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Self-awareness shapes how leaders make decisions, how they influence others, and how they are perceived across the organisation. And, for senior levels, self knowledge is not a mere “nice to have”, it’s a peak performance lever. That’s why, as an executive in a big organisation, you’re probably very familiar with psychometric testing, having been assessed multiple times; during interviews, at assessment centres and leadership development programmes. And, you may even be thinking, oh no, not another psychometric!

But, while psychometric tools can often highlight personality tendencies, identify strengths, or create a shared language for behaviour, they may not go deep enough at C-suite level. Tending to operate at a relatively high level, they often fail to reach the depth required to fully understand how behaviour plays out in practice. Importantly, they don’t always translate useful insight into clear, actionable personal development steps. This is where a more nuanced approach becomes critical, as small adjustments can significantly increase your organisational impact as a leader and help you define a high-performance culture.

From Insight to Behaviour in Practice

To turn insight into behaviour change, we use a psychometric assessment called Harrison, together with highly-focused coaching, to understand and interpret the results pragmatically and influence leadership behaviour in practice. Designed to connect behavioural insight more directly to effectiveness and development, this approach looks at how different traits combine to influence actual leadership behaviour.

A central feature of the Harrison Assessment is Paradox Theory. Instead of treating traits as a simple continuum, the Assessment measures complementary traits independently and examines how they work together. Effectiveness comes from balance. For example, communication often requires a balance between frankness and diplomacy, while leadership may require balancing empathy with the ability to enforce standards. When traits are unbalanced, strengths can become limiting; when balanced, behaviour tends to be more effective across a wider range of situations.

This focus on behavioural balance is practically useful because many leadership challenges are not about acquiring new skills, but about adjusting how existing strengths are applied in different contexts.

Depth Drives Real Self-Awareness

Harrison measures 175 behavioural traits, creating a far more nuanced and accurate picture of how an individual actually operates. This shifts self-awareness beyond broad categories into something far more practical; a clear understanding of how behaviour shows up day-to-day and how to develop paradoxical traits.

Linking Self-Awareness to Performance

Another important distinction is the connection to real-world performance. Harrison  enables organisations to define Job Success Formulas, identifying the behavioural  patterns required for success in a specific role. Leaders can then be assessed  directly against these requirements. This ensures that self-awareness is not  theoretical and abstract. It is grounded in what success actually looks like.

“This (self-awareness) mindset is a valuable tool for strategic thinking in my  leadership role. Utilising resources like the Harrison Report, I gained a deeper  understanding of my own strengths and weaknesses, allowing me to be more  confident in making more informed decisions and navigate challenges effectively. By  addressing emotional influences and biases, we were able to approach strategic  planning with greater clarity and foresight.” Head of IT 

A Practical Next Step to Peak Performance

For leaders who want to go beyond surface-level insight, we recommend a Harrison trial assessment, followed by a 30-minute executive debrief and coaching session.

We provide a clear, practical view of how you operate, where your strengths are most effective, and where small adjustments can significantly increase your impact.

If you are serious about developing self-awareness to directly improve performance and impact culture, this is a powerful place to start.

Get in touch and let’s build your self-awareness to make you an even better leader.