Hogan Development Survey: HDS Derailers, Format & Preparation Tips
The Hogan assessment practice Development Survey, also known as the HDS, is a workplace personality assessment used to identify behaviors that may become risks under pressure.
It is one of the main Hogan assessment practice assessments and is often used in leadership selection, executive assessment, coaching, talent development, and succession planning.
The HDS focuses on what Hogan assessment practice assessment practice often calls the dark side of personality. This does not mean clinical pathology or personal failure. In workplace assessment, dark-side traits are behavioral tendencies that may appear when someone is stressed, tired, under pressure, overconfident, or not actively managing their reputation.
For example, a leader who is normally confident may become arrogant under pressure. A careful employee may become overly cautious. A detail-oriented manager may become perfectionistic. A sociable executive may become dramatic or attention-seeking.
The HDS helps employers and coaches identify these potential derailers before they damage performance, relationships, or leadership effectiveness.
What Is the Hogan Development Survey?
The Hogan assessment practice assessment practice Development Survey is a personality assessment that measures potential workplace derailers.
A derailer is a behavior pattern that may interfere with success when it becomes too strong, appears under stress, or is not managed effectively.
The HDS is different from the Hogan assessment practice Personality Inventory (HPI).
The HPI focuses on normal, day-to-day workplace personality. It describes how people usually behave when they are at their best.
The HDS focuses on risk behavior. It describes how people may behave when they are under pressure or when their strengths become overused.
For example:
- Confidence can become arrogance.
- Caution can become fear of making decisions.
- Creativity can become impractical thinking.
- Discipline can become perfectionism.
- Loyalty can become excessive dependence on authority.
- Assertiveness can become intimidation.
The purpose of the HDS is not to label candidates as “bad.” It is to identify behavioral risks that may affect performance, leadership, teamwork, and reputation.
What Does the Hogan Development Survey Measure?
The HDS measures 11 dark-side personality scales, also called derailers.
These scales are:
- Excitable
- Skeptical
- Cautious
- Reserved
- Leisurely
- Bold
- Mischievous
- Colorful
- Imaginative
- Diligent
- Dutiful
Hogan also describes the HDS as using 33 subscales, which provide a more detailed interpretation of the 11 main derailers.
Each scale reflects a potential risk pattern. These patterns are not necessarily visible all the time. They may become more noticeable during stress, uncertainty, conflict, fatigue, rapid growth, leadership pressure, or organizational change.
Why Employers Use the HDS
Employers use the Hogan Development Survey because interviews often show candidates at their best.
A candidate may appear confident, polished, collaborative, and motivated during the hiring process. But employers also want to understand what might happen when the person is frustrated, challenged, criticized, promoted, or placed under pressure.
The HDS can help employers evaluate:
- Leadership risk
- Stress behavior
- Interpersonal risk
- Decision-making risk
- Team impact
- Reputation management
- Derailment potential
- Coaching needs
- Development priorities
- Promotion readiness
- Executive effectiveness
This is especially important for leadership roles, because leaders have a larger impact on team morale, decision quality, culture, and organizational performance.
Hogan Development Survey Format
The Hogan Development Survey is usually completed online.
The exact format can vary depending on the employer and platform, but HDS-style assessments typically use short personality statements. You may be asked to indicate whether a statement describes you.
You may see statements similar to:
- I sometimes become frustrated when people disappoint me.
- I prefer to avoid decisions that could go wrong.
- I find it hard to trust people until they prove themselves.
- I like being recognized for my achievements.
- I enjoy taking risks.
- I can become impatient when people do not meet my standards.
- I prefer to work independently rather than depend on others.
These are practice-style examples, not official Hogan questions.
The response format may include:
- True / false
- Agree / disagree
- Rating-scale responses
- Statement-based personality items
The HDS is not usually a reasoning test. It is a personality assessment. Unlike cognitive tests, most HDS questions do not have a single correct answer.
How Long Does the Hogan Development Survey Take?
The Hogan Development Survey typically takes around 15 to 20 minutes to complete.
JobTestPrep describes the HDS as having around 170 questions, not timed, and usually completed online. Hogan’s official HDS page also gives a 15- to 20-minute completion time. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
Even though the HDS is not usually a speed test, you should complete it in a focused session.
Do not rush. Do not overthink every item. Answer steadily based on your typical professional behavior and stress tendencies.
Is the Hogan Development Survey Timed?
The HDS is generally not a strict timed test.
