Chapter 03 – Skills for Developing Yourself as a Leader
3-56
OSS IN-BASKET SCORING GUIDE
Developed by Cathy Krause and Gordy Curphy
Chapter 03 – Skills for Developing Yourself as a Leader
Dimensions and Definitions
OSS In-Basket Exercise
Delegation: Willingly empowering others to resolve problems; providing others with a clear
understanding of tasks, objectives, and roles when delegating assignments. Matching
tasks to the skill level of the delegatee.
Instructor’s Manual: : Hughes/Ginnett/Curphy Leadership: : Enhancing the Lessons of Experience, 7e
The McGraw-Hill Companies, Copyright 2010
3-58
In-Basket Self Scoring Guide
Situation #1
Dimension
Less Effective Response
(give yourself 1 point)
Most Effective Response
(give yourself 3 points)
Dimension Score
(total points)
Delegation
Took control of the accident
investigation; AND/OR
Took steps to plan how to
investigate the situation
Asked Angel Burgos to complete
the required paperwork and
accident investigation; AND/OR
Gave Burgos resources (e.g., HR) to
go to for help in resolving the
situation
Situation #2
Dimension
Less Effective Response
(give yourself 1 point)
Most Effective Response
(give yourself 3 points)
Dimension Score
(total points)
Delegation
Delegated to self (who would be
out of town); AND/OR
Postponed visit until Lee returned
from Colorado; AND/OR
Asked McAsey to reschedule
Delegated the item to Bill Jones
Instructor’s Manual: : Hughes/Ginnett/Curphy Leadership: : Enhancing the Lessons of Experience, 7e
The McGraw-Hill Companies, Copyright 2010
schedule
Planning
Did not provide Jones any
assistance in planning for the visit
Gave Jones ideas or action steps for
planning the visit; AND/OR
Provided a contingency plan if
Jones could not handle the visit
Instructor’s Manual: : Hughes/Ginnett/Curphy Leadership: : Enhancing the Lessons of Experience, 7e
The McGraw-Hill Companies, Copyright 2010
3-60
Situation #3
Dimension
Less Effective Response
(give yourself 1 point)
Most Effective Response
(give yourself 3 points)
Dimension Score
(total points)
Delegation
Arranged to make phone calls to
the appropriate individuals to
ensure that the fax would be
delivered on time; AND/OR
Planned to call Hansen personally
Delegated the item to Tyler Neher
(took steps to call him or leave a
voice mail); AND/OR
Asked Tyler Neher to address
Hansen’s performance problems
Did not request to be informed of
the outcome of the fax delivery;
Requested to be informed of the
outcome of the discussion between
Did not take steps to ensure that
the fax was delivered on time;
Took clear steps to ensure the fax
was delivered on time; AND/OR
Instructor’s Manual: : Hughes/Ginnett/Curphy Leadership: : Enhancing the Lessons of Experience, 7e
The McGraw-Hill Companies, Copyright 2010
Situation #4
Dimension
Less Effective Response
(give yourself 1 point)
Most Effective Response
(give yourself 3 points)
Dimension Score
(total points)
Delegation
Made plans to call or write to
Monty Klinefelter to warn/punish;
AND/OR
Asked Frank to handle herself
Asked Dani Frank to work closely
with Dana Rojas from HR to
investigate/resolve; AND/OR
Gave Frank a list of the actions to
take to solve the problem
(including interacting with HR)
Instructor’s Manual: : Hughes/Ginnett/Curphy Leadership: : Enhancing the Lessons of Experience, 7e
The McGraw-Hill Companies, Copyright 2010
3-62
Situation #5
Dimension
Less Effective Response
(give yourself 1 point)
Most Effective Response
(give yourself 3 points)
Dimension Score
(total points)
Delegation
Kept the memo and made plans to
handle while in Colorado; AND/OR
Kept the memo and made plans to
handle after return from Colorado
Passed the memo on to Ben Schultz
for him to handle
Freeman Ventures
RFP
Control/
Follow-Up
Did not ask Schultz to follow up
with a status report of the RFP;
AND/OR
Did not follow up with Firestone to
acknowledge the referral
Asked Schultz to let Lee know the
progress of the RFP; AND/OR
Phoned Firestone to thank him for
the referral and to let him know
