Assessments Today

The Dangers of Comparing Personality Types to The New World of Work

This summer I read an article in Business Week which asked the question: "Is There a Virtual Worker Personality?"  What a great question I pondered.  The article points out that when Pearn Kandola began studied hundreds of workers at Cisco as well as other employees at global client companies around the world, they discovered the opposite to what they expected to find.

It turns out it's the gregarious types who thrive in virtual work setups, since they connect nonetheless. It's the shy types who feel isolated.

I have no desire to take exception with the study or some of the recommendations - which make sense for any virtual off site employee regardless of personality.  I am concerned about the stereo typing that is bound to occur.  I raised a similar issue in the Spring: The introvert / extrovert perefernce in MBTI and networking  We have to be careful not to draw conclusions or make assumptions. 

Image via Wikipedia

Brad Cope has a rather lengthy and humourous look at this issue in Southwest Airlines' magazine: "I'll Be Switched".  This is in response to whether you should or could try to change your personality for your career advancement.  Apparently if you are into the MBTI, studies from CPP Inc suggest that the ESTJ type is the most coveted in senior management. (i.e. there are more ESTJ's in executive and management positions than any other for the 16 types.)  In Canada I would suggest it might be ISTJ and coming from a research industry maybe even INTJ's.  In Europe I believe that "introverts" are also more valued.  Perhaps this is my own bias as a gregarious introvert myself.

The whole discussion raises the old debate - are you drawn to a career based on your "personality" or are you more successful because of said "personality"?  I am of the view that it is irrelevant.  We need to have variety in all roles to ensure innovation and prevent cloning.  And children need to stop being told that they can't do something because they don't have the right makeup for it. Besides . . . the times they are a changing.

The work place is shifitng in ways that we really can't predict.  We are told that emotional intelligence will be more necessary but if it is true that we will become more virtual and isolated - will we?  I believe so as the old norms of understanding are replaced the skill of reading people and responding based on their perspective will be in greater demand.  As the world of work diversifies and becomes even more global, the cues will become more confusing and complex.  It is not a question of which personality is better suited to these changes.  We are all capable of adjusting as long as we understand our own tendencies and preferences.  Then and only then will we be in a position to identify what we can do that fits with our own integrity and makes up happy and successful in our lives.  For these reasons taking a reputable assessment (be it MBTI, DISC, EQ or a myriad of others) is a great starting point - not a death sentence on our journey.

True Colors - Team Building Workshops

I have decided that it is time to get back into doing more True Color Workshops.  True Colours is a stand alone program or a very effective kick off event for a team building retreat.  The Personality Dimensions (True Colors) workshop is designed to help participants become more effective communicators and enhance team building skills.  

For the past few years, since moving to Europe, I have been promoting and using The Platinum Rule for my team building activities. I still love this tool but I have missed doing the True Colors.  The Personality Dimension assessment could be viewed as a "simplified" Myers Briggs Type Indicator.  It is so much easier to grasp and remember.  More importantly, it doesn't box or label people.  So for those who like Jung and MBTI - this is a fantastic team tool.

 Personality Dimensions (True Colors) Intro 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

What it is?

The Personality Dimensions workshop is a self-awareness program that builds on the foundations established by the work of David Keirsey, Linda Berens and Don Lowry. It helps people become more effective communicators and enhance team-building skills. Through the use of four colours, Resourceful Orange, Organized Gold, Inspiring Green, and Authentic Blue, workshop participants become aware of four basic personality types. Each personality is unique and needs to be differently rewarded. This is often used successfully as a kick off event for a team building retreat. 

How it works? 

In the activity-based presentation, participants learn to appreciate their diversity and improve their self-esteem by being introduced to the Personality Dimensions theory and sorting various four colour-coded cards as well as completing a validated short word sort instrument. Participants are then regrouped according to their ‘personality colour’ and, with the aid of colour coded props, present answers to specific questions. Presentations are analyzed and discussed for similarities and differences. The presentations also allow them to scrutinize the skills they need to strengthen to become even more effective team members.

Programme structure 

A minimum of 2.5 hours deliver time is required to introduce the concepts and complete the activities. Ideal group size is 12 to 20.   Handouts are kept to a minimum but the Participant Package, with a 13-page booklet, is part of the materials required. (Cards must be returned along with the top page of the instrument.) The workshop is delivered in English but materials are provided in either French or English.

