The Hogan Development Survey (HDS) is a widely used personality assessment that evaluates potential derailers in leadership and workplace behavior. This assessment helps organizations identify characteristics that might hinder professional success, particularly under stress or pressure. Understanding the Hogan HDS, its scales, and how to prepare for the assessment can significantly improve your performance and career prospects.

What is the Hogan Assessment?

The Hogan Assessment is a suite of psychometric tests developed by Hogan Assessments Systems to measure personality traits, workplace behaviors, and leadership potential. These tests are often used by employers for hiring, leadership development, and talent management.

There are three main Hogan Assessments:

1. Hogan Personality Inventory (HPI) – Measures bright-side traits (day-to-day strengths).
2. Hogan Development Survey (HDS) – Measures dark-side traits (potential derailers).
3. Motives, Values, Preferences Inventory (MVPI) – Assesses personal values and motivators.

What is the HDS in the Hogan Assessment?

The Hogan Development Survey (HDS) identifies personality traits that could derail career success if not properly managed. While these traits may be strengths in normal conditions, they can turn into weaknesses under stress, pressure, or fatigue.

The HDS is unique because it focuses on how people behave when they are not actively managing their image. Organizations use this test to identify potential risks for leadership roles and ensure employees can handle workplace challenges effectively.

Hogan HDS Scales & Scores

The HDS assesses 11 personality derailers, divided into three broad categories:

1. Moving Away (Avoiding People & Relationships)

• Excitable – Emotional, moody, easily frustrated.
• Skeptical – Distrusting, cynical, defensive.
• Cautious – Risk-averse, afraid of failure.
• Reserved – Aloof, indifferent, lacking social connection.
• Leisurely – Passive-aggressive, resistant to authority.

2. Moving Against (Manipulative & Controlling)

• Bold – Arrogant, overconfident, entitled.
• Mischievous – Impulsive, manipulative, risk-taking.
• Colorful – Dramatic, attention-seeking, self-promoting.
• Imaginative – Eccentric, unconventional, unpredictable.

3. Moving Toward (Seeking Approval & Avoiding Conflict)

• Diligent – Perfectionistic, micromanaging, overly critical.
• Dutiful – Overly eager to please, indecisive, reliant on authority figures.

Scoring in the Hogan HDS

The Hogan HDS provides a percentile score for each trait, comparing you to a reference population.

• Low scores (0-30%) – These traits are not a concern.
• Moderate scores (30-70%) – Some risk exists, but these traits are manageable.
• High scores (70-100%) – These traits may become derailers in stressful situations.

For example:

• A low Bold score suggests humility, while a high Bold score may indicate overconfidence or arrogance.
• A moderate Diligent score suggests attention to detail, but a high Diligent score might indicate perfectionism that slows productivity.

Understanding your scores can help you develop self-awareness and strategies to manage potential derailers in your career.

Hogan Development Survey Sample Questions

The HDS questions are designed to reveal personality risks by assessing behavioral tendencies. The test consists of true/false or Likert-scale (1-5) questions. Below are some sample questions:

Excitable (Emotional Instability)

• I often get overly excited about new projects but lose interest quickly. (True/False)
• When things don’t go my way, I can become easily frustrated. (1-5 Scale)

Skeptical (Distrust)

• I often question the motives of people around me. (True/False)
• I have difficulty trusting authority figures. (1-5 Scale)

Cautious (Risk Avoidance)

• I tend to avoid making decisions because I fear making mistakes. (True/False)
• I am overly concerned about being criticized. (1-5 Scale)

Bold (Overconfidence)

• I believe I am more capable than most people I work with. (True/False)
• People should recognize my talents more than they do. (1-5 Scale)

Diligent (Perfectionism)

• I expect my work to be flawless, and I struggle to delegate tasks. (True/False)
• I often find myself correcting the work of others because they don’t meet my standards. (1-5 Scale)

These questions help identify behavioral risks that might lead to leadership challenges or workplace conflicts.

How to Prepare for the Hogan Development Survey?

While there are no “right” or “wrong” answers, you can prepare by understanding your behavioral tendencies and considering how they may impact workplace performance.

Tips for Success:

✅ Understand the Traits – Review the HDS scales and assess where you might score high or low.
✅ Be Honest – The test is designed to detect inconsistencies, so avoid overthinking your responses.
✅ Self-Reflection – Consider past experiences where these traits have helped or hindered you.
✅ Balance Your Responses – Extreme answers may indicate a lack of self-awareness or inconsistency.
✅ Practice with Sample Tests – Taking practice tests can help you familiarize yourself with question patterns.