However, you should still take it seriously. Choose a quiet environment, read the instructions carefully, and complete the assessment without interruptions.
If the employer gives you a deadline, make sure you complete the test before that deadline.
The 11 Hogan Development Survey Scales
The HDS is built around 11 derailers. These are sometimes grouped into broader patterns of moving away from people, moving against people, or moving toward people.
The 11 scales are central to understanding the assessment.
Excitable
The Excitable scale relates to emotional volatility, frustration, mood changes, and difficulty maintaining composure when disappointed.
A high Excitable profile may suggest that a person can be energetic and passionate, but may also become irritated, discouraged, or emotionally reactive when things go wrong.
In leadership, this can create risk if team members feel they have to manage the leader’s mood.
Possible strengths:
- Passion
- Energy
- Emotional intensity
- Strong reactions to problems
- Desire for improvement
Possible risks:
- Impatience
- Frustration
- Moodiness
- Overreacting to setbacks
- Difficulty maintaining calm under pressure
Skeptical
The Skeptical scale relates to mistrust, suspicion, sensitivity to criticism, and a tendency to question others’ motives.
A high Skeptical profile may suggest strong awareness of risk and political dynamics. However, it may also suggest defensiveness, cynicism, or difficulty trusting colleagues.
Possible strengths:
- Alertness to hidden risks
- Political awareness
- Critical thinking
- Ability to detect weak arguments
- Protection against naivety
Possible risks:
- Mistrust
- Defensiveness
- Blaming others
- Resistance to feedback
- Interpersonal tension
Cautious
The Cautious scale relates to fear of failure, reluctance to take risks, and difficulty making decisions when outcomes are uncertain.
A high Cautious profile may suggest careful judgment and risk awareness. However, it may also suggest hesitation, indecision, and missed opportunities.
Possible strengths:
- Careful decision-making
- Risk awareness
- Avoidance of careless mistakes
- Sensitivity to consequences
- Respect for due process
Possible risks:
- Over-caution
- Decision avoidance
- Fear of criticism
- Slow action
- Resistance to innovation
Reserved
The Reserved scale relates to emotional distance, detachment, and limited communication.
A high Reserved profile may suggest independence and calmness. However, it may also make a person seem cold, inaccessible, or uninterested in others.
Possible strengths:
- Independence
- Objectivity
- Calmness
- Ability to work alone
- Low need for social approval
Possible risks:
- Poor communication
- Emotional distance
- Limited relationship-building
- Low visibility
- Difficulty engaging teams
Leisurely
The Leisurely scale relates to passive resistance, hidden resentment, and appearing cooperative while privately resisting demands.
A high Leisurely profile may suggest a person values autonomy and dislikes being controlled. However, it may also suggest procrastination, indirect resistance, or frustration with authority.
Possible strengths:
- Independence
- Calm outward appearance
- Resistance to unnecessary pressure
- Desire for autonomy
- Ability to avoid open conflict
Possible risks:
- Passive resistance
- Delayed follow-through
- Hidden frustration
- Missed deadlines
- Difficulty accepting direction
Bold
The Bold scale relates to confidence, entitlement, self-belief, and risk of arrogance.
A high Bold profile may suggest charisma, courage, and leadership presence. However, it may also suggest overconfidence, difficulty admitting mistakes, or lack of humility.
Possible strengths:
- Confidence
- Courage
- Leadership presence
- Willingness to take charge
- Comfort with visibility
Possible risks:
- Arrogance
- Entitlement
- Poor listening
- Overconfidence
- Resistance to feedback
Mischievous
The Mischievous scale relates to risk-taking, charm, excitement seeking, and willingness to test limits.
A high Mischievous profile may suggest confidence, creativity, and comfort with ambiguity. However, it may also suggest impulsiveness, rule-bending, or poor risk control.
Possible strengths:
- Charm
- Risk tolerance
- Quick thinking
- Comfort with uncertainty
- Entrepreneurial energy
Possible risks:
- Impulsiveness
- Rule-breaking
- Poor follow-through
- Unnecessary risk-taking
- Ignoring consequences
Colorful
The Colorful scale relates to attention-seeking, expressiveness, social confidence, and desire to be noticed.
A high Colorful profile may suggest charisma and communication energy. However, it may also suggest distractibility, self-promotion, or taking too much attention in group settings.