This workshop is highly interactive and energetic. I am Level One certified to deliver this material and has personally delivered this workshop to over 600 people.  Please feel free to contact me directly if you need any other information or some references. 

Cyndi Lauper's song and lyrics are wonderful and I sometimes use it to move between activities - enjoy.

 

 

Testimonial

“Colour us THANKFUL!... we found you to be a dynamic, knowledgeable and, certainly an entertaining leader. We talked about it for days and we were all anxious to find out if our hunches about family members were right.  Thank you so very much for an informative, informal, fun evening. It allowed us to better understand the people we work with and to appreciate how vital different colours are to a properly functioning team."

Are YOU Socially Intelligent? (Social Intelligence)

Cover via Amazon

From the bestselling author of EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE comes SOCIAL INTELLIGENCE. Author Daniel Goleman uncovers new science, revealing that human minds are made to connect with one another during any interaction.

Check out the Harvard Business Review 10 minute video and interview with Goleman here.

The Firo-B and Increasing Your Social IQ

By guest author,  Mary Jo Asmus, President, Aspire Collaborative Services

We are in an era when the ability to get along with others ("social intelligence") is becoming more important than ever for organizational and community leaders. A leader's ability to connect with others and form great relationships is essential in this world of email, global teams, and dispersed customers.  

 

I often use assessments with my clients to assist them in increasing their self awareness, understanding of others, and social intelligence.  One of my favorites is called the FIRO-B ("Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation").  This fascinating tool provides information about some fundamental interpersonal dimensions in the areas of: 

• Inclusion: How much you include other people in your life and how much attention, contact, and recognition you want from others.
• Control: How much influence and responsibility you express and how much you want others to lead and influence you.
• Affection: How close and warm you are with others and how close and warm you want others to be with you.

All of these behaviors can contribute or detract from a leader's ability to make good connections and form healthy relationships.

 

The Center for Creative Leadership has discovered that only one of the three FIRO-B dimensions differentiated the top quartile of leaders from the bottom quartile. Many of us might believe the popular assumption that those leaders who readily express control are the most effective. Indeed, this is not what CCL found in their study.  Rather, the single factor that differentiated top leaders from those at the bottom was affection - how much a leader expresses it, as well as how much a leader wants affection.   

 

In other words, the highest performing leaders show more warmth and want more than the bottom 25%.  I've learned that all three areas of inclusion, control and affection have an impact on a leader's effectiveness in some way. Here are some tips for reflecting on your ability in all three dimensions in order to increase your "Social IQ".

The necessity of creating and sustaining great relationships is becoming more important to you. You have noticed that the leaders who are most effective are those that are able to make connections, engage, and encourage others.  They take what they hear from followers into account in order to make the best decisions.  How might you increase your own ability to connect, engage and encourage? Ask yourself and reflect on the following:

 

Including Others:

• Do I listen with my head and my heart?  Do I suspend judgment as listen?
• Do I invite participation?  Do I invite participation from employees when my decisions will impact them?

Being Strategic About Control: 

• Do I control only those things that are essential for me to control?  Do I let go when appropriate, allowing others to take the reins? 
• Do I take other's opinions and ideas into account in my decisions and actions?  Do I ask for opinions and ideas? Do I honor those who provided their opinions and ideas by letting them know that I have taken their information into account and thanking them?

Expressing and Inviting Affection:

• Do I spend time with my employees regularly discussing what is meaningful to them in their work and their lives? Do I coach employees to make meaningful connections between what matters most to them and the work they are doing?
• Am I willing to disclose those things that are most meaningful in my own work and life? Do I reveal what is most important to me, thus helping employees better understand me and my decisions?

From the June 16, 2008 Aspire Collaborative Services Newsletter

New Reseach Rates SOCIAL STYLE Over DiSC & MBTI

The new 2008 study from Colorado State University and Regis Learning shows that Social Style is easier to understand and apply than Myers-Briggs or DiSC.

In this study, the Social Styles instrument originally developed by Merrill and Reid was used and the Inscape DiSC assessment was used to represent the various DISC instruments. The Platinum Rule™ Behavioral Style Assessment is based directly on the Social Styles Model using the same principles. The Platinum Rule™ does not measure the versatility dimension. However, flexibility and adaptability are strongly emphasized in the Assessments Now training for coaches and trainers.

