Operational Excellence
Here is a questionnaire for you to take on your “Change Readiness”. Provide feedback on how it relates to you and your style.
Change_readiness_assessment_0426111
From web site for leadership class taught by Associate Professor T. J. Jenney at Purdue
www.tech.purdue.edu/ols/courses/ols386/crispo/changereadinesstest
Circle the number beside each statement that reflects how accurately
the statement describes you.
Change-Readiness Scale: 1 = Not Like Me 6 = Exactly Like Me
1. I prefer the familiar to the unknown ……………………………………………… 1 2 3 4 5 6
2. I rarely second-guess myself ……………………………………………………… 1 2 3 4 5 6
3. I’m unlikely to change plans once they’re set …………………………………. 1 2 3 4 5 6
4. I can’t wait for the day to get started …………………………………………….. 1 2 3 4 5 6
5. I believe in not getting your hopes too high……………………………………. 1 2 3 4 5 6
6. If something’s broken, I try to find a way to fix it ……………………………… 1 2 3 4 5 6
7. I get impatient when there are no clear answers…………………………….. 1 2 3 4 5 6
8. I’m inclined to establish routines and stay with them ……………………….. 1 2 3 4 5 6
9. I can make any situation work for me …………………………………………… 1 2 3 4 5 6
10. When something important doesn’t work out, it takes me time
to adjust ………………………………………………………………………………….. 1 2 3 4 5 6
11. I have a hard time relaxing and doing nothing ……………………………….. 1 2 3 4 5 6
12. If something can go wrong, it usually does ……………………………………. 1 2 3 4 5 6
13. When I get stuck I’m inclined to improvise solutions ……………………….. 1 2 3 4 5 6
14. I get frustrated when I can’t get a grip on something……………………….. 1 2 3 4 5 6
15. I prefer work that is similar and in my comfort zone ………………………… 1 2 3 4 5 6
16. I can handle anything that comes along ……………………………………….. 1 2 3 4 5 6
17. Once I’ve made up my mind, I don’t easily change it ………………………. 1 2 3 4 5 6
18. I push myself to the max …………………………………………………………….. 1 2 3 4 5 6
19. My tendency is to focus on what can go wrong ……………………………… 1 2 3 4 5 6
20. When people need solutions to problems, they call on me ………………. 1 2 3 4 5 6
21. When an issue is unclear, my impulse is to clarify it right away ………… 1 2 3 4 5 6
http://www.tech.purdue.edu/ols/courses/ols386/crispo/changereadinesstest
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22. It pays to stay with the tried and true ……………………………………………. 1 2 3 4 5 6
23. I focus on my strengths not my weaknesses …………………………………. 1 2 3 4 5 6
24. I find it hard to give on something even if it’s not working out …………… 1 2 3 4 5 6
25. I’m restless and full of energy ……………………………………………………… 1 2 3 4 5 6
26. Things rarely work out the way you want them to …………………………… 1 2 3 4 5 6
27. My strength is to find ways around obstacles ………………………………… 1 2 3 4 5 6
28. I can’t stand to leave things unfinished …………………………………………. 1 2 3 4 5 6
29. I prefer the main highway to the backroad ……………………………………. 1 2 3 4 5 6
30. My faith in my abilities is unshakable ……………………………………………. 1 2 3 4 5 6
31. When in Rome, do as the Romans do ………………………………………….. 1 2 3 4 5 6
32. I’m a vigorous and passionate person ………………………………………….. 1 2 3 4 5 6
33. I’m more likely to see problems than opportunities …………………………. 1 2 3 4 5 6
34. I look in unusual places to find solutions ……………………………………….. 1 2 3 4 5 6
35. I don’t perform well when there are vague expectations and goals ……. 1 2 3 4 5 6
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Add the scores for the questions in each category as indicated below. Note that in some cases the
total must be subtracted from 35 to get the score for that trait.
