Personality affects the way we relate to the world and the people in it, how we work, who we love, and how other people see us. Although the study of personality is centuries old, our ability to understand and control such a complex and abstract concept is relatively new in the context of history. Featuring some of the world’s leading experts in personality psychology and business, this podcast explores the impact of personality on life, leadership, and organizational success.
In this special episode of The Science of Personality, Ryne and Blake interview guests in person at the 2026 Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP) Conference in New Orleans. Featured guests include: Adrian Furnham , PhD, world-renowned psychologist and author Looking Beyond Engagement and Really Tackling the Organizational Disconnect in Modern Work Psychology Irina Cozma , PhD, organizational psychologist and executive coach, Hogan Coaching Network Designing Work for Humans with a Specific Focus on Inclusion, Fulfillment, and Fun Laura Heaton , PhD, vice president of talent development, Penske Transportation Solutions AND Ron Festa , PhD, president, New Heights Consulting Binge-Worthy Leadership Development and Enhancing our Learning Through Popular TV Series Kevin Impelman , PhD, principal consultant, Summit Leadership Partners Leadership and the Human Capital Advantage in Private Equity
Introducing The Science of Personality Institute
In the latest episode of The Science of Personality, Ryne and Blake are joined by David Condon, PhD, director of Hogan’s newly formed Science of Personality Institute, to discuss his new role and vision for this exciting and innovative extension of the Hogan brand.
Live from SIOP 2026: Part Two
In this special episode of The Science of Personality, Ryne and Blake interview guests in person at the 2026 Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP) Conference in New Orleans. Featured guests include: Gillian Hyde , managing director & chief psychologist, Psychological Consultancy Ltd. The Leaders We Have vs. The Leaders We Want Janine Waclawski , PhD, co-founder and managing partner, Maestro Consulting Rethinking Talent Management and Challenging Conventional Assumptions Nikita Mikhailov , chief neuroticism officer, Goodness of Psychology All Things Psychometrics
America at 250: What the American Experiment Can Teach Us About Leadership
In the latest episode of The Science of Personality, Ryne and Blake talk about America’s upcoming 250th anniversary through the lens of Hogan’s point of view on leadership. More specifically, they dive into the core leadership principles that a successful democracy requires and also explore the uniqueness of governments as organizations.
Live from SIOP 2026: Part One
In this special episode of The Science of Personality, Ryne and Blake interview guests in person at the 2026 Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP) Conference in New Orleans. Featured guests include: Allan Church , PhD, co-founder and managing partner, Maestro Consulting The Great AI Debate: Where AI Fits and Where It Doesn’t Allison Howell , CEO, Hogan Assessments The Leadership Divide: Hogan’s Global Leadership Effectiveness Survey Findings Brent Holland , PhD, director of talent assessment, Mondelez International Hogan History: The Early Days of the Company
Personality and the Secret Life of Organizations
In the latest episode of The Science of Personality, Ryne and Blake are joined by Hogan Assessments founder and president, Robert Hogan, PhD, to talk about his new book, Personality and the Secret Life of Organizations . If you’ve listened to even one episode of this podcast, it is highly likely you have been impacted by this man because that’s the magnitude of his legacy on personality psychology. So, we were thrilled to have him on this episode to talk about the book and learn more about what he means by “the secret life of organizations.” Buy the book: Personality and the Secret Life of Organizations
Balancing Team Engagement and Psychological Safety
In the latest episode of The Science of Personality, Ryne and Blake are joined by Melvyn Payne, Commercial Director at Advanced People Strategies, one of Hogan’s fabulous distributors in the UK, to talk about finding the right balance between team engagement and psychological safety. More specifically, we look at the role personality plays through the lens of Hogan data. This is something Melvyn and his team at APS have made a priority recently as they continue to deliver best-in-class team solutions for their vast client portfolio.
The Leadership Divide: Global Leadership Effectiveness Study Findings
In the latest episode of The Science of Personality, Ryne and Blake are joined by Hogan’s Managing Director of Asia Pacific, Krista Pederson, and Hogan Senior Consultant in the APAC region, Nicole Dickie, to discuss the findings of Hogan’s Global Leadership Effectiveness Study. Anyone who uses Hogan’s personality assessments or listens to this podcast knows that identifying effective leaders is at the core of what we do at Hogan. The study, which compares personality assessment data from over 21,000 executives in Hogan’s global database with survey responses from nearly 10,000 full-time employees across more than 120 markets, revealed some really incredible insights, including a striking disconnect between the characteristics executives display and the qualities employees say define effective leadership. Krista and Nicole were two of the key people to get this study off the ground, and they join us in this episode to discuss the findings now that the results are in. The Leadership Divide: Global Insights on Who Leads vs. Who Should
Courageous Conversations: Forward Talk with Gustavo Razzetti
In the latest episode of The Science of Personality, Ryne and Blake are joined by author Gustavo Razzetti, who has written multiple best-selling books, including Remote Not Distant: Design a Company Culture to Thrive in a Hybrid Workplace , Stretch for Change: How to Improve Your Change Fitness and Thrive in Life , and his latest book, Forward Talk: The Bold New Method for Getting Teams Unstuck , hits shelves and online stores today on May 5th. In this episode, we talk with Gustavo about courageous conversations people must have in the workplace to avoid team derailment and to help teams thrive through productive conflict. This is at the core of his new book and we’re thrilled to have him on the podcast to discuss this very important topic. Buy Forward Talk: The Bold New Method for Getting Teams Unstuck
Why Do People Respond to Change the Way They Do?
