The Tool: What is it?
The Harrison Assessment (HA) was founded in 1990 by Dan Harrison ‘to help companies optimize their human capital by leveraging their deep understanding of human resources and psychology’. It is an assessment tool which can be readily used in coaching. Here are some of its key features:
• Preferences – HA accounts for personal preferences in relation to working environment and tasks – this may seem obvious but is often ignored in some assessment tools. The idea is that enjoyment theory plays a major part in productivity so to ignore it is to leave out a significant factor.
• Accuracy – HA claims to be highly accurate because it has a high number of trait combinations compared with other similar instruments.
• Wider considerations – HA considers personality traits (attitudes, motivations, interpersonal skills, decision making tendencies and personality balance), task preferences, work environment preferences and interests.
• No stereotyping – HA claims to make it impossible to ‘hide behind’ an assessment or to label it, meaning users are not tempted to use their profile to justify their behaviour. The tool aims to open up possibilities for development rather than putting people into boxes thus encouraging behavioural flexibility.
• No fooling – The consistency rating and the way the questions are asked ensures honesty and any inconsistency is highlighted.
• The paradox concept – the type of flexibility in behaviour that keeps organisations and individuals successful is a combination of traits, not an either/or scenario. For example, the ability to operate at a strategic level is a combination of risk taking and analysing pitfalls. An imbalance on either side will cause either impulsiveness or over-cautiousness respectively. HA indicates the user’s normal behaviour as well as behaviour under stress conditions.
• Valuable reports – Once completed the user has access to a wide range of reports related to recruitment and personal development.
How does it work?
• Users complete an on line questionnaire which asks them to place eight statements for each question in an order of preference. This generally takes approximately 15-20 minutes. Questions are repeated in slightly different formats in order to check for consistency. Inconsistent answers are highlighted and the user can be invited to repeat the exercise before any reports are generated.
• From here the relevant reports can be generated. For example – the paradox graph. These 12 paradoxes are generated from the traits defined by the questionnaire. In each case the ‘soft’ trait is shown on the horizontal axis and the ‘strong’ trait is shown on the vertical axis. A balance of these is indicated by a blue spot in the top right hand quadrant surrounded by a blue/green sphere. Imbalances appear in any of the other quadrants. Behaviour under stress is shown by a larger splash, either red or grey, generally in the opposite quadrant from ‘normal’ behaviour.
• This particular report is excellent for personal development coaching. It allows the user to identify areas of imbalance and a skilled coach will ask for specific examples of where such behaviour has appeared as the basis for a coaching session. This report can also be accompanied by a behavioural narrative describing the likely behaviours associated with each of the 12 paradoxes.
• For more information, contact Pat Hutchinson, director and executive coach with HA UK distributors Quadrant 1 International at pat@quadrant1.com or call 0870 762 1300
2. The administrator – Using the Tool
I am very aware of the need to keep my IT based company vibrant and creative. Using HA has enabled me to ensure that I get the right people in the right jobs and to follow through with their personal development based on the assessment.
Taking the Harrison test is surprisingly quick and easy. The management interface needed a bit of effort to learn as there is so much that can be derived from the raw data in terms of reports. Standard reports are straightforward and easy to understand, but it is the accuracy of the analysis that has amazed us.
The Application: We use HA before we even interview anyone as an important “weeding out” step which saves both ours and any unsuitable candidates’ time. When someone new joins us, we use their HA at their induction to introduce the discussions about personal development goals with them. The HA reports are valuable tools in the ongoing relationship between the manager/coach and the staff member.
Having the insight that Harrison provides, early on in a coaching relationship saves time and resources.
The verdict: At Quicksilva we have always used psychometric testing and behavioural interviewing since the company started 10 years ago. The advantage of HA is that the data can be cut so many ways. Depending on the user’s level of ability, standard reports can be used or reports tailored to individual needs generated. The system is easy to use and so far we have found no difficulties with it.
Gayna Hart is the managing director of Quicksilva, a supplier of systems integration and messaging services.
3. The user – The experience
What happened next: Some areas of the report touched a nerve. For example, I had never considered myself to be evasive in communication. However, when I searched around for examples I soon found some which were not only creating the impression of indecisiveness in me but having a knock- on effect on others. For instance, I was recently asked what aspects of my current role I would like to take into my new one. Liking variety in my role I realised that my response was evasive as I was not giving a clear direction of my aspirations, consequently making it difficult for my line manager to accommodate me in his planning. I later corrected this and my manager was extremely appreciative.
I have also made adjustments to my behaviour in relation to knowing when something is fit for purpose – in the past I struggled to get to a cut off point because I always perceived there was something else to add, giving people the impression that I had difficulty completing projects. I am a lot clearer in meetings, suggesting ideas with a clear outcome and purpose as well as showing more confidence and understanding in presentations to clients.
The verdict I went from ‘not again’ to finding this particular Assessment extremely useful, easy to use and expansive as opposed to limiting in its approach. It didn’t try to categorise me, simply highlighted areas where I could achieve more leverage and balance in my behavioural flexibility.
Valerie Thwaites is project manager at the Oxfordshire Carers’ Forum
Harrison Assessments: pros and cons
• Simple to use
• Accurate
• Highlights areas of stress and poor performance
DOWNSIDE
• Requires a trained administrator
• At first the statements appear a little bizarre and disconnected
• The repetition of statements in different formats can be a little confusing but this is done to check for consistency.