MSLD 511 Module 4 - Locus of Control
Complete Rotter’s Locus of Control Scale Test
. Based on your results, is your locus of control external or internal? Reflect on how your locus of control affects your leadership behavior and your responses to others’ leadership styles or is this a bunch of poppycock?
After completing the Locus of Control Scale via Rotter (1966), it was fairly clear to me that I exhibit a clearly defined "internal" locus of control. Out of the twenty-three questions that could be scored (the answer key was missing questions 1, 8, 14, 19, 24, and 27 for a total of 29 questions), I received a total score of seven. In looking at the questions that could technically be scored, I happened to score 7 out of 23 (30.5%) which is a low score by mathematical standards. From a reflective standpoint, this result makes sense for me and aligns with my leadership style.
Since the beginning of my career in the Air Force, I have fully believed that as an individual, I was responsible for my own destiny. Surely timing and a few external factors such as other people can influence our success, but ultimately it is up to us as individuals to work towards our goals and dreams. I personally have always held myself to high standards and refuse to place blame on others when things didn't always work out in my favor. As a leader, I fully expect those that I supervise to take charge of their own lives and careers.
Northouse (2016) identifies environmental influences which can be either internal or external. When we talk about internal and external locus of control, these environmental influences directly correlate to the topic. Reflecting on these influences, it is easy to start looking at both the internal and external influences described from a different perspective. In essence, some environmental influences could easily be considered both internal and external. This is where the critical thinking comes into play.
As an example, Northouse (2016) specifically cites technology as an internal environmental influence. I would take it a step further as technology may not be solely internal or external, but a bit of both. As a leader, we may be tasked with controlling how technology affects our organization. If as a leader are in charge of this endeavor, but do not have any background on it, we have to look elsewhere to make it work. It quickly becomes both internal and external.
The task has now somewhat become an external influence, but one we can control from a position of leadership. In tackling a task that falls into both categories, we have to step up as leaders and trust ourselves and our people to find the answers related to potential technology issues. We now internally and externally control the task at hand. This way of approaching internal and external locus of control as it relates to environmental influences has become apparent to me at times, but even more so now after the readings of past MSLD 511 modules.
As my own results reflect a leader who leans towards the internal locus of control, there are individuals in my own organization that are quite opposite. They seem to place blame or responsibility for why something was either done or not done on external influences. Sometimes these claims are warranted and sometimes they are not. Despite my frustrations, I try my best to switch paradigms and work with others in my organization to get things done. In the end, we must recognize the locus of control category that other leaders and/or people fall into and work with them to accomplish our organizational goals.
References
Northouse, P. G. (2016). Leadership: Theory and practice (7th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage
Publications, Inc.
Rotter, J. B. (1966). Generalized expectancies for internal versus external control of reinforcement.
Washington: American Psychological Association.
. Based on your results, is your locus of control external or internal? Reflect on how your locus of control affects your leadership behavior and your responses to others’ leadership styles or is this a bunch of poppycock?After completing the Locus of Control Scale via Rotter (1966), it was fairly clear to me that I exhibit a clearly defined "internal" locus of control. Out of the twenty-three questions that could be scored (the answer key was missing questions 1, 8, 14, 19, 24, and 27 for a total of 29 questions), I received a total score of seven. In looking at the questions that could technically be scored, I happened to score 7 out of 23 (30.5%) which is a low score by mathematical standards. From a reflective standpoint, this result makes sense for me and aligns with my leadership style.
Since the beginning of my career in the Air Force, I have fully believed that as an individual, I was responsible for my own destiny. Surely timing and a few external factors such as other people can influence our success, but ultimately it is up to us as individuals to work towards our goals and dreams. I personally have always held myself to high standards and refuse to place blame on others when things didn't always work out in my favor. As a leader, I fully expect those that I supervise to take charge of their own lives and careers.
Northouse (2016) identifies environmental influences which can be either internal or external. When we talk about internal and external locus of control, these environmental influences directly correlate to the topic. Reflecting on these influences, it is easy to start looking at both the internal and external influences described from a different perspective. In essence, some environmental influences could easily be considered both internal and external. This is where the critical thinking comes into play.
As an example, Northouse (2016) specifically cites technology as an internal environmental influence. I would take it a step further as technology may not be solely internal or external, but a bit of both. As a leader, we may be tasked with controlling how technology affects our organization. If as a leader are in charge of this endeavor, but do not have any background on it, we have to look elsewhere to make it work. It quickly becomes both internal and external.
The task has now somewhat become an external influence, but one we can control from a position of leadership. In tackling a task that falls into both categories, we have to step up as leaders and trust ourselves and our people to find the answers related to potential technology issues. We now internally and externally control the task at hand. This way of approaching internal and external locus of control as it relates to environmental influences has become apparent to me at times, but even more so now after the readings of past MSLD 511 modules.
As my own results reflect a leader who leans towards the internal locus of control, there are individuals in my own organization that are quite opposite. They seem to place blame or responsibility for why something was either done or not done on external influences. Sometimes these claims are warranted and sometimes they are not. Despite my frustrations, I try my best to switch paradigms and work with others in my organization to get things done. In the end, we must recognize the locus of control category that other leaders and/or people fall into and work with them to accomplish our organizational goals.
References
Northouse, P. G. (2016). Leadership: Theory and practice (7th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage
Publications, Inc.
Rotter, J. B. (1966). Generalized expectancies for internal versus external control of reinforcement.
Washington: American Psychological Association.
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