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Leadership President Vice President

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Rate Your Leadership Skills

For each question below, select which action you’re most likely to take in the given situation. Add up the points, then check your score at the bottom.

1. It’s a week before the big fall festival and the committee cochairs tell you they have everything under control. You:

a. Feel lucky to have such capable leaders in charge and are relieved you don’t have to do it all yourself. (2)

b. Ask them whether they remembered to use the event checklist. (1)

c. Would never delegate such an important task. (-1)

2. The principal tells you that reports of bullying have skyrocketed this year. You:

a. Think it’s none of your business until your own child is bullied. (-1)

b. Research how other schools have addressed the issue and bring ideas to the group. (2)

c. Plan a town meeting for parents on the subject. (1)

3. Last year, you served as treasurer. When you hand over the records to your successor, you give her:

a. A perfectly organized notebook and a flash drive with the budget spreadsheets. (2)

b. A jumble of papers she will be lucky to make heads or tails of. (1)

c. An apology. You’re still trying to find where you put that box of receipts. (-1)

4. At a board meeting, officers cannot agree about which cookie dough company to use for a fundraiser. You:

a. Make the decision yourself. (0)

b. Ask the fundraising chair to share the pros and cons of each vendor with the board. (2)

c. Tell the fundraising committee to figure it out on its own. (1)

5. A parent complains that the PTO is always asking for money. Your first instinct is to:

a. Show them the door. (-1)

b. Ask for their input on what the group should do differently. (2)

c. Vow to provide more tangible benefits to families. (1)

6. The parent group has raised all the money it needs for new playground equipment. You:

a. Decide the group should buy the biggest climbing wall there is. It’s your son’s favorite. (-1)

b. Form a subcommittee to research products, vendors, and safety requirements. (2)

c. Put off the decision on how to proceed until next fall, when someone else takes office. It’s just so much trouble. (1)

7. A neighboring elementary school closed and the students were transferred to your child’s school. You:

a. Plan to give them a warm welcome at school registration. (2)

b. Ask the room parents to give them a call and invite them to the next parent group activity. (1)

c. Think if they just read the parent group newsletter, they’ll know what’s going on. (-1)

8. You’ve heard that a parent is willing to take charge of organizing family night. She has planned great events in the past, but you’re mad at her because she voted for someone else to hold your office. You:

a. Set aside your differences and ask for her help. (2)

b. Ask her to organize family night, but make sure she does it exactly the way you want. That’ll show her! (0)

c. Tell her you already have enough help. (-1)

9. There aren’t enough volunteers to supervise games at family night. You:

a. Send a scathing email. Guilt is always a good motivator. (-1)

b. Take an informal poll to find out why more people aren’t volunteering. (1)

c. Call a few well-respected parents with leadership potential and ask them to get on board—and bring their friends, too. (2)

10. During a meeting, a small but vocal group of parents harshly criticizes your idea for a new project. You:

a. Get steaming mad and lose your cool. (-1)

b. Know they have valid concerns but can’t help but have hurt feelings. (1)

c. Think about how the new project could be improved and address their concerns. (2)

11. The best thing about being a parent group leader is:

a. Feeling like you’re really making a contribution to the school. (2)

b. Developing friendships with other parents. (1)

c. Feeling like a VIP. (0)

12. The membership coordinator wants to run the membership drive completely differently this year based on what he learned at a workshop. You:

a. Cringe and want to avoid change at all costs. (-1)

b. Commend him for his initiative and ask what support he needs from the group. (2)

c. Say it’s a great idea and promptly begin telling him how it should be done. (0)

13. How would you rate your listening skills during long meetings?

a. I practice active listening. It’s important that people know I care about their points of view. (2)

b. I’m a pretty good listener, but sometimes I zone out. (1)

c. What did you say? (-1)

14. How would you describe your parent group?

a. We have a common vision, and everything we do supports it. (2)

b. We have not identified a concrete goal. We’re too busy to think about things like that. (1)

c. Our goal is to keep doing things the way we’ve always done them. (0)

15. If given the choice, you prefer to work:

a. Solo. Involving others just slows down the process. (0)

b. With a team. You can achieve more together than separately. (2)

c. Never. You’d prefer someone else did the work. (-1)

Scoring

Total possible points: 30

21-30: Head of the Class. You put a lot of thought into your actions and have many traits of a good leader. As long as you keep an open mind and value the contributions of others, nothing can stop you!

11-20: Rising Star. You have learned much about leadership and are starting to feel comfortable in your role as a leader. To become even more effective, look at your lower-scoring questions and find ways to improve in those areas.

0-10: In Training. Your intentions are good, but some of your behaviors are keeping you from reaching your full potential. Look for leadership training in your area and seek support from other leaders. Be sure to communicate clearly and remember not to take things personally.

More information and ideas to help your parent group:

• Defining the Role of a PTO
• Procedures Book: Your PTO’s Instruction Manual
• Keep Flu out of Your School
  

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