In the latest episode of The Science of Personality, Ryne and Blake are joined by Dr. Victoria Grady, Associate Professor of Management at George Mason University's Costello College of Business, to talk about change. More specifically, we dive into the psychology behind why people respond to change the way they do. Change affects us all, but how it affects us varies widely. Some find change to be personally disruptive or destructive, while others seem to just roll with the punches. So, what’s going on here? We discuss that and so much more with Victoria in this episode. To learn more about Victoria, check out her TEDx Talk here .
ChatGPT Interviews Ryne and Blake
In the latest episode of The Science of Personality, ChatGPT interviews Ryne and Blake about personality, leadership, and team dynamics. Yes, you read that correctly. Ryne and Blake answer 10 questions generated by ChatGPT in what turned out to be a fun and thought-provoking discussion prompted by one of the world's most popular AI engines.
The Personality of Evil
In the latest episode of The Science of Personality, Ryne and Blake are joined by world-renowned author and journalist, Jack El-Hai, to discuss the personality of evil, with a specific focus on the personalities of authoritarians and fascists. This was the focus of his best-selling 2013 book, The Nazi and the Psychiatrist , which inspired the 2025 movie, Nuremberg , currently streaming on Netflix, which features not one, but two Academy Award winning actors. In the movie Russell Crowe plays the part of Nazi war criminal Hermann Göring and Rami Malek plays the role of Douglas Kelley, the US Army psychiatrist assigned to evaluate the personalities and mental capacities of high-ranking Nazis leading up to the Nuremberg trials. Again, this was all inspired by Jack’s book which Pulitzer Prize-winning author Gilbert King describes as “a harrowing narrative that brilliantly probes the depths of evil.” So, that begs the question: What is the personality of evil? Buy the Book: The Nazi and the Psychiatrist
Skills Needed in an AI-Driven World
In the latest episode of The Science of Personality, Ryne and Blake talk about one of the top headlines in the media today that isn’t going anywhere in the foreseeable future: With the exponential proliferation of artificial intelligence and its impact on the global workforce, what skills will humans need to remain relevant and employed? Opinions vary on what that impact will look like. Some think AI is coming for all of our jobs and will sooner rather than later deem human workers unnecessary. Others think we’re on the verge of an AI bubble and the technology is starting to plateau. And then there’s those who realistically, or at least optimistically, see a future somewhere in between. Ryne and Blake discuss this and so much more in this new episode.
Unique Individuality
In the latest episode of The Science of Personality, Ryne and Blake are joined by Nigel Nicholson, PhD, author and Emeritus Professor of Organizational Behavior at London Business School, to talk about unique individuality, which is the focus of his new book, Unique You: How Individuality Works and Why It Matters. Although Nigel’s esteemed career as a business psychologist has focused on things like the application of evolutionary theory in business and management, educational innovation, and coaching political and business leaders, the topic of individual differences has fascinated him for much of his life, making him the perfect guest for this topic. Click here to buy Unique You: How Individuality Works and Why It Matters
The History and Psychology of Underdogs
In the latest episode of The Science of Personality, Ryne and Blake are joined by Peter Harms, PhD, a Frank Schultz Professor of Management at the University of Alabama’s Culverhouse College of Business, to talk about the history and psychology of underdogs. World history is littered with stories and legends of people or groups of people who have defied the odds in the face of almost sure defeat, making them the closest thing to immortal a human being can fathom outside of religion and deities. But how do they accomplish these incredible feats? How do they find a way to make the impossible possible? Peter and Ryne have been interested in the topic of underdogs for quite some time, and they unpack their thoughts and theories in this episode.
Developing Technical Experts into Leaders
In the latest episode of The Science of Personality, Ryne and Blake are joined by Kevin Mitchell, PhD, the Talent and Organizational Development Manager at the MIT Lincoln Laboratory, to talk about developing technical experts into leaders. In theory, any high performer regardless of their area of expertise should at some point be rewarded with a leadership position. But sometimes what makes someone a great software developer or network engineer might not translate to success once they ascend to a managerial role. In this episode, Kevin, who has a wealth of experience in this area, talks about how to successfully develop these high performers into effective and strategic leaders.
The Pros and Cons of Workplace Gossip
In the latest episode of The Science of Personality, Ryne and Blake are joined by new Hogan Assessments CEO, Allison Howell, to discuss the pros and cons of gossip in the workplace. Gossip is common in all facets of our everyday lives but, in the workplace, gossip is often viewed as disruptive and unproductive. However, more recently gossip has been seen in a more positive light. What was once perceived as an organization’s worst enemy is now often its biggest ally. This is a topic Allison explored in depth over the past year and that’s why we thought she would be the perfect guest to discuss the positives and negatives of gossip in the workplace.
2025 Derailers of the Year
In the latest episode of The Science of Personality, Ryne and Blake continue their annual tradition of breaking down the top derailers of the year. Who made the list in 2025? Give it a listen to find out.
Workplace Freeloaders
In the latest episode of The Science of Personality, Ryne and Blake discuss the topic of workplace freeloaders. This is a topic that has been their minds recently based on an interview Ryne did with the media outlet, Quartz. That interview went so well that they wanted to do an episode specifically on freeloaders and how they show up in the workplace.
Q&A: Get to Know Ryne
In the latest episode of The Science of Personality, Ryne is joined by special guest host Valerie Stone, Hogan’s marketing director, who interviews Ryne to discuss his life, his role at Hogan, and his career journey.