Possible strengths:
- Charisma
- Energy
- Presentation ability
- Social confidence
- Ability to engage others
Possible risks:
- Attention-seeking
- Over-dramatizing
- Poor listening
- Distractibility
- Self-promotion
Imaginative
The Imaginative scale relates to creativity, unconventional thinking, and unusual ideas.
A high Imaginative profile may suggest originality and strategic creativity. However, it may also suggest impracticality, overcomplication, or difficulty staying grounded.
Possible strengths:
- Creativity
- Innovation
- Big-picture thinking
- Strategic ideas
- Curiosity
Possible risks:
- Impractical ideas
- Overcomplication
- Poor attention to execution
- Unpredictability
- Difficulty communicating clearly
Diligent
The Diligent scale relates to perfectionism, high standards, attention to detail, and difficulty delegating.
A high Diligent profile may suggest discipline, quality focus, and reliability. However, it may also suggest micromanagement, rigidity, or being overly critical.
Possible strengths:
- Accuracy
- High standards
- Discipline
- Quality control
- Strong follow-through
Possible risks:
- Perfectionism
- Micromanagement
- Over-control
- Criticism of others
- Difficulty delegating
Dutiful
The Dutiful scale relates to eagerness to please authority, conformity, and reluctance to challenge others.
A high Dutiful profile may suggest loyalty, cooperation, and respect for hierarchy. However, it may also suggest overdependence, lack of independent judgment, or difficulty making unpopular decisions.
Possible strengths:
- Loyalty
- Cooperation
- Respect for authority
- Reliability
- Team orientation
Possible risks:
- Over-compliance
- Avoiding disagreement
- Dependence on approval
- Difficulty challenging leaders
- Lack of independent decision-making
HDS Scale Groups: Moving Away, Against, and Toward
HDS derailers are often understood through three broad patterns.
Moving Away From People
These derailers involve withdrawal, defensiveness, caution, or emotional distance.
They include:
- Excitable
- Skeptical
- Cautious
- Reserved
- Leisurely
When these traits are overused, a person may become harder to approach, more defensive, less trusting, or less willing to engage.
Moving Against People
These derailers involve dominance, attention, risk-taking, or self-promotion.
They include:
- Bold
- Mischievous
- Colorful
- Imaginative
When these traits are overused, a person may become arrogant, dramatic, risky, or impractical.
Moving Toward People
These derailers involve over-compliance, perfectionism, or excessive eagerness to please.
They include:
- Diligent
- Dutiful
When these traits are overused, a person may become too dependent on approval, too controlling, or too focused on perfection.
Can You Fail the Hogan Development Survey?
You do not usually fail the HDS in the same way you can fail a numerical reasoning test.
The HDS creates a personality risk profile. The employer or assessor then interprets that profile in relation to the job.
However, your HDS results can still hurt your application.
You may be viewed as a weaker fit if your profile suggests derailers that are risky for the role.
For example:
- High Bold may be risky for roles requiring humility and collaboration.
- High Mischievous may be risky for compliance or safety-sensitive roles.
- High Excitable may be risky for high-pressure leadership roles.
- High Reserved may be risky for roles requiring frequent communication.
- High Diligent may be risky for roles requiring delegation and flexibility.
- High Dutiful may be risky for senior roles requiring independent challenge.
So the HDS may not have a universal pass/fail score, but it can influence hiring decisions.
What Is a Good HDS Score?
There is no single good HDS score for every role.
A high score on a scale does not automatically mean failure. It indicates a potential risk area that may need awareness or management.
In some cases, a moderately elevated trait can also have strengths.
For example:
- Bold can support confidence.
- Colorful can support presentation skills.
- Diligent can support quality control.
- Cautious can support risk management.
- Imaginative can support innovation.
- Skeptical can support critical thinking.
The issue is whether the trait becomes overused, poorly managed, or inappropriate for the role.
How Employers Interpret HDS Results
Employers usually interpret HDS results in relation to the role, leadership level, organizational culture, and other assessment data.
They may ask:
- Which derailers are elevated?
- Are those derailers risky for this role?
- Does the candidate show self-awareness?
- Can the candidate manage these tendencies?
- Do the results match interview behavior?
- Are the risks acceptable for the level of responsibility?
- What development support would be needed?
For senior leadership roles, HDS results may receive special attention because leadership derailers can affect entire teams or organizations.
HDS in Leadership Selection
The HDS is especially relevant for leadership selection.
Many leaders fail not because they lack intelligence or ambition, but because their strengths become overused under pressure.
For example:
- Decisiveness can become intimidation.
