Harrison Assessment Tests Traits and Competencies Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An employee is highly skilled in data analysis and consistently receives praise for their technical reports. However, their Harrison Assessment reveals a very low score for the trait 'Public Speaking'. The company is considering promoting them to a client-facing management role that requires frequent presentations. According to Harrison's Enjoyment-Performance Theory, what is the most likely outcome?
- The employee will naturally improve their public speaking skills because of the new responsibility.
- The employee's strong analytical skills will compensate for their lack of enjoyment in public speaking, leading to success.
- The employee is likely to experience decreased job satisfaction and potential underperformance due to the mismatch between their preferences and the role's requirements. (Correct answer)
- The employee will perform well in the role as long as they receive a higher salary to compensate for the unenjoyable tasks.
Correct answer: The employee is likely to experience decreased job satisfaction and potential underperformance due to the mismatch between their preferences and the role's requirements.
Harrison's Enjoyment-Performance Theory posits that when people enjoy a task, they tend to do it more often, get better at it, and receive positive reinforcement, which increases their enjoyment. Conversely, forcing an individual to frequently perform tasks they strongly dislike can lead to avoidance, stress, lower engagement, and ultimately, poorer performance, regardless of their other skills.
Question 2: When debriefing a Harrison report, a consultant emphasizes that it is critical to focus on the specific trait definition rather than the trait name itself. Which of the following is the best reason for this approach?
- Trait names are intentionally vague to encourage discussion and interpretation.
- The definitions are updated annually based on new research, while the names remain static.
- Commonly used trait names can carry subjective meanings or connotations that differ from the precise, objective behavior being measured. (Correct answer)
- The trait definitions include the individual's specific score, while the name does not.
Correct answer: Commonly used trait names can carry subjective meanings or connotations that differ from the precise, objective behavior being measured.
The Harrison methodology stresses the importance of using its precise definitions because trait names can be easily misinterpreted based on an individual's personal or cultural understanding. For example, the trait 'Assertive' is defined as 'the tendency to put forth one's own wants and needs', not being aggressive or pushy, which might be a common interpretation of the name.
Question 3: In a Harrison Assessment 'Traits & Definitions' report, the 'Life Themes' section lists an individual's top five highest-scoring traits. What is the primary significance of this specific grouping?
- They indicate the traits that the individual is most likely to exhibit under stress.
- They represent the individual's most significant values and strongest behavioral drives, which are key to long-term career satisfaction. (Correct answer)
- They are the only traits used to calculate the individual's Behavioral Competencies.
- They identify the five essential traits required for the person's current job role.
Correct answer: They represent the individual's most significant values and strongest behavioral drives, which are key to long-term career satisfaction.
The 'Life Themes' are considered to be an individual's highest values, strongest preferences, and key potential strengths. These traits have the greatest influence on a person's life and motivation. Aligning one's career with these core themes is highly predictive of job satisfaction and engagement.
Question 4: Which of the following statements most accurately describes how a 'Behavioral Competency' like 'Leads People' or 'Manages Stress Well' is formulated in the Harrison Assessments system?
- It is determined by a single, targeted question on the SmartQuestionnaire.
- It is a composite score calculated from the interaction and weighting of multiple individual traits. (Correct answer)
- It is an average of all 175 traits measured by the assessment.
- It is identical to a Paradoxical Trait and measures the balance between two opposing traits.
Correct answer: It is a composite score calculated from the interaction and weighting of multiple individual traits.
Harrison's Behavioral Competencies are not single traits but are complex, high-level capabilities composed of numerous underlying traits. The system combines the scores of several relevant traits, weighted appropriately, to generate a score for a specific competency. For example, 'Leads People' would draw from traits like 'Wants to Lead', 'Influencing', 'Enforcing', and 'Warmth/Empathy'.
Question 5: When building a Job Success Formula (JSF), a trait is classified as 'Desirable'. What does this classification imply about the trait's role in predicting job performance?
- The trait is a critical 'must-have', and higher scores always lead to better performance.
- A high score in this trait is a significant derailer and is likely to hinder performance.
- The trait is irrelevant to job success and is only included for informational purposes.
- A low score in the trait is likely to hinder performance, but a high score does not necessarily indicate better performance than a moderate score. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: A low score in the trait is likely to hinder performance, but a high score does not necessarily indicate better performance than a moderate score.
In a JSF, 'Desirable' traits are those where a certain minimum level is needed to avoid hindering performance. However, unlike 'Essential' traits, extremely high scores on 'Desirable' traits do not necessarily correlate with higher performance compared to moderate or sufficient scores. They represent a threshold of adequacy rather than a continuous scale of excellence.
Question 6: An individual's Harrison Assessment report shows a score of 6.0 for the trait 'Systematic'. What is the correct interpretation of this specific score on the 2-10 scale?
- A neutral point, indicating the individual neither enjoys nor dislikes being systematic. (Correct answer)
- A moderately positive score, showing the individual is willing to be systematic when required.
- A low score, suggesting the individual actively avoids systematic tasks.
- An indicator of inconsistency in the questionnaire responses related to this trait.
Correct answer: A neutral point, indicating the individual neither enjoys nor dislikes being systematic.
The Harrison measurement scale ranges from 2 (strong aversion) to 10 (strong preference). A score of 6.0 is defined as the neutral midpoint, where an individual neither likes nor dislikes the trait in question. The intensity of preference or aversion increases as the score moves away from this midpoint in either direction.
Harrison Assessment Tests Traits and Competencies Questions and Answers
An employee is highly skilled in data analysis and consistently receives praise for their technical reports.
However, their Harrison Assessment reveals a very low score for the trait 'Public Speaking'.
The company is considering promoting them to a client-facing management role that requires frequent presentations.
According to Harrison's Enjoyment-Performance Theory, what is the most likely outcome?