I am pleased to discover that the key findings completely support what I have observed in my own experience working with all three models and assessments. Now I have research to back up my anecdotal stories.

For Immediate Release
Wednesday, March 05, 2008

Nik Olsen
(970) 491-7766
Nik.Olsen@colostate.edu

TRACOM SOCIAL STYLE MOST EFFECTIVE INTERPERSONAL SKILLS TRAINING PROGRAM EVALUATED BY COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY STUDY

FORT COLLINS - The Social Style training model is easier to understand and use than either DiSC or Myers-Briggs, according to a new research study from Colorado State University and Regis Learning Solutions. The study is the first-ever comparative study of the three leading training programs in interpersonal skills.

The study evaluated more than 200 people participating in training programs featuring the DiSC model from Inscape Publishing; the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, or MBTI, model from CPP Inc.; and the Social Style model from The TRACOM Group. It found that while participants in all three programs held very positive reactions to the training programs, participants in Social Style training scored significantly higher in terms of understanding and retaining course concepts and in using those skills to understand and relate effectively with others.

"All three of these programs have been used for decades and have tens of thousands of happy customers," said Professor Kurt Kraiger, director of the Center for Organizational Excellence at CSU. "We felt it was important to conduct a thorough evaluation of the three models and see if there were measurable differences in their impact. This study in fact shows that Social Style does outperform DiSC and Myers-Briggs in terms of workplace training."

Regis Learning Solutions recruited working adults and conducted a series of training classes where participants were trained in one of the three programs/models. Facilitators, who were certified by program publishers to teach each specific model, taught all class sessions. After completing the class, participants then were evaluated to measure their reactions to the training, their understanding and retention of the materials and their ability to apply the information.

The results of this study are detailed in a new paper titled, "An Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Three Popular Training Programs to Improve Interpersonal Skills." The paper has been accepted by the American Psychological Association for presentation at their annual conference (fill in details).

Key research findings:

- Participant reaction to training: Participants in all three programs had very positive reactions to the programs and perceived them to be very useful. Overall, Myers-Briggs received the highest rating in this area, slightly more than DiSC and Social Style.

- Retention of key concepts: Each person was tested after the training to assess retention of key course concepts. Social Style training participants scored highest, showing an average performance 18 percent higher than DiSC participants and 34 percent higher than Myers-Briggs participants.

- Applying learning with others: The final evaluation was of the participants' ability to apply what they learned in the courses when working with others. Each participant was asked to evaluate the behaviors of others and determine their style or type. Social Style training participants were better able to identify the correct style or type, showing a 47 percent improvement over DiSC and 280 percent improvement over MBTI.

- Identifying effective ways to work with people: Finally, participants were asked to identify effective ways to work with people based on their known style or type identifications. Social Style training participants were more likely to select appropriate ways to work with others based on style or type. They selected appropriate approaches 24 percent more than DiSC participants and 58 percent more than MBTI participants.

"Many organizations have historically relied on 'participant satisfaction' scores to evaluate their training offerings," said Steve Kirkpatrick, Chief Learning Office of Regis Learning Solutions. "This research shows that, while participants rate all three programs highly, Social Style has a larger impact on their subsequent performance."

-30-

Over the next couple of months I will be revamping my www.AssessmentsNow.com site and changing direction. If you want to open up an Associate Account for The Platinum Rule™, I recommend you contact me before the end of July.

"The Platinum Rule^TM is a registered trademark of Dr. Tony Alessandra. Used with permission." 

Emotional Self-Awareness

Self-awareness is the building block to which all elements of Emotional Intelligence are built upon. It is important to gain a full understanding of your emotions and how they relate to others in order to effectively make decisions both in and out of the workplace.

Self awareness is defined as understanding 1. what is important to you, 2. understanding how you experience things, 3. knowing what you want, 4. knowing how you feel, and 5. knowing how you come across to others (Weisinger, 1998). By developing self-awareness through these five elements, you will be more prepared to make decisions that will not only increase your emotional satisfaction, but also the satisfaction of the people you interact with.