- Vision can become impracticality.
- Confidence can become arrogance.
- Attention to detail can become micromanagement.
- Loyalty can become avoidance of challenge.
- Risk awareness can become paralysis.
HDS results can help organizations identify these risks before placing someone in a high-impact leadership role.
HDS in Leadership Development
The HDS is also used for coaching and development.
In development settings, the goal is not rejection. The goal is self-awareness.
A coach may use HDS results to help a leader understand:
- What happens when they are under pressure
- How others may experience their behavior
- Which patterns may damage trust
- What situations trigger derailers
- How to manage risk behaviors
- How to build a development plan
This can be useful for executives, managers, high-potential employees, and team leaders.
Hogan Development Survey Sample Questions
The following sample questions are not official Hogan questions. They are practice-style examples designed to show the types of themes that may appear in HDS-style assessments.
Sample Question 1: Excitable
Statement: I become frustrated when people fail to meet my expectations.
This item may relate to emotional intensity, impatience, or frustration under pressure.
A strong agreement response may suggest passion and high standards, but it may also indicate risk if frustration becomes visible or disruptive.
Sample Question 2: Skeptical
Statement: I usually question people’s motives until they prove they can be trusted.
This item may relate to skepticism, mistrust, defensiveness, or political awareness.
High agreement may suggest strong risk awareness, but it may also suggest difficulty building trust.
Sample Question 3: Cautious
Statement: I avoid making decisions when there is a chance I could be criticized.
This item may relate to caution, fear of failure, or decision avoidance.
High agreement may raise concerns for leadership roles that require timely decisions under uncertainty.
Sample Question 4: Reserved
Statement: I prefer keeping my thoughts to myself, even when others ask for input.
This item may relate to emotional distance, limited communication, or independence.
High agreement may suggest privacy and independence, but it may be risky in roles requiring collaboration and visibility.
Sample Question 5: Leisurely
Statement: I dislike being pushed to work faster than I think is reasonable.
This item may relate to autonomy, passive resistance, or frustration with pressure.
High agreement may suggest independence, but it may also suggest difficulty responding to urgency or authority.
Sample Question 6: Bold
Statement: I am more capable than most people I work with.
This item may relate to confidence, self-belief, or arrogance.
High agreement may suggest strong confidence, but it may also raise concerns about humility and feedback acceptance.
Sample Question 7: Mischievous
Statement: I enjoy taking risks that others might avoid.
This item may relate to risk tolerance, excitement seeking, or rule-bending.
High agreement may be useful in entrepreneurial roles, but risky in regulated, safety-sensitive, or compliance-heavy environments.
Sample Question 8: Colorful
Statement: I like being the center of attention in group settings.
This item may relate to visibility, social confidence, and attention-seeking.
High agreement may be helpful for presentations and sales, but risky if it suggests poor listening or self-promotion.
Sample Question 9: Imaginative
Statement: I often come up with ideas that others find unusual.
This item may relate to creativity, originality, and unconventional thinking.
High agreement may support innovation, but may be risky if ideas are impractical or hard to implement.
Sample Question 10: Diligent
Statement: I find it difficult to delegate important work because others may not do it correctly.
This item may relate to perfectionism, control, and high standards.
High agreement may suggest quality focus, but may be risky for leadership roles requiring delegation.
Sample Question 11: Dutiful
Statement: I prefer to support my manager’s decisions rather than challenge them.
This item may relate to loyalty, compliance, and dependence on authority.
High agreement may suggest cooperation, but may be risky in senior roles requiring independent judgment.
How to Answer HDS Questions
The best way to answer HDS questions is to be honest, self-aware, and professional.
Do not try to create a perfect profile. The HDS is designed to identify potential risk patterns, and unrealistic answers may create problems.
Use this method:
- Read the statement carefully.
- Think about how you behave under pressure.
- Answer based on your workplace behavior, not private life only.
- Avoid exaggerating strengths.
- Avoid denying every weakness.
- Stay consistent across similar themes.
- Keep the target role in mind.
Answer as Your Professional Self
HDS questions are about workplace behavior, especially stress behavior.
You may react differently in personal situations than you do at work. Use your professional behavior as the reference point.
For example, you may feel frustrated internally but remain calm with colleagues. Or you may dislike criticism but still respond constructively in professional settings.
Do Not Deny Every Risk
A common mistake is trying to answer as if you have no derailers at all.
That can look unrealistic.
Everyone has potential risk behaviors. The issue is whether you understand them and manage them effectively.
