Here at Hogan we have a lot of conversations about pretty complicated stuff, and odds are, if you are reading this, you have at some point been on the other end of one of those conversations. It is always our goal to simplify concepts into language that is more readily understood. It’s not that we are more intelligent than those with whom we speak, but we live and breathe personality assessment and the vast majority of people (read: normal people) don’t. One concept that seems frequently misunderstood is identity vs. reputation. Identity is how we view ourselves, reputation is how others view us.

The easiest way to explain this concept is in terms of American Idol. Even if you don’t typically watch the show, you have probably seen at least one audition from someone who either blew the judges away with their talent, or their horrendous lack thereof. Let’s focus on the latter: the people we’ve watched get crushed by the judges’ words. What’s fascinating is that at some point those poor souls decided that they possessed the vocal vigor to become a star. According to their identity, they could actually do something great. Their reputation is what the judges perceived, and as we’ve all seen, there is often a significant disparity between the two.

Why is this so important? If the contest were to be based on performers’ own perceptions of their talent, the show would need to be called “American Idols,” as everyone would be a star. The truth is that performers’ assessment of their own talent is largely irrelevant – success depends on how others rate their ability to sing and perform. The same can be said for the vast majority of our daily activities and interactions, particularly in occupational settings. Business success depends on results, not sense of self. Challenges to getting along and getting ahead emerge when we fail to realize that our internal story is trivial to others; it is the external perception of our behavior that truly matters. As harsh as it sounds, unless you are on a first date or sitting around a table of drinks with friends, the story that makes you you just doesn’t matter.

Now, I can see your wheels turning and hear the words formulating in your head: “But wait a minute…I have seen a Hogan assessment and it asks people to answer questions about themselves. If reputation is more important, then why do you ask someone about their identity?” It’s an excellent question and the answer is much more straight forward than the means through which it was accomplished. The Drs. Hogan found that, although relatively irrelevant, identity is a very reliable means of predicting reputation. The assessments do ask identity based questions, however, the results report how others generally perceive people who answer the questions in that way. To make that simple, we are not going to tell you about yourself, as you know a lot more about you than anyone else. We will, however, tell you how others are likely to describe you based on how you describe yourself. Furthermore, we will help to provide you with the wisdom to become an American Idol, or perhaps to know when you should walk away from the stage.

Warning: self-disclosure ahead.

I should start by making you aware of a couple of things: like all other people, I have a few derailers. Ok, I have a lot of them. Perhaps the most plaguing is a very close friend of mine, known as Excitable. People are often surprised by this, as in professional and social settings I am pretty adept at keeping it under wraps. At home, however, I am a hybrid of a powder keg and a wrecking ball. My low-moderate Adjustment score means that the fuse to my Excitable moments is short to non-existent, and also leaves me with massive post-explosion guilt. Furthermore, I am off the charts on Inquisitive and Learning Approach, so I am constantly trying to understand the reasons that drive my behaviors. So I explode, feel terrible about it, introspect and try to understand why, ultimately become frustrated about the why, and explode again…wash, rinse, repeat. It truly is a vicious cycle.

After 33 years of running through the cycle above, I have come to some conclusions as to why I have to wear a scarlet “E” around my neck: it is only natural and is all about energy and balance. A bomb explodes because its internal components rapidly and efficiently convert potential energy into kinetic energy in the form of heat. As they heat, they expand, and as they expand internal pressure builds. The pressure’s only relief comes via rapid dispersion into the surrounding stable atmosphere, which we see as an explosion. The aforementioned happens very quickly and, generally speaking, once the reaction has started it cannot be stopped. The same goes for me (and I assume for other Excitables as well). This is why telling an excitable individual to count to ten is a terrible idea – there is no stopping the reaction and stalling it only builds more pressure and leads to a more violent explosion. Best course of action: Take cover and let it pass over.

Clearly, I am Excitable because I am made up of atoms that convert and release energy more efficiently than those that comprise my calmer counterparts. It is obviously a positive attribute because I don’t harbor stress; it exits me with the force of a 10 megaton bomb, but once it is gone, it is gone. As quickly as it built and blew up, the reaction is over and all is peaceful.

