Derailers
Dark-Side Personality Assessment
Identify personality tendencies that may emerge under stress or pressure and potentially interfere with effective workplace functioning — the hidden risks that standard assessments don't reveal.
When Strengths Become Risks
Derailers is informed by contemporary models of personality and maladaptive trait research. While it is not a measure for diagnosing clinical disorders, the tool focuses on maladaptive extremes of normal personality traits that may influence behaviour in organisational contexts.
Often described as the "dark side" of personality, these characteristics are not always visible in everyday circumstances but can emerge when individuals experience stress, authority or increased responsibility.
Modern research recognises that traits typically viewed as strengths can, at extreme levels, undermine effectiveness — sometimes described as the "too much of a good thing" effect. Derailers examines these maladaptive patterns that represent the less functional expressions of well-established personality dimensions.
What It Measures
Six Workplace Risk Dimensions
Linked to counterproductive behaviour and interpersonal strain
Flattering Characteristics
How dark-side traits may initially present as strengths
Too Much of a Good Thing
Traits that drive success in everyday situations can become liabilities under pressure. Derailers reveals these hidden risks before they impact performance.
Everyday Strengths
In normal conditions, personality traits present as productive strengths — confidence, attention to detail, sociability and ambition drive performance.
Under Pressure
When stress, authority or responsibility increases, these same traits can become amplified and manifest as counterproductive patterns that damage performance and relationships.
Derailment Risk
At extreme levels, traits that once drove success become liabilities — overconfidence becomes arrogance, attention to detail becomes perfectionism, and ambition becomes ruthlessness.
When to Use Derailers
Leadership & High-Impact Selection
Identify potential behavioural risks before placing individuals in leadership or high-stakes roles where dark-side traits are most likely to emerge.
Behavioural Risk in Pressurised Environments
Proactively assess risk in roles where stress, authority or high responsibility may trigger counterproductive personality patterns.
Executive & Management Development
Support senior leaders in understanding their own dark-side tendencies and developing strategies to manage them effectively.
Succession Planning
Strengthen your leadership pipeline by ensuring future leaders are assessed for both capability and potential risk factors.
Report Options
Purpose-built reports for selection, development and candidate feedback.
Derailers Select Report
Likelihood of counterproductive work behaviours being exhibited, with interview planning prompts for selection decisions.
Derailers Develop Report
Developmental plan highlighting risk areas with targeted strategies for managing dark-side tendencies.
Derailers Feedback Report
Candidate-friendly feedback on personality risk factors and practical guidance for self-awareness and growth.
Administration Options
On-Screen
Supervised or unsupervised digital administration
Remote Email Invitation
Send secure assessment links to candidates
Duration: Approximately 10 minutes to complete
Documentation
Ready to Uncover Hidden Risks?
Don't let dark-side personality traits derail your leadership pipeline. Derailers gives you the insight to identify and manage behavioural risks before they impact performance.