Contrary to the global stereotype that associates Brazilians with informality and a relaxed attitude, leaders in the country appear to be more traditional, disciplined, and rule-oriented. This is revealed by a survey from Hogan Assessments, in partnership with Ateliê RH, based on data from more than 2,800 executives compared to global benchmarks.
Overall, the study's results paint a picture of Brazilian executives as leaders of integrity, motivated, and socially attuned individuals. Their motivational profile reflects a strong preference for structure, tradition, and professionalism, with an emphasis on doing things the "right" way and maintaining high standards of conduct. From a daily behavioral perspective, they appear ambitious and disciplined—setting bold goals but maintaining focus on process, organization, and execution.
Under pressure, Brazilian leaders tend to become overconfident and resistant to feedback, yet data suggests they remain approachable, empathetic, and considerate of others. Overall, this profile suggests a goal-oriented and values-driven leadership style, balanced by emotional intelligence and a deep respect for structure and tradition.
Study methodology
One of the world's largest publishers of personality tests, Hogan Assessments, has specialized for nearly four decades in creating tests that specifically measure an individual's behavior at work. The company developed three personality inventories that form the basis for different reports: the HPI (Hogan Personality Inventory) measures the personality traits an individual exhibits in their daily life that influence their reputation; the HDS (Hogan Challenges Inventory) maps how a professional acts in moments of stress and pressure; and the MVPI (Motives, Values, and Preferences Inventory) identifies an individual's motivators and values. All three inventories were used to conduct a comparison between Brazilian and global leaders.
Based on the scales of the three inventories, Hogan researchers selected a sample of 2,800 tests completed by Brazilian executives from different areas and sectors throughout 2023. These results were compared with global average scores.
One of the most notable aspects in assessing the personality of Brazilian leaders is the emphasis on Tradition – one of the scales present in the MVPI. The difference compared to global leaders is 13 percentage points. “Leaders with high scores in Tradition value history and conventions, and these individuals likely possess a high standard of conduct and well-established principles that guide their decision-making and behavior. Furthermore, they are perceived as mature and sensible, and are concerned with maintaining tradition, customs, and socially acceptable behaviors. They typically believe there is a right way and a wrong way to do things and encourage structured approaches to completing projects and tasks,” explains Roberto Santos, managing partner of Ateliê RH, which introduced and distributes the Hogan instruments in Brazil 22 years ago.
In contrast, the lowest-scoring motivator among Brazilian leaders is Hedonism, with eight points below the global benchmark for executives. Leaders with low scores in Hedonism tend to prefer professional and formal work environments. "They may prefer to take their work more seriously and find pleasure only during their free time," adds Santos.
Together, these two traits reflect a leadership style based on principles, discipline, and respect for hierarchy, with less emphasis on fun or spontaneity in the workplace. These leaders likely thrive in environments where expectations are clear, behaviors are guided by shared standards, and work is approached with a sense of duty rather than recreation.
“This profile contradicts the global stereotype of Brazilians as carefree lovers of football, beaches, and carnival, with little regard for structure or conservative values. In practice, the science-based perspective is confirmed by new companies interested in investing in Brazil: Brazilian leaders are expected to follow rules, maintain standards, and focus directly on the business,” says Santos.
The Brazilian "way"
Based on the scales of the Hogan Personality Inventory (HPI), which measures how people relate, work, lead, and achieve success in their daily lives, the study revealed that Brazilian executives are slightly more ambitious than the global average, with a difference of one percentage point. The scale in which they score highest is Ambition, demonstrating self-confidence, motivation, and leadership spirit. Leaders with high scores in Ambition tend to set and achieve audacious goals and are often highly self-assured and achievement-oriented. However, they may appear overly competitive and intimidating to others.
The second highest scoring scale for Brazilian leaders is Prudence – with scores 12 points above the global benchmark. Leaders with high scores in Prudence tend to be rule-oriented, reliable, organized, and process-driven. These leaders are likely to be quite focused on implementation and compliance; however, they may appear rigid, inflexible, and resistant to change.
The combination of these two profiles gives rise to a goal-oriented and highly disciplined leadership style. These leaders are likely to be seen as confident, motivated, and capable of setting and achieving challenging goals, while valuing structure, reliability, and adherence to rules. Compared to their global executive peers, they stand out for their strong focus on both performance and processes. While this union can support effective execution and leadership presence, it can also present risks of being perceived as overly controlling, rigid, or excessively competitive in high-stakes environments.
“Brazilian leadership often reflects a culture of “High Tradition”—valuing hierarchy, adherence to rules, and centralized, top-down decision-making. It is often a mix of authoritarianism and risk aversion, tempered by the flexibility and resilience to navigate strong regulatory constraints—embodying the Brazilian way, or the Brazilian way of thriving in complexity,” assesses Santos.
According to the expert, this triad of High Tradition, Ambition, and Prudence is common among business leaders in Brazil. "However, multinational companies tend to favor a different combination, with less Tradition and Security, demonstrating greater tolerance for risk and more moderate levels of process and rule-oriented behavior," he adds.
Excessive self-confidence and informality can be a problem.
With twelve percentage points above the global benchmark for executives, the factor that most hinders Brazilian leaders is Arrogance. Interestingly, this is the only scale in the Hogan Challenges Inventory where Brazilian leaders score above the global benchmark; all other scales range from one to 12 points below the executive benchmark. Those with high scores in Arrogance tend to shift from confident and assertive to arrogant and presumptuous under pressure and stress. “These leaders may even overestimate their own abilities, becoming overconfident and failing to receive feedback from their bosses, colleagues, and subordinates. Worse still, under stress and pressure, this arrogance can manifest as abuse of power and trust,” points out Santos.
Conversely, the lowest-scoring trait on the HDS scale is Reserved, 12 percentage points below the global benchmark for executives. "These leaders tend to be perceived as polite, kind, and caring. They can read people quickly and try to understand others' perspectives. When questioned, they are able to handle and support others through emotional storms," he assesses.
“Considering other personality traits, Brazilian leadership can be paternalistic and authoritarian, summarized in the quote: ‘do what I say and I’ll treat you well.’ That said, this leadership is tempered by warmth, hospitality, and informality, especially when receiving outsiders. ‘This makes leaders charismatic and skilled at building consensus, but due to their informal and communicative style, they can be seen as evasive, not very direct, or even ‘unfiltered,’ depending on the audience,” adds Santos.
According to the expert, the research results also offer practical insights for organizations. “Although the 'command and control' style predominates in most organizations, leaders should consider the effect this style has on employee engagement and succession planning. Often, they can inadvertently block the success of those under their leadership who are more questioning. It is crucial to understand that receiving feedback and contributions does not mean a loss of authority; on the contrary, inclusion can expand the power and influence of those who lead,” he concludes.
