the leadership effectiveness
Which are the best leadership practices
Socrates and organizational leadership
Aspects of leadership and team behavior
Leadership and management in business- How they relate
What is ethical leadership?
Leadership as a strategy in human resource and company policies
Leadership and organizational behavior- How they relate
Why is strategic leadership essential in the business environment?
How gender difference affects leadership styles
What is systematic leadership?
Why is civic leadership important?
How negative leadership affects an organization
Leadership role in an organization’s transformational
Classifications of different leadership theories
Theoretical perspectives of organizational leadership
Human resource planning and leadership development
Leadership contingency theories
Military leadership style and coaching combination
Benefits, roles, and limitations of leadership
Supervising and leadership influence on human services
Leadership theories and effective organization change
Discuss various leadership style concepts
Governance and leadership- What’s the difference?
Troubled companies and their leadership
Participative and situational leadership theories
Analyzing the authoritative leadership style
Effective management and leadership strategies
Why strong leadership is crucial in a business organization
Integrating different leadership styles
Leadership and education role modeling
How effective leadership can enhance employees productivity
How managers can motivate employees by serving as their leaders
How political leadership can affect an organization
Leadership role in solving organizational challenges
A critical perspective on leadership and management
Evaluation of John Kennedy and Bill Clinton’s political leadership
An analysis of the most influential leader in the world
Effective leadership learning processes in an organization
Servant and followership leadership
Leadership principles of effective teachers
Analyzing Ciulla Joanne’s The Ethics of Leadership
Is servant leadership effective in school administration?
Creativity and leadership revision
Leadership and motivation theories
The role of leadership in a multinational company
Participative approach versus autocratic leadership
How ethical leadership can influence decision-making
How a company’s leadership can manage change effectively
Innovation and leadership in a business
How transformational leadership can benefit women
Describe the role of leadership in a medical facility
Variations in ethical leadership
Scientific methods for studying leadership
Strategy as leadership and practice
Leadership and service quality
How school governance affects school leadership
How leadership and power relate
Investigating leadership through a behavioral approach
Effective styles for strategic leadership
Strategic leadership- A critical examination
Describe how contingency leadership works
Discuss theorists and theories on leadership
How to develop a leadership strategy in an organization
Why leadership models are valuable
Leadership strategies as success factors
Qualities of effective leadership strategies

These are exciting leadership topics for discussion in an academic paper or essay. Pick an issue in this category and then research it extensively to develop a brilliant piece.

Nursing Leadership Paper Topics

Do you want to write a research paper or essay about nursing leadership? If yes, pick any of these brilliant nursing leadership paper topics.

Strategies for developing nurse leaders
How concept-based learning techniques affect nurse leaders
What are the qualities of the best nurse leaders?
How a nurse leader can manage stress
Criteria for being considered a nurse leader’s mentor
Essential nursing leadership areas to study
Qualities of a practical nursing leadership program
Why nursing leadership is vital in healthcare management
A review of ethical nursing leadership and practice
What are the values of ethical nursing leadership and training?
How to balance nursing leadership and service quality
Nursing leadership fundamentals
The global status of nurse leaders
Practice experience that every nurse leader should exhibit
Nursing leadership from a patient’s perspective
How to apply nursing leadership in a nursing home
A comparison of nursing leadership in an adult ward and a pediatric ward
Vital skills for a nurse leader during an emergency
Challenges facing nursing leaders
What leadership means to nurses
Leadership from a nurse perspective- What does it mean?
Disadvantages of being a nurse leader
What are the inherent nurse leaders’ values?
The role of nurse leaders in public hospitals
Nursing leadership status in private hospitals
How nursing leadership differs in private and public hospitals
Trends in nursing leadership
Assessing nursing leadership in third-world countries
Long and short-term goals for nurse leaders
Activities for enhancing nursing leadership.

Any of these nursing leadership topics can be a great idea for research. However, prepare to investigate your preferred issue to develop an excellent paper. Nevertheless, you can even seek professional assistance if you love the topic but lack adequate time to write about it.

Leadership Speech Topics

Perhaps, you want to write a speech to present to your class or during a business meeting. In that case, this category comprises some of the best leadership presentation topics.

How to be a transformative leader
What makes a strategic leader?
Why organizations need moral leaders
How to lead with inclusion and integrity
Leadership and dissent- Doing the right versus doing something right
Practicing leadership in an inter-agency context
How to make a difference using leadership
Transactional or transformational leadership- What works?
How effective leadership looks like
How to practice effective leadership
How to become a leader
How to lead with compassion
Qualities that every great leader should exhibit
The power of effective leadership
How a leadership vision can propel an organization forward
How to understand and work with followers as a leader
How a leader can adapt and listen to changes in an organization
How consistent efforts make great leaders
Qualities that made great leaders in history
The golden rule of outstanding leadership

These are brilliant leadership discussion topics. However, prepare to research your preferred idea before you write a speech about it. That way, you will come up with a presentation that will move your audience.

Leadership Topics for Managers

Perhaps, you want to write about a leadership issue that managers will find interesting to read. In that case, these leadership research paper topics will interest you.

How managers can develop performance standards and goals
How managers can promote effective discipline
How a manager can improve work habits
How company managements can manage complaints
How a manager can provide performance feedback
Effective conflict resolution techniques for company managers
How a manager can support change in a company
Effective ways for managers to delegate tasks
How to effectively communicate with the upper management
How a manager can train or coach others
Essential leadership skills for managers
How managers can create trust and transparency in their organizations
How managers can encourage individual employees to find personal motivation
How managers can encourage innovation and initiative
How a manager can build self-confidence
Practical time management skills that every manager should have
Body language and public speaking for managers
How company managers can minimize employee complaints
How managers can lower stress among employees
Why training is essential for new managers
Why every manager should know industry-specific regulations
How managers can create an inclusive workforce
How managers can nurture talents and ensure employee retention
What training methods can managers use to empower employees?
Firing and hiring- What should know managers know about these responsibilities?
Which skills should managers cultivate to support company employees?

These are brilliant leadership essay topics for managers. However, you need time to research any of these topics to write a winning paper.

Having an Issue Completing Your Leadership Dissertation?

Whether you need leadership dissertation topics or essay ideas, you have many options to consider. Nevertheless, pick an interesting topic that you’ll enjoy working with, from research to proofreading your paper. But if you have difficulties writing your essay, seek an expert’s writing help online. With cheap, high quality assistance from reliable academic writers, you can have a competent specialist handle this assignment for you from the beginning to the end. And you can impress your educators to accord you the grade you desire. So, if stuck with this assignment, contact the best expert writers for hire to write your paper or essay without breaking a sweat.

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Qualitative Research Questions: Gain Powerful Insights + 25 Examples

We review the basics of qualitative research questions, including their key components, how to craft them effectively, & 25 example questions.

Einstein was many things—a physicist, a philosopher, and, undoubtedly, a mastermind. He also had an incredible way with words. His quote, "Everything that can be counted does not necessarily count; everything that counts cannot necessarily be counted," is particularly poignant when it comes to research.

Some inquiries call for a quantitative approach, for counting and measuring data in order to arrive at general conclusions. Other investigations, like qualitative research, rely on deep exploration and understanding of individual cases in order to develop a greater understanding of the whole. That’s what we’re going to focus on today.

Qualitative research questions focus on the "how" and "why" of things, rather than the "what". They ask about people's experiences and perceptions , and can be used to explore a wide range of topics.

The following article will discuss the basics of qualitative research questions, including their key components, and how to craft them effectively. You'll also find 25 examples of effective qualitative research questions you can use as inspiration for your own studies.

Let’s get started!

What are qualitative research questions, and when are they used?

When researchers set out to conduct a study on a certain topic, their research is chiefly directed by an overarching question . This question provides focus for the study and helps determine what kind of data will be collected.

By starting with a question, we gain parameters and objectives for our line of research. What are we studying? For what purpose? How will we know when we’ve achieved our goals?

Of course, some of these questions can be described as quantitative in nature. When a research question is quantitative, it usually seeks to measure or calculate something in a systematic way.

For example:

How many people in our town use the library?
What is the average income of families in our city?
How much does the average person weigh?

Other research questions, however—and the ones we will be focusing on in this article—are qualitative in nature. Qualitative research questions are open-ended and seek to explore a given topic in-depth.

According to the Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry , “Qualitative research aims to address questions concerned with developing an understanding of the meaning and experience dimensions of humans’ lives and social worlds.”

This type of research can be used to gain a better understanding of people’s thoughts, feelings and experiences by “addressing questions beyond ‘what works’, towards ‘what works for whom when, how and why, and focusing on intervention improvement rather than accreditation,” states one paper in Neurological Research and Practice .

Qualitative questions often produce rich data that can help researchers develop hypotheses for further quantitative study.

What are people’s thoughts on the new library?
How does it feel to be a first-generation student at our school?
How do people feel about the changes taking place in our town?

As stated by a paper in Human Reproduction , “...‘qualitative’ methods are used to answer questions about experience, meaning, and perspective, most often from the standpoint of the participant. These data are usually not amenable to counting or measuring.”

Both quantitative and qualitative questions have their uses; in fact, they often complement each other. A well-designed research study will include a mix of both types of questions in order to gain a fuller understanding of the topic at hand.

If you would like to recruit unlimited participants for qualitative research for free and only pay for the interview you conduct, try using Respondent today.

Crafting qualitative research questions for powerful insights

Now that we have a basic understanding of what qualitative research questions are and when they are used, let’s take a look at how you can begin crafting your own.

According to a study in the International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, there is a certain process researchers should follow when crafting their questions, which we’ll explore in more depth.

1. Beginning the process

Start with a point of interest or curiosity, and pose a draft question or ‘self-question’. What do you want to know about the topic at hand? What is your specific curiosity? You may find it helpful to begin by writing several questions.

For example, if you’re interested in understanding how your customer base feels about a recent change to your product, you might ask:

What made you decide to try the new product?
How do you feel about the change?
What do you think of the new design/functionality?
What benefits do you see in the change?

2. Create one overarching, guiding question

At this point, narrow down the draft questions into one specific question. “Sometimes, these broader research questions are not stated as questions, but rather as goals for the study.”

As an example of this, you might narrow down these three questions:

into the following question:

What are our customers’ thoughts on the recent change to our product?

3. Theoretical framing

As you read the relevant literature and apply theory to your research, the question should be altered to achieve better outcomes. Experts agree that pursuing a qualitative line of inquiry should open up the possibility for questioning your original theories and altering the conceptual framework with which the research began.

If we continue with the current example, it’s possible you may uncover new data that informs your research and changes your question. For instance, you may discover that customers’ feelings about the change are not just a reaction to the change itself, but also to how it was implemented. In this case, your question would need to reflect this new information:

How did customers react to the process of the change, as well as the change itself?

4. Ethical considerations

A study in the International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education stresses that ethics are “a central issue when a researcher proposes to study the lives of others, especially marginalized populations.” Consider how your question or inquiry will affect the people it relates to—their lives and their safety. Shape your question to avoid physical, emotional, or mental upset for the focus group.

In analyzing your question from this perspective, if you feel that it may cause harm, you should consider changing the question or ending your research project. Perhaps you’ve discovered that your question encourages harmful or invasive questioning, in which case you should reformulate it.

5. Writing the question

The actual process of writing the question comes only after considering the above points. The purpose of crafting your research questions is to delve into what your study is specifically about” Remember that qualitative research questions are not trying to find the cause of an effect, but rather to explore the effect itself.

Your questions should be clear, concise, and understandable to those outside of your field. In addition, they should generate rich data. The questions you choose will also depend on the type of research you are conducting:

If you’re doing a phenomenological study, your questions might be open-ended, in order to allow participants to share their experiences in their own words.
If you’re doing a grounded-theory study, your questions might be focused on generating a list of categories or themes.
If you’re doing ethnography, your questions might be about understanding the culture you’re studying.

Whenyou have well-written questions, it is much easier to develop your research design and collect data that accurately reflects your inquiry.

In writing your questions, it may help you to refer to this simple flowchart process for constructing questions:

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25 examples of expertly crafted qualitative research questions

It's easy enough to cover the theory of writing a qualitative research question, but sometimes it's best if you can see the process in practice. In this section, we'll list 25 examples of B2B and B2C-related qualitative questions.

Let's begin with five questions. We'll show you the question, explain why it's considered qualitative, and then give you an example of how it can be used in research.

1. What is the customer's perception of our company's brand?

Qualitative research questions are often open-ended and invite respondents to share their thoughts and feelings on a subject. This question is qualitative because it seeks customer feedback on the company's brand.

This question can be used in research to understand how customers feel about the company's branding, what they like and don't like about it, and whether they would recommend it to others.

2. Why do customers buy our product?

This question is also qualitative because it seeks to understand the customer's motivations for purchasing a product. It can be used in research to identify the reasons customers buy a certain product, what needs or desires the product fulfills for them, and how they feel about the purchase after using the product.

3. How do our customers interact with our products?

Again, this question is qualitative because it seeks to understand customer behavior. In this case, it can be used in research to see how customers use the product, how they interact with it, and what emotions or thoughts the product evokes in them.

4. What are our customers' biggest frustrations with our products?

By seeking to understand customer frustrations, this question is qualitative and can provide valuable insights. It can be used in research to help identify areas in which the company needs to make improvements with its products.