the request would be handled
promptly
Instructor’s Manual: : Hughes/Ginnett/Curphy Leadership: : Enhancing the Lessons of Experience, 7e
The McGraw-Hill Companies, Copyright 2010
Situation #6
Dimension
Less Effective Response
(give yourself 1 point)
Most Effective Response
(give yourself 3 points)
Dimension Score
(total points)
Delegation
Agreed to co-author the memo
(e.g., allowed peers to delegate
upward)
Asked peers to provide examples;
asked for more information before
signing memo; AND/OR
Took action to solve situation
without involving Firestone
timely progress)
Did not respond to memo
Responded to memo to ensure
timely resolution
Situation #7
Dimension
Less Effective Response
(give yourself 1 point)
Most Effective Response
(give yourself 3 points)
Dimension Score
(total points)
Delegation
Handled the issue on his/her own
(e.g., took the memo to Colorado)
Asked direct reports to provide
input into the strategy; AND/OR
Allowed time for self to work on
the plan
reports to provide input into the
provided an example); AND/OR
Instructor’s Manual: : Hughes/Ginnett/Curphy Leadership: : Enhancing the Lessons of Experience, 7e
The McGraw-Hill Companies, Copyright 2010
3-64
plan; AND/OR
Called a meeting with Lee’s direct
reports to discuss the plan
Created an agenda for a meeting
with direct reports to work on the
plan
Instructor’s Manual: : Hughes/Ginnett/Curphy Leadership: : Enhancing the Lessons of Experience, 7e
The McGraw-Hill Companies, Copyright 2010
Situation #8
Dimension
Less Effective Response
(give yourself 1 point)
Most Effective Response
(give yourself 3 points)
Dimension Score
(total points)
Delegation
Made plans to investigate the
situation him/herself
Asked Schultz to investigate the
situation and provide a rationale
for the “poaching”; AND/OR
Asked Kim Lee for more
information
Gave no suggestions for handling
Asked Schultz to provide a plan
Situation #9
Dimension
Less Effective Response
(give yourself 1 point)
Most Effective Response
(give yourself 3 points)
Dimension Score
(total points)
Delegation
Made plans to handle the issue
him/herself; AND/OR
Asked for more specific
information to find out what
happened
Asked Bill Jones to handle the
issue; AND/OR
Responded personally with an
apology to the customer and let
her know that the situation was
being investigated
outcome
Instructor’s Manual: : Hughes/Ginnett/Curphy Leadership: : Enhancing the Lessons of Experience, 7e
The McGraw-Hill Companies, Copyright 2010
3-66
outcome
Planning
Did not look into the future to
ensure the problem would not be
repeated
Took steps to ensure the same
problem would not be repeated
Instructor’s Manual: : Hughes/Ginnett/Curphy Leadership: : Enhancing the Lessons of Experience, 7e
The McGraw-Hill Companies, Copyright 2010
Situation #10
Dimension
Less Effective Response
(give yourself 1 point)
Most Effective Response
(give yourself 3 points)
Dimension Score
(total points)
Midwestern Cellular
and Bruno Hansen
Delegation
Sent a personal memo/voice mail
to Bruno Hansen to inquire about
the situation or to provide him
with a punishment/warning;
AND/OR
Did not respond to the customer or
ask Tyler Neher to do so
Asked Tyler Neher to discuss the
situation with Bruno Hansen and
take appropriate action based on
the conversation; AND/OR
Asked Tyler Neher to apologize to
the customer; AND/OR
Sent a personal note to apologize
to Andrew Schneider
Situation #11
Dimension
Less Effective Response
(give yourself 1 point)
Most Effective Response
(give yourself 3 points)
Dimension Score
(total points)
Delegation
Accepted the request; AND/OR
Took steps to gather the necessary
information
Delegated the item back to Schultz
for him to handle and explained
the reasons why
3-68
Instructor’s Manual: : Hughes/Ginnett/Curphy Leadership: : Enhancing the Lessons of Experience, 7e
The McGraw-Hill Companies, Copyright 2010
In-Basket Scoring Sheet
Memo
1
Memo
2
Memo
3
Memo
4
Memo
5
Memo
6
Memo
7
Memo
8
Memo
9
Memo
10
Memo
11
Total
Score