Hogan

DERAILERS: A DEEPER LEVEL OF INTERPRETATION

When the pressure's on, the line between strength and weakness isn't always clear — drive becomes ruthless ambition, attention to detail becomes micromanaging. The dark side of personality derails careers and companies, but it doesn't have to.

The Hogan Development Survey (HDS) is the only personality assessment that identifies the dark side. Now we’re pleased to introduce HDS subscales, a deeper level of interpretation that gives you the strategic self-awareness you need to keep from going off the rails.

HDS SCALES

DERAILERS

The HDS measures dark side personality characteristics, or derailers, along 11 primary scales.

The higher you score along a particular scale, the more likely you are to behave a certain way when you’re stressed. The primary scales tell you what your derailers are, the new subscales tell you how those derailers will show up in your day-to-day life.

HDS BY LANGUAGE

THE DARK SIDE, WORLDWIDE

Hogan’s research archive contains millions of datasets and spans 56 countries on six continents.
Use the dropdown below to see the top 3 derailers by language.

HDS RESEARCH DEMOGRAPHICS

DIVE INTO THE DARK SIDE

Different jobs require different interpersonal skills, and attract different types of people. Please note that derailers shown here are percentile-based, averaged across all respondents from that industry or job, and are provided only for general guidance.

Select Industry or Job, and roll over icons to see the top derailers for each.

INDUSTRY

JOB

MANAGEMENT

Excitable
Reserved
Mischievous
business & financial operations

bold
colorful
dutiful
computer & mathematical sciences

cautious
reserved
diligent
architecture & engineering

cautious
reserved
dutiful
life, physical & social sciences

cautious
reserved
dutiful
community & social services

excitable
reserved
imaginative
legal

excitable
cautious
diligent
education, training & library

excitable
cautious
leisurely
arts, design, entertainment, sports & media

excitable
cautious
mischievous
healthcare practitioner & technical

excitable
cautious
dutiful
healthcare support

excitable
cautious
leisurely
protective service

leisurely
diligent
dutiful
food preparation & serving related

excitable
skeptical
imaginative
building and ground cleaning & maintenance

excitable
mischievous
colorful
personal care & service

excitable
cautious
reserved
sales & related

mischievous
colorful
diligent
office & administrative

excitable
diligent
dutiful
farming, fishing & forestry

cautious
reserved
dutiful
construction & extraction

reserved
diligent
dutiful
installation, maintenance & repair

cautious
diligent
dutiful
production

reserved
bold
diligent
transportation & material moving

reserved
diligent
dutiful

managers & executives

excitable
reserved
mischievous
professionals

cautious
diligent
dutiful
technicians & specialists

excitable
cautious
leisurely
operations & trades

reserved
diligent
dutiful
sales & customer support

mischievous
colorful
diligent
administrative & clerical

excitable
diligent
dutiful
service & support

leisurely
diligent
dutiful
job not indicated

excitable
bold
imaginative

HDS SURVEY

LEADING FROM THE DARK SIDE

Working for an off-the-rails boss can be a nightmare, but if you can spot your bosses' dark side characteristics, you can use them to your advantage. Tell us about your boss, and we’ll tell you how to deal with his or her derailers.

HIGH EXCITABLE

High scorers display dramatic emotional peaks and valleys regarding people and projects.

If Bosses are High Excitable:

TIP #1

Remember that they are easily upset.

TIP #2

Try to give them as much good news as possible.

TIP #3

No surprises.

HIGH SKEPTICAL

High scorers are negative or cynical and expect to be betrayed.

If Bosses are High Skeptical:

TIP #1

Remember they are mistrustful and suspicious.

TIP #2

Always follow up on your commitments.

TIP #3

Don’t try to cover up anything.

HIGH CAUTIOUS

High scorers are reluctant to take risks regardless of risk assessment.

If Bosses are High Cautious:

TIP #1

Remember that they fear being embarrassed by you.

TIP #2

Need to be reassured frequently.

TIP #3

Will always say no to any request, so it will be easier to get forgiveness than permission.

HIGH RESERVED

High scorers are indifferent to the feelings of others.

If Bosses are High Reserved:

TIP #1

Remember that they care about business and not staff morale.

TIP #2

Won’t communicate, so you need to do it for them.

TIP #3

Won’t give you many compliments.

HIGH LEISURELY

High scorers are passive-aggressive and agenda driven.

If Bosses are High Leisurely:

TIP #1

Remember that they resist ever being hurried.

TIP #2

Get their commitments on paper or in front of witnesses.

TIP #3

Be prepared for a lot of procrastination.