5. How do our customers feel about our customer service?

Rather than asking why customers like or dislike something, this question asks how they feel. This qualitative question can provide insights into customer satisfaction or dissatisfaction with a company.

This type of question can be used in research to understand what customers think of the company's customer service and whether they feel it meets their needs.

20 more examples to refer to when writing your question

Now that you’re aware of what makes certain questions qualitative, let's move into 20 more examples of qualitative research questions:

How do your customers react when updates are made to your app interface?
How do customers feel when they complete their purchase through your ecommerce site?
What are your customers' main frustrations with your service?
How do people feel about the quality of your products compared to those of your competitors?
What motivates customers to refer their friends and family members to your product or service?
What are the main benefits your customers receive from using your product or service?
How do people feel when they finish a purchase on your website?
What are the main motivations behind customer loyalty to your brand?
How does your app make people feel emotionally?
For younger generations using your app, how does it make them feel about themselves?
What reputation do people associate with your brand?
How inclusive do people find your app?
In what ways are your customers' experiences unique to them?
What are the main areas of improvement your customers would like to see in your product or service?
How do people feel about their interactions with your tech team?
What are the top five reasons people use your online marketplace?
How does using your app make people feel in terms of connectedness?
What emotions do people experience when they're using your product or service?
Aside from the features of your product, what else about it attracts customers?
How does your company culture make people feel?

As you can see, these kinds of questions are completely open-ended. In a way, they allow the research and discoveries made along the way to direct the research. The questions are merely a starting point from which to explore.

This video offers tips on how to write good qualitative research questions, produced by Qualitative Research Expert, Kimberly Baker.

Wrap-up: crafting your own qualitative research questions.

Over the course of this article, we've explored what qualitative research questions are, why they matter, and how they should be written. Hopefully you now have a clear understanding of how to craft your own.

Remember, qualitative research questions should always be designed to explore a certain experience or phenomena in-depth, in order to generate powerful insights. As you write your questions, be sure to keep the following in mind:

Are you being inclusive of all relevant perspectives?
Are your questions specific enough to generate clear answers?
Will your questions allow for an in-depth exploration of the topic at hand?
Do the questions reflect your research goals and objectives?

If you can answer "yes" to all of the questions above, and you've followed the tips for writing qualitative research questions we shared in this article, then you're well on your way to crafting powerful queries that will yield valuable insights.

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Asking the right questions in the right way is the key to research success. That’s true for not just the discussion guide but for every step of a research project. Following are 100+ questions that will take you from defining your research objective through screening and participant discussions.

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How to Develop a Good Research Question? — Types & Examples

Cecilia is living through a tough situation in her research life. Figuring out where to begin, how to start her research study, and how to pose the right question for her research quest, is driving her insane. Well, questions, if not asked correctly, have a tendency to spiral us!

Image Source: https://phdcomics.com/

Questions lead everyone to answers. Research is a quest to find answers. Not the vague questions that Cecilia means to answer, but definitely more focused questions that define your research. Therefore, asking appropriate question becomes an important matter of discussion.

A well begun research process requires a strong research question. It directs the research investigation and provides a clear goal to focus on. Understanding the characteristics of comprising a good research question will generate new ideas and help you discover new methods in research.

In this article, we are aiming to help researchers understand what is a research question and how to write one with examples.

Table of Contents

What Is a Research Question?

A good research question defines your study and helps you seek an answer to your research. Moreover, a clear research question guides the research paper or thesis to define exactly what you want to find out, giving your work its objective. Learning to write a research question is the beginning to any thesis, dissertation , or research paper. Furthermore, the question addresses issues or problems which is answered through analysis and interpretation of data.

Why Is a Research Question Important?

A strong research question guides the design of a study. Moreover, it helps determine the type of research and identify specific objectives. Research questions state the specific issue you are addressing and focus on outcomes of the research for individuals to learn. Therefore, it helps break up the study into easy steps to complete the objectives and answer the initial question.

Types of Research Questions

Research questions can be categorized into different types, depending on the type of research you want to undergo. Furthermore, knowing the type of research will help a researcher determine the best type of research question to use.

1. Qualitative Research Question

Qualitative questions concern broad areas or more specific areas of research. However, unlike quantitative questions, qualitative research questions are adaptable, non-directional and more flexible. Qualitative research question focus on discovering, explaining, elucidating, and exploring.

i. Exploratory Questions

This form of question looks to understand something without influencing the results. The objective of exploratory questions is to learn more about a topic without attributing bias or preconceived notions to it.

Research Question Example: Asking how a chemical is used or perceptions around a certain topic.

ii. Predictive Questions

Predictive research questions are defined as survey questions that automatically predict the best possible response options based on text of the question. Moreover, these questions seek to understand the intent or future outcome surrounding a topic.

Research Question Example: Asking why a consumer behaves in a certain way or chooses a certain option over other.

iii. Interpretive Questions

This type of research question allows the study of people in the natural setting. The questions help understand how a group makes sense of shared experiences with regards to various phenomena. These studies gather feedback on a group’s behavior without affecting the outcome.

Research Question Example: How do you feel about AI assisting publishing process in your research?

2. Quantitative Research Question

Quantitative questions prove or disprove a researcher’s hypothesis through descriptions, comparisons, and relationships. These questions are beneficial when choosing a research topic or when posing follow-up questions that garner more information.

i. Descriptive Questions

It is the most basic type of quantitative research question and it seeks to explain when, where, why, or how something occurred. Moreover, they use data and statistics to describe an event or phenomenon.

Research Question Example: How many generations of genes influence a future generation?

ii. Comparative Questions

Sometimes it’s beneficial to compare one occurrence with another. Therefore, comparative questions are helpful when studying groups with dependent variables.

Example: Do men and women have comparable metabolisms?

iii. Relationship-Based Questions

This type of research question answers influence of one variable on another. Therefore, experimental studies use this type of research questions are majorly.

Example: How is drought condition affect a region’s probability for wildfires.

How to Write a Good Research Question?

1. Select a Topic

The first step towards writing a good research question is to choose a broad topic of research. You could choose a research topic that interests you, because the complete research will progress further from the research question. Therefore, make sure to choose a topic that you are passionate about, to make your research study more enjoyable.

2. Conduct Preliminary Research

After finalizing the topic, read and know about what research studies are conducted in the field so far. Furthermore, this will help you find articles that talk about the topics that are yet to be explored. You could explore the topics that the earlier research has not studied.

3. Consider Your Audience

The most important aspect of writing a good research question is to find out if there is audience interested to know the answer to the question you are proposing. Moreover, determining your audience will assist you in refining your research question, and focus on aspects that relate to defined groups.

4. Generate Potential Questions

The best way to generate potential questions is to ask open ended questions. Questioning broader topics will allow you to narrow down to specific questions. Identifying the gaps in literature could also give you topics to write the research question. Moreover, you could also challenge the existing assumptions or use personal experiences to redefine issues in research.

5. Review Your Questions

Once you have listed few of your questions, evaluate them to find out if they are effective research questions. Moreover while reviewing, go through the finer details of the question and its probable outcome, and find out if the question meets the research question criteria.

6. Construct Your Research Question

There are two frameworks to construct your research question. The first one being PICOT framework , which stands for:

Population or problem
Intervention or indicator being studied
Comparison group
Outcome of interest
Time frame of the study.

The second framework is PEO , which stands for:

Population being studied
Exposure to preexisting conditions
Outcome of interest.

Research Question Examples

How might the discovery of a genetic basis for alcoholism impact triage processes in medical facilities?
How do ecological systems respond to chronic anthropological disturbance?
What are demographic consequences of ecological interactions?
What roles do fungi play in wildfire recovery?
How do feedbacks reinforce patterns of genetic divergence on the landscape?
What educational strategies help encourage safe driving in young adults?
What makes a grocery store easy for shoppers to navigate?
What genetic factors predict if someone will develop hypothyroidism?
Does contemporary evolution along the gradients of global change alter ecosystems function?

How did you write your first research question ? What were the steps you followed to create a strong research question? Do write to us or comment below.

Frequently Asked Questions

Research questions guide the focus and direction of a research study. Here are common types of research questions: 1. Qualitative research question: Qualitative questions concern broad areas or more specific areas of research. However, unlike quantitative questions, qualitative research questions are adaptable, non-directional and more flexible. Different types of qualitative research questions are: i. Exploratory questions ii. Predictive questions iii. Interpretive questions 2. Quantitative Research Question: Quantitative questions prove or disprove a researcher’s hypothesis through descriptions, comparisons, and relationships. These questions are beneficial when choosing a research topic or when posing follow-up questions that garner more information. Different types of quantitative research questions are: i. Descriptive questions ii. Comparative questions iii. Relationship-based questions

Qualitative research questions aim to explore the richness and depth of participants' experiences and perspectives. They should guide your research and allow for in-depth exploration of the phenomenon under investigation. After identifying the research topic and the purpose of your research: • Begin with Broad Inquiry: Start with a general research question that captures the main focus of your study. This question should be open-ended and allow for exploration. • Break Down the Main Question: Identify specific aspects or dimensions related to the main research question that you want to investigate. • Formulate Sub-questions: Create sub-questions that delve deeper into each specific aspect or dimension identified in the previous step. • Ensure Open-endedness: Make sure your research questions are open-ended and allow for varied responses and perspectives. Avoid questions that can be answered with a simple "yes" or "no." Encourage participants to share their experiences, opinions, and perceptions in their own words. • Refine and Review: Review your research questions to ensure they align with your research purpose, topic, and objectives. Seek feedback from your research advisor or peers to refine and improve your research questions.

Developing research questions requires careful consideration of the research topic, objectives, and the type of study you intend to conduct. Here are the steps to help you develop effective research questions: 1. Select a Topic 2. Conduct Preliminary Research 3. Consider Your Audience 4. Generate Potential Questions 5. Review Your Questions 6. Construct Your Research Question Based on PICOT or PEO Framework

There are two frameworks to construct your research question. The first one being PICOT framework, which stands for: • Population or problem • Intervention or indicator being studied • Comparison group • Outcome of interest • Time frame of the study The second framework is PEO, which stands for: • Population being studied • Exposure to preexisting conditions • Outcome of interest

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Research Aims, Objectives & Questions

The “Golden Thread” Explained Simply (+ Examples)

By: David Phair (PhD) and Alexandra Shaeffer (PhD) | June 2022

The research aims , objectives and research questions (collectively called the “golden thread”) are arguably the most important thing you need to get right when you’re crafting a research proposal , dissertation or thesis . We receive questions almost every day about this “holy trinity” of research and there’s certainly a lot of confusion out there, so we’ve crafted this post to help you navigate your way through the fog.

Overview: The Golden Thread

What is the golden thread
What are research aims ( examples )
What are research objectives ( examples )
What are research questions ( examples )
The importance of alignment in the golden thread

What is the “golden thread”?

The golden thread simply refers to the collective research aims , research objectives , and research questions for any given project (i.e., a dissertation, thesis, or research paper ). These three elements are bundled together because it’s extremely important that they align with each other, and that the entire research project aligns with them.

Importantly, the golden thread needs to weave its way through the entirety of any research project , from start to end. In other words, it needs to be very clearly defined right at the beginning of the project (the topic ideation and proposal stage) and it needs to inform almost every decision throughout the rest of the project. For example, your research design and methodology will be heavily influenced by the golden thread (we’ll explain this in more detail later), as well as your literature review.

The research aims, objectives and research questions (the golden thread) define the focus and scope ( the delimitations ) of your research project. In other words, they help ringfence your dissertation or thesis to a relatively narrow domain, so that you can “go deep” and really dig into a specific problem or opportunity. They also help keep you on track , as they act as a litmus test for relevance. In other words, if you’re ever unsure whether to include something in your document, simply ask yourself the question, “does this contribute toward my research aims, objectives or questions?”. If it doesn’t, chances are you can drop it.

Alright, enough of the fluffy, conceptual stuff. Let’s get down to business and look at what exactly the research aims, objectives and questions are and outline a few examples to bring these concepts to life.

Free Webinar: How To Find A Dissertation Research Topic

Research Aims: What are they?

Simply put, the research aim(s) is a statement that reflects the broad overarching goal (s) of the research project. Research aims are fairly high-level (low resolution) as they outline the general direction of the research and what it’s trying to achieve .

Research Aims: Examples

True to the name, research aims usually start with the wording “this research aims to…”, “this research seeks to…”, and so on. For example:

“This research aims to explore employee experiences of digital transformation in retail HR.” “This study sets out to assess the interaction between student support and self-care on well-being in engineering graduate students”

As you can see, these research aims provide a high-level description of what the study is about and what it seeks to achieve. They’re not hyper-specific or action-oriented, but they’re clear about what the study’s focus is and what is being investigated.

Need a helping hand?

Research Objectives: What are they?

The research objectives take the research aims and make them more practical and actionable . In other words, the research objectives showcase the steps that the researcher will take to achieve the research aims.

The research objectives need to be far more specific (higher resolution) and actionable than the research aims. In fact, it’s always a good idea to craft your research objectives using the “SMART” criteria. In other words, they should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound”.

Research Objectives: Examples

Let’s look at two examples of research objectives. We’ll stick with the topic and research aims we mentioned previously.

