Overall Results (score 59)

Based on his scores, John seems like a person who has a few obstacles to overcome before fitting comfortably into the role of franchisee. Read his specific results to identify the impediments he faces. Ideally entrepreneurs have good people skills, can adjust to changes in the business climate, and possess excellent organizational, business, and management skills. They also need to be independent, disciplined and find motivation beyond simple financial compensation and status. Franchisees in particular also need to be willing to contribute to the company as a whole and follow the rules and regulations that have been established.

Management Skills (score 61)

John scored well on the management skills section of this assessment. He possesses most of the traits that make up a well-rounded and capable leader. Excellent managers are capable of bringing the best out of subordinates, and possess the relevant knowledge about how to staff their place of business in a way that adheres to legal and ethical issues.

Leading (score 71)

John appears to possess many of the qualities of a great leader. Whether he has worked hard to develop his leadership qualities or he is one of the lucky few who was born that way, he is in a good position to lead a group towards success! Leadership abilities are in high demand…and John has got what it takes. His score indicates that he is quite capable and knows how to handle groups of people with finesse. Leadership comes with a wide range of responsibilities and pressures. When he is at the head of the pack, he is expected to provide an example for the individuals he leads, not to mention set the tone for the way entire short and long-term projects will be carried out. If he gets overly stressed, so will his team. If he slacks off, they will too. While it may be a lot of weight to have on his shoulders, he appears to be well equipped to deal with it.

Staffing (score 65)

It appears that John is quite knowledgeable about the hiring and training process, although he may need to update his understanding in one or two areas. Without excellent training, employers can make costly and even illegal mistakes. If he feels it is necessary, John may want to seek out more information on this topic in order to be better prepared to run a business.

Comfort with Change (score 61)

Based on his responses to this test, John appears to be quite capable of “rolling with the punches” and dealing with whatever life throws at him. Any entrepreneur, including a franchisee, needs to be capable of making adjustments and altering plans when the situation calls for it. In the ever-changing business world, it is the people who successfully adapt that manage to make it in the long-term. With a willingness to learn new strategies, an adaptable nature, and a desire to be innovative, these people are at a great advantage over other, less resilient individuals.

Adaptability (score 54)

John is somewhat amenable to change. He is often willing to adapt his plans based on new information, and is fairly flexible with new people and situations. It is essential that any business owner be capable of going with the flow and adjusting to changes in the business climate. When life throws John for a loop, he needs to be consistently capable of making the necessary adjustments to survive and even thrive.

Innovation (score 52)

In the day-to-day life of running any business, one encounters problems and obstacles that need to be overcome in order to move forward. Trying to solve these problems with the same approach over and over just leads to frustration and stagnancy. Instead, one should try different approaches and try to think outside the box in order to come up with innovative solutions. John appears to be capable of coming up with imaginative ideas for dealing with issues that arise, but he does not always do so. He sometimes prefers to use existing techniques or methods rather than coming up with something unique. No doubt, he will find that when he does come up with new solutions to a repetitive problem, he will ultimately be more successful.

Interest in Knowledge (score 78)

John is fairly well informed about the world and may be an expert in one or several domains. He has an acute interest in knowledge and a constant drive to acquire more information and, ultimately, understanding. He appreciates and thinks critically about complex concepts and ideas, and enjoys adding to his "fountain" of knowledge. A franchisee must be willing to learn new things and seek out information that may be of assistance when running a business. Without this drive, a person may find his or her existing knowledge base is not enough to be successful.

Work Ethic (score 74)

John appears to have a fairly good work ethic, and his behavior will likely set a high standard for his team. A franchisee should have passion for his or her job, and a strong desire to accomplish his or her goals. Those who are hard-working, perseverant, and conscientious about their work, as well as rule-abiding, are most likely to succeed. If the management and owner of an establishment makes sure to set an example of excellence and discipline, the employees are much more likely to follow.

Conscientiousness (score 81)

John is a reliable, disciplined and careful individual. People who, like him, score high in conscientiousness are orderly, rational, and focused. They have high standards and rarely fail to meet them. High scorers in conscientiousness are hardworking, productive, and goal-oriented. They are generally rule-abiding and cautious, and rarely careless. A natural tendency towards being responsible, organized and rule-abiding has been shown to be predictive of success in a variety of areas, particularly when it comes to owning one’s own business.

Goal-orientation (score 61)

John tends to set some goals, both long and short term. As a result, he usually knows what he wants to achieve and can set clear objectives to help him achieve the necessary steps along the way. Employees under his charge would likely be fully aware of what they should be striving for. This is good because people need both short-term and long-term goals in order to feel motivated to achieve. They also need to feel inspired enough to stick to the task and follow-through to completion.

