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Think back to how you behaved toward others at work 15. Suggested ways of improv-
or in a group when you were in a formal or informal ing my and others’ ways of
leadership position. Please respond to the following doing things. _______ _______
items based on how frequently you did each behavior.
Scoring and Interpretation
Indicate whether each item is Mostly False or Mostly
Give yourself one point for each Mostly True checked
True for you.
for items 1–8 and 10–15. Give yourself one point for
Mostly Mostly checking Mostly False for item 9. A total score of 12 or
False True higher would be considered a high level of overall mind-
1. Enjoyed hearing new ideas. _______ _______ fulness. There are three subscale scores that represent
2. Challenged someone to think three dimensions of leader mindfulness. For the dimen-
about an old problem in a sion of open or beginner’s mind, sum your responses to
new way. _______ _______ questions 1, 4, 7, 9, and 14. For the dimension of inde-
3. Tried to integrate conversa- pendent thinking, sum your scores for questions 3, 6, 11,
tion points at a higher level. _______ _______ 13, and 15. For the dimension of intellectual stimulation,
4. Felt appreciation for the sum your scores for questions 2, 5, 8, 10, and 12.
viewpoints of others. _______ _______ My scores are:
5. Would ask someone about Open or beginner’s mind ______
the assumptions underlying Independent Thinking ______
his or her suggestions. _______ _______ Intellectual Stimulation ______
6. Came to my own conclusion These scores represent three aspects of leader
despite what others thought. _______ _______ mindfulness—what is called open mind or beginner’s
7. Was open about myself to mind, independent thinking, and intellectual stimulation.
others. _______ _______ A score of 4.0 or above on any of these dimensions is con-
8. Encouraged others to express sidered high because many people do not practice mindful-
opposing ideas and arguments. _______ _______ ness in their leadership or group work. A score of 3 is about
9. Fought for my own ideas. _______ _______ average, and 2 or less would be below average. Compare
your three subscale scores to understand the way you use
10. Asked “dumb” questions. _______ _______
mindfulness. Analyze the specific questions for which you
11. Offered insightful comments
did not get credit to see more deeply into your pattern of
on the meaning of data or
mindfulness strengths or weaknesses. Open mind, inde-
issues. _______ _______
pendent thinking, and intellectual stimulation are valuable
12. Asked questions to prompt
qualities to develop for effective leadership.
others to think more about
an issue. _______ _______ Sources: The questions above are based on ideas from R. L. Daft
and R. M. Lengel, Fusion Leadership, Chapter 4, (Berrett Koehler,
13. Expressed a controversial 2000); B. Bass and B. Avolio, Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire,
2nd ed. (Mind Garden, Inc.); and P. M. Podsakoff, S. B. MacKenzie,
opinion. _______ _______
R. H. Moorman, and R. Fetter, “Transformational Leader Behaviors
14. Encouraged opposite points and Their Effects on Followers’ Trust in Leader, Satisfaction, and
Organizational Citizenship Behaviors,” Leadership Quarterly 1, no. 2
of view. _______ _______
(1990), pp. 107–42.
Poets Society, urged his students to stand on their desks to get a new perspective
on the world: “I stand on my desk to remind myself we must constantly look at
things a different way. The world looks different from here.”
The power of the conditioning that guides our thinking and behavior is
illustrated by what has been called the Pike Syndrome. In an experiment, a north-
ern pike is placed in one half of a large glass-divided aquarium, with numerous
minnows placed in the other half. The hungry pike makes repeated attempts to

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