In his opening remarks, Jim Hwang, General Manager of Infelligent, shared insights on transforming talent selection strategies. Based on Hogan’s research on Humility and Emergence vs Effectiveness, he suggested that corporations should not identify talent only based on performance approval, likability and willingness – these are common traits we often find in charismatic people who are not necessarily effective leaders. Studies show humble people make the effort to develop teamwork and help others; they focus more on team success rather than personal glory. Identifying high potential candidates with scientific assessments like the Hogan assessments, differentiates emergent leadership (generated by charisma) and effective leadership (generated by humility) and finds the leaders who are focused on building effective teams; who invites new ideas and feedback; who are willing to admit mistakes; and who gives credit to the teams and colleagues.

Ken Sun shared how Hogan’s concept of “Leadership Effectiveness” was also one of the keys to Microsoft’s comeback. When Satya Nadella took on the role of CEO at Microsoft, the quiet, humble, and disciplined leader set out to create a culture of “growth mindset” and followed this up with several innovative measures. He successfully reignited the employees’ passion and energy, built up a style of open communication, and completely transformed Microsoft, bringing it back to the leading position in the market.

Enid Tsai shared about a similar successful transformation that took place at Hiwin Technology. This traditional automated device manufacturer refreshed its culture and explored new applications for these devices. Hiwin achieved global recognition with endless innovative projects such as “The Sound of Blooming,” installation – the world’s largest mechanical flower at Taichung Flora Expo and also a “Smart Coffee Shop”.

These organizations’ leaders worked hard to change the employee mindset, and this drove organizational transformation. When the new values and culture become part of an organization, engagement and inclusivity grows, and innovation grows too. Using scientific, unbiased tools like Hogan, to be able to effectively select leaders who can drive this transformation is key in the entire process.

The event concluded with a dialogue between these distinguished leaders. All of them agreed an organization’s culture is one of the keys to its transformation. A leader’s style directly impacts the culture. Humility in leaders with growth mindset opens the mind to innovation and learning and creates a culture that creates possibilities, and will drive the organizations ahead to the future. Hogan Research has studied humility extensively, and continues to explore its impact on global leadership.