For example, saying you never become frustrated, never doubt anyone, never seek recognition, never resist authority, and never worry about failure may not create a believable profile.
Be Careful With Extreme Answers
Extreme answers can be appropriate when true, but overusing them can create an exaggerated profile.
If a statement is partly true but not always true, a moderate answer may be more accurate.
Think About the Role
Some derailers are more concerning in certain roles.
For example:
- High Mischievous may be risky in compliance or safety roles.
- High Reserved may be risky in client-facing leadership.
- High Cautious may be risky in fast-moving executive roles.
- High Bold may be risky in collaborative cultures.
- High Diligent may be risky in roles requiring delegation.
- High Dutiful may be risky in roles requiring challenge and independent judgment.
Review the role before taking the test.
HDS Preparation Tips
1. Understand the 11 Scales
Before taking the HDS, learn the meaning of each derailer.
You do not need to memorize technical definitions, but you should understand the basic risk pattern behind each scale.
Hogan Development Survey practice can help candidates become familiar with common question formats before the live assessment.
2. Review the Job Description
Look for clues about what the employer values.
For example:
- Leadership roles may require confidence, judgment, emotional control, and self-awareness.
- Compliance roles may require caution, ethics, and rule-following.
- Sales roles may require confidence, resilience, and social energy.
- Technical roles may require focus, accuracy, and independent thinking.
- Executive roles may require strategic thinking, influence, and the ability to challenge assumptions.
Before test day, pre-employment assessment practice can help you rehearse timed sections and build answer consistency.
3. Practice Hogan-Style Personality Questions
Practice helps you become familiar with the kind of statements used in workplace personality assessments.
For additional preparation, Hogan Development Survey practice may be useful when your invitation includes similar question types.
4. Reflect on Your Stress Behavior
The HDS is about derailers, so think about how you behave when:
- You are under pressure
- You are criticized
- You are tired
- You are dealing with conflict
- You are managing uncertainty
- You are responsible for difficult decisions
- You are working with people who frustrate you
Self-awareness is important.
Pre-employment assessment practice can support extra practice with explanations when you want more timed drills.
5. Prepare Interview Examples
Employers may use HDS results to guide interview or feedback questions.
Prepare examples showing how you manage potential risks:
- A time you received difficult feedback
- A time you handled conflict calmly
- A time you delegated work effectively
- A time you changed your mind after input from others
- A time you managed frustration professionally
- A time you took a calculated risk
- A time you challenged a decision respectfully
- A time you balanced quality with speed
Yes. Hogan Development Survey practice can offer practice materials for similar assessment formats.
6. Avoid Memorized Answers
Do not memorize answers from practice tests.
The real assessment may use different wording, and personality assessments often evaluate patterns across many items.
Focus on understanding what the scale measures.
When your hiring step includes mixed sections, pre-employment assessment practice can support broader review before test day.
Common Mistakes on the Hogan Development Survey
Mistake 1: Treating HDS Like a Normal Personality Test
The HDS is not only about everyday strengths. It is about potential derailers.
You need to think about how your behavior may change under stress.
Mistake 2: Trying to Look Risk-Free
No one is completely risk-free.
Trying to deny every possible derailer can create an unrealistic profile.
Mistake 3: Ignoring Leadership Level
The same trait may be interpreted differently depending on level.
A bold profile may be useful for a startup founder but risky for a collaborative senior executive role. A diligent profile may be useful for a specialist but risky for a leader who must delegate.
Mistake 4: Answering Based on Mood
Do not answer based on how you feel that day.
Think about your typical professional behavior over time.
Mistake 5: Being Inconsistent
If you strongly deny frustration in one item but strongly agree with anger or impatience in another, the pattern may be inconsistent.
Your answers should form a realistic picture.
Mistake 6: Forgetting the Interview
Your HDS profile may be discussed later.
If your answers suggest high self-confidence, be ready to show humility and self-awareness in the interview. If your answers suggest strong attention to detail, be ready to explain how you avoid micromanaging.
HDS Results and Reports
After you complete the HDS, the employer or assessor may receive a report.
The report may include:
- Scores on the 11 scales
- Subscale information
- Potential derailers
- Leadership implications
- Development suggestions
- Coaching points
- Interview questions
- Risk areas
- Strengths that may become overused
Candidates do not always receive their full results. In a development context, you may receive feedback from a coach or certified Hogan practitioner. In a hiring context, the employer may use the report internally.
