The Christian Entrepreneur
Self Diagnosis Questionaire
By Mike
McLoughlin,
Youth With A Mission, Marketplace Mission
Visit the Scruples Small Business Forum at
www.scruples.net for more
information.
(Adapted from USAID/S&T/RD & MSI ENTREPRENEURSHIP TRAINING PROGRAM)
Put a tick under "true" or "false" opposite each of the five questions, depending upon your belief as to whether or not the statement applies to you:
| Please answer True or False before proceeding. | TRUE |
FALSE |
| I never fail to complete a task by the the time I said I would. | q |
q |
| I always put others needs before my own pleasure. | q |
q |
| I never exaggerate or fail to disclose all the relevant facts, however badly I want something. | q |
q |
| I always obey the law in letter and in spirit. | q |
q |
| I never start anything unless I am sure I am going to finish it. | q |
q |
INSTRUCTIONS
If your answer to any of the above five statements was "true", then you are either less honest with yourself or you have a rather exaggerated view of your own qualities.
Remember that the answers to all the questions which you are going to do in this exercise will only be read by you, and the exercise is for your benefit and not to impress others. Think carefully before answering each of the following questions, as the information you will obtain about yourself will be misleading and may cause you to mis-direct your efforts if you do not answer the questions carefully.
Read each of the following statements carefully, and put a ring around only one of the figures 1, 2, 3, or 4 beside the statement, depending on whether or not you believe that you ALWAYS, USUALLY, SOMETIMES or NEVER behave according to the statement:
Always |
Usually |
Some-times |
Never |
|
| 1. I think logically about what I am doing and what I am going to do. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 2. I find out myself what I need to know. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 3. If there are several alternatives, I think carefully about each of one of them BEFORE I make my decision. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 4. I think twice before making a decision I know to be risky. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 5. I can tell whether or not someone is telling me the truth when they are explaining why a problem happened. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 6. I believe I can overcome obstacles. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 7. I learn useful facts because I keep in touch with the right people. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 8. I keep my word even if it hurts. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 9. I consider carefully requests for financial assistance | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 10. I keep accurate records of my income so that I meet my tax obligations. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 11. I am willing to suffer a loss of money to maintain a relationship. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 12. When someone disagrees with me, I discuss the disagreement rather than pretend it did not exist. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 13. I am good at convincing people to buy things. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 14. I pay my bills promptly when I have the means to do so. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 15. I keep looking for different things I can do. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 16. When I start something I make every effort to reduce the risk of it failing. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 17. When I am working on something, I regularly check on quality to make sure it is being maintained. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 18. If I am faced with a problem I try again and again to solve it. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 19. I treat my own convenience as less important than getting the job done. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 20. I hate being in a position of having to do things. I prefer to act before I am compelled to. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 21. I like to find ways of doing things less expensively than before. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
Always |
Usually |
Some-times |
Never |
|
| 22. I try to foresee possible obstacles when I am making plans. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 23. When I am going to do something, I first of al make some inquires to find out how to do it. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 24. I find ways around problems which other people have failed to find previously. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 25. I purchase an expensive product only after careful consideration. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 26. When someone does something that makes me angry I always try to understand why they did it before I react. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 27. I know I can do what I set out to do. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 28. I try to build networks of contacts in order to find out what I need to know. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 29. I do not make promises I cannot keep. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 30. I am patient with those who owe me money. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 31. To the best of my ability I abide by the laws governing the licensing of businesses and the employment of workers. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 32. I do not neglect my responsibilities as a spouse, parent or friend for the sake of my business or work activity. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 33. I try to confront differences of opinion openly, not to pretend they do not exist. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 34. If I want somebody to do something for me, I can usually persuade them to do it. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 35. I think that employees should receive a fair wage for their work that is based on the value of their work and not on the prevailing market rate. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 36. I try to see my problems as opportunities. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 37. I calculate the chances of success or failure before making a decision I know to be risky. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 38. My work is better than other people's work. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 39. When things are difficult I find it very hard to give up. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 40. I am willing to work very hard for long hours in order to accomplish what I have said I would do. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 41. If I can see a problem coming in the future, I do something about it now rather than waiting until it comes. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 42. I try to minimize the time it takes to do things. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