Emotional intelligence is based on the idea that you must first become aware of your emotions before you are able to alter your behavior for better results. Studies show that managers who maintain a high level of self-awareness posses more aspects of EQ and are therefore rated as more effective by both superiors and subordinates than those who are not self-aware (Harvard Business Review). Knowledge about the nature of your personality is vital to making sound decisions. Emotional awareness is knowing what emotions you are feeling and why, and understanding the links between your feelings and your actions (Goleman, 1999). In other words, its the ability to take a step back from the situation to become aware of what's happening rather than become immersed in it and loose control (Goleman, 1998).

Tuning into emotions is not easy for most people. Dr. John D. Mayer, a psychologist at the University of New Hampshire, has identified three categories that he believes people fall into when it comes to identifying and dealing with their emotions.

1. Self-aware. These people are aware of their moods as they are having them. Their mindfulness helps them manage their emotions. When they are in a bad mood they don't obsess about it, and are able to get out of it sooner.

2. Engulfed. These are people who often feel swamped by their emotions and helpless to escape them, as though their emotions have taken charge. They are not very aware of their feelings, so that they are lost in them rather than having some perspective. As a result, they do little to try to escape bad moods, feeling they have no control over their emotional life. They often feel overwhelmed and emotionally out of control.

3. Accepting. While these people are often clear about what they are feeling, they also tend to be accepting of their moods, and so don't try to change them. There seem to be two branches of the accepting type: those who are usually in good moods and so have little motivation to change them, and people who, despite their clarity about their moods, are susceptible to bad ones but accept them with a laissez-faire attitude, doing nothing to change them despite their distress- a pattern found among depressed people who are resigned to their despair (Goleman, 1998).

As you can see, self-awareness is not getting carried away with emotions, but rather objectively identifying them in order to take control of the subsequent actions resulting from these emotions. By acknowledging your emotions, you can manage them, deal with them and then move on. This is very difficult for some people to do. It is much easier at times to just ignore, deny or rationalize your emotions. It is crucial, however, for us to develop an understanding of what we are feeling in order to use our emotions intelligently.

Emotions can tell us through instant feedback whether a decision or act is right for us. What we call "gut feelings" or " intuition" are feelings that have been formed by experiences in our past. By tuning into these gut feelings, we are able to use information about similar situations that we have experienced in the past. This is particularly important in recognizing what is important to you, knowing what you want and how you feel in different situations. Gut feelings can identify your true intentions in a situation. If you feel happy, satisfied, or content with a decision, it is a good indication that your decision coincided with your true intention. However, if you start to resent, or feel uneasy in a situation, you probably did not go with your true intention. Self-awareness allows you to connect with emotions, thoughts, and actions (Susik & Megerian, 1999).
Emotions are not just psychological impulses; they are also physiological "feelings." One way of identifying an emotion is to understand where in your body you feel that emotion. For example, think about where in your body you feel fear. Does your stomach ache, or do parts of your body grow tight? What about love or anger (Steiner, 1997)? If you can become aware of where these emotions physically occur in your body, it will be easier for you to identify them and act accordingly.

Along with becoming emotionally aware, you must also learn to become aware of your actions. One way to do this is by examining how you make appraisals. Appraisals are all of the different impressions, interpretations, evaluations, and expectations you have about yourself, others, and situations (Weisinger, 1998). These appraisals are largely influenced by your personal filter. It takes everything you gather as sensory data, information gathered through your five senses, and interprets it through a filter of information already stored in you mind. People with a high self-awareness are conscious of the filtering process and how it affects their perceptions. Negative appraisals can lead to self-fulfilling prophecies. However, being aware of this allows you to change your attitudes and actions. Becoming aware of your thoughts allows you to understand how they influence your feelings, actions and reactions thus allowing you to alter them accordingly.

Shortcomings in Emotional Intelligence come from habit learned early on (Fisher, 1998). Self-awareness is the first step to identifying and changing your behaviors. In order to change a habit, you must first notice when you're falling into it, and second, practice a different response. "By being aware, you can do a little better each time you try" (Farnham, 1996).

SREE NIDHI S K
Oscar Murphy International
Life Strategists, Behavioral Trainers, Coaches & Change Agents
Email: sree@oscarmurphy.com
Phone: Mobile: 91 9343714606 Office: 91 80 41161534 / 35

Singapore & Bangalore
Web: www.oscarmurphy.com

Reprinted with permission.