Passion (score 55)

John appears to have some passion and enthusiasm for his work, but there is definitely room for improvement. To be an owner of a business, one needs to be able to find something to get excited about in even the most mundane tasks. If John finds that he occasionally lacks energy and tends to be unenthusiastic, this can spell trouble for him. After all, the owner of a franchise should set an example for employees, and this can play a major role in setting the tone of the work environment.

Adherence to Rules (score 100)

John's responses indicate that he is a rule-abiding individual. Perhaps breaking rules makes him uncomfortable, or he simply feels an obligation to be a good citizen and follow the established rules of his culture or organization. This means that he will likely be comfortable adhering to the conventions established by the home office of a franchise. He cannot expect to thrive as a franchisee if he does not act in accordance with the policies and regulations established for doing business.

Comfort with Sharing Costs and Profits (score 100)

John is very comfortable with the idea of sharing profits with the parent company. He realizes that by utilizing the name of the franchise, he is profiting from it. Since this is not an issue for him, he will likely be at ease with remitting some of his profit when the time comes.

Drive and Ambition (score 47)

John has a balanced drive to succeed and better himself. He is generally not the type to settle for the status quo, and does strive to achieve some of his ambitions. While he does his utmost to be the best in some areas of his life, there are others where he is perfectly satisfied with the way things are. This may be problematic, depending on which areas he fails to get fired up about, as people who own their own business cannot afford to be passive. Those who succeed in getting to the top are motivated and consistently strive to do their best.

Calculated Risk-Taking (score 52)

An entrepreneur needs to be comfortable with the idea of taking chances. Not only is the act of starting a business a risk in-and-of-itself, but is also often requires taking chances on a regular basis in order to stand out among competitors. However, just because one is taking a risk, it does not mean that it should be taken lightly. The best performers in this realm carefully consider their options before moving forward, and do whatever they can to plan for the worst-case scenario when they do so. John scored in the mid-range in this area, which could mean a couple of things. Perhaps he scored moderately in both scales, which means that he is a moderate risk-taker who sometimes thinks before acting. Or perhaps he scored high in one element, and not the other. Read his specific scale results for more information.

Calculated Decision-making (score 90)

John received a very high score in this scale, which indicates that he is not a reckless individual. He takes careful precautions and does not make rash decisions. If he does take a chance, he needs it to be very, very well thought-out and requires a safety net or back-up plan. In business this good, so long as he is able to strike a balance and is able to spot a potentially profitable venture. What is important when taking a chance is to do all he can to minimize the potential for negative outcomes. A person who is reckless will not last too long in the business world.

Risk-Taking (score 14)

John definitely does not appear to be a risk-taker. He prefers to opt for the safer choice rather than the risky one with a bigger payoff. What he needs to realize is that taking well-considered, calculated risks is key to success in the franchisee world. He needs to be comfortable with the risk of starting a business, as well as dealing with taking chances in order to achieve greater profits and seize opportunities.

People Skills (score 65)

John appears to have quite good people skills. A store owner with good people skills clearly communicates what is expected and makes an effort to treat employees with respect. Moreover, even when he or she does not see eye to eye with an employee or feels that a person has not done a good job, he or she tries not to let any negative feelings shine through when communicating with this individual. Aware of issues relating to cultural sensitivity, he or she tries to prevent stereotypes from impacting how employees are treated, and makes an effort to establish a courteous environment for diverse workers. Ideally, he or she is able to remain optimistic even in difficult times, which helps keep the team going. The ability to create a positive environment in which people feel comfortable expressing ideas and opinions is indispensable. The ideal owner is approachable, sensitive and direct, and John has the people skills necessary for unbeatable management. Any organization would benefit from the mature working relationships he forms with employees.

Approachability (score 92)

John is very approachable and pleasant to spend time with. He is affable and friendly, and as a result, people feel comfortable asking him for advice, help or support. Others enjoy his company because he is tactful and easy to get along with. He is liked and accepted by everyone around him. People who own their own business need to be approachable in order to best serve clients and to establish positive relationships with employees.

Communication Skills (score 60)

According to this test, John's communication skills are very good. He manages to get his point across in a clear, concise way and is also able to listen to others and understand where they're coming from. Communicating is, in any case, a two-way street - understanding others is just as important as making yourself be understood. John definitely has a solid grasp on the criteria for effective communication and seems able to put that know-how into practice. Until he reaches a score of 100 however, there is always room for improvement. After all, communication is the essence of social interaction, and it plays a large role in the impression one makes on others. It also influences self-esteem, assertiveness, and social adjustment. A business owner needs good communication skills in order to build a rapport with customers, to guide employees, and develop a good relationship with suppliers.

Cultural Sensitivity (score 74)

John appears to have a fairly good understanding of issues relating to cultural sensitivity, but there is still some room for improvement. He is generally able to establish a respectful environment where all races and cultures can thrive. There are certain legal and ethical obligations that employers have to their employees. These include not discriminating in the hiring process, giving all employees an equal chance to advance in the company, and preventing harassment in the workplace, among others. Also, customers of all cultures should be treated with respect as well as catered to in order to serve them well and also be as profitable as possible. Franchisees should be aware of the issues related to prejudice, discrimination, and cultural differences, and John is fairly knowledgeable in this area.

