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Ethical Leadership Style Questionnaire (ELSQ)3

Ethical Leadership Style Questionnaire (ELSQ) Test

See which ethical leadership style you use in just 2 minutes. Get a clear snapshot of your strengths and growth areas to guide coaching, training, and team culture.

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Questions: 102 minutes

08:30

October 2, 2025

October 2, 2025
Material has been updated

October 2, 2025
Material has been published

30,057 views

2,718 completions

2,158 likes

Verified by Daniel Hall

Psychologist with 25 years of experience

Scale Explorer

How the Scales are Structured

example score

59/100

Ethical Leadership Style Questionnaire (ELSQ)

Measures the extent to which leadership behavior and decisions align with ethical principles and foster trust within a team.

Developing alignment

Moderate alignment

Strong alignment

0 – 39: Developing alignment | 40 – 69: Moderate alignment | 70 – 100: Strong alignment

A score of 59 indicates a moderate level of ethical alignment in leadership, suggesting generally principled decision-making with some inconsistency across situations.

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DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

People Managers and Team Leads

41%OF USERS

They take it to see how their day-to-day decisions, feedback, and accountability practices reflect ethical leadership.

Leadership Program Participants

34%OF USERS

They use it as a quick self-check during training or coaching to identify strengths and blind spots in values-based leadership.

HR and Culture Champions

25%OF USERS

They take it to spark discussions about standards, role-modeling, and the ethical climate within teams and organizations.

BASED ON AGGREGATED, ANONYMIZED DATA FROM TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FREUDLY USERS.

Benchmarking

See How You Compare

Once you complete the test, your results are compared with real-world data from people in your country.
Below is a preview of how scores are typically distributed across each scale.

Ethical Leadership Style Questionnaire, ELSQ (ELSQE)

Average

36.9

Normal range

24.7 — 49.2

min.

max.

100

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

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SAMPLE QUESTIONS

Example Questions From the Test

Below are ten situations in which a leader faces a moral dilemma. Read each situation carefully, imagine yourself in the role of the leader or manager, and then select the course of action whose underlying motivation is closest to your own. Select only one option. There are no right or wrong answers. Explanation of the response options: • I will act as required by the rules: I follow rules, fulfill my responsibilities, and comply with organizational policies. The rules may be explicit or implicit. • I will act to maximize benefit for the greatest number of people: I aim to help as many people as possible and choose what serves the common good. • I will act as a good person would in my position: I want to act honestly, remain true to myself, and stay faithful to my principles. I will demonstrate courage, integrity, and loyalty. • I will act to show people that I care: I build and maintain close relationships with others and attend to their needs, especially those with whom I have a personal relationship or a shared commitment. • I will act in the way that is most advantageous for me: I pursue my goals, accomplish the assigned task, and advance my career. I look after my own interests. • I will act fairly: I will be impartial and fair toward others. I will distribute benefits and responsibilities equally.

- I will act as required by the rules
- I will act to maximize benefit for the greatest number of people
- I will act as a good person would in my position
- I will act to show people that I care
- I will act in the way that is most advantageous for me
- I will act fairly
- I will act as required by the rules
- I will act to maximize benefit for the greatest number of people
- I will act as a good person would in my position
- I will act to show people that I care
- I will act in the way that is most advantageous for me
- I will act fairly
- I will act as required by the rules
- I will act to maximize benefit for the greatest number of people
- I will act as a good person would in my position
- I will act to show people that I care
- I will act in the way that is most advantageous for me
- I will act fairly

These are 3 of the 10 real questions — the rest appear in the test. No sign-up needed to start.

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WHAT THE TEST MEASURES

About This Assessment

Ethical Leadership Style Questionnaire (ELSQ) Test - Symptoms and Signs

leadership

This self-report measure is designed to characterize how an individual typically approaches ethics in leadership situations. The Ethical Leadership Style Questionnaire (ELSQ) provides a brief profile of ethical leadership tendencies rather than a pass-fail judgment of being “ethical” or “unethical.” It was developed by Linda K. Treviño and Michael E. Brown.

The instrument consists of 10 items and typically requires about 2 minutes to complete. Responses are intended to support reflection and discussion in leadership development, coaching, or organizational contexts, and results should be interpreted as descriptive indicators rather than as a diagnostic evaluation.

When used appropriately, the Ethical Leadership Style Questionnaire (ELSQ) can help identify perceived strengths and potential areas for growth in ethically oriented leadership behaviors, and may inform conversations about values, expectations, and workplace culture.

Author: Linda K. Treviño, Michael E. Brown

Literature: Northouse, P. G. Leadership: Theory and practice. SAGE Publications. 2021.