The Hogan Assessments: the gold standard for executive self-awareness

Hogan is a comprehensive suite of three personality assessments designed specifically to evaluate leadership capability and fit: the Hogan Personality Inventory (HPI), which measures day-to-day behavioral reputation ('the bright side'); the Hogan Development Survey (HDS), which predicts risks and derailers under pressure ('the dark side'); and the Motives, Values, Preferences Inventory (MVPI), which reveals a leader's core drivers and organizational alignment.

Unlike standard self-reporting tests that ask how you see yourself, Hogan is built from the ground up to predict *reputation* — how others actually experience your leadership in the workplace. It provides a highly accurate, objective forecast of executive performance and team impact.

We love Hogan because it is the most scientifically rigorous and predictive assessment tool available. It is trusted by multinational boards and CHROs because its validity is backed by decades of solid empirical research and normative data across global leadership tiers.

Particularly, the Hogan Development Survey (HDS) is unmatched in its ability to highlight a leader's 'dark side.' These are the over-used strengths or defensive reactions (like becoming overly cautious, dramatic, or micromanaging) that emerge under high stress, fatigue, or heavy cognitive load. Exposing these hidden traps before they derail a career is invaluable coaching work.

We integrate Hogan into our high-level executive coaching, succession planning, and senior team development programs. In 1:1 sessions, we guide leaders through their individual reports to build deep, objective self-awareness. We focus heavily on the delta between their inner intent and their external leadership reputation, especially regarding their HDS derailer scores.

For executive teams, we map individual Hogan profiles onto a collective 'team profile.' This exercise reveals the team's shared values, their collective blind spots, and how they are likely to react under intense organizational pressure. By naming these collective derailers, the team establishes healthy mutual feedback loops and guardrails, transforming potential friction into strategic cohesion.