Optimism (score 20)

John is a pessimist about many issues. He usually sees the world as presenting challenges and obstacles to be overcome, and typically expects the worst outcomes from relationships, events, the future, and the world as a whole. He has a negative view of human nature and is pessimistic in the face of adversity. This attitude can be very discouraging, as it may lead him to believe that no matter what he does or how hard he works, he is likely to fail. If John lightens up his attitude, he will be less likely to fall victim to self-deprecating thoughts and worries of failure.

Community/Family Values (score 81)

John reports that his family and community are extremely important to him. There is nothing that matters more in his life than being close with his family and contributing to the community in some meaningful way. This stance could prove beneficial if he tries to establish a franchise in his own community.

Self-Reliance (score 29)

John does not appear to be very self-reliant. The ideal franchisee does not worry too much about what others think of him or her, believes in his or her own abilities, and prefers independence over being told what to do. A franchisee must be capable of running his or her own franchise without an inordinate amount of support from the franchise company. Some companies offer more support than others, but John needs to realize that he will likely be making a lot of decisions on his own. If he is unable to make decisions based on what is best for the company rather than on what will be the popular choice, or lacks confidence and independence, he will be at a real handicap.

Self-efficacy (score 44)

John has a reasonable level of self-confidence and self-efficacy. He recognizes his inner value, but there is still room for improvement. He experiences some doubt about his abilities, he has occasional feelings of inadequacy, and may even question his self-worth from time to time. This could present a problem. To be an effective business owner, he must consistently trust himself and his abilities, and feel worthy of his position. If not, he could lack the outward confidence that inspires trust and respect from employees and customers alike.

Need for Independence (score 24)

John appears to lack the independent streak necessary to have his own branch of a franchise. He feels more comfortable having someone else guide him than he does making decisions and acting on his own. Part of the appeal of owning a business is being able to call the shots. If this would just make John feel tentative and nervous, perhaps being an entrepreneur is not right for him.

Need for Approval (score 82)

John has a tendency to worry a great deal about what others think of him. He tends to make decisions based on whether or not people will be upset by them, not whether it’s the best choice. He also tends to refrain from criticizing others when he thinks they might be offended. These habits are hard to change, but he might want to consider trying to achieve greater balance in this area. It can be hard to perform at his best when he is paralyzed with a high need for approval.

Status-Seeking (score 22)

John does not appear to be solely driven by wealth and materialism. Rather than being mostly motivated to achieve wealth and status, he finds other things to be more important. A person who is solely motivated by material goods and money probably won’t find being a business owner satisfying. It takes hard work, people skills, and financial savvy to run a business, and if the only thing driving a person is money, he or she may find that there is not enough momentum to go forward.

Suitability for a Restaurant Franchise (score 76)

Based on his preferences and his personality, John appears to be a good candidate to start a franchise as a restaurant owner, but one or two issues may be a concern. People who open their own restaurants need to be detail-oriented, possess excellent social skills, and be extremely focused on customer service. They also need to be able to juggle a variety of different types of activities, as owning a restaurant encompasses so many different aspects of business. There are matters related to cleanliness, the ordering of ingredients, food preparation, customer service, and many, many other things to consider. John's responses indicated that he possesses most, but not all, of the relevant interests and abilities needed to do well as a restaurant owner.

Graphs & Charts (score 90)

John's responses indicate that he is very capable of understanding graphs and charts, and rarely runs into difficulty. When he opens a franchise, he may be able to gain insight from information provided by the company to help him improve his client’s experience and target necessary areas for improvement. He will need to identify key information from graphs and be able to recognize trends in opinions over time. He will also be required to be able to follow charts and understand their essential points and recommendations. His capability in this area may be an advantage and make him more independent than others who are not able to understand the graphs and charts.

Entrepreneurial Spirit (score 39)

Running a successful franchise certainly requires a strong business sense. Even if a place is staffed with the best employees, the success of the franchise is ultimately in the franchisee’s hands. Those with an entrepreneurial spirit have the desire and the know-how to make it. Unfortunately, this is not one of John's strengths. He seems to lack the entrepreneurial edge that could differentiate him among other franchisees. Individuals who have a strong drive to succeed and work hard, who are comfortable taking on the responsibility and risks involved in running a franchise, and who are self-starters as well as perseverant despite obstacles tend to have an advantage over those who don’t.

Impression Management (score 40)

There was some indication in John's results to suggest that he was not telling the truth. His elevated score could be a result of being unique in some way (in that some of his responses were extremely rare) or he was trying to present himself in a favorable light.