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Leadership Qualities Questionnaire Test

In about 3 minutes, the Leadership Qualities Questionnaire Test uses 14 self-report statements to outline qualities related to effective leadership, such as empathy, communication, confidence, persistence, and integrity, helping you identify strengths and areas for personal reflection.

Questions: 143 minutes

Leadership Qualities Questionnaire Test: sample question card

October 2, 2025October 2, 2025Material has been updatedOctober 2, 2025Material has been published

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Scale Explorer

How the Scales are Structured

EmpathicE

Measures the extent to which a leader understands and resonates with others’ feelings and motives to support effective interaction.

example score2/5

2/5Lowexample score

0 – 2Low

3Moderate

4 – 5High

A score of 2 falls in the Low range, suggesting empathy may be less consistently used when interpreting others’ emotions and motivations.

SensitiveS

Sensitivity reflects how well a leader notices and responds to others’ emotions and needs in interpersonal situations.

example score3/5

3/5Moderateexample score

0 – 2Low

3Moderate

4 – 5High

A score of 3 indicates a moderate level of sensitivity, suggesting generally adequate awareness of others’ feelings with room to become more consistently attuned in challenging interactions.

HardworkingH

Measures diligence and sustained effort toward goals that a leader demonstrates and models for others.

example score3/5

3/5Moderateexample score

0 – 2Low

3Moderate

4 – 5High

A score of 3 suggests a moderate level of hardworking behavior, with generally consistent effort that may vary with task demands or motivation.

ConscientiousnessC

This scale measures how responsible, organized, and detail-oriented a person is in ways that support reliable leadership behavior.

example score1/5

1/5Lowexample score

0 – 2Low

3Moderate

4 – 5High

A score of 1 falls in the Low range, suggesting a tendency toward less consistent organization and follow-through compared with higher scorers.

SociabilityS

Measures how readily a person communicates and builds working relationships within a team setting.

example score3/5

3/5Moderateexample score

0 – 2Low

3Moderate

4 – 5High

A score of 3 indicates moderate sociability, suggesting a generally adequate ability to engage with others while leaving room to strengthen proactive communication.

BenevolentB

Kind-heartedness reflects how readily a person builds warm, supportive relationships that foster trust and cooperation in a team.

example score2/5

2/5Reservedexample score

0 – 2Reserved

3Approachable

4 – 5Very kind-hearted

A score of 2 falls in the Reserved range, suggesting kindness may be expressed more selectively and rapport-building may take more time in leadership situations.

ReliabilityR

Measures how consistently a person is perceived as dependable and trustworthy in leadership interactions with a team.

example score2/5

2/5Needs strengtheningexample score

0 – 2Needs strengthening

3Adequate

4 – 5Strong

A score of 2 falls in the “Needs strengthening” range, suggesting reliability may be inconsistent and could benefit from focused development in follow-through and dependability.

SincerityS

Measures the degree of honesty and openness in communication that helps build trust and authority as a leader.

example score3/5

3/5Moderateexample score

0 – 2Low

3Moderate

4 – 5High

A score of 3 indicates a moderate level of sincerity, suggesting generally honest communication with some room to be more consistently open and transparent.

DecisiveD

This scale measures how decisively a person makes timely decisions and takes action in challenging situations.

example score2/5

2/5Lowexample score

0 – 2.9Low

3 – 3.9Moderate

4 – 5High

A score of 2 indicates a lower level of decisiveness, suggesting decisions may be made more cautiously or with more hesitation in challenging situations.

PerseveringP

Measures how consistently a person persists through obstacles to reach goals and maintain effort over time.

example score2/5

2/5Low persistenceexample score

0 – 2Low persistence

3Moderate persistence

4 – 5High persistence

A score of 2 indicates low persistence, suggesting effort may drop when facing setbacks and long-term goal follow-through may be inconsistent.

IntegrityI

Measures the stability and consistency of a leader’s values and principles that support trustworthiness.

example score1/5

1/5Low integrityexample score

0 – 2Low integrity

3Moderate integrity

4 – 5High integrity

A score of 1 falls in the Low integrity range, suggesting less stable personal principles and potential uncertainty about core values in leadership situations.

Self-ConfidentSC

Measures self-confidence in making decisions and taking responsibility in leadership situations.

example score2/5

2/5Developing confidenceexample score

0 – 2Developing confidence

3Confident

4 – 5Highly confident

A score of 2 suggests confidence may be developing, with decisions and responsibility-taking feeling less consistent in leadership situations.

InsightfulI

Measures how well a person quickly grasps situations, notices nuances, and uses analysis to make informed leadership decisions.

example score3/5

3/5Solid insightexample score

0 – 2Developing insight

3Solid insight

4 – 5High insight

A score of 3 suggests a solid ability to grasp what is happening and use analysis to guide decisions, with room to further sharpen nuance recognition.

Articulates Thoughts ClearlyATC

Measures how clearly you can formulate and communicate your thoughts in leadership-related situations.

example score2/5

2/5Needs improvementexample score

0 – 2Needs improvement

3Adequate

4 – 5Strong

A score of 2 suggests you may sometimes struggle to express ideas clearly and could benefit from more practice in structured communication situations.

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DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

New and aspiring managers

41%OF USERS

People stepping into leadership roles use it to quickly gauge decision-making, confidence, and influence skills and spot growth areas.

HR and team leads

34%OF USERS

Recruiters and supervisors take it (or give it to staff) to support hiring, role fit, and targeted leadership development plans.

