2.3.5 Harris Self-Assessment Instruments 

Purpose 

This collection of self-assessment tools is designed to provide leaders with insights into their leadership style, capabilities, motivations, and values. The tools cover five key aspects of the leadership process: human behavior and performance, communications, cultural influences, organizational relations, and change management. The primary goal of these tools is to help leaders develop a comprehensive understanding of their strengths and areas for improvement to enhance their overall leadership effectiveness.

The target population for these assessments is managers and organizational leaders in business, government, and other sectors who are interested in self-learning. The results of the self-assessments are intended to be used by the test taker to:

Identify personal leadership strengths and areas that need improvement

Develop targeted strategies for enhancing leadership skills and effectiveness

Improve communication and interpersonal relations within an organization

Understand and adapt to cultural influences affecting leadership and team dynamics

Manage organizational change more effectively by leveraging personal strengths and addressing weaknesses

Description 

Philip Robert Harris, a management psychologist, introduced these self-assessment tools in his book Developing High-Performance Leaders. The tools are based on the seven GEO leadership dimensions—capability, care, communication, conciseness, context, contrast, and change—as well as other models.

To the best of our knowledge, these instruments have not been part of any study, so there is no data regarding their reliability and validity. Studies are needed to test these instruments.

2.3.5.1 Self-assessment inventory on effective leadership

The purpose of this questionnaire is to identify leader characteristics. The multiple-choice questions help classify leaders as one of six types: entrepreneur, cooperative, developer, artisan, integrator, and gamesman.

2.3.5.2 The high-performance management inventory

This tool evaluates management skills and offers guidance for professional growth and performance enhancement. It uses a 9-point scale from 0 (no competency) 9 (advanced competency). The assessment covers 12 domains: cultural awareness, communication, public relations, coordination, planning, implementation, financial management, materials resource management, human resource management, supervision skills, unit monitoring and scanning, and general performance evaluation.

2.3.5.3 Leadership motivation inventory

Managers can use this tool to understand the motivations of their subordinates or team. It is based on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and divided into personal motivators and job motivational factors. The thirty items are categorized into five groups that correspond to the hierarchy: P (physiological or survival), S (safety or security), B (belonging or affiliation), E (esteem or ego), and A (actualization or self-fulfillment).

Access 

The assessments are available from www.hrdpress.com. Prior to usage, permission from the authors or copyright holders may be necessary.

Reference 

Harris, P. R. (2013). Developing high performance leaders: A behavioral science guide for the knowledge of work culture. Routledge.