Four Frames of Leadership
Orientation Questionnaire
This questionnaire asks you to describe yourself as a manager and as a leader. You
will give each item a number. 4 = best describes me, 3 = next best describes me, 2 =
sort of describes me, 1 = least describes me.
Every line will be filled in with a ranking. For example:
1. My strongest skills are:
2. The best way to describe me is:
_____ A. Political Skills
_____ A. Inspirational leader
_____ B. Interpersonal Skills
_____ B. Technical expert
_____ C. Analytic skills
_____ C. Skilled negotiator
_____ D. Flair for drama
_____ D. Good listener
1. My strongest skills are:
4. What people are most likely to notice
about me is my:
_____ A. Political Skills
_____ A. Attention to detail
_____ B. Interpersonal Skills
_____ B. Ability to succeed in the face
of conflict and opposition
_____ C. Analytic skills
_____ D. Flair for drama
_____ C. Charisma
_____ D. Concern for people
2. The best way to describe me is:
_____ A. Inspirational leader
5. My most important leadership trait is:
_____ B. Technical expert
_____ A. Caring and support for others
_____ C. Skilled negotiator
_____ B. Toughness and
aggressiveness
_____ D. Good listener
3. What has helped me the most to be
successful is my ability to:
_____ A. Build strong alliances and a
power base
_____ B. Inspire and excite others
_____ C. Coach and develop people
_____ D. Make good decisions
Compiled by Raquel Gutiérrez
_____ C. Clear, logical thinking
_____ D. Imagination and creativity
6. I am best describes as:
_____ A. A visionary
_____ B. A humanist
_____ C. A politician
_____ D. An analyst
Page 1 of 6
From Bolman & Deal, Reframing Organizations, 1997
Four Frames of Leadership
Orientation Summary
In the blank spaces of each column below, insert the score for the item listed to the left
of each blank on the questionnaire. For example, if you ranked the line Analytic skills
(1C) with the number 4, place a “4” in the blank next to 1c on this page. Continue until
the blanks are filled. Total each of the columns and place the score under each.
Structural
Human Resource
Political
Symbolic
1C_____
1B_____
1A_____
1D_____
2B_____
2D_____
2C_____
2A_____
3D_____
3C_____
3A_____
3B_____
4A_____
4D_____
4B_____
4C_____
5C_____
5A_____
5B_____
5D_____
6D_____
6B_____
6C_____
6A_____
Structural Total _____
Human Resource Total _____
Political Total _____
Symbolic Total _____
As you review your totals, ask yourself the following questions:
Are these descriptions true of my style?
When has my style been the most effective?
When do I run into trouble with my style?
How might I benefit from working with leaders from other frames?
What might be the challenges of working with leaders from other frames?
Compiled by Raquel Gutiérrez
Page 2 of 6
From Bolman & Deal, Reframing Organizations, 1997
Four Frames of Leadership
Human Resource_____________________________________________
Human Resource leaders emphasize the importance of people. They view the central
task of management is to develop coaching, participation,
motivation, and teamwork.
For them a good leaders is a facilitator and participative manager who supports and
empowers others.
Structural___________________________________________________
Structural leaders emphasize rationality, analysis, logic, facts and data. They are likely
to believe strongly in the importance of clear structure and well developed management
systems.
For them, a good leader is someone who thinks clearly, makes goof decision, has good
analytical skills, can design structures and systems that get job done.
Symbolic____________________________________________________
Symbolic leaders believe that the essential task of management is to illicit vision and
inspiration. They rely on personal charisma and a flair for drama to get people excited
and committed to the organizational mission.
To them, a good leader is a prophet and visionary, who uses symbols, tells stories, and
frames experience in ways that give people hope and meaning.
Political_____________________________________________________
Political leaders believe that managers and leaders live in a world of competing interest
and scarce resources.
The central task of management is to mobilize the resources needed to advocate and
fight for the unit’s, or the organization’s goals and objectives. Political leaders
emphasize their importance of building a power base of allies, networks, and coalitions.
For them, a good leader is an advocate and negotiator who understand politics and is
comfortable with conflict.
Compiled by Raquel Gutiérrez
Page 3 of 6
From Bolman & Deal, Reframing Organizations, 1997
My Leadership Frame
Raising Awareness
My predominant leadership frame is…
Strengths of my leadership frame are:
Challenges of my leadership frame are:
Elements of My Other Leadership Frames
Second highest
leadership frame total:
Strengths
Challenges
Third highest leadership
frame total:
Lowest leadership
frame total:
FOUR-Frame Model
Compiled by Raquel Gutiérrez
Page 4 of 6
From Bolman & Deal, Reframing Organizations, 1997
PARADIGM SHIFT
Structural
Human
Resource
Political
Symbolic
Image of
Leadership
Social
architecture
Empowerment
Advocacy
Inspiration
Basic
Leadership
Challenge
Attune structure
to task,
technology,
environment
Align
organizational
and human
needs
Develop
agenda and
power base
Create faith,
beauty,
meaning
Needs, skills,
relationships
Power, conflict,
competition,
organizational
politics
Culture,
meaning,
metaphor,
ritual,
ceremony,
stories, heroes
Family
Jungle
Carnival,
temple, theater
Central
Concepts
Metaphor
for an
Organization
Rules, roles,
goals, policies,
technology,
environment
Factory or
machine
Compiled by Raquel Gutiérrez
Page 5 of 6
From Bolman & Deal, Reframing Organizations, 1997
Four-Frames Model
INTERPRETATION OF ORGANIZATIONAL PROCESSES
Process
Structural
Frame
Human
Resources Frame
Political
Frame
Symbolic
Frame
Strategic
Planning
Strategies to set
objectives and
coordinate
resources
Gatherings to
promote
participation
Areas to air
conflicts and realign power
Ritual to signal
responsibility,
produce
symbols,
negotiate
meaning
Decision
Making
Rational
sequence to
produce right
decision
Open process to
produce
commitment
Opportunity to
gain or exercise
power
Ritual to confirm
values and
provide
opportunities for
bonding
Evaluating
Way to distribute
reward or
penalties and
control
performance
Process for
helping
individuals grow
and improve
Opportunities to
exercise power
Occasion to play
roles in shared
ritual
Approaching
Conflict
Maintain
organization
goals by having
authorities
resolve conflict
Develop
relationship by
having individual
confront conflict
Develop power
by bargaining,
forcing, or
manipulating
others to win
Develop shared
values and used
conflict to
negotiate
meaning
Goal Setting
Keep
organization
headed in the
right direction
Keep people
involved and
communication
open
Provide
opportunities for
individuals and
groups to make
interests known
Develop symbols
and shared
values
Communication
Transmits facts
and information
Exchange
information,
needs, and
feelings
Influence or
manipulate
others
Tell Stories
Meetings
Formal occasion
for making
decision
Informal
occasion for
involvement,
shared feelings
Competitive
occasions to win
points
Sacred occasion
to celebrate and
transform the
culture
Motivation
Economic
incentives
Growth and selfactualization
Coercion,
manipulation,
and seduction
Symbols and
celebrations
Compiled by Raquel Gutiérrez
Page 6 of 6
From Bolman & Deal, Reframing Organizations, 1997