So to my fellow Excitables: Unite! Consider this not your cross to bear, but your red badge of courage. Embrace your gifted ability to expunge the tensions that cause hair loss and heart conditions.  Encourage stress bearers to take charge of their lives and health by throwing things and speaking in strings of expletives yet unknown. And by all means, always keep in mind that those to whom you have to apologize are simply envious of the incredible efficiency of your molecular makeup.

Mischievous? Me?!? No. Never.

For more on Hogan Development Survey scales, visit www.howdoyouderail.com.

I have been with Hogan now for just under 12 years. It’s been an incredible experience and I’m privileged to work alongside unbelievable intelligence and talent, but I have to be honest about something: in non-professional situations I dread the question, “So what is it that you do, Jesse?” I envy my wife, who when faced with the same question can simply say “I am a teacher,” or a friend who answers, “I’m an engineer.” You see, my response is something like, “I work for Hogan Assessment Systems. We publish personality assessments.” And so it begins….

There are several ways the conversation can go, but it usually consists of a joke in which the person asks what I see in his or her personality, and then a seemingly infinite stream of “Oh. So what does that mean?” It’s very similar to a conversation with a two-year-old, in which every answer is countered with “why?”  I am by no means comparing the inquisitive individual to a toddler; more stating that what we do at Hogan seems really tough to explain. But is it really? Does it have to be?

I’d like to think the answer is no. What we do is simple in its complexity and complex in its simplicity. Let me start with an example. Picture a successful long-haul truck driver. Now picture another individual, only this one is a commission-based sales representative. Take these two successful employees and swap them. Generally speaking, it doesn’t work. But why? The answer is personality; the personality characteristics that make one successful in the cab of an 18-wheeler are drastically different than those that make one successful in a sales role.

Everyone has their own definition of personality. For the most part, we all know what it means, but putting that definition into words can be challenging. Most everyone would describe the above individuals similarly, however the language used to depict them would vary drastically. Furthermore, subjectively applying those various languages to a specific job is inaccurate, ineffective, and could even result in legal trouble.

Enter Hogan. The Drs. Hogan obviously didn’t invent personality, but they did develop a very reliable taxonomy of its constituent parts. The structure and language they built provides the consistency required to accurately measure it, and the methods they developed made those measurements applicable to occupational performance. The science behind all of this is inherently very complex, but in general terms, we help organizations ensure that the right people are selling and the right people are driving. We can even provide a solid foundation for coaching designed to improve the performance of those already driving, selling, or virtually anything else…but that’s a whole different dinner party.

That’s honestly about as short and sweet of an answer I can provide to the initial question, so you might now understand why I dread it. To know what we do requires some understanding of Hogan, which from a marketing perspective is brilliant. To the fella opposite me at a happy hour, however, it may prompt a new set of questions in his bag of pleasantries.

It’s that time again. The leaves are turning, the clocks need changing, and the air carries that crispness that can be associated with only one thing: a mustache. Dustin Hunter, blogged last year publicly announcing Hogan’s involvement in Movember. Participation in Movember is simple - register and grow a badge of honor on your upper lip to raise awareness and funds for prostate cancer research.               

At Hogan, we know a lot about leadership. Our passion is to understand its many dynamic facets and to scientifically identify an individual’s propensity to be successful. To honor this passion and our commitment to the study of leadership, I thought it only fitting to take a quick glance at some of the great mustaches in leadership history.

Theodore Roosevelt A decorated war hero, acclaimed big game hunter, and renowned president, Teddy exhibited leadership strengths that earned a chiseled spot in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Would his Rough Riders have followed his charge or bears fallen to his knife had his upper lip been shorn? I think not.

Don Mattingly He did serve as captain of the New York Yankees for four seasons and was awarded countless accolades for his sporting achievements. Mattingly was well known for a successful leadership style based around humility, simplicity, and excellence. In addition to the now retired number 23 on his jersey, Mattingly also proudly displayed a thick Box Car style mustache.