For the digital transformation topic:

To observe the retail HR employees throughout the digital transformation. To assess employee perceptions of digital transformation in retail HR. To identify the barriers and facilitators of digital transformation in retail HR.

And for the student wellness topic:

To determine whether student self-care predicts the well-being score of engineering graduate students. To determine whether student support predicts the well-being score of engineering students. To assess the interaction between student self-care and student support when predicting well-being in engineering graduate students.

As you can see, these research objectives clearly align with the previously mentioned research aims and effectively translate the low-resolution aims into (comparatively) higher-resolution objectives and action points . They give the research project a clear focus and present something that resembles a research-based “to-do” list.

The research objectives detail the specific steps that you, as the researcher, will take to achieve the research aims you laid out.

Research Questions: What are they?

Finally, we arrive at the all-important research questions. The research questions are, as the name suggests, the key questions that your study will seek to answer . Simply put, they are the core purpose of your dissertation, thesis, or research project. You’ll present them at the beginning of your document (either in the introduction chapter or literature review chapter) and you’ll answer them at the end of your document (typically in the discussion and conclusion chapters).

The research questions will be the driving force throughout the research process. For example, in the literature review chapter, you’ll assess the relevance of any given resource based on whether it helps you move towards answering your research questions. Similarly, your methodology and research design will be heavily influenced by the nature of your research questions. For instance, research questions that are exploratory in nature will usually make use of a qualitative approach, whereas questions that relate to measurement or relationship testing will make use of a quantitative approach.

Let’s look at some examples of research questions to make this more tangible.

Research Questions: Examples

Again, we’ll stick with the research aims and research objectives we mentioned previously.

For the digital transformation topic (which would be qualitative in nature):

How do employees perceive digital transformation in retail HR? What are the barriers and facilitators of digital transformation in retail HR?

And for the student wellness topic (which would be quantitative in nature):

Does student self-care predict the well-being scores of engineering graduate students? Does student support predict the well-being scores of engineering students? Do student self-care and student support interact when predicting well-being in engineering graduate students?

You’ll probably notice that there’s quite a formulaic approach to this. In other words, the research questions are basically the research objectives “converted” into question format. While that is true most of the time, it’s not always the case. For example, the first research objective for the digital transformation topic was more or less a step on the path toward the other objectives, and as such, it didn’t warrant its own research question.

So, don’t rush your research questions and sloppily reword your objectives as questions. Carefully think about what exactly you’re trying to achieve (i.e. your research aim) and the objectives you’ve set out, then craft a set of well-aligned research questions . Also, keep in mind that this can be a somewhat iterative process , where you go back and tweak research objectives and aims to ensure tight alignment throughout the golden thread.

The importance of strong alignment

Alignment is the keyword here and we have to stress its importance . Simply put, you need to make sure that there is a very tight alignment between all three pieces of the golden thread. If your research aims and research questions don’t align, for example, your project will be pulling in different directions and will lack focus . This is a common problem students face and can cause many headaches (and tears), so be warned.

Take the time to carefully craft your research aims, objectives and research questions before you run off down the research path. Ideally, get your research supervisor/advisor to review and comment on your golden thread before you invest significant time into your project, and certainly before you start collecting data .

Recap: The golden thread

In this post, we unpacked the golden thread of research, consisting of the research aims , research objectives and research questions . You can jump back to any section using the links below.

As always, feel free to leave a comment below – we always love to hear from you. Also, if you’re interested in 1-on-1 support, take a look at our private coaching service here.

Psst... there’s more!

This post was based on one of our popular Research Bootcamps . If you're working on a research project, you'll definitely want to check this out ...

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39 Comments

Thank you very much for your great effort put. As an Undergraduate taking Demographic Research & Methodology, I’ve been trying so hard to understand clearly what is a Research Question, Research Aim and the Objectives in a research and the relationship between them etc. But as for now I’m thankful that you’ve solved my problem.

Well appreciated. This has helped me greatly in doing my dissertation.

An so delighted with this wonderful information thank you a lot.

so impressive i have benefited a lot looking forward to learn more on research.

I am very happy to have carefully gone through this well researched article.

Infact,I used to be phobia about anything research, because of my poor understanding of the concepts.

Now,I get to know that my research question is the same as my research objective(s) rephrased in question format.

I please I would need a follow up on the subject,as I intends to join the team of researchers. Thanks once again.

Thanks so much. This was really helpful.

I know you pepole have tried to break things into more understandable and easy format. And God bless you. Keep it up

i found this document so useful towards my study in research methods. thanks so much.

This is my 2nd read topic in your course and I should commend the simplified explanations of each part. I’m beginning to understand and absorb the use of each part of a dissertation/thesis. I’ll keep on reading your free course and might be able to avail the training course! Kudos!

Thank you! Better put that my lecture and helped to easily understand the basics which I feel often get brushed over when beginning dissertation work.

This is quite helpful. I like how the Golden thread has been explained and the needed alignment.

This is quite helpful. I really appreciate!

The article made it simple for researcher students to differentiate between three concepts.

Very innovative and educational in approach to conducting research.

I am very impressed with all these terminology, as I am a fresh student for post graduate, I am highly guided and I promised to continue making consultation when the need arise. Thanks a lot.

A very helpful piece. thanks, I really appreciate it .

Very well explained, and it might be helpful to many people like me.

Wish i had found this (and other) resource(s) at the beginning of my PhD journey… not in my writing up year… 😩 Anyways… just a quick question as i’m having some issues ordering my “golden thread”…. does it matter in what order you mention them? i.e., is it always first aims, then objectives, and finally the questions? or can you first mention the research questions and then the aims and objectives?

Thank you for a very simple explanation that builds upon the concepts in a very logical manner. Just prior to this, I read the research hypothesis article, which was equally very good. This met my primary objective.

My secondary objective was to understand the difference between research questions and research hypothesis, and in which context to use which one. However, I am still not clear on this. Can you kindly please guide?

In research, a research question is a clear and specific inquiry that the researcher wants to answer, while a research hypothesis is a tentative statement or prediction about the relationship between variables or the expected outcome of the study. Research questions are broader and guide the overall study, while hypotheses are specific and testable statements used in quantitative research. Research questions identify the problem, while hypotheses provide a focus for testing in the study.

Exactly what I need in this research journey, I look forward to more of your coaching videos.

This helped a lot. Thanks so much for the effort put into explaining it.

What data source in writing dissertation/Thesis requires?

What is data source covers when writing dessertation/thesis

This is quite useful thanks

I’m excited and thankful. I got so much value which will help me progress in my thesis.

where are the locations of the reserch statement, research objective and research question in a reserach paper? Can you write an ouline that defines their places in the researh paper?

Very helpful and important tips on Aims, Objectives and Questions.

Thank you so much for making research aim, research objectives and research question so clear. This will be helpful to me as i continue with my thesis.

Thanks much for this content. I learned a lot. And I am inspired to learn more. I am still struggling with my preparation for dissertation outline/proposal. But I consistently follow contents and tutorials and the new FB of GRAD Coach. Hope to really become confident in writing my dissertation and successfully defend it.

As a researcher and lecturer, I find splitting research goals into research aims, objectives, and questions is unnecessarily bureaucratic and confusing for students. For most biomedical research projects, including ‘real research’, 1-3 research questions will suffice (numbers may differ by discipline).

Awesome! Very important resources and presented in an informative way to easily understand the golden thread. Indeed, thank you so much.

Well explained

The blog article on research aims, objectives, and questions by Grad Coach is a clear and insightful guide that aligns with my experiences in academic research. The article effectively breaks down the often complex concepts of research aims and objectives, providing a straightforward and accessible explanation. Drawing from my own research endeavors, I appreciate the practical tips offered, such as the need for specificity and clarity when formulating research questions. The article serves as a valuable resource for students and researchers, offering a concise roadmap for crafting well-defined research goals and objectives. Whether you’re a novice or an experienced researcher, this article provides practical insights that contribute to the foundational aspects of a successful research endeavor.

A great thanks for you. it is really amazing explanation. I grasp a lot and one step up to research knowledge.

I really found these tips helpful. Thank you very much Grad Coach.

I found this article helpful. Thanks for sharing this.

thank you so much, the explanation and examples are really helpful

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How to Write a Research Question: Types and Examples

The first step in any research project is framing the research question. It can be considered the core of any systematic investigation as the research outcomes are tied to asking the right questions. Thus, this primary interrogation point sets the pace for your research as it helps collect relevant and insightful information that ultimately influences your work.  

Typically, the research question guides the stages of inquiry, analysis, and reporting. Depending on the use of quantifiable or quantitative data, research questions are broadly categorized into quantitative or qualitative research questions. Both types of research questions can be used independently or together, considering the overall focus and objectives of your research.

What is a research question?

A research question is a clear, focused, concise, and arguable question on which your research and writing are centered. 1 It states various aspects of the study, including the population and variables to be studied and the problem the study addresses. These questions also set the boundaries of the study, ensuring cohesion.

Designing the research question is a dynamic process where the researcher can change or refine the research question as they review related literature and develop a framework for the study. Depending on the scale of your research, the study can include single or multiple research questions.

A good research question has the following features:

It is relevant to the chosen field of study.
The question posed is arguable and open for debate, requiring synthesizing and analysis of ideas.
It is focused and concisely framed.
A feasible solution is possible within the given practical constraint and timeframe.

A poorly formulated research question poses several risks. 1

Researchers can adopt an erroneous design.
It can create confusion and hinder the thought process, including developing a clear protocol.
It can jeopardize publication efforts.
It causes difficulty in determining the relevance of the study findings.
It causes difficulty in whether the study fulfils the inclusion criteria for systematic review and meta-analysis. This creates challenges in determining whether additional studies or data collection is needed to answer the question.
Readers may fail to understand the objective of the study. This reduces the likelihood of the study being cited by others.

Now that you know “What is a research question?”, let’s look at the different types of research questions.

Types of research questions

Depending on the type of research to be done, research questions can be classified broadly into quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods studies. Knowing the type of research helps determine the best type of research question that reflects the direction and epistemological underpinnings of your research.

The structure and wording of quantitative 2 and qualitative research 3 questions differ significantly. The quantitative study looks at causal relationships, whereas the qualitative study aims at exploring a phenomenon.

Quantitative research questions:
Seeks to investigate social, familial, or educational experiences or processes in a particular context and/or location.
Answers ‘how,’ ‘what,’ or ‘why’ questions.
Investigates connections, relations, or comparisons between independent and dependent variables.

Quantitative research questions can be further categorized into descriptive, comparative, and relationship, as explained in the Table below.

Qualitative research questions

Qualitative research questions are adaptable, non-directional, and more flexible. It concerns broad areas of research or more specific areas of study to discover, explain, or explore a phenomenon. These are further classified as follows:

Mixed-methods studies

Mixed-methods studies use both quantitative and qualitative research questions to answer your research question. Mixed methods provide a complete picture than standalone quantitative or qualitative research, as it integrates the benefits of both methods. Mixed methods research is often used in multidisciplinary settings and complex situational or societal research, especially in the behavioral, health, and social science fields.

What makes a good research question

A good research question should be clear and focused to guide your research. It should synthesize multiple sources to present your unique argument, and should ideally be something that you are interested in. But avoid questions that can be answered in a few factual statements. The following are the main attributes of a good research question.

Specific: The research question should not be a fishing expedition performed in the hopes that some new information will be found that will benefit the researcher. The central research question should work with your research problem to keep your work focused. If using multiple questions, they should all tie back to the central aim.
Measurable: The research question must be answerable using quantitative and/or qualitative data or from scholarly sources to develop your research question. If such data is impossible to access, it is better to rethink your question.
Attainable: Ensure you have enough time and resources to do all research required to answer your question. If it seems you will not be able to gain access to the data you need, consider narrowing down your question to be more specific.
You have the expertise
You have the equipment and resources
Realistic: Developing your research question should be based on initial reading about your topic. It should focus on addressing a problem or gap in the existing knowledge in your field or discipline.
Based on some sort of rational physics
Can be done in a reasonable time frame
Timely: The research question should contribute to an existing and current debate in your field or in society at large. It should produce knowledge that future researchers or practitioners can later build on.
Novel
Based on current technologies.
Important to answer current problems or concerns.
Lead to new directions.
Important: Your question should have some aspect of originality. Incremental research is as important as exploring disruptive technologies. For example, you can focus on a specific location or explore a new angle.
Meaningful whether the answer is “Yes” or “No.” Closed-ended, yes/no questions are too simple to work as good research questions. Such questions do not provide enough scope for robust investigation and discussion. A good research question requires original data, synthesis of multiple sources, and original interpretation and argumentation before providing an answer.

Steps for developing a good research question

The importance of research questions cannot be understated. When drafting a research question, use the following frameworks to guide the components of your question to ease the process. 4

Determine the requirements: Before constructing a good research question, set your research requirements. What is the purpose? Is it descriptive, comparative, or explorative research? Determining the research aim will help you choose the most appropriate topic and word your question appropriately.
Select a broad research topic: Identify a broader subject area of interest that requires investigation. Techniques such as brainstorming or concept mapping can help identify relevant connections and themes within a broad research topic. For example, how to learn and help students learn.
Perform preliminary investigation: Preliminary research is needed to obtain up-to-date and relevant knowledge on your topic. It also helps identify issues currently being discussed from which information gaps can be identified.
Narrow your focus: Narrow the scope and focus of your research to a specific niche. This involves focusing on gaps in existing knowledge or recent literature or extending or complementing the findings of existing literature. Another approach involves constructing strong research questions that challenge your views or knowledge of the area of study (Example: Is learning consistent with the existing learning theory and research).
Identify the research problem: Once the research question has been framed, one should evaluate it. This is to realize the importance of the research questions and if there is a need for more revising (Example: How do your beliefs on learning theory and research impact your instructional practices).