HIGH BOLD

High scorers seem assertive, self-promoting, and overly self-confident.

If Bosses are High Bold:

TIP #1

Remember that they feel the world owes them immense respect.

TIP #2

Flatter them constantly in private.

TIP #3

Be prepared for them to try to take advantage of you.

HIGH MISCHIEVOUS

High scorers are impulsive, limit-testing, and at times, devious.

If Bosses are High Mischievous:

TIP #1

Remember that for them the truth is negotiable.

TIP #2

They don’t mean it when they are being charming.

TIP #3

Don’t sign up for any of their deals.

HIGH COLORFUL

High scorers are attention-seeking, dramatic, and socially prominent.

If Bosses are High Colorful:

TIP #1

Remember that they crave the spotlight.

TIP #2

Flatter them often in public.

TIP #3

Don’t take anything they say personally.

HIGH IMAGINATIVE

High scorers may seem impractical, unpredictable, and offer unusual ideas.

If Bosses are High Imaginative:

TIP #1

Remember that they use wacky ideas to get attention.

TIP #2

Praise their ideas but don’t expect anything in return.

TIP #3

Ignore their more outrageous requests.

HIGH DILIGENT

High scorers are picky, overly conscientious, and tend to micromanage.

If Bosses are High Diligent:

TIP #1

Remember that they are control freaks.

TIP #2

Frequently ask them to demonstrate how they want things done.

TIP #3

Get them to do your work for you by asking for help.

HIGH DUTIFUL

High scorers are excessively eager to please superiors.

If Bosses are High Dutiful:

TIP #1

Remember that they only want to please their boss.

TIP #2

Be alert for being thrown under the bus.

TIP #3

Demonstrate total loyalty until you can get a new boss.

HDS AT WORK

CASE STUDIES

SELECTION DEVELOPMENT LEADERSHIP

SELECTION

Some personalities are better suited for one job than another. Organizations can use the HDS to find candidates with the right personality for the job.

Two organizations — one a global delivery company and the other a major U.S. airline that operates more than 3,600 daily flights — wanted to improve their pilot selection programs. Hogan used the HDS Excitable and Mischievous scales, in addition to the Hogan Personality Inventory, to screen out applicants who overreact to difficult situations, get tense under pressure, and take ill-advised risks without considering the consequences.

DEVELOPMENT

Identifying and developing your organization's next generation of leaders is critical for future success. Organizations can use the HDS to understand what makes a successful leader at their organization.

A large pharmaceutical company wanted to enhance its process for identifying high-potential middle managers. Hogan surveyed 105 of the organization’s leaders and determined that high performers scored significantly lower on the HDS Excitable and Dutiful scales. Middle managers who matched this profile were three times as likely to succeed in higher roles.

LEADERSHIP

Most leaders fail due to interpersonal behaviors that keep them from building and maintaining a high-performing team. Organizations can use the HDS to provide their leaders the strategic self-awareness they need to succeed.

A national investment finance company wanted to understand the characteristics that were driving derailment in its leader population. Hogan collected data from 100 leaders and revealed failed leaders had higher scores on the HDS Mischievous, Colorful, and Imaginative scales. Hogan also recommended executive coaching focused on increasing self-awareness and addressing these derailers.

SELECTION

Some personalities are better suited for one job than another. Organizations can use the HDS to find candidates with the right personality for the job.

Two organizations — one a global delivery company and the other a major U.S. airline that operates more than 3,600 daily flights — wanted to improve their pilot selection programs. Hogan used the HDS Excitable and Mischievous scales, in addition to the Hogan Personality Inventory, to screen out applicants who overreact to difficult situations, get tense under pressure, and take ill-advised risks without considering the consequences.

DEVELOPMENT

Identifying and developing your organization's next generation of leaders is critical for future success. Organizations can use the HDS to understand what makes a successful leader at their organization.

A large pharmaceutical company wanted to enhance its process for identifying high-potential middle managers. Hogan surveyed 105 of the organization’s leaders and determined that high performers scored significantly lower on the HDS Excitable and Dutiful scales. Middle managers who matched this profile were three times as likely to succeed in higher roles.

LEADERSHIP

Most leaders fail due to interpersonal behaviors that keep them from building and maintaining a high-performing team. Organizations can use the HDS to provide their leaders the strategic self-awareness they need to succeed.

A national investment finance company wanted to understand the characteristics that were driving derailment in its leader population. Hogan collected data from 100 leaders and revealed failed leaders had higher scores on the HDS Mischievous, Colorful, and Imaginative scales. Hogan also recommended executive coaching focused on increasing self-awareness and addressing these derailers.

RESOURCES