Genghis Kahn Opinions of Mr. Kahn vary, but no one can deny his leadership skill and tactical expertise. His leadership put Mongolia on the map and established some of the greatest horse cultures in human history. Would his confederation of tribes have united to form a force worthy of China’s Great Wall had he lacked his fuzzy stamp of machismo? Highly unlikely.

Abraham Lincoln This man was so influential he not only led this country through some of its darkest times, he also revolutionized the mustache by sporting the skin stache (full beard sans lip hair). Known for his honesty, eloquence, and untimely death, Lincoln and his reverse mustache have been immortalized in marble, alongside his mustachioed brethren in South Dakota, and on our national currency.

Mahatma Ghandi The guy sported a stache when he coined the phrase “be the change you wish to see in the world.” Enough said.

Albert Einstein Without that upper lip fur the “C” might not have ever been squared. Although Einstein might not have been a true people leader, no one can doubt his leadership in visionary thought. Besides, leadership is all relative.

The list could go on to include the likes of Martin Luther King, Jr., Wyatt Earp, Reggie Jackson, Mike Ditka, and countless others. It isn’t proper, however, to laud the positive accomplishments of those above without considering the darker role mustaches have played in leadership history.

Perhaps the most infamous derailed mustache was that worn by Adolf Hitler. The actions taken by Hitler do not merit a recap, but if leadership is defined as an ability to unite people toward a common goal (good or evil) then he must be acknowledged. Runners up include Atilla the Hun, Joseph Stalin, and Saddam Hussein.

Personality is, of course, a much more accurate (and legally defensible) way to assess an individual’s leadership style and potential than is their choice of facial hair. I’ve poked around our research archive and haven’t yet discovered any solid correlations between handlebar mustaches and high performing leaders, so we’ll stick to what we know and do best.

Evidence shows that at least 50% of individuals in leadership have, will, or are failing. The vast majority of suggested solutions revolve around high potential identification, leadership development programs and the like. The purpose of such initiatives is to identify the individuals who should be leaders, but given the statistic above, one has to wonder about their effectiveness.  

The methods above could use a little tweaking. Instead of focusing primarily on who should lead, organizations should place equal impetus on who should follow. An individual not being cut out for or even having the desire to lead is not in and of itself a bad thing. Lest we forget, leaders have to have individuals to lead, and it is those who are led that drive the success or failure of their leader. The term “followers” typically incites a negative response in our minds, however, workers, soldiers, and players are the backbone of any successful grouping of people: an army of only generals is no army at all. For a more recent analogy, imagine the NBA playoffs consisting only of head coaches Erik Spoelstra and Scott Brooks without their respective Heat and Thunder. It simply doesn’t work.

That said, a look through the annals of promotion would quickly reveal that most individuals end up in managerial or upper level leadership positions based on strong performance. This promoting strategy relies on a mindset we have all adopted, and for good reason as it makes logical sense: promote those who do well. Almost inevitably, one of those promotions will eventually place an individual in a position to manage people, and it is at that point logic often begins to breakdown.

Traditional logic fails because good leadership is comprised of much more than just strong performance. By taking a black and white approach and promoting leaders solely based on performance, organizations can potentially shoot themselves in the foot – actually in both feet as the repercussions can emerge on two fronts. Let’s continue with the NBA analogy above: there can be little argument that LeBron James is a phenomenal basketball player. In an organizational culture his performance ratings would be off the charts, and thus, by traditional thinking, LeBron should be promoted. So let’s hypothetically pull LeBron from the hardwood and move him into a more senior position, say head coach. Makes sense, right? Of course it doesn’t. What’s left is a team with big shoes to fill (pun intended) in a small forward, and an individual who has been pulled from an area of strength into an area in which he may or may not excel. Does LeBron have what it takes to be the coach? Does he even want to be the coach?