How to write a research question

Those struggling to understand how to write a research question, these simple steps can help you simplify the process of writing a research question.

Sample Research Questions

The following are some bad and good research question examples

Example 1
Example 2

References:

Thabane, L., Thomas, T., Ye, C., & Paul, J. (2009). Posing the research question: not so simple.  Canadian Journal of Anesthesia/Journal canadien d’anesthésie ,  56 (1), 71-79.
Rutberg, S., & Bouikidis, C. D. (2018). Focusing on the fundamentals: A simplistic differentiation between qualitative and quantitative research.  Nephrology Nursing Journal ,  45 (2), 209-213.
Kyngäs, H. (2020). Qualitative research and content analysis.  The application of content analysis in nursing science research , 3-11.
Mattick, K., Johnston, J., & de la Croix, A. (2018). How to… write a good research question.  The clinical teacher ,  15 (2), 104-108.
Fandino, W. (2019). Formulating a good research question: Pearls and pitfalls.  Indian Journal of Anaesthesia ,  63 (8), 611.
Richardson, W. S., Wilson, M. C., Nishikawa, J., & Hayward, R. S. (1995). The well-built clinical question: a key to evidence-based decisions.  ACP journal club ,  123 (3), A12-A13

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Transitive and Intransitive Verbs in the World of Research

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25 Top Leadership Survey Questionnaire + Template Examples

A leadership survey is a set of standardized questions that stakeholders use to assess people in leadership positions in any organization. It helps stakeholders to understand organizational leadership from multiple perspectives. Whether in a school, startup, or big enterprise, leadership surveys equip stakeholders with first-hand information that helps with objective decision-making.

Before creating a leadership survey, you should have a clear goal in mind. Do you want to assess people presently occupying leadership positions or are you looking to gather general feedback on leadership styles and methods? Once you map this out, you can go ahead to create different leadership survey forms on Formplus .

Types of Leadership Survey

Leadership Survey for Students

Teachers usually conduct leadership surveys to assess students’ leadership skills. The survey results can further be used to map out a framework for capacity building with respect to how students demonstrate leadership skills during different activities.

You could also ask students to assess different leadership styles and provide feedback on your school’s leadership methods. Responses from this survey will also help discover new ways to get students actively involved in leadership.

Leadership Survey for Employees

To know what employees think about your organization’s leadership, you can ask them to respond to leadership surveys and questionnaires. These surveys and questionnaires will pay attention to core leadership areas in terms of values, behavior, qualities, and effectiveness of team leads and managers.

Leadership surveys allow employees to score managers’ leadership skills against specific criteria. From the survey responses, you can generate actionable insights that will help to improve the leadership style and output of your organization.

Leadership Survey for Managers

This is carried out in the form of self-assessment where managers evaluate their skills and reflect on their strengths and weaknesses. The survey questions should encourage managers to admit and highlight their accomplishments, and show how this has helped the organization achieve its goals.

25 Top Leadership Surveys Questions

leadership questions for managers.

1. How well do you interact with others?

To be a great leader, you need to have effective communication skills. This question allows the manager reflect on their interactions with team members and rate their communication skills as well.

2. How likely are you to support others in achieving their goals?

Very likely
Somewhat likely
Neither likely nor unlikely

To achieve success as a leader, it is important to align team members with the goals of the organization and support them in achieving their individual goals.

3. On a scale of 1–10, how would you rate your people management skills?

People management is an important skill for leaders. The extent to which a leader can effectively manage members of their team determines the team’s success.

4. On a scale of 1–5, how well do you collaborate with others?

Like people management, collaboration is an important leadership skill. Managers should know how to leverage the strengths of team members to achieve organizational goals.

5. Would you describe yourself as a team player?

This is a dichotomous question that gives you a clear idea of how much the manager values teamwork. Managers must be great team players to effectively execute tasks.

6. Describe your process of setting up team targets?

This is an open-ended question that allows the manager to share details on her leadership process in terms of goal setting and target setting.

7. How do you monitor team execution?

This question gives you insights into the manager’s leadership methods and style.

8. How do you handle criticism as a leader?

No leader is perfect. A good leader should be open to criticism and constructive feedback from team members.

9. Do you ask for feedback and suggestions from your team members?

Leadership is a two-way street. As leaders provide team directions, they must continuously seek feedback from team members to improve processes.

10. Do you act on feedback and suggestions from your team?

This is excellent for figuring out whether or not leaders utilize this feedback and suggestions.

11. Are you willing to take responsibility when a team member fails to deliver against expectations?

Leaders should demonstrate the ability to take responsibility for team shortfalls; without passing the bucks to others.

12. How do you ensure that team members execute their tasks on time?

This question gives you insights into the leadership process of the manager. Here, the manager can share strategies for team follow-up and on-time task execution.

13. How often do you hold strategic team sessions?

Strategic team sessions help managers create an effective leadership plan and outline tasks to be done.

14. How well do you delegate tasks to other employees?

Somewhat well

Effective delegation is an important part of leadership. This question helps you to understand how well leaders utilize the strengths of others to execute tasks.

15. Do you work well under pressure?

Leading a team comes with very high demands. Therefore, the manager needs to be able to make clear-headed decisions during peak hours.

16. Do you define your goals before embarking on a project?

This is an important question as goal-setting is a core requirement for leaders.

B. Leadership Survey Questions for Employees

1.Have you held a leadership position before?

This provides better context in understanding feedback from employees.

2. What would you say are the biggest leadership gaps in this company?

This question allows respondents to share insights on leadership gaps in your organization. You can use this feedback to improve your leadership style.

3. How long have you worked in this organization?

Employees who have worked with your organization for a long time may be able to provide more comprehensive feedback on the organization’s leadership process and managers.

4. Do you feel confident in your manager’s effectiveness?

This question allows the employee to endorse her manager’s leadership style. You can take things a step further by asking respondents to justify their answers.

5. Does your manager involve the entire team in big decisions?

Responses to this question will help you discover how much of a team player the manager is.

6. In what ways could your manager improve as a leader?

Employees interact frequently with their managers; they also have first-hand experience with their managers’ leadership styles. With this knowledge, they can provide actionable suggestions that can improve leadership in your organization.

7. What 3 things will you change in this organization?

Use this opportunity to get feedback on other areas of your organization. Encourage the employees to share suggestions that cut across different organizational processes.

8. Does your supervisor provide you with constructive feedback?

This question allows you to track how well the manager provides feedback on team members’ tasks.

9. What department are you currently working in?

This helps you to narrow the employee’s feedback to specific team managers.

10. Are you interested in leading a team?

This question helps you to identify potential leaders you can prepare for leadership positions.

Best Leadership Survey Templates

Annual Employee Review Form Template

Use this form to review employees’ performance at the end of a fiscal year and discover how well-fitted they are for leadership roles. With the Formplus annual leadership survey form, you can rate different aspects of an employee’s performance including work ethics, leadership skills, and on-task performance.

Employee Attitude Survey

Find out what employees feel about working in your organization with this simple employee attitude survey. From the responses given, you can evaluate an employee’s soft skills for leadership. You can also gather feedback on the company’s leadership using this form template.

Competency Assessment Form Template

Use this competency assessment form to grade employees based on different workplace parameters. This form template allows you to effectively assess employees’ skills and find out if they qualify for leadership positions in your organization.

Employee Nomination Form Template

Employees can nominate their colleagues for leadership positions using this employee nomination form template. Employees can review their colleague’s performance and nominate them for positions based on different skills and qualities including teamwork, collaboration, and efficiency.

Employee Evaluation Form

The Formplus employee evaluation form allows you to track and review employee performance regularly. The form can be used to monitor employee’s performance in leadership roles, identify training needs and improve communication and workflow.

Peer Evaluation Form

This form allows co-workers to assess each other’s skills, behaviors, and disposition in the workplace. The peer evaluation form helps you to gather direct feedback from respondents which can help you identify potential leaders, assess existing ones and improve the leadership style of your organization.

Importance of Leadership Survey

A good leadership survey helps an organization to discover employees’ untapped leadership potential. It helps stakeholders to identify individuals who have the right skills and charisma to lead small and large teams in the company.
It helps you to discover common leadership styles in your organization. Results from leadership surveys show you how people lead in your company and whether any improvements need to be made. Understanding your organizational leadership styles can help employees to work better and improve collaboration.
Leadership surveys are an important part of grooming excellent leaders for your organization. As you appraise managers’ performance levels, you identify areas in the leadership styles that need to be improved. By acting on feedback from the surveys, managers can become better leaders.
With leadership surveys, you can boost organizational growth by fully utilizing your team’s capacities. When you’re using your employees’ leadership abilities to full capacity, they feel accomplished, respected, and appreciated.
It provides useful insights that result in objective decision-making.
Leadership surveys provide an eagle-eye perspective on the skills and strengths of individual employees.
It serves as an objective means of self-assessment which is crucial for employee development in the workplace.

When to Conduct Leadership Surveys

A leadership survey is an important part of growth and development in many organizations. As an employer, HR manager, or C-level executive, you should also conduct leadership surveys during your team’s performance reviews.

Ideally, these surveys should happen every 6–12 months to allow the team to provide valid feedback and act on new resolutions. You should also conduct leadership surveys during time-defining moments like a pandemic or when your organization secures a new funding series.

Leadership surveys will help you discover and explore new dimensions and map out the way forward for your team.

Conclusion

Bad survey questions can ruin your leadership survey so you should avoid them. These types of questions include leading questions , loaded questions, and vague questions that deliberately put respondents in a box. Instead, frame your leadership questions in a way that the respondent clearly understands the information you need.

In this article, we’ve looked at the 25 best survey questions that you can add to your leadership survey. After creating your online leadership survey with Formplus , you can use any of our multiple sharing options to send them to respondents and to organize their answers into insightful data.

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Leadership Survey Questions: Top 20 Questions, Definition, Survey Design and Tips

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Leadership Survey Questions: Definition

Top 20 leadership survey question for your survey, 7 steps to design a good leadership survey, tips to writing great leadership survey questions.

Leadership survey questions are defined as a set of survey questions that help employees assess leadership in an organization which is a direct reflection of the abilities of an individual to oversee the growth and progress of an organization.

For any business to succeed and flourish it is essential to recognize the best person for the job. It doesn’t necessarily mean that someone who has been in the organization for a period of time or has the longest resume is a great fit for the position. Leadership is a skill that develops over a period of time and today, most organizations focus on investing their time and effort in systems for employee training to inculcate the habits and attitude to become a leader.

LEARN ABOUT: Leadership Assessment Tools

There are many people who will invariably argue this statement and would say, leaders, are born and not made. But again, it is as debatable as, “which came first, the hen or the egg”? Therefore, let us not leave any scope for argument and stick to facts and absolute basics.

In the following section, you will learn about the top 20 leadership survey questions that will help you evaluate and assess the leadership qualities of an individual.

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Learn more: Leadership Assessment Survey Questions + Sample Questionnaire Template

An answer is based on the question one must ask. Survey questions play a vital role in collecting quality feedback that helps in making informed decisions. Here is a list of top 20 leadership survey questions you must have in your survey:

Leadership Survey Questions for Self Assessment

This set of survey questions are asked to help an individual assess his/her abilities to understand and learn their strengths and weaknesses to become a leader. These set of questions essentially help an individual identify their potential to lead the side. A good leader always helps to understand the industry he/she is associated with and contribute to its evolution. Here are a set of leadership survey questions for self-assessment:

1. On a scale from 0-10, how would you rate yourself as a leader?

2. Do you like setting up goals and targets?

3. What is your response to someone who questions your decision-making abilities?

4. In your opinion do you respond fairly to the issues in the team?

5. Are you open to suggestions from employees and co-workers?

6. Are you willing to take responsibility when a team member fails to deliver against expectations?

7. Do you feel employees should only take orders without asking any questions?

8. Do you personally think that a leader should be reasonable?

9. A leader must not hold any grudges or biases against anyone in the team. Do you agree with the statement?

10. Do you feel being correct is more important than being right?

11. Do you feel providing guidance without any pressure is a trait of a good leader?

12. Where do you see yourself in the next five years?

13. Is there anything that you would like to add?

Leadership Survey Questions for Demographic Assessment

Demographic questions allow a better understanding of an individual and his/her background. The more an organization knows about its potential leader(s), the higher are the chances that their messaging will resonate better with their employees. Typically demographic questions cover factors such as age, ethnicity, gender questions , educational qualification, employment details, years of experience etc. Here are a set of leadership survey questions for demographic assessment:

14. What is your current designation?

15. What is the department you are currently working in?

16. Please select your gender.

17. Please select your ethnicity.

18. Please select your educational qualification.

19. How long have you been associated with the organization?

20. What are the three things you would like to improve in this organization?

1. Know what you want to cover in your survey: Even before you finalize the great survey design , it is important to identify what is the purpose of your survey and why would you want to deploy it in the first place? The best way to design the survey is to split your core objectives into multiple unique points. What is the objective you want to achieve once you have deployed the survey to your employees?