Emotional Intelligence Part 2

This whole area of Emotional Intelligence continues to fascinate and irritate many - including me.  While I have had difficulty decided which instrument I would adopt, I have finally selected the Genos - primarily because of my support of the work that Joseph Liberti does with EQatWork.   I continue to be disappointed in some of the instruments on the market.  For example, I use a lot of HRDPress materials, which are excellent for the whole, but the one that they call Emotional Intelligence has NOTHING to do with EQ.  It may serve as a great Right/Left Brain assessment but not for EQ. 

Here is a great article on the whole topic of Emotional Intelligence that I liked so much that I asked Kathleen if I could post the whole thing here instead of just a teaser.  Please, do visit her site if you enjoy the material. 

What is Emotional Intelligence?

A free feature to print off and read written by Life Coach Kathleen Ruth Hadikin.

Emotional intelligence has been described as 'using emotions to learn information about ourselves' (BBC Radio 4 'Emotional Rollercoaster' series) There are many ideas about, and definitions of, emotional intelligence but from a coaching perspective this one is most pertinent. The coaching process encourages clients to develop awareness and understanding of themselves: whay they love, what motivates them, what their strengths are and, as part of this process, it is natural to develop a greater awareness of our feelings: reading our emotions and what they mean to us. In other words the coaching process facilitates emotional intelligence.

Emotional intelligence is nothing new although there has been a surge of interest recently in emotional intelligence and the role of emotions at work. This is because of the rise in what is known as 'emotional labour'. Emotional labour is where emotions are actually used as part of our work, and staff are required to often demonstrate or express emotional states which may differ from how they are actually feeling. Examples of roles where emotional labour is used are healthcare (medicine, nursing, midwifery), customer services, call centres, retail, indeed many service industries and many roles which are too numerous to mention here.

So you can see, given the huge increase in service industries, why emotional intelligence is suddenly demanding our attention. We seem to have swung from one extreme to the other: from the British stiff-upper lip attitude of 'it isn't the done thing to show one's emotions' to  'we not only want you to show emotions we want you to show the ones we tell you to.' It is a sign of the times that in many jobs these days you will be expected to be a Master of emotional intelligence.

Background

As long as we have had Human Beings (or Homo Sapiens) we have had emotions! And probably long before: there is emerging evidence that animals also have emotions, and researchers are even discussing whether robots, or computers, can be programmed with emotional responses.

The term emotional intelligence first arose around the beginning of the 20th century. In the 1920’s Edward Thorndike expressed early concern at the over-emphasis on 'academic' intelligence, at the time when 'IQ' tests were being developed. IQ tests are a measure of cognitive intelligence, your 'Intelligence Quotient'. He was concerned that what he saw as emotional and social intelligences were equally, if not more, important and that they could be identified, and measured, as a completely separate entity from academic intelligence. Most of us can think of the stereotypical 'nerd' or boffin who is academically brilliant and socially inept.

Probably the most well-known contemporary author on emotional intelligence is Daniel Goleman. In 1996 his book "Emotional Intelligence: why it can matter more than IQ" was published, just at a time when the business and corporate world was hungry for more information about emotions. It became a number one bestseller. As is typical with Golemans work, this book is a very thorough and in-depth review of the latest cutting-edge (at the time) research into human emotions and how they affect our behaviour. He quickly followed through with a book which places emotions in the context of work:"Working With Emotional Intelligence" In this book he gives one of the most popular definitions of emotional intelligence that is in use today:

“the capacity for recognizing our own feelings and those of others, for motivating ourselves, for managing emotions well in ourselves and in our relationships”.

It is referred to variously as emotional intelligence, social intelligence, emotional-social intelligence (ESI) and simply EQ.

What does EQ mean?

EQ means ‘emotional quotient’ and was a term devised by Dr. Reuven Bar-On in an attempt to quantify, or measure, emotional-social intelligence (ESI). He wondered if you could have an 'EQ' test to rate your emotional intelligence in a similar way to how an 'IQ' test rates your academic intelligence. (online at: http://www.6seconds.org/pdf/Bar-On_ESI.pdf )

EQ tests are not absolute and are as controversial as IQ tests. Just as your IQ can change throughout your life, and is not fixed at birth, so can your EQ. EQ tests vary in what they measure (since there are different ideas about what emotional intelligence actually is).

