Whole Life Profile - Paradox Theory

Are strong traits really strengths? Or, can they be counter productive? Most assessments recognize that strong traits can be counter productive but deal with it by simply acknowledging the person could sometimes exhibit the related counter productive trait. Only Paradox Technology determines if a strong trait is actually a true strength, or a weakness.

How Harrison Paradox Works

How Paradox Works

Every trait can be a strength or a weakness depending if the trait is balanced by another seemingly opposite (paradoxical) trait. For example, if a person is strong in both Frankness and Diplomacy, both will be genuine balancing strengths when communicating. On the other hand, if a person has only one of the paradoxical traits, there will necessarily be a related counter-productive behavior, the strength of which depends on the extent of the imbalance. For example, a person with very strong Frankness and weak Diplomacy, will have a strong tendency to be disruptively blunt which leads to unnecessary upsets, mistrust, and employee turnover. Conversely, a person with very strong Diplomacy and weak Frankness, will have a strong tendency to be evasive when communicating, causing unclarity and unresolved issues. In some cases, the person is weak in both Frankness and Diplomacy indicating they will try to avoid communication. The key is to appreciate and strengthen both sides of the paradox.

Why People Have Difficulty Changing

People who are imbalanced in a paradox tend to demonise the trait in which they are weak. For example, people who are strong in Frankness and weak in Diplomacy will see themselves as truthful and will consider Diplomacy to be untruthful. If they are challenged about being blunt, they may say "Do you want me to lie?" Or, "Do you want me to sugar coat what I am saying?". By understanding the balances related to paradox, they can begin to understand the negative consequences of their imbalance and start to develop a balanced approach to communication.

ParadoxTechnology analyses and determines a broad spectrum of potential counter-productive traits without having to ask negative questions on the questionnaire. This is vitally important since negative traits usually account for 60-75% of the factors that impact job success.

Contact us for more information or take a look at our sample reports to see how the Whole Life Profile can help your client's achieve more balance and fulfillment in their lives.

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