The example above commonly plays out in the arena of sales. Success in a sales role depends upon significantly different KSAOs (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and Other Characteristics) than a sales manager, sales director, etc. So before a high performing sales person is moved into a position of leadership, an organization should ask itself whether they want the individual to sell or to lead. The two are not mutually exclusive and it is entirely possible that the individual can successfully do both. It isn’t necessarily logical, however, to expect leadership success based solely on strong sales numbers.

As past behavior is a solid predictor of future behavior, performance metrics should be a critical component in identifying who should lead and who should follow. They should be combined, however, with a few additional variables: values and potential.

Values - Does the individual even desire to lead? Do they want the promotion, or are they content in their current status as a high-performing employee?  Will it fuel their passion or will it extinguish their pilot light?

Potential - Does the individual possess the intrinsic characteristics to successfully lead? Do they truly have what it takes?

To summarize, sometimes a soldier should remain a soldier; a small forward a small forward. Some individuals want to lead, some don’t. Some have what it takes, some don’t. Neither side of the coin is right or wrong, as organizations require both leaders and followers, but we cannot expect to figure out who is who by judging performance alone.

I recently celebrated my 31st birthday, which, in today’s world, qualifies me to begin sentences with the phrase “back in my day.” I admit this begrudgingly; back in my day, it seemed that statement was reserved for an individual well out of his or her 30s. Still, from time to time, I do find myself sounding a bit curmudgeonly. No, I never claim to walk uphill both ways, barefoot in the snow to school, but I do sometimes struggle to grasp the rate at which technology has changed life since I was in school.

Over the past decade, technology exploded, and although the changes affected countless areas of our lives, they all had the same common thread: the sharing of information. We are a society saturated with data; individuals are in constant connection with one another, and details on virtually any topic can be obtained in a matter of seconds.

Why does that have to do with business? These connections have evolved from innocuous social interaction to business-relevant posting capable of promoting or destroying an organization’s reputation in a matter of minutes. The trend is the wave of the future. In the informed, well-connected prosumer, it has created what can either be a strong ally or an unstoppable adversary. Fortunately, as technology increases, so does its usability. Gone are the days when “I don’t know how” was a viable excuse; the response now will be “well, you’d better Google it.”

There are some steps we old folks can take to keep current, and they are steps that will build a foundation on which your organization can effectively evolve:

1. Blog – Hey, I’m doing it, how bad can it be? Blogging about your company lets the world know that you are there, that you are thinking, and that you are a human being.
2. Use social networking sites – And not just those aimed at the professional population. Facebook may still be banned by your IT department, but it is likely the best medium on the planet through which to reach young adults. Set up a page for your organization and regularly post relevant material and links to new product information.
3. E-mail – You’re probably thinking “E-mail? I do use e-mail.” I’m sure you do, but probably not to the capacity at which younger professionals wish you would. The technology boom resulted in youth with little desire to physically interact with anyone else. Even at 31, my first reaction to most events is to try to get someone on the phone; I would just rather talk to them. That is not a sentiment shared by those a bit younger than me; more often than not, I receive an e-mail in lieu of a call back when I have left someone a voicemail.
4. Update your website weekly, if not daily.

Heraclitus coined that “change is the only constant,” and while this has proven true, there has perhaps never been a period marked by such rapid change as the present. As humans we must now continually adapt, as what is new today will not just be old tomorrow, it will be archaic. Stay current my friends.

 

For as long as I can remember, I have had a strong affinity for canines. In fact, I haven’t ever been without at least one, and don’t ever imagine a time in my life when I will. In keeping with that trend I recently became the proud adopted father to two dogs - Weimaraners. You have probably heard about how utterly insane this particular breed of canine can be. You may have even experienced it firsthand; either way their reputation precedes them. I tend to sway from popular opinion and think that people often err on the side of exaggeration, so I went with the mentality of “how bad can it really be?” and took the leap. The diplomatic way to summate the result of that leap is to say that I have learned a lot in these past months. I have learned a lot about patience, when to laugh, when to scream, when to cry, and also just how quickly my hair can morph into the color of the very beasts causing the change. Oddly enough, however, I have also been able to draw some conclusions about an unexpected topic: leadership.