How we recognise emotional intelligence

While scientists argue over the best way to measure it, the rest of us know ‘it’ when we see it. When we watch star peformers in a team they usually have ‘it’ whilst others (apparently) don’t.

We might notice: positive thinking; optimism; above-average networking, communication skills and performance; confidence; an ability to put others at ease and to ‘take things in their stride’; emotional 'maturity', an ability to be at ease with others' emotions; motivation; energy; focus; calmness and/or presence. From this perspective we see practical implications in terms of performance:

      

"For 515 senior executives analyzed by the search firm Egon Zehnder International, those who were primarily strong in emotional intelligence were more likely to succeed than those who were strongest in either relevant previous experience or IQ. In other words, emotional intelligence was a better predictor of success than either relevant previous experience or high IQ. More specifically, the executive was high in emotional intelligence in 74 percent of the successes and only in 24 percent of the failures. The study included executives in Latin America, Germany, and Japan, and the results were almost identical in all three cultures."

- Source: http://www.eiconsortium.org/research/business_case_for_ei.htm

Here is the good news: emotional intelligence can be developed. It is a myth that you either have ‘it’ or you don’t. The star performer was not born that way. He or she is using a complex emotional-social skill set that has been learned at some stage. Whether we learn emotional skills depends on our environment. While some people learn them at home even before attending school and or at school, some of us reach adulthood never having had the opportunity to develop emotional skills to any recognisable degree. We are all at different stages in our emotional-social development.

The good news is that regardless of our baseline level of emotional intelligence we can develop it further. Although our inborn nature does play a part, some infants have been observed to be more outgoing and actively seek social interactions from birth, we can still learn from others how to develop and build upon our existing skills.

Although views differ, some of the key elements of emotional intelligence are described as:

• self-awareness and self-management;
• effective communication skills;
• empathy;
• an ability to sense what others are feeling and respond appropriately;
• and an ability to be in and work from ‘flow state’.

Some commentators, including Goleman, also consider intuition as an important aspect of emotional intelligence.

Coaching and emotional intelligence

The coaching process by it's very nature encourages self-enquiry. The focus is on who are you being in any given situation. Whereas a mentor might focus on how you are doing a task, a coach will focus on who you are being, in doing the task. This will include how you are feeling. An awareness of how you are feeling in any moment, and the ability to 'read' the feeling, interpret it as having some information or a message for you, is a key aspect of emotional intelligence.

In coaching any 'limiting beliefs' need to be identified and changed if possible. An obvious example would be a tennis player entering a match with the belief that he can't win. Hs coach would want him to believe that he absolutely CAN win. We can all see that this would affect his performance, but do we know how?

Our tennis player might not consciously be thinking 'I can't win'. He might not be consciously thinking anything. But his feelings would tell us. He might notice a 'sinking feeling' in the pit of his stomach. Or nervousness, or fear. The jury is still out on whether we experience thoughts or feelings first, maybe both - at different times, but for our purposes it doesn't really matter. It is sufficient to know that thoughts and emotions are closely related. Once the feeling or sense of fear is recognised by our player, with practice, he can then discern the message. He might be aware that he is holding a limiting belief, barely a thought, which might be 'I'm not good enough'.

By working with his coach to change this belief, and using the physical sensation as energy - perhaps re-naming it 'excitement' instead of fear, our player can develop a winning attitude. If he does nothing and continues believing and feeling that he isn't good enough, he might as well pack up and go home. He's lost before he walks on court.

Emotional intelligence and flow state

In general use emotional states are thought of as mostly negative. If someone cries they are often described as 'emotional', yet if someone is in a rage they usually aren't! We think of so-called 'negative' emotions first: fear, anger, sadness and then we may tag on the so-called positive emotions as an after-thought: joy, happiness, peace or a sense of well-being. For our purposes no emotions are strictly 'positive' or 'negative' since they all contain information that is good for us to know about ourselves. Even thought there may be some emotions we would prefer not to experience and others which we would prefer to experience.

One such 'preferred' emotional state is flow state. Whilst not strictly an emotion as such, we can use emotions to measure if we are in flow state, or not, and use emotions to return to flow state. We certainly experience 'positive' emotions once we are there. Why would we want to do this? Firstly perhaps because it simply feels great. But there is alot more to flow state than just feeling good.