Always |
Usually |
Some-times |
Never |
|
| 43. I do not plan on the assumption that all will go well I anticipate and plan for problems. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 44. I make extensive methodical inquires about how to do things. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 45. I find innovative solutions to problems. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 46. I consult with my parents, spouse, friend or business associate before making a large loan to another person. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 47. When something goes wrong I am quick to ask why it happened and I am ready to shoulder my share of the blame. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 48. When I start a task I am confident that I can complete it. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 49. I try to develop friendships because they are a fundamental resource for success. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 50. I do not accept or pay bribes or kickbacks to get what I want. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 51. I go out of my way to help others who are less fortunate than myself. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 52. I do not write cheques on my bank account if I know there is not enough in the account to cover the Cheque. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 53. I maintain a close relationship with God even when things get very busy. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 54. I do not like to ignore inter personal difficulties I would rather admit to them and try to solve them. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 55. When I need people to do a task for me, I can get them to do it. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 56. I think that products and services should be priced according to their value and not according to how scarce they are or how much they will get under prevailing market conditions. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 57. When I run into obstacles I see it as a chance to learn something new. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 58. I am not afraid to take risk if I know that I have a good chance of succeeding. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 59. I want to produce the best product to its type. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 60. I do not ignore difficulties, I try to overcome them. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 61. I will do almost anything to finish a task on time. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 62. I can see for myself what action needs to be taken, I do not depend upon others to tell me. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 63. I look out for ways of working more quickly. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
Always |
Usually |
Some-times |
Never |
|
| 64. I try to plan how I will get over difficulties before they actually happen. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 65. If a problem needs to be analyzed, I analyze it myself. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 66. I develop new ideas | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 67. I always check a person's previous record before extending them credit or hiring them as a new employee. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 68. When making a difficult moral or ethical decision I can usually see what is the right thing to do. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 69. If I meet a challenge I believe I can overcome it. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 70.I look on my friends as part of my strength for the future. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 71.People trust me with their money. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 72. I tithe a percentage of my personal income regularly | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 73. I am careful to fulfil ALL my contractual obligations. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 74. I am willing to sacrifice my own interest to see another person benefit. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 75. If I am having a problem with somebody else, I like to face up to it openly with him/her. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 76. I can persuade people to do things for me because they trust me. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 77. I think that the best deal is the one in which both parties are satisfied and in which the seller is willing to accept the purchase back if the buyer is not happy with it. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 78. If an opportunity arises I act on it immediately. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 79. I am willing to risk the loss of money to do something I know to be right. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 80. I want my business to be of higher quality than other businesses. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 81. If one solution does not work, I try to find another. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 82. If a job has to be completed, I am prepared to sacrifice my personal convenience in order to complete it. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 83. I do not like to wait until I have to take action I act before I am forced to. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 84. I try to reduce costs. | 4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| Please transfer the numbers you have circled for each of the above statements into the appropriate box on the next page and total each row. Then total all the rows for each section: ACTION & DEEDS; WISDOM AND THOUGHT; CHARACTER AND WORDS. | ||||
KEY SUCCESS FACTORS IN BUSINESS |
|||||
| WISDOM & THOUGHT | Totals |
||||
| PLANNING | 1. | 22. | 43. | 64. | |
| INFORMATION SEEKING | 2. | 23. | 44. | 65. | |
| PROBLEM SOLVING | 3. | 24. | 45. | 66. | |
| DISCRETION & PRUDENCE | 4. | 25. | 46. | 67. | |
| DISCERNMENT & UNDERSTANDING | 5. | 26. | 47. | 68. | |
| CONFIDENCE | 6. | 27. | 48. | 69. | |
| ABILITY TO INFLUENCE OTHERS | 7. | 28. | 49. | 70. | |
| CHARACTER & WORDS | Wisdom Total |
||||
| HONESTY | 8. | 29. | 50. | 71. | |
| GENEROSITY | 9. | 30. | 51. | 72. | |
| LAW ABIDING | 10. | 31. | 52. | 73. | |
| FAITHFULNESS | 11. | 32. | 53. | 74. | |
| BOLDNESS | 12. | 33. | 54. | 75. | |
| PERSUASIVENESS | 13. | 34. | 55. | 76. | |
| SENSE OF JUSTICE | 14. | 35. | 56. | 77. | |
| ACTION & DEEDS | Character Total |
||||
| OPPORTUNITY SEEKING | 15.. | 36. | 57. | 78. | |
| RISK TAKING & FAITH | 16. | 37. | 58. | 79. | |
| WORK INTEGRITY & DISCIPLINE | 17. | 38. | 59. | 80. | |
| PERSISTENCE | 18. | 39. | 60. | 81. | |
| DILIGENCE | 19. | 40. | 61. | 82. | |
| INITIATIVE | 20. | 41. | 62. | 83. | |
| EFFICIENCY | 21. | 42. | 63. | 84. | |
Action Total: |
|||||
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