2. Have questions that are absolutely necessary: The leadership survey must consist of leadership survey questions that are absolutely essential. Stuffing unnecessary questions in your survey will lead to survey fatigue . This will, in turn, result in survey dropout . If required responses are not obtained that may result in diluted results.

3. Ask one question at a time: Branching questions or asking one or more questions at a time can lead to confusion and there are fair chances that the respondent might end up choosing an incorrect option. Therefore it is advisable to ask one question at a time and get the most appropriate responses.

4. No jargons! For respondents to promptly respond to the survey it is important they understand the survey. Avoid using too many technical terms or jargons. It is in the best interest of the survey creator to keep the language as simple as possible. Simpler the survey, better will be the responses.

5. Spend time to design your survey: It is essential that your survey resonates with your organization’s brand. Spend some time to design your survey, make it user-friendly, short and simple and also easy to respond. Once you have designed your survey, you must check it for any errors. Deploying a survey with errors or spelling mistakes will talk poorly about the organization’s reputation.

6. Analyze the responses: One of the most important things to do after you have sent out your survey is to collect the responses. Carefully analyze your survey and categorize the data. This will help you make well-informed decisions.

7. Put a summary together: Once all the responses are in place download the report. This report will help you understand the plan of action that you would want to take with respect to aligning what leadership qualities are an organization looking at. This entire process, if followed in a systematic manner, will yield the best results.

1. Avoid leading questions: Your leadership survey must not consists of leading questions that force the responded to choose an answer option, this way your survey responses will be biased and the purpose of you collecting the information will not be fulfilled. Choose your 360 leadership assessment survey questions carefully to avoid diluted results.

2. Avoid misplaced questions: A good survey has an intended flow. It is important for a survey designer to place the question in a well-organized manner, to take away any fatigue that can be caused to the respondent due to misplaced questions in a survey.

3. Keep consistent answer options: Respondents need a clear way of providing honest and clean feedback, otherwise, the credibility of their response is at stake. Therefore, the answer choices you include can be a potential source of bias.

4. Keep your questions optional: Don’t be in the rush to make all your questions compulsory to answer. Respondents may not be happy answering all your questions and they may not even be comfortable answering all of them.

You’d probably get annoyed! Isn’t it?

You can address this by asking different question types and also spacing out similar sounding questions.

5. Take your survey for a spin: Once you have added all the questions, deploy it to a set of people in your organization first, to evaluate and understand if they are comfortable with every question in the survey. Also as a survey creator, there is no worse feeling than finding mistakes in your survey. To avoid such situations share it with your friends, colleagues in advance. A fresh pair of eyes can give your survey a different perspective.

If you want to learn more about human resources survey and know more such interesting tips, we’d love to connect .

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Leadership Research Paper

This sample leadership research paper features: 7900 words (approx. 26 pages), an outline, and a bibliography with 38 sources. Browse other research paper examples for more inspiration. If you need a thorough research paper written according to all the academic standards, you can always turn to our experienced writers for help. This is how your paper can get an A! Feel free to contact our writing service for professional assistance. We offer high-quality assignments for reasonable rates.

I. Introduction

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II. Leadership Defined

III. The Trait Approach to Leadership

IV. What Do Leaders Do? The Behavioral Approach

V. Situational Approaches to Leadership

VI. Contingency Theories of Leadership

VII. Leader-Member Exchange Theory

VIII. Charismatic and Transformational Leadership

IX. Leader Emergence and Transition

X. Leadership Development

XI. Summary

XII. Bibliography

More Leadership Research Papers:

Implicit Leadership Theories Research Paper
Judicial Leadership Research Paper
Leadership Styles Research Paper
Police Leadership Research Paper
Political Leadership Research Paper
Remote Leadership Research Paper

Introduction

There are few things more important to human activity than leadership. Most people, regardless of their occupation, education, political or religious beliefs, or cultural orientation, recognize that leadership is a real and vastly consequential phenomenon. Political candidates proclaim it, pundits discuss it, companies value it, and military organizations depend on it. The French diplomat Talleyrand once said, “I am more afraid of an army of 100 sheep led by a lion than an army of 100 lions led by a sheep.” Effective leadership guides nations in times of peril, promotes effective team and group performance, makes organizations successful, and, in the form of parenting, nurtures the next generation. Winston Churchill, the Prime Minister of Great Britain during World War II, was able to galvanize the resolve of his embattled people with these words: “I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat.” When leadership is missing, the effects can be equally dramatic; organizations move too slowly, stagnate, and often lose their way. The League of Nations, created after the World War I, failed to meet the challenges of the times in large part because of a failure to secure effective leadership. With regard to bad leaders, Kellerman (2004) makes an important distinction between incompetent leaders and corrupt leaders. To this we might also add leaders who are “toxic.” Bad leadership can perpetuate misery on those who are subject to its domain. Consider the case of Jim Jones, the leader of the Peoples Temple, who in 1978 ordered the mass suicide of his 900 followers in what has been called the Jonestown Massacre, or the corrupt leadership of Enron and Arthur Anderson that impoverished thousands of workers and led to the dissolution of a major organization. These examples remind us that there are many ways in which leadership can fail.

Leadership Defined

When you think of leadership, the ideas of power, authority, and influence may come to mind. You may think of the actions of effective leaders in accomplishing important goals. You may think of actual people who have been recognized for their leadership capabilities. Dwight D. Eisenhower, 34th president of the United States, defined leadership as “the ability to decide what is to be done, and then to get others to want to do it.” Leadership can be defined as the ability of an individual to influence the thoughts, attitudes, and behavior of others. It is the process by which others are motivated to contribute to the success of the groups of which they are members. Leaders set a direction for their followers and help them to focus their energies on achieving their goals. Theorists have developed many different theories about leadership, and although none of the theories completely explains everything about leadership, each has received some scientific support. Some of the theories are based on the idea that there are “born leaders” with particular traits that contribute to their ability to lead. Other theories suggest that leadership consists of specific skills and behaviors. Some theories take a contingency approach that suggests that a leader’s effectiveness depends on the situation requiring leadership. Still other theories examine the relationship between the leader and his or her followers as the key to understanding leadership. In this research paper, we examine these various theories and describe the process of leadership development.

The Trait Approach to Leadership

Aristotle suggested that “men are marked out from the moment of birth to rule or be ruled,” an idea that evolved into the Great Person Theory. Great leaders of the past do seem different from ordinary human beings. When we consider the lives of Gandhi or Martin Luther King, Jr., it is easy to think of their influence as a function of unique personal attributes. This trait approach was one of the first perspectives applied to the study of leadership and for many years dominated leadership research. The list of traits associated with effective leadership is extensive and includes personality characteristics such as being outgoing, assertive, and conscientious. Other traits that have been identified are confidence, integrity, discipline, courage, self-sufficiency, humor, and mystery. Charles de Gaulle described this last trait best when he noted that “A true leader always keeps an element of surprise up his sleeve, which others cannot grasp but which keeps his public excited and breathless.”

Another trait often attributed to effective leaders is intelligence. However, intelligence is a two-edged sword. Although highly intelligent people may be effective leaders, their followers may feel that large differences in intellectual abilities mean large differences in attitudes, values, and interests. Thus, Gibb (1969) has pointed out that many groups prefer to be “ill-governed by people [they] can understand” (p. 218). One important aspect of intelligence that does predict leader effectiveness is emotional intelligence, which includes not only social skills but strong self-monitoring skills, which provide the leader with feedback as to how followers feel about the leader’s actions.

Finally, personal characteristics such as attractiveness, height, and poise are associated with effective leadership. After decades of research, in which the list of traits grew dramatically, researchers realized that the same person could be effective in one context (Winston Churchill as war leader) but ineffective in another context (Winston Churchill, who was removed from office immediately after the war was over). The failure of this approach to recognize the importance of the situation in providing clear distinctions between leaders and followers with regard to their traits caused many scientists to turn their attention elsewhere. However, theorists using more sophisticated methodological and conceptual approaches have revived this approach. Zaccaro (2007) suggests that the revival of the trait approach reflects a shift away from the idea that traits are inherited, as suggested in Galton’s 1869 book Hereditary Genius, and focuses on personal characteristics that reflect a range of acquired individual differences. This approach has three components. First, researchers do not consider traits as separate and distinct contributors to leadership effectiveness but rather as a constellation of characteristics that, taken together, make a good leader.

The second component broadens the concept of trait to refer not only to personality characteristics but also to motives, values, social and problem-solving skills, cognitive abilities, and expertise. For example, in a series of classic studies, McClelland and his colleagues (see McClelland & Boyatzis, 1982) identified three motives that contribute to leadership. They are the need for achievement, the need for power, and the need for affiliation. In their work, leader traits are not attributes of the person but the basis for the leader’s behavior. The need for achievement is manifested in the desire to solve problems and accomplish tasks. In the words of Donald McGannon, “Leadership is action, not position.” The need for power is evident in the desire to influence others without using coercion. As Hubert H. Humphrey once said, “Leadership in today’s world requires far more than a large stock of gunboats and a hard fist at the conference table.” The final motive, need for affiliation, can be a detriment to effective leadership if the leader becomes too concerned with being liked. However, it can provide positive results from the satisfaction a leader derives in helping others succeed. Lao Tse once wrote, “A good leader is a catalyst, and though things would not get done well if he weren’t there, when they succeed he takes no credit. And because he takes no credit, credit never leaves him.”

The third component of this new approach focuses on attributes that both are enduring and occur across a variety of situations. For example, there is strong empirical support for the trait approach when traits are organized according to the five-factor model of personality. Both extraversion and conscientiousness are highly correlated with leader success and, to a lesser extent, so are openness to experience and the lack of neuroticism.

What Do Leaders Do? The Behavioral Approach

Three major schools of thought—the Ohio State Studies, Theory X/Y (McGregor, 1960), and the Managerial Grid (Blake & Mouton, 1984)—have all suggested that differences in leader effectiveness are directly related to the degree to which the leader is task oriented versus person oriented. Task-oriented leaders focus on the group’s work and its goals. They define and structure the roles of their subordinates in order to best obtain organizational goals. Task-oriented leaders set standards and objectives, define responsibilities, evaluate employees, and monitor compliance with their directives. In the Ohio State studies this was referred to as initiating structure, whereas McGregor (1960) refers to it as Theory X, and the Managerial Grid calls it task-centered. Harry S. Truman, 33rd president of the United States, once wrote, “A leader is a man who can persuade people to do what they don’t want to do, or do what they’re too lazy to do, and like it.” Task-oriented leaders often see their followers as undisciplined, lazy, extrinsically motivated, and irresponsible. For these leaders, leadership consists of giving direction, setting goals, and making unilateral decisions. When under pressure, task-oriented leaders become anxious, defensive, and domineering.

In contrast, person-oriented leaders tend to act in a warm and supportive manner, showing concern for the well-being of their followers. Person-oriented leaders boost morale, take steps to reduce conflict, establish rapport with group members, and provide encouragement for obtaining the group’s goals. The Ohio State studies referred to this as consideration, the Managerial Grid calls this country club leadership, and McGregor uses the term Theory Y. Person-oriented leaders see their followers as responsible, self-controlled, and intrinsically motivated. As a result, they are more likely to consult with others before making decisions, praise the accomplishment of their followers, and be less directive in their supervision. Under pressure, person-oriented leaders tend to withdraw socially.

Leadership effectiveness can be gauged in several ways: employee performance, turnover, and dissatisfaction. As you can see in Table 68.1, the most effective leaders are those who are both task and person oriented, whereas the least effective leaders are those who are neither task nor person oriented. A recent meta-analysis found that person-oriented leadership consistently improves group morale, motivation, and job satisfaction, whereas task-oriented leadership only sometimes improves group performance, depending on the types of groups and situations.

In thinking about what leaders do, it is important to distinguish between leadership and management. Warren Bennis (1989) stated, “To survive in the twenty-first century, we are going to need a new generation of leaders— leaders, not managers.” He points out that managers focus on “doing things right” whereas leaders focus on “doing the right things.” Table 68.2 provides a comparison of the characteristics that distinguish a leader from a manager. As you look at the list, it is clear that a person can be a leader without being a manager and be a manager without being a leader.

