Book Nook
 t.h.e. ACHIEVEMENT
p.a.r.a.d.o.x.: Test Your Personality & Choose
Your Behavior for Success at Work
by Ronald A. Warren, Ph.D.
New World Library, 2002
ISBN: 1-57731-228-7
Paperback, 192 pages.
Price $14.95
Overall Rating: ***** Overnight it
At first glance you might say, “Here we go
again. This is just another book on personality
types.” You don’t have to venture very
far into this book, however, to realize that there is
something different about its approach.
The first sentence of the introduction asks,
“What is the impact of personality style on job
success and satisfaction?” Many of us feel that
the people the boss likes always get the better deal.
Well, this book supports that premise, but it also
offers hope. Chapter one lays out the important
relationships between personality and behavior, and
it clearly explains that even though we can’t
change our personality, we can control and change our
behaviors—and that can make an important
difference.
Dr. Warren then goes on to describe what he calls
the “Assessment of Character Traits (ACT)
Profile.” A form for completing this profile is
included in the book, and the profile is self scored.
The profile is divided into 11 traits whose values
are plotted on a radar chart to increase
understanding. The instructions for doing this are
easy to follow, enabling readers to complete the
assessment and chart preparation with no problems.
Directions to a Web site on which one can fill in the
profile and then have the chart automatically
generated in a printable form also are
provided.
The Web site also offers an option that allows the
reader to purchase a more in-depth analysis, if
desired. After reading the book, I felt there were
sufficient analyses and suggestions for improvement
to get me started without additional evaluations,
feedback, and/or recommendations, and I believe that
will be the case for many readers. For those who have
a serious long-term interest in continuous
improvement, checking further into the Web site may
prove a valuable option.
After the profile scores are obtained for the 11
traits, the book explains each of them in
straightforward language and allows the reader to
compare his/her chart to other well-known or typical
assessments compiled from many organizations. Thanks
to the radar charts, the comparison can be made very
quickly. Appendix B in the book contains a library of
these profiles with a very good description of what
each represents.
Dr. Warren goes further in this book by providing
a good section on action planning. Many authors
mention action planning, but readers are left to
figure out the process and to develop their personal
plans. This book, however, not only leads the reader
through action planning but also provides sample
action plans. These help the reader apply the
information by offering a comparison for gauging the
quality of self-developed plans.
Overall, I found this a very relevant book for
anyone interested in understanding the relationships
among personality, behavior, and success in work
settings. It is well thought out, easy to read, and
provides the reader with a wealth of information that
can be put to use immediately. I would highly
recommend this book as one worth reading, even if
your library already has other books on this
subject—few of them will provide such a
concise, yet practical approach to personal
improvement.
WILLIAM SCOTT is president of Pioneer Learning, an
organization that works with individuals to improve
their performance through education, training, and
developmental coaching. He has an extensive
background in quality management and has been
recognized by his peers and subordinates for his
coaching abilities. He can be reached at www.pioneerlearninggroup.com
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