Thinking and behavioral styles as described by self versus others: a replication and extension with male and female managers

The Life Styles Inventory (LSI) is among the first and most widely used 360 degrees feedback surveys for management and leadership development. The LSI measures 12 thinking and behavioral styles reflecting three, more general, personal orientations that are related to managerial effectiveness. Previous studies demonstrated the reliability and validity of an early version of the LSI, which was completed by both self and others using paper-based surveys. The current study replicates the original reliability and validity analyses with data on a recent sample of 6899 male and female managers and their respondents using the current, online version of the survey. Analyses on these data were conducted for the total sample and for male and female managers separately. The results of the current study confirm the three-factor structure-Constructive, Passive/Defensive, and Aggressive/Defensive-identified by previous studies. In addition, the current version of the LSI scales demonstrates levels of internal consistency reliability, inter-rater reliability, consensual validity (between and self and others), and criterion-related validity that are as strong or slightly stronger than those reported in earlier studies. The results show that Constructive ways of thinking and behaving are positively related to the effectiveness of both male and female managers and that Aggressive/Defensive thinking and behavior detracts from their effectiveness. The results for Passive/Defensive thinking and behavioral styles and effectiveness are more complex and somewhat different for males versus females. The strengths and limitations of the study are discussed along with the implications for using the LSI in management development and in future research on gender and leadership.