Situational Approaches to Leadership

The Great Person theory of leadership, represented by such theorists as Sigmund Freud, Thomas Carlyle, and Max Weber, suggests that from time to time, highly capable, talented, charismatic figures emerge, captivate a host of followers, and change history. In contrast to this, Hegel, Marx, and Durkheim suggest that there is a tide running in human affairs, defined by history or the economy, and that leaders are those who ride the tide. The idea of the tide leads us to the role of situational factors in leadership. For example, Perrow (1970) suggests that leadership effectiveness is dependent upon structural aspects of the organization. Longitudinal studies of organizational effectiveness provide support for this idea. For example, Pfeffer (1997) indicated that “If one cannot observe differences when leaders change, then what does it matter who occupies the positions or how they behave?” (p. 108). Vroom and Jago (2007) have identified three distinct roles that situational factors play in leadership effectiveness. First, organizational effectiveness is not strictly a result of good leadership practices. Situational factors beyond the control of the leader often affect the outcomes of any group effort. Whereas leaders, be they navy admirals or football coaches, receive credit or blame for the activities of their followers, success or failure is often the result of external forces: the actions of others, changing technologies, or environmental conditions. Second, situations shape how leaders act. Although much of the literature on leadership has focused on individual differences, social psychologists such as Phil Zimbardo, in his classic Stanford Prison Experiment, and Stanley Milgram, in his studies of obedience, have demonstrated how important the situation is in determining behavior. Third, situations influence the consequences of leader behavior. Although many popular books on leadership provide a checklist of activities in which the leader should engage, most of these lists disregard the impact of the situation. Vroom and Jago (2007) suggest that the importance of the situation is based on three factors: the limited power of many leaders, the fact that applicants for leadership positions go through a uniform screening process that reduces the extent to which they differ from one another, and whatever differences between them still exist will be overwhelmed by situational demands. If all of these factors are present, it is probably true that the individual differences between leaders will not significantly contribute to their effectiveness. Nevertheless, in most of the situations in which leaders find themselves, they are not that powerless and their effectiveness is mostly a result of matching their skills with the demands of the situation, which brings us to a discussion of contingency theories.

Contingency Theories of Leadership

One of the first psychologists to develop a contingency approach to leadership effectiveness was Fred Fiedler (1964, 1967), who believed that a leader’s style is a result of lifelong experiences that are not easy to change. With this in mind, he suggested that leaders need to understand what their style is and to manipulate the situation so that the two match. Like previous researchers, Fiedler’s idea of leadership style included task orientation and person orientation, although his approach for determining a leader’s orientation was unique. Fiedler developed the least-preferred coworker (LPC) scale. On this scale, individuals rate the person with whom they would least want to work on a variety of characteristics. Individuals who rate their LPC as uniformly negative are considered task oriented, whereas those who differentiate among the characteristics are person oriented. The second part of his contingency theory is the favorableness of the situation. Situational favorability is determined by three factors: the extent to which the task facing the group is structured, the legitimate power of the leader, and the relations between the leader and his subordinates. The relation between LPC scores and group performance is complex, as can be seen in Table 68.3. A meta-analysis conducted by Strube and Garcia (1981) found that task-oriented leaders function best in situations that are either favorable (clear task structure, solid position power, and good leader/member relations) or unfavorable (unclear task structure, weak position power, and poor leader/member relations). In contrast, person-oriented leaders function best in situations that are only moderately favorable, which is often based on the quality of leader-member relations.

Another theory that addresses the relation between leadership style and the situation is path-goal theory (House, 1971). In this theory, path refers to the leader’s behaviors that are most likely to help the group attain a desired outcome or goal. Thus, leaders must exhibit different behaviors to reach different goals, depending on the situation. Four different styles of behavior are described:

Directive leadership. The leader sets standards of performance and provides guidelines and expectations to subordinates on how to achieve those standards.
Supportive leadership. The leader expresses concern for the subordinates’ well-being and is supportive of them as individuals, not just as workers.
Participative leadership. The leader solicits ideas and suggestions from subordinates and invites them to participate in decisions that directly affect them.
Achievement-oriented leadership. The leader sets challenging goals and encourages subordinates to attain those goals.

According to path-goal theory, effective leaders need all four of these styles because each one produces different results. Which style to use depends on two types of situational factors: subordinate characteristics, including ability, locus of control, and authoritarianism; and environmental characteristics, including the nature of the task, work group, and authority system. According to House and Mitchell (1974), when style and situation are properly matched, there is greater job satisfaction and acceptance of the leader, as well as more effort toward obtaining desired goals. A meta-analysis by Indvik (1986) is generally supportive of the theory. Studies of seven organizations found that task-oriented approaches are effective in situations with low task structure, because they help subordinates cope with an ambiguous situation, and ineffective in situations with high task structure, because they appear to be micromanagement. Additional studies have found that supportive leadership is most effective when subordinates are working on stressful, frustrating, or dissatisfying tasks. Researchers found participative leadership to be most effective when subordinates were engaged in nonrepetitive, ego-involving tasks. Finally, achievement-oriented leadership was most effective when subordinates were engaged in ambiguous, nonrepetitive tasks. A clear implication of the theory is that leaders must diagnose the situation before adopting a particular leadership style.

A third contingency approach is the normative and descriptive model of leadership and decision making developed by Vroom and his colleagues (see Vroom & Jago, 2007). This approach examines the extent to which leaders should involve their subordinates in decision-making processes. To answer this question, the researchers developed a matrix that outlines the five decision processes that range from highly autocratic through consultative to highly participative (see Table 68.4). Which of these approaches is the best? The answer is none of them is uniformly preferred, and each process has different costs and benefits. For example, participative approaches are more likely to gain support and acceptance among subordinates for the leader’s ideas, whereas autocratic approaches are quick and efficient, but may cause resentment. The theory suggests that the best approach may be selected by answering several basic questions about the situation that relate to the quality and acceptance of a decision. Some examples of the type of questions that should be asked are “Do I have enough information to make a decision? How structured is the task? Must subordinates accept the decision to make it work?” By answering such questions and applying the specific rules shown in Table 68.5, a leader is able to eliminate approaches that are likely to fail and to choose the approach that seems most feasible from those remaining.

Leader-Member Exchange Theory

A growing number of researchers have found that subordinates may affect leaders as much as leaders affect subordinates. Yukl (1998) pointed out that when subordinates perform poorly, leaders tend to be more task oriented, but when subordinates perform well, leaders are more person oriented. Similarly, Miller, Butler, and Cosentino (2004) found that the effectiveness of followers conformed to the same rules as those Fiedler applied to leaders. It may be that the productivity of a group can have a greater impact on leadership style than leadership style does on the productivity of the group. This reciprocal relation has been formally recognized in the vertical dyad linkage approach (Dansereau, Graen, & Haga, 1975), now commonly referred to as leader-member exchange (LMX) theory (Graen & Uhl-Bien, 1995). This theory describes how leaders maintain their influence by treating individual followers differently. Over time, leaders develop a special relationship with an inner circle of trusted lieutenants, assistants and advisors—the in-group. The members of the in-group are given high levels of responsibility, influence over decision making, and access to resources. Members of the in-group typically are those who are highly committed to the organization, work harder, show loyalty to the leader, and share more administrative duties. Their reward is greater access to the leader’s resources, including information, concern, and confidence. To maintain the exchange, leaders must be careful to nurture the relationship with the in-group, giving them sufficient power to satisfy their needs but not so much power that they become independent. The leader-member relationship generally follows three stages. The first stage is role taking. During this stage the leader assesses the members’ abilities and talents and offers them opportunities to demonstrate their capabilities and commitment. In this stage, both the leader and member discover how the other wants to be respected. The second stage is role making. In this stage, the leader and member take part in unstructured and informal negotiations in order to create a role for the member with a tacit promise of benefits and power in return for dedication and loyalty. In this stage, trust building is very important, and betrayal in any form can result in the member’s being relegated to the out-group. In this stage the leader and member explore relationship factors as well as work-related factors. At this stage, it is clear that perceived similarities between the leader and follower become important. For this reason, a leader may favor a member who is similar in sex, race, or outlook with assignment to the in-group, although research by Murphy and Ensher (1999) indicated that the perception of similarity is more important than actual demographic similarities. The final stage is routinization. In this phase the pattern established by the leader and member becomes established.

The quality of the leader-member relationship is dependent on several factors. It tends to be better when the challenge of the job is either extremely high or extremely low. Other factors that affect the quality of the relationship are the size of the group, availability of resources, and overall workload.

Charismatic and Transformational Leadership

In a speech given at the University of Maryland, Warren Bennis said, “[A] leader has to be able to change an organization that is dreamless, soulless and visionless…someone’s got to make a wake-up call. The first job of a leader is to define a vision for the organization.…Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.” Effective leaders are able to project a vision, explaining to their subordinates the purpose, meaning, and significance of their efforts. As Napoleon once said, “Leaders are dealers in hope.” Although the idea of charismatic leadership goes back as far as biblical times (“Where there is no vision, the people perish”—Proverbs 29:18), its modern development can be attributed to the work of Robert House. House (1977) analyzed political and religious leaders and noted that charismatic leaders are those high in self-confidence and confidence in their subordinates, with high expectations, a clear vision of what can be accomplished, and a willingness to use personal examples. Their followers often identify with the leader and his or her mission, show unswerving loyalty toward and confidence in the leader, and derive a sense of self-esteem from their association with the leader. Charismatic leaders are usually quite articulate, with superior debating and persuasive skills. They also possess the technical expertise to understand what their followers must do. Charismatic leaders usually have high self-confidence, impression-management skills, social sensitivity, and empathy. Finally, they have the skills to promote attitudinal, behavioral, and emotional change in their followers. Those who follow charismatic leaders are often surprised at how much they are able to accomplish that extends beyond their own expectations. Research on charismatic leadership indicates that the impact of such leaders is greatest when the followers engage in high self-monitoring (observing their effect on others) and exhibit high levels of self-awareness. Charismatic leadership enhances followers’ cooperation and motivation.

It is important to recognize that charismatic leadership can have a dark side. We began this research paper with the example of Jim Jones, the charismatic religious leader who led his people to commit mass suicide. Howell and Avolio (1992) describe the difference between ethical and unethical charismatic leaders. According to their analysis, ethical leaders use their power to serve others, not for personal gain. They also promote a vision that aligns with their follower’s needs and aspirations rather than with their own personal vision. Ethical leaders stimulate followers to think independently and to question the leader’s views. They engage in open, two-way communication and are sensitive to their followers’ needs. Finally, ethical leaders rely on internal moral standards to satisfy organizational and societal interests, not their own self-interests.

In helping followers achieve their aspirations, Bernard Bass (1997) has noted that charismatic leadership is a component of a broader-based concept, that of transformational leadership. Bass believed that most leaders are transactional rather than transformational in that they approach their relationships with followers as a transaction, one in which they define expectations and offer rewards that will be forthcoming when those expectations are met. Transactional leaders use a contingent reward system, manage by exception, watch followers to catch them doing something wrong, and intervene only when standards are not met. Finally, transactional leaders tend to adopt a laissez-faire approach by avoiding the need to make hard decisions.

In contrast, transformational leadership goes beyond mutually satisfactory agreements about rewards and punishments to heighten followers’ motivation, confidence, and satisfaction by uniting them in the pursuit of shared, challenging goals. In the process of doing that, they change their followers’ beliefs, values, and needs. Bass and Avolio (1994) identified four components of transformational leadership. The first component is idealized influence (charisma). Leaders provide vision, a sense of mission, and their trust in their followers. Leaders take stands on difficult issues and urge their followers to follow suit. They emphasize the importance of purpose, commitment, and ethical decision making. The second component is inspirational motivation. Leaders communicate high expectations, express important purposes in easy-to-understand ways, talk optimistically and enthusiastically about the tasks facing the organization, and provide encouragement and meaning for what has to be done. They often use symbols to focus the efforts of their followers. The third component is intellectual stimulation. Leaders promote thoughtful, rational, and careful decision making. They stimulate others to discard outmoded assumptions and beliefs and to explore new perspectives and ways of doing things. The fourth component is individualized consideration. Leaders give their followers personal attention and treat each person individually. They listen attentively and consider the individual needs, abilities, and goals of their followers in their decisions. In order to enhance the development of their followers they advise, teach, and coach, as needed. Yukl (2002) offers the following guidelines for transformational leadership:

Develop a clear and appealing vision.
Create a strategy for attaining the vision.
Articulate and promote the vision.
Act confident and optimistic.
Express confidence in followers.
Use early success in achievable tasks to build confidence.
Celebrate your followers’ successes.
Use dramatic, symbolic actions to emphasize key values.
Model the behaviors you want followers to adopt.
Create or modify cultural forms as symbols, slogans, or ceremonies.

Perhaps Walter Lippman provided the best summary of transformational leadership. He wrote, “The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind him in other men the conviction and the will to carry on…” The genius of good leaders is to leave behind them a situation that common sense, without the grace of genius, can deal with successfully.

Leader Emergence and Transition

Who becomes the leader? The process by which someone becomes formally or informally, perceptually or behaviorally, and implicitly or explicitly recognized as a leader is leadership emergence. Scholars have debated this question for centuries and in this research paper, so far, we have offered several possible answers. The Great Person Theory suggests that some people are marked for greatness and dominate the times in which they live. Tolstoy’s zeitgeist theory suggests that leaders come to prominence because of the spirit of the times. Trait theories suggest leaders are selected based on their personal characteristics, whereas interactional approaches examine the joint effects of the situation and the leader’s behavior. Research suggests that leadership emergence is an orderly process that reflects a rational group process whereby the individual with the most skill or experience or intelligence or capabilities takes charge. Implicit leadership theories (Lord & Maher, 1991) provide a cognitive explanation for leadership emergence. According to these theories, each member of a group comes to the group with a set of expectations and beliefs about leaders and leadership. These cognitive structures are called implicit leadership theories or leader prototypes. Typically these prototypes include both task and relationship skills as well as an expectation that the leader will epitomize the core values of the group. Members use their implicit theories to sort people into either leaders or followers based on the extent to which others conform to their implicit theory of what a leader should be. These implicit theories also guide members in their evaluations of the leader’s effectiveness. Because these theories are implicit, they are rarely subjected to critical scrutiny. As a result, it is not uncommon for followers to demonstrate a bias toward those who fit the mold of a traditional leader: White, male, tall, and vocal, regardless of the qualifications of that individual to be the leader.

