What Defines a Great Leader Today? Global Insights from Allison Howell (CEO, Hogan Assessments

How do you bridge the divide between how leaders show up and what teams truly want? On this week’s episode of the Do Good to Lead Well podcast, I sit down with Allison Howell, CEO of Hogan Assessments, to discuss their Leadership Divide Global Report, which draws on the responses from 9,794 employees across 25 countries. The findings challenge the conventional myths about what makes a great leader, and why charisma and ambition are not enough.Allison Howell pulls back the curtain on “emergent” versus “effective” leadership, sharing why the traits that get people promoted often undermine team success. We also dive into one of the other key findings; why the attributes executives display don’t match what employees crave, with nearly zero overlap. Critical leadership qualities such as cultivating trust, integrity, and humility, build both teams and organizations up, no matter the cultural context. She also shares concrete examples of the most common derailers in Hogan’s research: behaviors that fast-track promotions but quietly undermine trust and morale. Allison also offers a candid look at strategic self-awareness, the value of global perspective, and practical ways any organization can move from bias to balanced judgment.If you’re a leader, or an aspiring one, this episode delivers the research and real-world tactics you need to inspire true followership and foster organizational excellence in an era of rapid change.What You’ll Learn- The uncomfortable truth about reputation versus identity (and which one actually runs your career).- Emergence versus effectiveness: why the leaders who get promoted aren't the ones teams need.- Why your greatest strength can also become a derailer.- The global trust crisis and the surprising place leaders are best positioned to rebuild it.- Accountability: why employees are saying "you first." - Personality is climate, behavior is weather; what that means for your ability to change.Podcast Timestamps(00:00) – What is Leadership?(03:57) - Reputation Versus Identity in Leadership Assessment(06:45) - The Leadership Divide: Key Findings and Surprises(10:49) - Leadership Emergence vs. Leadership Effectiveness(13:08) - Behaviors That Get Leaders Promoted (But Hurt Teams)(20:20) - Closing the Leadership Gap: Individual and Organizational Solutions(28:06) - Balancing Ambition, Confidence, and Humility(34:59) - Can Leadership Skills Be Developed?(38:10) - The Current Context of Leadership Expectations(45:52) - Cultural Differences in Leadership PreferencesKEYWORDSPositive Leadership, Hogan Assessments, Personality Assessment, Team Performance, Reputation vs Identity, Emergent Leadership, Leadership Gap, Charismatic Leadership, Strategic Self-Awareness, Leadership Development, Accountability, Integrity, Trust in Leadership, Communication Skills, Humility, Emotional Self-Regulation, Dark Side of Personality, 360 feedback, Global Leadership Trends, Data-Driven Selection, Cross-Cultural Leadership Differences, CEO Success