We hear it all the time. “I’m an INTJ” or “My Kolbe Index is 8273” or “I'm an Enneagram Type 3 Achiever.” You’ve heard it before, right? But does it really mean anything?
At a minimum, personality tests are interesting. If nothing else, they tell us about who we are. But the truth is, they mostly tell us who we think we are. And that only goes so far.
Ray Dalio, the Founder of the hedge fund Bridgewater Associates is a big fan of such personality tools. In his book “Principles: Life and Work,” he discusses his concept of Radical Transparency and how these instruments can provide valuable insights into how individuals are likely to behave and interact in various situations. And that’s true.
Knowing who you are or who you think you are is one thing. Being strategically self-aware of how you come across to others is something else. It’s the difference between Identity (who you think you are or want to be) and Reputation (who others think you are.) And that’s where The Hogan Personality Assessment is an essential element in the CEO’s toolkit (The Hogan.)
The Hogan is scientifically-backed and was designed for the workplace. It measures your reputation and is a valid predictor of performance in the workplace. That’s why top search firms such as Heidrick & Struggles and Russell Reynolds Associates actively use it when conducting CEO and other C-Suite executive searches.
The Hogan is composed of three sets of scales including the HPI, your “Bright Side ,“ the HDS, your “Dark Side”, and the MVPI, your “Core Values.” Through a combination of 28 scales and many more sub-scales these inventories paint a picture of your reputation in how you typically show up day to day, how you might behave under stress and what gets you out of bed in the morning.
The HDS or “Dark Side” scales are of particular interest to CEOs because they portray how you might react when under pressure. Typically known as “Derailers”, high scores on these 11 subscales predict when a CEO’s reputation might be at risk. The savvy CEO who is aware of these scores can be strategically self-aware and make different choices than they otherwise might if they weren’t paying attention. This could prevent them from overreacting to unexpected news, communicating ineffectively, or losing the confidence of others.
For the CEO, knowing your personality type isn’t enough. It’s like knowing you’re drunk and driving anyway. Rather, mentally fit CEOs modify their actions and choices based on knowing their personality traits and reputation.
If you’d like to know more about how the Hogan Assessments can elevate your CEO Mental Fitness and improve the performance of your leadership team, send a quick email to liam@chrismer.com and I’ll fill you in.
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