Resourcefulness Adaptability
6. _____ 3. ______
13. _____ 10. ______
20. _____ 17. ______
27. _____ 24. ______
34. _____ 31. ______
_____ Score ______ Total
______ 35 – Total = Score
Optimism Confidence
5. ______ 2. ______
12. ______ 9. ______
19. ______ 16. ______
26. ______ 23. ______
33. ______ 30. ______
______ Total ______ Score
______ 35 – Total = Score
Adventurousness Tolerance for Ambiguity
1. ______ 7. ______
8. ______ 14. ______
15. ______ 21. ______
22. ______ 28. ______
29. ______ 35. ______
______ Total ______ Total
______ 35 – Total = Score ______ 35 – Total = Score
4. ______
11. ______
18. ______
25. ______
32. ______
______ Score
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The Seven Traits Of Change-Readiness
Understanding Your Scores
Note: Optimal range for all categories is between 22 and 26.
Resourcefulness: Resourceful people are effective at taking the most of any situation and
utilizing whatever resources are available to develop plans and contingencies. They see more
than one way to achieve a goal, and they’re able to look in less obvious places to find help.
They have a real talent for creating new ways to solve old problems.
When people low in resourcefulness encounter obstacles, they get stuck, dig in their heels, and
go back to the old way. Very high scorers (over 26) might overlook obvious solutions and create
more work than is necessary.
Optimism: Is the glass half empty or half full? Optimism is highly correlated with Change-
Readiness, since the pessimist observes only problems and obstacles while the optimist
recognizes opportunities and possibilities.
Optimists tend to be more enthusiastic and positive about change. Their positive outlook is,
founded on an abiding faith in the future and the belief that things usually work out for the best.
Very high optimism scorers (over 26) may lack critical-thinking skills.
Adventurousness: Two ingredients capture this adventurous spirit: the inclination to take
risks and the desire to pursue the unknown, to walk the path less taken. Adventurous people
love a challenge.
Since change always involves both risk and the unknown, they usually perform well during
organizational shake-ups. They are the proactors, the employees who initiate and create
change. But very high scores (over 26) may indicate a tendency toward recklessness.
Passion / Drive: Passion is the fuel that maximizes all the other traits. If you have passion,
nothing appears impossible. If you don’t, change is exhausting. Passion is the individual’s level
of personal dynamism. It shows up in a person’s level of intensity and determination.
To make a new procedure work, to overcome the myriad of problems that any plan for change
unwittingly produces, you’ve got to have passion and enthusiasm. Very high scorers (over 26),
however, may mean you’re bullheaded, obsessed, and heading for burnout.
Adaptability: Adaptability includes two elements: flexibility and resilience. Flexible people
have goals and dreams like everyone else, but they’re not overly invested in them. When
something doesn’t work out, they’ll say, “Plan A doesn’t work, let’s go to Plan B.” Resilience is
the capacity to rebound from adversity quickly with a minimum of trauma. Failure or mistakes do
not throw them. They don’t dwell on them and get depressed but bounce back quickly and move
on.
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High scorers on this trait are not wedded to specific outcomes. If the situation changes, their
expectations shift right along with it. Scoring too high (over 26) in this trait indicates a lack of
commitment or stick-to-it-ness.
Confidence: If optimism is the view that a situation will work out, confidence is the belief in
your own ability to handle it. There is situational confidence – “I know I can swim across this
channel, learn this program, write this report” – and self-confidence – “I can handle whatever
comes down the pike.” Self-confidence is the kind of confidence the Change Readiness Scale
measures.
High scorers are generally individuals with a strong sense of self-esteem. But more specifically,
they believe they can make any situation work for them. Scorers above 26 may indicate a
cocky, know-it-all attitude and lack of receptivity to feedback.
Tolerance for Ambiguity: The one certainty surrounding change is that it spawns
uncertainty. No matter how carefully you plan it, there is always an element of indefiniteness or
ambiguity.
Without a healthy tolerance for ambiguity, change is not only uncomfortable; it’s downright
scary. But too much tolerance can also get you in trouble. You may have difficulty finishing
tasks and making decisions. If you scored over 26 you fall in this category.
Your Profile: You’ll probably find you have higher scores on some traits and lower scores
on others. This is typical of most profiles and indicates that some of your Change-Readiness
traits are more developed than others.
The Change-Readiness Scale is also useful in coaching teams to determine which players to
pick and what roles to put them in. Adventurers are great starters, resourceful people are
excellent problem solvers, optimists make good cheerleaders, and their input is especially
useful when people feel discouraged.
- Change-Readiness Assessment
The Seven Traits Of Change-Readiness
Passion/Drive
The Seven Traits Of Change-Readiness