Steps

• Personal self-esteem: Do you worry a lot?
• Global self-esteem: Can you do things as well as others?
• Academic self-esteem: At school/work, are you satisfied with your work?
• Life items: Have you ever taken anything that doesn’t belong to you? (the rationale being, the more someone is willing to admit socially undesirable traits, the more comfortable he/she is with him/herself).

The researchers then score points for each answer that corresponds to the one deemed by the developer of the Inventory to correspond with high self-esteem, so that a high total score indicates high self-esteem, and a low score indicates lower self-esteem.

Variation

Variation 1: Q Sorting

• Materials: Idea cards with various statements and 2 cards with the words ‘Most Like Me’ and ‘Least Like Me.

On one end of the wall or floor, the facilitator places a card ‘least like me’ while on the opposite end , the card ‘most like me’ is placed.

The participant is then given a series of cards with statements linked to self-esteem, and sorts the cards in order in terms of what they most identify and least identify with.

The ranked order of the cards are then recorded.

Variation 2: Girls Leadership Index

While slightly different from understanding self-esteem, CARE has also worked with the Girls Leadership Index to understand and access girls' leadership. In addition to gathering data about girls’ perceptions of their leadership skills and behaviors, this tool is designed as a means of initiating reflection and self-awareness, one that can stimulate the development of leadership among girls.  It may be followed-up with a program activity that explores how girls define leadership

This index looks at five key components of leadership:

• Voice (V)
• Decision-making (DM)
• Confidence (C)
• Organization (O)
• Vision/Ability to Motivate Others (VAMO)

This tool is presented as a questionnaire that is copied and distributed to girls. Participants will complete the forms individually and on their own. The role of the facilitator is to guide the girls through the instructions page and be available to respond to general questions, as well as making sure that respondents have the space and materials (including the index and a pen) necessary. Both the facilitator and the note taker might document key observations during the administration of the tool, such as questions that are posed by the respondents.

1. = Rarely
2. = Sometimes
3. = Often
4. = Always

The sentences in this exercise include:

• I realize that things that I say and do sometimes encourage others to work together. (VAMO)
• While my experiences and ideas may be different from others, I know that I can bring useful ideas to a discussion. (V)
• When a task to accomplish is clear, I like being part of a group to get it done. (VAMO)
• There are times that decisions I make can influence others. (DM)
• When I have made up my mind about something, I take actions that demonstrate commitment to that point of view. (C)
• I do not hesitate to let others know my opinions. (V)
• I recognize that I have control over my own actions. (DM)
• I recognize that what motivates some people is different from what motivates others. (VAMO)
• I am not shy to ask questions about things that I do not understand. (V)
• I feel comfortable speaking in front of groups. (V)
• Sometimes I like working on one part of a task, while others work on different parts. (O)
• I try to get involved in extra-curricular activities because they help me gain skills to become leader. (SN)
• I am comfortable putting my thoughts into words. (V)
• If someone does not understand an explanation that I am giving, I don’t give up but try to find a different way of saying what is on my mind. (C)
• I try to consider things from different perspectives before making a decision. (DM)
• I enjoy gathering people together to make things happen. (VAMO)
• There are times that I realize that it will take a lot of work to make my ideas a reality, but I am willing to consider how to see them through. (O)
• I am aware of my strengths and weaknesses, and feel comfortable working within my abilities and limitations. (C)
• In school, I am willing to be called on by my teacher to answer questions. (C)
• I try to anticipate the consequences of possible actions, and make decisions based on those consequences. (DM)
• I recognize that planning ahead can often help things go as I want them to go. (O)
• I do not hesitate to speak or respond to adults in appropriate situations. (C)
• I think that my friends and family have an influence on my ability to become a leader. (SN)
• I am comfortable when people look to me for advice and guidance about things. (VAMO)
• I see that things that I choose to do today can impact my life in the future. (DM)
• When I face a problem, I can break down the steps to solve it. (O)
• In a group setting, I expect the opportunity to share my thoughts. (V)
• I can help organize others to help accomplish a task. (O)
• I believe that both the process of achieving something and the achievement itself are rewarding. (VAMO)
• I like to think about actions I will need to take if I want to get something done. (O)
• If someone treats me unfairly, I take action against it. (C)
• People consult with me before decisions are taken. (DM)

Current Skills and Behaviors - How am I doing?

• Circle the sentence below that best describes how you feel about your own current skills and behaviors as a leader.
  • I rarely show that I am a capable leader
  • I sometimes show that I am a capable leader
  • I often show that I am a capable leader
  • I always show that I am a capable leader

Variation 3: Ideal Self-Inventory

• Materials: Idea cards with a number of statements written on them.

The facilitator presents a range of cards to the participant and asks the participant which 10 would fit into his/her ideal self and which 10 are related to not ideal characteristics. Along these cards, the participant then rates him/herself for each characteristic on a scale of 1-7.

A profile is thus obtained of how the participant construes their ideal self, and the accumulated score out of a possible 70 gives an indication of the participant’s level of self-esteem.