Bo Hanson brings over 25 years of elite performance expertise to the Sports Conflict Institute as Senior Advisor and DISC Behavioral Profiling Specialist. A four-time Olympic rower and three-time Olympic bronze medalist for Australia, he transformed his athletic experiences into groundbreaking work in sports psychology and team dynamics. As Founder and Director of Athlete Assessments, he developed the world’s only validated and reliable sport-specific DISC profiling tool, revolutionizing how coaches, athletes, and sports organizations understand and optimize the “people side” of performance.
Since founding Athlete Assessments in 2007, Hanson has worked with more than 100,000 individuals across 40+ different sports globally, including Olympic, Paralympic, professional, and NCAA Division I teams. His ability to improve coaching strategies and team performance has resulted in 23 national championships, Olympic medals, and professional team premierships in the last 12 years alone. Named the Australian Institute of Training and Development’s 2023 L&D Professional of the Year, he is recognized internationally for his expertise in behavioral profiling, team cohesion, and creating sustainable high-performance cultures.
Hanson’s unique perspective stems from becoming Australia’s youngest rowing Olympian at age 18 in 1992, followed by bronze medals at Atlanta (1996), Sydney (2000), and Athens (2004). His philosophy centers on the belief that “sport is played by people, coached by people, and managed by people, so it is imperative to get the people side right.” Through his partnership with Sports Conflict Institute, he provides organizations with the tools and insights necessary to build self-awareness, improve communication, prevent destructive conflict, and create championship cultures that sustain success year after year.
Professional Experience
Current Positions
Senior Advisor – DISC Behavioral Profiling
Sports Conflict Institute | 2019-Present
Leading behavioral assessment initiatives for sports teams and organizations, specializing in team dynamics, conflict prevention, and performance optimization through DISC profiling.
Founder & Director
Athlete Assessments | 2007-Present
Created and leads the global standard in sport-specific behavioral profiling, serving 100,000+ coaches, athletes, and administrators across 40+ sports internationally.
Co-Founder
Team8 Assessments | 2015-Present
Delivering DISC-based organizational development and team building to corporate audiences, translating elite sport principles to business performance.
International Speaker & Consultant
Global Sports Organizations | 2007-Present
Keynote speaker at 100+ international sporting conferences, consultant to Olympic committees, professional leagues, and NCAA programs worldwide.
Olympic Athletic Career
Australian Olympic Rowing Team
1992-2004 | Four Olympic Games
• Barcelona 1992 – Youngest Australian rowing Olympian (age 18), Men’s Eight finalist
• Atlanta 1996 – Bronze Medal, Men’s Coxless Four
• Sydney 2000 – Bronze Medal, Men’s Coxless Four
• Athens 2004 – Bronze Medal, Men’s Eight
Areas of Expertise
- DISC Behavioral Profiling for Sport
- Team Dynamics & Cohesion Analysis
- Performance Culture Development
- Coach Development & Education
- Conflict Prevention & Resolution
- Leadership Development in Sport
- Mental Toughness & Resilience Training
- Communication Optimization
- Role Clarity & Team Structure
- Hazing Prevention & Culture Change
- High-Performance Team Building
- Behavioral Assessment & Feedback
Academic Credentials & Certifications
Education
- Bachelor’s Degree – University of Technology Sydney
- Master Practitioner – Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP)
Professional Certifications
- DISC Behavioral Profiling Accreditation
- Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) Accreditation
- Emotional Competence Inventory 360 Accreditation
- Creator of AthleteDISC, CoachDISC, and ManagerDISC
Notable Achievements & Recognition
- Winner – Australian Institute of Training and Development (AITD) 2023 L&D Professional of the Year
- Finalist – AITD 2023 Best Capability Building Program
- Finalist – AITD 2020 Excellence Awards for Best Leadership Development Program
- Inducted as “Legend of State High” – Brisbane State High School (2021)
- Three-time Olympic Bronze Medalist (1996, 2000, 2004)
- Australia’s youngest rowing Olympian (1992, age 18)
- Developed world’s first validated sport-specific DISC profiling tool
- 23 national championships, Olympic medals, and pro team premierships for clients (last 12 years)
- Worked with 100,000+ individuals across 40+ sports globally
- Speaker at 100+ international sporting conferences
Conference Speaking & Professional Development
Featured Conference Presentations
- NCAA Women Coaches Academy
- American Volleyball Coaches Association Convention
- National Fastpitch Coaches Association Conference
- US Rowing Convention
- Australian Football League Coaches Conference
- Alliance of Women Coaches, The Huddle
- Evolution of the Athlete Conference
- Notre Dame Annual Leadership Conference
- AFL & NRL High-Performance Coaching Programs
- Cricket Australia Emerging Umpires Program
Speaking & Consulting Topics
Bo Hanson is available for keynote speaking, workshops, and consulting on:
- Building Self-Awareness Through DISC Behavioral Profiling
- Creating Championship Team Cultures
- The Five Stages of Team Development in Sport
- Preventing Team Dysfunction Through Proactive Communication
- From Olympic Athlete to High-Performance Coach
- Mental Toughness: Building Athletes Who Never Quit
- The GRIP Model for Team Performance
- Conflict as a Catalyst for Team Growth
- Translating Elite Sport Principles to Business Success
- Building Sustainable High-Performance Programs
Publications & Resources
Books & Programs
- ATHLETE TOUGH™ – Handbook & Video Series on Mental Resilience
- Creator of AthleteDISC – World’s First Sport-Specific Behavioral Profile
- Creator of CoachDISC – Behavioral Profiling for Coaches
- Creator of ManagerDISC – Behavioral Profiling for Sports Administrators
Video Series & Resources
- “5 Minutes with Bo Hanson” – Popular educational video series
- Team Development and Conflict Management Resources
- DISC Implementation Guides for Sports Organizations
Personal Interests
A lifelong athlete who still runs marathons, Bo maintains his connection to competitive sport through both personal fitness and youth coaching. As a USA Soccer certified coach, he coaches his son and daughter’s teams in Falmouth, Maine, applying his elite performance principles to youth development. His athletic journey – from not winning a single schoolboy event to becoming a four-time Olympian – informs his passionate belief in the power of effective coaching and the importance of building resilience in young athletes.
Bo Hanson, OLY
Senior Advisor – DISC Behavioral Profiling | Sports Conflict Institute
4x Olympian | 3x Olympic Medalist | Team Dynamics Expert
Transform Your Team’s Performance
Leverage the world’s only validated sport-specific DISC profiling tool to optimize team dynamics, prevent conflict, and build championship cultures.
Sports Conflict Institute | Portland, Oregon | info@sportsconflict.org