Dark traits can be both beneficial and detrimental to a workplace. And if we are afraid to talk about them, they will often be the latter. PTX is the tool that can bring dark traits to light and create a professional framework where they can be discussed.
Are you headstrong, selfish, cynical or maybe a little self-righteous? These are probing questions that are difficult to ask when you’re sitting opposite another human being.
But not only that, they’re also questions that are hard to expect an honest answer to. While we all have dark traits, we know that dark traits are traditionally viewed negatively. And that openly sharing our dark traits will rarely be of personal benefit to us.
Knowledge of a candidate’s dark traits is difficult to access through a traditional interview. But that doesn’t make the knowledge any less relevant. As an employer, you want to know what kind of person you’re hiring and what drives and motivates them. You want to make sure you hold the best possible cards and optimise the likelihood that hiring the person will be a success. Our customers know this, which is why there has long been a demand for a tool that can map dark traits.
We have developed this tool with People Test X-tend (PTX) because we believe that it is better to bring dark traits to light and talk about them on an equal footing along with other attributes – so that we can create the best possible environment for bringing dark traits into play in a fruitful way.
Dark traits can be both beneficial and detrimental to a workplace. But they can be downright toxic if we don’t talk about them. Because not talking about them means dealing with them with no real awareness, and that’s bound to end badly.
PTX – What is it?
PTX is an extended personality test that measures nine dark traits, split across the three main traits of selfishness, cynicism and self-righteousness.
- Selfishness (self-interest, aspiration, prestige)
- Cynicism (imperviousness, confrontation, alliance formation)
- Self-righteousness (mistrust, justification, pragmatism)
PTX is based on the latest research in the field of dark personality traits (the D factor: Dark factor of personality). The analysis itself consists of 150 questions and takes about 15-20 minutes to complete. To use the tool, it is a prerequisite that you are certified in personality analysis before you can become certified in PTX. We recommend using PTX in combination with a personality analysis and not as a standalone analysis.
PTX is ideal for both recruitment interviews and appraisals. The tool is particularly relevant for people who will be, or are, involved in relational work, i.e. people who have a job where their relationship with other people is crucial to the outcome of their work. This is even more relevant if the work involves influence over others.
PTX is relevant for:
- Managers at all levels.
- Employees where teamwork is key.
- Employees who represent the company to customers, such as consultants and salespeople.
Read more about the PTX certification here.
It is important to be aware that PTX can feel invasive, confrontational and perhaps revealing to the test taker. As a user, you have a special task in explaining the purpose. And the principles of confidentiality and ensuring the validity of the feedback.
Before using PTX, you should always consider whether it is ethically and professionally justifiable to test a candidate at such a deep level.