Transition, rotation, succession, change of command; all are words used to describe a central facet of organizational leadership—that leaders follow one another. Despite the frequent occurrence of leader successions in nearly all groups, especially in large stable organizations, relatively little research has addressed this phenomenon. An early review by Gibb (1969) reported on studies of leader emergence and succession mode. In particular, Gibb noted the importance of establishing leadership/followership through early, shared, significant experiences; he also stressed that an important aspect of the organizational climate for the new leader derives from the policies of the former leader, the consequence of which shape followers’ expectations, morale, and interpersonal relations. In general, studies have demonstrated that leadership succession causes turbulence and instability resulting in performance decrements in most organizations and thus constitutes a major challenge to organizations. Thus, the process of becoming the new leader is often an arduous, albeit rewarding, journey of learning and self-development. The trials involved in this rite of passage have serious consequences for both the individual and the organization. As organizations have become leaner and more dynamic, new leaders have described a transition that gets more difficult all the time. To make the transition less difficult, leaders might attend to the following suggestions adapted from the works of Betty Price, a management consultant. Some of these suggestions are particularly important for newly appointed leaders in establishing an effective leadership style early in their tenure as leader.

New leaders should show passion for their group, its purpose, and its people in order to reassure followers that the new leader is there to make the group better, not to further his or her personal ambitions.
New leaders should think more strategically than tactically. Look for the big picture and don’t become bogged down in implementation processes.
New leaders should first learn to listen, and then provide leadership. Leaders should be compelling in their ability to help others embrace the values that drive the group’s success. To do this the new leader must listen intently and provide feedback that demonstrates that he or she has truly heard what others have said.
New leaders should operate in a learning mode. As the new person on the block, the new leader may be unsure about the reputation of the preceding leader. He or she should honor the insights and knowledge of others, believing that one can learn from everyone. The new leader should engage people purposefully at all levels, knowing that the distance between the front line and senior leadership is often so great that one small piece of information may have tremendous impact.
New leaders should take particular care in doing what’s right and telling the truth, even if it is painful. One of the first tasks of a new leader is building trust. In the face of uncertainties, being honest, direct, and truthful enables people to move forward with faith. It gives them hope.
New leaders should encourage their people to take risks in order to achieve their goals, and be prepared to pick up the pieces if they fail. The leader’s role is to cushion the risk by providing support and encouragement, and knowing and drawing from his or her people’s best capabilities.

Leadership Development

Not everyone is born with “the right stuff” or finds himself or herself in just the right situation to demonstrate his or her capacity as a leader. However, anyone can improve his or her leadership skills. The process of training people to function effectively in a leadership role is known as leadership development and it is a multimillion-dollar business. Leadership development programs tend to be of two types: internal programs within an organization, designed to strengthen the organization, and external programs that take the form of seminars, workshops, conferences, and retreats.

Typical of external leadership development programs are the seminars offered by the American Management Association. Their training seminars are held annually in cities across the country and address both general leadership skills as well as strategic leadership. Among the seminars offered in the area of general leadership are critical thinking, storytelling, and team development in a variety of areas such as instructional technology or government. Seminars on strategic leadership address such topics as communication strategies, situational leadership, innovation, emotional intelligence, and coaching.

A second approach to leadership development is a technique known as grid training. The first step in grid training is a grid seminar during which members of an organization’s management team help others in their organization identify their management style as one of four management styles: impoverished management, task management, country-club management, and team management. The second step is training, which varies depending on the leader’s management style. The goal of the training is greater productivity, better decision making, increased morale, and focused culture change in the leader’s unique organizational environment. Grid training is directed toward six key areas: leadership development, team building, conflict resolution, customer service, mergers, and selling solutions.

Internal leadership development programs tend to focus on three major areas: the development of social interaction networks both between people within a given organization and between organizations that work with one another, the development of trusting relationships between leaders and followers, and the development of common values and a shared vision among leaders and followers. There are several techniques that promote these goals. One such technique is 360-degree feedback. This is a process whereby leaders may learn what peers, subordinates, and superiors think of their performance. This kind of feedback can be useful in identifying areas in need of improvement. The strength of the technique is that it provides differing perspectives across a variety of situations that help the leader to understand the perceptions of his or her actions. This practice has become very popular and is currently used by virtually all Fortune 500 companies. Like all forms of assessment, 360-degree feedback is only useful if the leader is willing and able to change his or her behavior as a result of the feedback. To ensure that leaders don’t summarily dismiss feedback that doesn’t suit them, many companies have arranged for face-to-face meetings between the leaders and those who have provided the feedback.

Another form of internal leadership development is networking. As a leadership development tool, networking is designed to reduce the isolation of leaders and help them better understand the organization in which they work. Networking is specifically designed to connect leaders with key personnel who can help them accomplish their everyday tasks. Networking promotes peer relationships and allows individuals with similar concerns and responsibilities to learn from one another ways to better do their job. Research indicates that these peer relationships tend to be long-lasting.

Executive coaching is a method for developing leaders that involves custom-tailored, one-on-one interactions. This method generally follows four steps. It begins with an agreement between the coach and the leader as to the nature of the coaching relationship, to include what is to be done and how it will be done. The second step is an expert’s assessment of the leader’s strengths and weaknesses. The third step provides a comprehensive plan for improvement that is usually shared with the leader’s immediate supervisor. The fourth and final step is the implementation of the plan. Coaching is sometimes a onetime event aimed at addressing a particular concern or it can be an ongoing, continuous process.

Another form of internal leadership development is mentoring. The term mentor can mean many things: a trusted counselor or guide, tutor, coach, master, experienced colleague, or role model. A mentor is usually someone older and more experienced who provides advice and support to a younger, less experienced person (protégé). In general, mentors guide, watch over, and encourage the progress of their protégés. Mentors often pave the way for their protégé’s success by providing opportunities for achievement, nominating them for promotion, and arranging for their recognition. As a form of leadership development, there are several advantages to mentoring. A meta-analysis by Allen, Eby, Poteet, Lima, and Lentz (2004) indicated that individuals who were mentored showed greater organizational commitment, lower turnover, higher career satisfaction, enhanced leadership skills, and a better understanding of their organization.

In the future, leadership is likely to become more group centered as organizations become more decentralized. Other changes will come about as a result of new and emerging technologies. Avolio and his colleagues (2003) refer to this as “e-leadership.” Leadership effectiveness will depend on the leader’s ability to integrate the new technologies into the norms and culture of their organization.

Another change is that the future will most likely see more women break through the “glass ceiling” and take leadership positions. Men are considerably more likely to enact leadership behaviors than are women in studies of leaderless groups, and as a result are more likely to emerge as leaders (Eagly, 1987). Even though women do sometimes emerge as leaders, historically they have been excluded from the highest levels of leadership in both politics and business. This exclusion has been called the glass ceiling. Studies of leadership in organizational settings have found that men and women do not differ significantly in their basic approach to leadership, with equal numbers of task- versus person-oriented leaders. However, women are much more likely to adopt a participative or transformational leadership style whereas men are more likely to be autocratic, laissez-faire, or transactional (Eagly & Johnson, 1990). Women’s leadership styles are more closely associated with group performance as well as subordinate satisfaction, and in time our implicit theories about leadership may very well favor those who adopt such approaches.

Diversity and working in a global economy will provide additional challenges to tomorrow’s leaders. Project GLOBE (Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness) is an extensive international project involving 170 researchers who have gathered data from 18,000 managers in 62 countries (House, Hanges, Javidan, Dorman, & Gupta, 2004). A major goal of the project was to develop societal and organizational measures of culture and leader attributes that were appropriate to use across all cultures. There have been several important findings. In some cultures, leadership is denigrated and regarded with suspicion. People in these cultures often fear that leaders will acquire and abuse power and as a result substantial restraints are placed on the exercise of leadership. Twenty-two leadership traits (e.g., foresight and decisiveness) were identified as being desirable across all cultures. Eight leadership traits (e.g., ruthlessness and irritability) were identified as being universally undesirable. Some leadership traits were dependent upon the culture, including ambition and elitism. Six leadership styles common to many cultures were identified. They are charismatic, self-protective, humane, team oriented, participative, and autonomous. Although the charismatic style is familiar to us, some of the others are not. The self-protective style involves following agreed-upon procedures, being cognizant of the status hierarchy, and saving face. The humane style includes modesty and helping others. The team-oriented style includes collaboration, team building, and diplomacy. The participative style encourages getting the opinions and help of others. The autonomous style involves being independent and making one’s own decisions. Cultures differ in their preferences for these styles. For example, leaders from northern European countries are more participative and less self-protective whereas leaders from southern Asia are more humane and less participative.

Although most of us would agree that leadership is extraordinarily important, research in this field has yet to arrive at a generally accepted definition of what leadership is, create a widely accepted paradigm for studying leadership, or find the best strategies for developing and practicing leadership. Hackman and Wageman (2007) attempted to address this problem by reframing the questions we have been asking about leadership effectiveness, with the hope that these questions will be more informative than many of those asked previously.

Question 1. Ask NOT “Do leaders make a difference?” but “Under what conditions does leadership matter?” The task here is to examine conceptually and empirically the circumstances under which leadership makes a difference and to distinguish those from the circumstances for which leadership is inconsequential.
Question 2. Ask NOT “What are the traits that define an effective leader?” but “How do leaders’ personal attributes interact with situational properties to shape outcomes?” This approach will require that we reduce our reliance on both fixed traits and complex contingencies. To do this, we should embrace the idea that there are many different ways to achieve the same outcome.
Question 3. Ask NOT “Are there common dimensions on which all leaders can be arrayed?” but “Are good and poor leadership qualitatively different phenomena?” Recent research has found that ineffective leaders were not ones who scored low on those dimensions for which good leaders scored high, but rather they exhibited entirely different patterns of behavior than those exhibited by good leaders.
Question 4. Ask NOT “How do leaders and followers differ from one another?” but “How can leadership models be reframed so they treat all members of a group as leaders and followers?” Although it is clear that to be a leader requires that you have followers, it is equally true that most leaders are at times followers and most followers are at times leaders.
Question 5. Ask NOT “What should be taught in leadership courses?” but “How can leaders be helped to learn?” Research is needed to understand how leaders learn from their experiences, especially when they are coping with crises (see Avolio, 2007).

In the 21st century, the study of leadership will be increasingly collaborative as researchers from multiple disciplines tackle the questions outlined above. Some of the disciplines that must contribute to the study of leadership include media and communications. In today’s world more and more of the relationships between leaders and followers are not face-to-face but mediated through electronic means.

John Kenneth Galbraith, in his book The Age of Uncertainty, wrote that “All of the great leaders have had one characteristic in common: it was the willingness to confront unequivocally the major anxiety of their people in their time. This, and not much else, is the essence of leadership.” In the special issue of the American Psychologist devoted to leadership, Warren Bennis (2007) suggests that the four most important threats facing our world today are these: (a) a nuclear or biological catastrophe; (b) a worldwide pandemic; (c) tribalism and its cruel offspring, assimilation; and (d) leadership of our human institutions. He points out that solving the first three problems will not be possible without exemplary leadership and that an understanding of how to develop such leadership will have serious consequences for the quality of our health and our lives.

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64 key leadership survey questions to empower management & employees

HR leaders identify three main reasons for high employee turnover — strained dynamics with managers, uninspiring workplace cultures, and a lack of professional development opportunities. (1)

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How leadership surveys create a culture of continuous improvement

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Strong leadership surveys should include a range of different question types. Build out your questionnaires with a mix of open and closed questions and vary the topics you focus on.

You can start by customizing our list of questions to make sure you cover all the bases. ‍

🎯 Create a culture of informed leadership Get our free guide with top survey questions to understand and improve managerial impact. 👉 Download now

32 leadership survey questions for effective manager self-assessments

Improving leadership starts with managers reflecting honestly on their performance across different aspects of their role.

Make sure your leaders understand that the purpose of these surveys isn’t to criticize or judge them for any perceived shortcomings — it’s to help them to develop, as well as recognizing their achievements.

Candid self-assessments are fuel for managers’ personal and professional growth. ‍

Questions on self-understanding

To lead effectively, it's essential to first understand yourself. These questions help managers improve their self-awareness to grow as professionals.

1. What are your leadership strengths? Where do you think you need to improve?

2. How would you describe your leadership style?

3. Are you open to adapting your leadership style based on feedback from your team?

4. How would you rate your leadership’s impact on the company’s performance?

5. Do you understand the diverse backgrounds and perspectives within your team?

6. How often do you make efforts to challenge your own biases ?

7. How equipped do you feel to mediate conflicts and find resolutions?

8. What do you feel you do best as a manager? ‍

Questions on team management & communication

These survey questions help leaders reflect on their strengths and weaknesses in team building and communication for effective, collaborative workplaces.

