Alan Sugar has returned to our screens in the Junior Apprentice (Wednesdays, 9pm, BBC1), we present the Alan Sugar test – have you got what it takes to lead in your organisation?
The thirst to find the next crop of leaders and entrepreneurs seems to show no signs of abating judging by the latest test devised by Kingston University in South West London. In addition to spotting students who are more likely to start their own business, the Attitudes to Enterprise test also aims to find out which young people show a flair for enterprise, whether as Simon Cowell style media entrepreneurs, or through running their own community project.
We have published a mini version of the test below so have a go and see how well suited you are to lead in your organisation.
Please choose a number between one and seven for how much you agree or disagree with the following statements. One is strongly disagree and seven is strongly agree.
- I think I am a very imaginative person.
- I am good at getting people to work well together.
- Making mistakes is a good way of finding out how to solve a problem.
- I work hard to make my projects successful.
- I think my future career is largely up to me.
- To achieve something worthwhile it is necessary to take risks.
- I enjoy lecturers who try out different ways of teaching.
- I’m good at motivating my colleagues.
- I trust my own instinct when solving problems.
- I would be prepared to invest my own money in a venture I believed in.
- It is important to plan my future career.
- It feels really good when a project works out well.
Calculation of results
To obtain an overall test score add the scores for all 12 statements. Maximum score is 84 and the minimum score is 12.
If you scored 70 or more you are a highly enterprising person. You like thinking up original ideas and you have the motivation and persuasive powers needed to get others involved. You trust your own judgement and are prepared to stand by your beliefs.
If you scored between 55 and 69 you can sometimes be enterprising and you have some of the qualities needed to be a successful leader or entrepreneur. However, you don’t yet have the self belief and drive to go all the way.
If you scored 54 or less you probably have all sorts of other qualities, but being enterprising isn’t one of them. Not everyone wants to be or can be an entrepreneur, and let’s face it there is probably only room for one Simon Cowell on the planet.
© 2009 Rosemary Athayde, Small Business Research Centre, Kingston University
To obtain an overall test score add the scores for all 12 statements. Maximum score is 84 and the minimum score is 12.
If you scored 70 or more you are a highly enterprising person. You like thinking up original ideas and you have the motivation and persuasive powers needed to get others involved. You trust your own judgement and are prepared to stand by your beliefs.
If you scored between 55 and 69 you can sometimes be enterprising and you have some of the qualities needed to be a successful leader or entrepreneur. However, you don’t yet have the self belief and drive to go all the way.
If you scored 54 or less you probably have all sorts of other qualities, but being enterprising isn’t one of them. Not everyone wants to be or can be an entrepreneur, and let’s face it there is probably only room for one Simon Cowell on the planet.
© 2009 Rosemary Athayde, Small Business Research Centre, Kingston University
What’s your score? Share your results below.
2 Responses
Alan Sugar, A Leadership Example?
If we are to accept Alan Sugar as an example that we would like the next generation to follow does that mean that we also condone the bullying, controlling type of behaviour that has prevented our workforce from performing for decades?
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Peter A Hunter
http://www.BreakingtheMould.co.uk
Borderline…
I scored 71 so I am an "only just" case. Seriously though, I think it is necessary to be a little enterprising when running a SME in these difficult times. Adapt and survive is the key phrase. As is "if you always do what you always did you will always get what you always got". In other words, if you don’t change, it may be difficult to continue in business.
A good bit of fun.