Dimension 7:  Involvement

Sometimes in organizational interaction we are able to move back and forth between participating and observing, between jumping right into the middle of the action and pulling back from the action to look at and try to make sense out of what is happening. Sometimes we are able to manage our involvement flexibly; we are able both to get into the thick of the action and make things happen for ourselves and others, and to step back and observe.

Sometimes, however, we get stuck on PARTICIPATION (we jump into situations and we tend not to pull back to see what is happening to us and others); and sometimes we get stuck on OBSERVATION (we spend much of our energy watching, observing and figuring things out, and we tend to keep ourselves from direct participation).

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When we are STUCK ON PARTICIPATION, we tend to be unable to back off from situations.  We become so fully involved that we tend to lose our objectivity.  We tend not to pull back, to look at and reflect on what we and others are doing.

On a scale of 1 (not at all) to 7 (very characteristic), to what extent do you feel that PARTICIPATION characterizes your pattern of organizational behavior?
                                    (Choose and note an appropriate number)                      ____

When we are STUCK ON OBSERVATION, we tend to keep ourselves from participating directly in the action.  We tend to withhold ourselves.  We tend to remain on the outside, watching, observing, sizing up and evaluating situations.

On the same 7-point scale, to what extent do you feel that OBSERVATION characterizes your pattern of organizational behavior?
                                    (Choose and note an appropriate number)                      ____