Students and trainees

25%OF USERS

Learners in business, psychology, or leadership programs use it to benchmark their current strengths and track progress after training.

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.

Shaded area — where most people score

Dot — the average

You — your score lands on each curve after the test— your score, after the test

EmpathicE

You?

Average2.1

Typical rangeTypical1.2 – 3

Possible0 – 5

SensitiveS

You?

Average1.4

Typical rangeTypical0.8 – 2

Possible0 – 5

HardworkingH

You?

Average2.6

Typical rangeTypical2 – 3.2

Possible0 – 5

ConscientiousC

You?

Average3.1

Typical rangeTypical2.4 – 3.7

Possible0 – 5

SociableS

You?

Average3.6

Typical rangeTypical3 – 4.3

Possible0 – 5

Kind-heartedK

You?

Average2.5

Typical rangeTypical1.6 – 3.5

Possible0 – 5

ReliableR

You?

Average2.3

Typical rangeTypical1.4 – 3.2

Possible0 – 5

SincereS

You?

Average1.4

Typical rangeTypical0.5 – 2.3

Possible0 – 5

DeterminedD

You?

Average3.2

Typical rangeTypical2.6 – 3.8

Possible0 – 5

PersistentP

You?

Average3.2

Typical rangeTypical2.5 – 4

Possible0 – 5

Holistic PersonalityHP

You?

Average3.4

Typical rangeTypical2.6 – 4.2

Possible0 – 5

ConfidentC

You?

Average3.4

Typical rangeTypical2.7 – 4.1

Possible0 – 5

InsightfulI

You?

Average2.6

Typical rangeTypical1.7 – 3.5

Possible0 – 5

Clearly formulates their thoughtsCftt

You?

Average2.4

Typical rangeTypical1.6 – 3.1

Possible0 – 5

Featured On

SAMPLE QUESTIONS

Example Questions From the Test

Please read all 14 items carefully. To what extent does each item correspond to your view of yourself as a leader? Indicate your response by selecting one of five options. Then ask five people you know (e.g., a roommate, coworkers, relatives, friends, etc.) to complete this questionnaire. Obtain their ratings of your leadership qualities.

- Strongly disagree
- Disagree
- Neutral
- Agree
- Strongly agree
- Strongly disagree
- Disagree
- Neutral
- Agree
- Strongly agree
- Strongly disagree
- Disagree
- Neutral
- Agree
- Strongly agree

These are 3 of the 14 real questions — the rest appear in the test. No sign-up needed to start.

WHAT THE TEST MEASURES

Leadership Qualities Questionnaire Test - Description and methodology of the test

leadership

People who shape teams or prepare for greater responsibility can use the Leadership Qualities Questionnaire Test to examine how everyday leadership behavior affects collaboration, decisions, and trust. It is suitable for aspiring or current leaders who want a concise profile of interpersonal, motivational, ethical, and decision-making tendencies. As a leadership qualities questionnaire, it can guide reflection on specific habits and conversations with colleagues.

What This Assessment Explores

This leadership assessment clarifies strengths.

Empathic, Sensitive, Hardworking, Conscientiousness (0-5) cover empathy, effort, organization: Low 0-2; Moderate 3-3; High 4-5. Persevering (0-5) reflects persistence: Low persistence 0-2; Moderate 3-3; High persistence 4-5.
Sociability and Sincerity (each 0-5) cover interaction, openness: Low 0-2; Moderate 3-3; High 4-5. Integrity (0-5) reflects principles: Low integrity 0-2; Moderate 3-3; High integrity 4-5.
Benevolent (0-5) shows warmth: Reserved 0-2; Approachable 3-3; Very kind-hearted 4-5. Reliability (0-5) shows consistency: Needs strengthening 0-2; Adequate 3-3; Strong 4-5.
Decisive (0-5) reflects action: Low 0-2.9; Moderate 3-3.9; High 4-5. Self-Confident, Insightful, Articulates Thoughts Clearly (0-5) cover confidence, perception, expression; bands: Developing confidence, Confident, Highly confident; Developing insight, Solid insight, High insight; Needs improvement, Adequate, Strong (0-2, 3-3, 4-5).

Methodology and Scientific Basis

Each statement uses a five-point agreement response: Strongly disagree, Disagree, Neutral, Agree, or Strongly agree. The wording asks about usual qualities, so answers are most useful when they reflect typical behavior rather than an idealized leadership image.

Scores are reported separately for the dimensions above. Treat the displayed bands as descriptive categories rather than population norms; self-report results may vary with current context, self-awareness, and impression management.

The method is conceptually consistent with Northouse’s Leadership Trait Questionnaire (2022), which presents leadership through personal qualities; the online questionnaire adapts that instrument’s trait labels and statements, but its profile should not be treated as a standardized equivalent. It is also conceptually consistent with Ginzburg et al. (2018), which examined leadership traits in problem- and case-based learning.

Used as a leadership traits test, the questionnaire can support reflection, goal-setting, and focused feedback about team contribution.

Author: Bernard M. Bass, Bruce J. Avolio

Literature:

Northouse, Peter G. (2022). Leadership: Theory and Practice (9th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Ginzburg, Samara B., Schwartz, Jessica, Gerber, Rachel, Deutsch, Susan, Elkowitz, David E., Ventura-Dipersia, Christina, Lim, Youn Seon, and Lucito, Robert. (2018). Assessment of medical students' leadership traits in a problem/case-based learning program. Medical Education Online, 23(1), 1542923. 10.1080/10872981.2018.1542923

Updated: 2025-10-02