HDS vs HPI
The Hogan Personality Inventory (HPI) measures normal personality and everyday work style.
The Hogan Development Survey (HDS) measures potential derailers and stress behavior.
In simple terms:
- HPI = how you usually show up at work
- HDS = how you may behave under pressure
- MVPI = what motivates you and what culture fits you
Employers often use HPI, HDS, and MVPI together for leadership roles because the combination gives a fuller picture.
HDS vs MVPI
The Motives, Values, Preferences Inventory (MVPI) measures values, drivers, and culture fit.
The HDS measures risk patterns.
For example, MVPI may show that you are motivated by recognition, power, security, learning, or service. HDS may show whether your stress behavior creates leadership risks.
Both can matter in senior selection and development.
HDS vs Big Five
The Big Five measures broad personality traits such as openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism.
The HDS focuses specifically on dark-side traits and derailers. It is not a general personality test in the same way as the Big Five.
HDS vs DISC
DISC describes behavioral styles such as Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Conscientiousness.
The HDS is more focused on leadership risk, stress behavior, and derailment potential.
DISC may help teams communicate. HDS helps identify behaviors that can damage performance if unmanaged.
Final HDS Preparation Checklist
Before taking the Hogan Development Survey, make sure you can answer these questions:
- What is the HDS measuring?
- What are the 11 HDS derailers?
- How do I behave under pressure?
- What are my real stress risks at work?
- What does the role require?
- Which derailers would be most concerning for this role?
- Am I answering as my professional self?
- Am I avoiding fake perfection?
- Am I being consistent?
- Can I discuss my development areas maturely in an interview?
If you can answer these clearly, you are better prepared for the HDS.
Pre-employment assessment practice can support extra practice with explanations when you want more timed drills.
For additional preparation, Hogan Development Survey practice may be useful when your invitation includes similar question types.
Before test day, pre-employment assessment practice can help you rehearse timed sections and build answer consistency.
FAQ
What is the Hogan Development Survey?
The Hogan Development Survey is a workplace personality assessment that measures potential derailers: behaviors that may appear under stress and interfere with performance, leadership, relationships, or reputation.
What does HDS stand for?
HDS stands for Hogan Development Survey.
What are the 11 Hogan Development Survey scales?
The 11 HDS scales are Excitable, Skeptical, Cautious, Reserved, Leisurely, Bold, Mischievous, Colorful, Imaginative, Diligent, and Dutiful.
How long does the Hogan Development Survey take?
The HDS typically takes around 15 to 20 minutes to complete. JobTestPrep describes the HDS as having around 170 questions and being untimed.
Is the Hogan Development Survey timed?
The HDS is generally not a strict speed test. However, you should complete it in a focused session and follow the employer’s instructions.
Can you fail the Hogan Development Survey?
You usually do not fail the HDS like a traditional exam. However, your results can hurt your application if your derailers appear risky for the role or if your answers seem inconsistent.
Are there right or wrong answers on the HDS?
Most HDS questions do not have simple right or wrong answers. They measure personality risk patterns and are interpreted in relation to the role.
What is the dark side of personality?
The dark side of personality refers to behavioral tendencies that may emerge under stress, pressure, fatigue, or overconfidence and may damage relationships, performance, or leadership effectiveness.
Is a high HDS score bad?
Not always. A high score can indicate a risk area, but it may also reflect a strength when managed well. The concern is whether the trait becomes overused or damaging in the role.
Is the HDS used for leadership assessment?
Yes. The HDS is commonly used in leadership selection and leadership development because derailers can have a major impact on teams and organizations.
How should I answer HDS questions?
Answer honestly, consistently, and based on your professional behavior under pressure. Do not try to appear completely risk-free.
Can I prepare for the Hogan Development Survey?
Yes. You can prepare by understanding the 11 derailers, reviewing the job description, practicing Hogan-style personality questions, and reflecting on your stress behavior.
Will I receive my HDS results?
Not always. In a development process, you may receive feedback from a coach or certified Hogan practitioner. In a hiring process, the employer may use the report internally.
What is the difference between HDS and HPI?
HPI measures everyday workplace personality. HDS measures potential derailers and stress behavior.
What is the best way to practice for HDS?
The best way to practice is to become familiar with Hogan-style personality statements, understand the 11 HDS scales, and learn how to answer consistently without trying to fake a perfect profile.
Hogan Development Survey practice can help candidates become familiar with common question formats before the live assessment.