Harrison Assessment Tests Interpreting Paradox Reports Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: According to Harrison's Paradox Theory, a behavioral trait is considered a genuine strength only when it is:
- Exhibited with high intensity and frequency.
- A person's most dominant and natural tendency.
- Balanced by its complementary, paradoxical trait. (Correct answer)
- Aligned with the requirements of a specific job role.
Correct answer: Balanced by its complementary, paradoxical trait.
Harrison's Paradox Theory posits that any single trait, if not balanced by its complementary (and seemingly opposite) trait, can become a 'derailer' or a weakness. For example, high Frankness without Diplomacy becomes Bluntness. True strength and versatility come from having high scores in both paradoxical traits.
Question 2: A Paradox Report shows an individual has a high score in the 'dynamic' trait of Frankness and a low score in the 'gentle' trait of Diplomacy. In which quadrant would this person's behavioral pattern be plotted?
- Balanced Versatility (Forthright Diplomacy)
- Passive Imbalance (Evasive)
- Balanced Deficiency (Avoids Communication)
- Aggressive Imbalance (Blunt) (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Aggressive Imbalance (Blunt)
The Paradox Graph plots the 'dynamic' trait on the vertical axis and the 'gentle' trait on the horizontal axis. A high score on the dynamic trait (Frankness) and a low score on the gentle trait (Diplomacy) places the individual in the upper-left quadrant, which is termed Aggressive Imbalance, manifesting as Bluntness.
Question 3: An employee's Paradox Report indicates a 'Balanced Deficiency' in the paradox of Organization, meaning they are low in both 'Organized' and 'Flexible'. Which of the following behaviors would most likely be observed?
- The employee rigidly follows a plan, even when circumstances change.
- The employee is highly adaptable but struggles to create initial structure.
- The employee consistently creates and follows effective, well-structured plans.
- The employee tends to be disorganized and struggles with both planning and adapting. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: The employee tends to be disorganized and struggles with both planning and adapting.
A 'Balanced Deficiency' occurs in the lower-left quadrant of the Paradox Graph, where an individual scores low on both the dynamic and gentle traits of a paradox. In the case of Organization, this means lacking both the structure of being 'Organized' and the adaptability of being 'Flexible', leading to general disorganization.
Question 4: A manager is reviewing a team member's Paradox Report to create a development plan. The report shows a strong 'Passive Imbalance' in the 'Driving' paradox, with high 'Warmth/Empathy' and low 'Enforcing'. What is the most effective development strategy according to Paradox Theory?
- Encourage the team member to be less empathetic to become tougher.
- Focus on developing the 'Enforcing' trait to balance their existing strength. (Correct answer)
- Train the team member in a completely different area of weakness.
- Accept that this is a fixed trait and assign tasks that only require empathy.
Correct answer: Focus on developing the 'Enforcing' trait to balance their existing strength.
The goal of development within Paradox Theory is to build up the weaker, complementary trait to create 'Balanced Versatility'. Instead of diminishing the strong trait (Warmth/Empathy), the focus should be on developing the weaker trait (Enforcing). This turns the existing strength into a balanced one, preventing it from becoming a 'permissive' derailer.
Question 5: While debriefing a Paradox Report, a client is plotted in the 'Aggressive Imbalance' quadrant for the 'Opinions' paradox, indicating high 'Certain' and low 'Open/Reflective'. The client insists, 'I'm not dogmatic, I'm just decisive and clear!' This reaction is an example of:
- A healthy expression of balanced versatility.
- A misunderstanding of the 'Open/Reflective' trait.
- The tendency for individuals to perceive their imbalanced strength as a sole virtue. (Correct answer)
- An indication that the assessment results are likely inaccurate.
Correct answer: The tendency for individuals to perceive their imbalanced strength as a sole virtue.
A common challenge in interpreting Paradox Reports is that individuals often perceive their dominant, imbalanced trait as a singular strength and may 'demonize' the balancing trait. In this case, the client sees their high 'Certainty' as decisiveness and fails to recognize that without 'Openness', it can become dogmatism. This lack of self-awareness is a key barrier to development.
Question 6: Which of the following best describes the function of the 'rippling shaded area' around the dot on a specific Paradox Graph?
- It indicates the individual's desired score on the paradox.
- It shows the range of behavior under extreme stress.
- It represents the normal range of the individual's behavior. (Correct answer)
- It highlights the ideal range for the associated job role.
Correct answer: It represents the normal range of the individual's behavior.
The dot on the Paradox Graph indicates the individual's primary tendency, while the rippling shaded area around it illustrates the person's normal or typical range of behavior within that paradox. Other indicators, like the 'hurricane' or 'flip' icons, are used to show behavior under stress.
Harrison Assessment Tests Interpreting Paradox Reports Questions and Answers
According to Harrison's Paradox Theory, a behavioral trait is considered a genuine strength only when it is: