SAMPLE AND METHODOLOGY
Respondents for this study were drawn from three sources. The first were mid-level
managers from a large high-technology company enrolled in a university-based management
development course. The second were working professionals, across a variety of hightechnology
organizations, engaged in an evening MBA program. The third were a cross-section
of managers enrolled in an Executive MBA program. The total sample consisted of 312
respondents. The demographic characteristics of the corporate managers and managers from the
Executive MBA program were very consistent; the evening MBA participants were younger but
all had both managerial and work experiences within similar corporate environments. There
were 114 women (36%) in the sample. Post-hoc analysis revealed no statistically significant
differences on any of the instruments or findings based upon respondent gender.
Respondents completed both the Learning Tactics Inventory (LTI) and the Leadership
Practices Inventory (LPI). The LTI is a 32-item set of statements intended to assess how people
report learning when faced with “the challenge of an unfamiliar task or experience.” Each
statement is measured on a five-point Likert scale, with 1 anchoring “I have almost never used
this approach” to 5 indicating “I have almost always used this approach.” The LTI yields four
scales, each of which represents a different tactic for learning:
• Action (e.g., Am proactive in my approach, preferring to learn by trial and
error);
• Thinking (e.g., Read articles or books or go online to gain knowledge and
background);
• Feeling (e.g., Confront myself on what I am worrying about); and,
• Accessing Others (e.g., Bounce my hopes and fears off someone I trust).