9. Do you feel you effectively manage team dynamics and interpersonal relationships?

10. Do you conduct regular team meetings to discuss progress and challenges?

11. How would you rate your availability for team members who need guidance?

12. Are team members connected to the overall objectives of your department/the organization?

13. Do you provide channels for employees to share their ideas and suggestions?

14. How often do you praise or reward team achievements?

15. How proactive are you in addressing conflicts and misunderstandings within the team?

16. How frequently do you encourage team brainstorming and collaborative projects? ‍

Questions on performance & decision-making

Leaders make critical decisions daily. These questions guide them in honing their decision-making skills to make the most positive impact possible on their team and organization.

17. How have you progressed on your key goals this quarter?

18. Do you feel you set clear, measurable performance expectations for your team?

19. Do you use data and feedback to guide your decisions?

20. How often do you review and adjust performance strategies?

21. How do you handle projects or decisions that don’t go well?

22. Do you involve your team in decision-making processes?

23. Do you promote a culture of continuous improvement and innovation?

24. What would support you in improving your team’s performance? ‍

Questions on training, development & innovation

Leaders can use these questions as a compass to make sure they’re pointing their team toward growth and innovation.

25. How do you identify your team members’ training and development needs?

26. How do you measure the effectiveness of your team’s training and development? Do you actively seek and incorporate employee feedback?

27. Are there clear career development paths for your team members within the organization?

28. What resources are available for employees to expand their knowledge and skills?

29. How do you encourage and support mentorship and knowledge-sharing within your team?

30. What steps do you take to foster a culture of innovation and creative thinking?

31. What strategies do you use to stay updated on industry trends and best practices?

32. How do you incentivize and recognize innovative ideas and contributions from your team? ‍

32 questions for employees to voice leadership feedback

A well-crafted leadership survey provides a structured space where employees can offer candid feedback on how their managers are performing.

Understanding your team’s perceptions lets you identify the biggest leadership gaps . You can then build an effective strategy for your managers’ professional development while celebrating their strengths.

Ideally, you should repeat some of the questions from your leadership self-assessments so you can compare employee answers and see where perspectives differ.

The following questions can be tailored to fit the unique context of your organization. ‍

Questions on leadership style

These questions aim to uncover key insights on how employees perceive their manager’s approach to leadership — which might differ from how managers view themselves.

1. How would you describe your manager’s leadership style?

2. What do you appreciate about your manager’s leadership? What could be improved?

3. Do you feel valued by your manager?

4. Does your manager lead by example?

5. Does your manager have an inclusive approach to the diverse backgrounds and perspectives within your team?

6. How does your manager respond to feedback about their management style?

7. How well does your manager motivate your team?

8. How well does your manager handle conflicts and stressful situations? ‍

Questions on feedback & communication

Understanding how employees feel about communication can promote open, transparent workplace discussions. Ask questions such as:

9. How accessible is your manager for questions or guidance?

10. Does your manager explain how your work contributes to wider team and organizational goals?

11. Are your manager’s communications clear and easy to understand?

12. Are your manager’s team meetings productive and useful?

13. Do you feel that your manager hears you out and understands you?

14. Is your manager receptive to receiving suggestions from team members?

15. Does your manager provide constructive feedback that helps you grow?

16. Do you feel that your manager recognizes your contributions and achievements? ‍

Questions on performance & decision making

Seeking employee perspectives on different aspects of performance will help managers to make informed decisions and improve team results.

17. Does your manager set clear, achievable goals and performance expectations?

18. On a scale of 1 to 10, how transparent is the decision-making process?

19. Does your manager seek team input before making a major decision?

20. Does your manager analyze data and facts before making decisions?

21. Does your manager take responsibility for their decisions and acknowledge their mistakes?

22. Does your manager effectively tackle performance issues?

23. Is your manager good at allocating resources efficiently?

24. Does your manager regularly share and review results on team goals? ‍

Questions on training, development & innovation

These questions help leaders understand how team members feel about their current learning opportunities, so they can prioritize employee development and build a culture of continuous improvement.

25. How would you rate the quality and frequency of feedback you receive from your manager?

26. Does your manager encourage you to set and achieve career goals?

27. Does your manager regularly review and discuss your performance development plan with you?

28. Are the organization’s training programs tailored to your team and individual needs?

29. How effective is your manager at coaching and mentoring?

30. Is innovation recognized and rewarded within your team?

31. Does your manager provide stretch goals to help you grow?

32. Is your team given the necessary time and resources to experiment with new ideas? ‍

💡Gain meaningful perspectives on leadership Use our free survey question template to help your managers gather valuable insights and develop their leadership skills. 👉 Get it here

Tips to conduct leadership surveys with impact

There’s a lot that goes into designing leadership surveys that drive real organizational change. The success of your questionnaires depends not only on the questions you include, but on how well you roll it out and analyze the survey responses.

Here are a few best practices to help you take a strategic approach to gathering actionable insights from both managers and employees:

Define clear objectives — Before you start, determine what you want to achieve with your surveys. Is it to identify areas for managerial improvement, to understand employee satisfaction with leadership, or to gauge the effectiveness of your leadership training? Different goals require different strategies.

As HR expert and Owner of Culture x Code Consulting Carly Pomeroy explains: “The key is to ask why you’re running the survey in the first place. You need to have buy in on the WHY. The process is most effective when managers can identify goals they hope to achieve. If managers or leadership aren’t prepared to act on the feedback, you won’t get much out of your survey.”

Keep it short and focused — Design the questionnaire to be completed in 15 to 20 minutes to make it easier for busy team members to fill out. Avoid jargon and keep the language simple and direct. ‍ ‍
Make it accessible — Use an accessible, easy-to-read font and make sure it’s easy to complete the questionnaire on different devices including mobile phones, tablets, and desktops. ‍ ‍
Increase adoption — Send reminders to boost participation (but keep them limited). Clearly communicate the survey deadline and make sure it’s in your team’s calendars. Motivate employees to respond by explaining clearly how their feedback will be used to improve leadership and build a better work environment, as well as giving them an opportunity to have their voice heard. ‍ ‍
Keep it anonymous — You’ll likely get more honest, uninhibited responses from employee surveys if they’re anonymous. Make it clear that the data will be confidential and protected. ‍ ‍
Include identical questions — Cover overlapping topics in the employee survey questions and the self-assessment questions for managers. Discrepancies in how the two groups answer the same question could reveal important blind spots — perhaps leaders rate themselves highly for communication skills, but that’s not reflected in employee perceptions of conversations and meetings. ‍ ‍
Make a plan for data analysis — Make a strategy for analyzing your survey data. You may want to segment it by department, team, or role, and use a dedicated tool to interpret and visualize the results. For example, you could map out employee sentiment using text analysis software or create charts to show scores on ranking questions. Leapsome can help you do both! ‍ ‍
Decide what you’ll do with the results — You may want to communicate sensitive results with certain managers confidentially, while you might share general organizational leadership results more widely. Incorporate key insights into leadership performance reviews . Make sure you use the survey responses to recognize their strengths and support them to build key competencies for empowering leadership . You should also encourage managers to close the feedback loop, showing employees they’ve heard their thoughts by telling them how they plan to take action.

A chart showing key competency insights and badges to improve leadership effectiveness.

Use Leapsome to get actionable insights from leadership surveys

A screenshot of Leapsome’s survey analytics interface that shows employee insights from a leadership survey.

Leadership surveys are essential HR tools that can help managers reach their full potential and give employees a voice on what they need from your leadership team.

To turn leadership feedback into an effective action plan, you’ll need to dig deep into your data, analyzing survey responses to spot trends and map out related goals.

Leapsome’s holistic people enablement platform makes it easy to collect and interpret the feedback you need to empower your leaders.

Our Surveys module includes customizable, expert-backed templates and survey automation tools to streamline your leadership questionnaires. Powerful analytics features let you segment responses and even turn qualitative data like employee sentiment into easy-to-understand visualizations.

Use our Reviews module to design and implement an actionable, continuous approach to leadership performance assessments with adaptable questions, timelines, reminders, and anonymity settings.

Last, our Competency Framework feature helps managers grow by mapping out key leadership competencies and aligning them with goal setting and feedback processes.

Because choosing Leapsome means investing in effective leaders, empowered teams, and a culture of transformational, continuous improvement. ‍

🚀 Help leaders reach their full potential Leapsome is your all-in-one platform for people, performance, and progress. 👉 Request a demo

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UNC Libraries
HSL Subject Research
Forming Focused Questions with PICO
PICO Examples

Forming Focused Questions with PICO: PICO Examples

Created by health science librarians.

PICO's Limitations

Practice Your Skills

Cancer care and peer support, cultural awareness and nursing care, labor & delivery, infection control, nurse educator, nurse practitioner, public health, school nursing.

Other Question Frameworks

Practice writing out PICO components and then forming a focused question about one of the case studies below. Choose one or several that interest you.

You have read that peer support interventions help individuals and families affected by cancer across the care continuum from prevention through survivorship and end-of-life care. You wonder about the characteristics of peer support programs and how peer support programs have been used to reduce disparities and barriers to care.

Open to check your PICO analysis of the scenario for cancer care.

Nurses in oncology units interact frequently with adults with cancer who do not speak English as their primary language. You are curious whether cultural awareness among nurses improves these patients’ care and participation in the decision-making process.

Open to check your PICO analysis of the scenario for nursing care.

You’re a new nurse on a labor and delivery unit. You’ve noticed that most women give birth in the lithotomy position at the encouragement of their doctors. However, you’re sure you heard in nursing school that other positions are less likely to lead to deliveries with forceps or a vacuum.. or did you? You want to find some literature to back up your claim.

Open to check your PICO analysis of the scenario for labor and delivery.

You work in the Big City Hospital ICU. Your mechanically ventilated patients sometimes contract nosocomial pneumonia, which leads to costly complications. You want to know if raising the head of the bed lowers the chance of the patient contracting pneumonia compared to letting the patient lie flat on their back.

Open to check your PICO analysis of the scenario for the ICU..

In the past few years, your hospital has installed antibacterial foam dispensers on all the nursing units. You’ve had nurses asking you if the foam is just as effective as washing their hands with water and soap.

Open to check your PICO analysis of the scenario for infection control.

Shift change on your busy med-surg unit can be frustrating for you and your coworkers. Report at the nursing station takes up to 30 minutes, by the end of which you’re anxious to see your patients. You read something in a recent ANA newsletter about other hospitals switching to a bedside shift report, and you want to find out if staff liked that style of shift change better.

Open to check your PICO analysis of the scenario in med-surg.

Open to check your pico analysis of the scenario in the nicu..

It’s the last semester of your BSN students’ time in school and they’re excited.. and anxious! They’ve been asking you if they should take the NCLEX right after they graduate or wait for a while after graduation so they can relax and study.

Open to check your PICO analysis of the scenario for nurse educators.

It’s winter at your family practice, and you have a lot of patients coming in with runny noses and general malaise. Brenda, a 35 year old working mother in for a checkup states, "I’m so busy between work and home that I definitely don’t have time to get sick! Can those vitamin C or zinc pills prevent colds?"

Open to check your PICO analysis of the scenario for nurse practitioners.

The main concern for most of your patients coming out of anesthesia in your PACU is pain. You want to explore nursing interventions you can use on top of medication administration to decrease pain. One coworker mentions trying to make the PACU feel less clinical by playing soft music to relax patients.

Open to check your PICO analysis of the scenario for PACU.

You work in a pediatrician’s office and give patients their routine vaccinations. The younger children are often fearful of needles, and some of the staff use toys to distract the patients. You want to know if this technique actually has an effect on the children's pain response.

Open to check your PICO analysis of the scenario for pediatrics.

You work on an inpatient psychiatric unit. One of your patients with chronic schizophrenia, Joe, normally mumbles to himself, but will occasionally speak to others when residents play games together. Noticing this, you say to a coworker that maybe social skills group training sessions would bring out Joe’s conversational skills. Your coworker shakes her head and says "I don’t think so. Joe is in and out of this hospital, he’s a lost cause."

Open to check your PICO analysis of the scenario for psychiatry.

You coordinate health education programs and have been holding seminars for teenagers about STI prevention. You’ve been found that they’re hesitant to open up to you during classes to ask you questions. You’re wondering if recruiting peer educators closer to their age will encourage them to actively participate and get more satisfaction out of the classes.

Open to check your PICO analysis of the scenario for public health.

On your pulmonary unit, many of your COPD patients receive injections of heparin to prevent pulmonary emboli, and patients find the bruises associated with heparin injections unsightly. You’ve had nursing students shadowing you lately, so you’ve been particularly concerned with injection technique. You want to find out if the duration of injection has any effect on the extent of bruising.

Open to check your PICO analysis of the scenario for pulmonary.

You’re a school nurse and one aspect of your job is counseling pregnant teens with the aim of enabling them to complete high school. You’ve even been conducting home visits on top of your normal in-school meetings as part of their preparation-for-motherhood counseling. You want sources to backup the effectiveness of these home visits.

Open to check your PICO analysis of the scenario for school nursing.

A diabetic patient from a nursing home has recently been admitted with a stage III pressure ulcers on his heels. The unit nurses have called you in for a wound consult. You have to choose between standard moist wound therapy and using a wound vac.

Open to check your PICO analysis of the scenario for wound care.

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Next: Other Question Frameworks >>
Last Updated: Feb 6, 2024 9:51 AM
URL: https://guides.lib.unc.edu/pico

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