As mentioned above there are two of them: a boy and a girl. Note that I did not say a male and a female. The terms boy and girl imply some degree of adolescence or immaturity, and although these dogs are well into adulthood, I think boy and girl more aptly describe them. In an effort to protect their anonymity I will henceforth refer to them as Bonnie and Clyde, but their real names are Shiner and Luna. To be fair, I am not sure I have ever met two creatures with better intentions than Bonnie and Clyde. They are incredibly sweet and good-natured; it’s just that they have some wires loose. Or maybe even all of their wires loose. And maybe not just loose, but severed and hanging.

So what do these two schizophrenic, hyperactive, sociopathic creatures have to do with leadership? To begin with, I am in a position to lead these two beasts. I have had to step in as a secondary authority figure and become the alpha male (or so I have to tell myself) of the pack. If you were to ask Clyde, he would probably tell you something different, but he can neither write nor speak English, so I win. To date Clyde and I hold many long standing battles, one of which is the trash. The dog loves, moreover needs, to get into the trash. He has figured out how to use the foot release (I think his cunning wire is the only one still connected) to open the lid and stick his head in, and if he still can’t get what he is after, he will just knock the whole can over and enjoy. I have yet to learn how to teach the animal not to exhibit this behavior, so as a leader in this situation I feel like I have effectively failed.

I have analyzed the aforementioned failure for months and tried in vain to formulate different ways to work with Clyde, but I had a moment this past weekend that could only be described as an epiphany. It was Saturday afternoon and he had rummaged the kitchen trash. In lieu of the normal scolding, Clyde and I had a moment of unspoken conversation marked by about 30 seconds of locked eyes and puzzled facial expression. It went something like this:

Me: “Clyde, why do you keep knocking over the trash? You know you I am just going to put it back in the can and you are going to get in trouble. Why do you do this?”
Clyde: “Why do you keep standing the can back up, picking up the trash, and scolding me? You know I am just going to knock it right back over when you turn around.”

That dialogue, while it may seem trivial, changed my frame of mind. Occupationally, I am surrounded daily by conversations about leadership. What is good leadership? What makes it? What traits coincide with it? What often arises is that leadership starts with values. In order to effectively lead individuals, a person must find a way to align his or her values with those being led. Such an alignment helps to form a bond that motivates people to work toward and achieve a common goal. Historically, those individuals who have led successfully, frequently did so by using their skills to make others believe what they believed. With certain exceptions, of course, those who have attempted to lead through intimidation failed, and failed rather quickly. An iron fist certainly has its place, but it can rapidly cause a breakdown in cohesion that will lead to resentment, or even mutiny. We have all been surrounded by people in leadership positions all of our lives (note that I didn’t say leaders). Thinking back, which of those individuals stick out in your mind? To me it isn’t the screaming football coach, tyrannical geometry teacher, or angry manager. It is those individuals who led me in such a way that I didn’t even realize I was being led; those individuals who held a strong passion for something and found a way to make that passion contagious. Exposure to that type of leadership is more than motivating, it is inspiring, and long-lasting.

What struck me this past Saturday afternoon was that Clyde and I are suffering from a terrible misalignment of values. It is not that he acts this way because he likes to anger me (at least so I think), in fact I know he doesn’t like to get in trouble. It is just that one of his core values is food. And it is not that I like to become angry and scold him, it’s just that I value cleanliness and order. The result of this misalignment is a pretty big problem, as Clyde is a dog, and a German dog at that. I don’t speak dogese or German, so this is going to be a constant struggle. I could try to adapt to his way of thinking, but that would just leave me overweight with a messy kitchen. To make a long story short, Clyde is going to win this battle and I just need to resign to cleaning up trash for the rest of his days. Leading people is different, however, as we can understand spoken language and have a stronger ability to reason. People enjoy leadership through inspiration, and a sure fire way to inspire is to tap into an individual’s values and drivers…and the first step in tapping into them is to identify them.