‘Before Hogan’ or BH.
‘After Hogan’ or AH.
This is how I unconsciously split the 30+ years of my professional journey – clearly indicative of how profound an impact Hogan has had on me, both personally and professionally!
If you can’t name it, you can’t tame it- is what a wise colleague once told me. And that is exactly what completing the Hogan Certification almost a decade ago enabled me to do – to recognise and name my behaviours, decisions, reactions and overreactions! – and how these impact how I ‘am seen’ by others as an individual and professional.
“Chill mum…you stress too much!” or “You really must put yourself and the work you do out there much more!” Suddenly, these oft repeated comments from those close to me started to make sense when filtered through the lens of my Hogan scales and scores – be it my Low Adjustment, Sociability and Recognition scales or my high Prudence, Interpersonal Sensitivity and Aesthetics scales. I could finally really ‘see’ myself – ‘understand’ myself! – with greater clarity and dare I say, greater acceptance.
At first, the rather disruptive and seemingly counter-intuitive Outside-in/ Reputational approach that Hogan took was a challenge to wrap my head around. But once I managed to do so, this approach made perfect sense and today after almost a decade of working with Hogan, the assessments continue to be a never-ending source of new discoveries and insight – not just for myself but for my clients with whom I use Hogan.
Unpacking a client’s Hogan is a fascinating process of surfacing familiar aspects of themselves while simultaneously discovering unconscious biases, hidden and therefore underleveraged strengths and surprising ‘blind spots’, leading to powerful moments of realization. Developing ‘Strategic Self-awareness’ is what Hogan calls these realizations – often the first step to affirmative action towards change and growth.
Many clients in India have jokingly likened their Hogan to their ‘Janam Kundali’ (an Indian Astrological birth-chart that offers an analysis of one’s temperament, characteristics and personality), while others have experienced it as a ‘mirror’ that reveals how others see them, warts and all!
Apart from the multitude of truly powerful ‘aha’ moments, I’ve witnessed this assessment give myself and my clients the solid pragmatism of the ‘So What?’ and ‘Now what?’ approach to personal grown and development that continues to feed my curiosity in my work with Hogan.
Almost ten years later, I continue to see the growing relevance and power of the tool for aiding professionals on their journey of strategic self-awareness, personal growth and transformation. This power to understand and accept oneself makes our Hogans the gift that keeps giving – more insight – more clarity – more acceptance!
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