Flow state is a highly creative, high performance state in which we reach (and often surpass) our own peak performance, while at the same time experiencing positive emotions and a sense of effortlessness. This has been described by athletes as 'the zone'. Interestingly, we also feel more like our 'true' selves. That what we are doing is just 'being who we are'. Even though some learning might be involved, like learning techniques in tennis, or playing an instrument, once we are in the state it somehow feels natural and effortless. Quite complex tasks, such as playing a violin, can feel easy.

As coaches we encourage people to remember what they 'love' to do. We invoke emotional words like 'love', 'joy' and 'passion'. If our clients can remember what they love, and why they love it, indeed what they are passionate about, they can recall the positive emotions involved and possibly recall occassions when they have experienced flow state. If we can co-create an emotional pathway back to that state, that the client can use as a tool on a daily basis, they can not only improve their performance, which is good, but they will experience a highly creative state, a flood of positive emotions and an increased sense of well-being and job satisfaction. There is also a close connection to whatever fires our passion and where our strengths and talents lie.

In the groundbreaking book (and profiling test) "NOW Discover Your Strengths" Buckingham and Clifton point out that strengths-based organisations not only improve employee satisfaction, reducing stress and employee turnover, but can increase performance by up to 80% This is because once you practice any activity that relates to your strengths you quickly experience flow state. It's a bit like the old adage: what came first the chicken or the egg?

It doesn't really matter whether you get into flow state because you are using your strengths or whether you develop your strengths because you are in flow state. What matters is that it feels good, feels effortless, and you are surpassing and evolving beyond your peak performance. DO try this at home! Click on the link above, take Buckingham and Cliftons 'strengthsfinder' profile, then try any activity related to your top five strengths. Pretty soon, you will experience flow state. (The Strengthsfinder profile is an internet based profile, supported by Gallup International in which over 2 million people have participated to date)

After ignoring them for so long we are finally beginning to recognise that our emotions are pretty important. Not only can they be a guidance system for us, they can lead us to our strengths, lead us to our passion, improve our performance and, well, they just feel good!

Emotional intelligence skills enable us to read our emotions and make adjustments where necessary. They also enable us to 'detach' from our emotions when necessary. Our tennis player can dis-identify from his fear: he is aware that it is not who he is. Once he realises he is not his fear he can allow himself to experience the feeling, and still retain a positive self-image as a star player. We can also use our emotions to recognise, and return to, a flow state.

As we become self-aware we develop the ability to observe our mind (our thoughts and emotions) and dis-identify rather than be identified with it. We realise we are much more than our thoughts and emotions. We are no longer swept away by emotions. We empathise with others who are struggling with emotional-mental attachments. We no longer take others’ emotions personally, or feel a need to react to them. This deeper understanding leads us to new ways of being, new ways of interacting with others and new levels of compassion. This is the next phase of human evolution. It is emotional intelligence.

©2006 Ruth Hadikin Associates. Ruth Hadikin BSc (HONS), Cert.Ed. is a Personal and Professional Development Consultant and Coach specialising in Emotional Intelligence through Self-awareness. Her background is 18 years in the NHS as a Nurse, Community Midwife and Midwife Teacher. She is author of Effective Coaching in Healthcare and with Co-Author with Muriel O'Driscoll of The Bullying Culture, and Interpersonal Skills. As a freelance writer, consultant, trainer and personal coach she works with individuals, groups and organisations, to facilitate a deeper understanding of the intelligence inherent in human emotions and promote the practical benefits of using emotional intelligence to transform our everyday experience.

Participate in EQ Beta Testing

I am excited to tell you about an exceptional offer that I am co-sponsoring with my colleague, Joseph Liberti. If you are interested in Emotional Intelligence then I encourage you to check out this offer. I recommend this program and request that you seriously consider participating.

I feel so strongly about this program that I am completely prepared to quarantee it for my readers.  This is a phenomenal value.  Not only will you experience one of the better EQ assessments on the market - with a proper debriefing, but you will be well on your way to certification should you wish to continue with this product.  What excites me more is the opportunity to participate in a beta research project that Joseph and I are conducting as well as have an  an amazing personal growth experience.

Vist the EQ UNO webpage and listen in

 

As an incentive, I am providing a Platinum Rule Behavioral Assessment as a bonus for early registration.  You may have tried the Platinum Rule and if you have, you can use this one for anyone that you choose.

What is Emotional Intelligence?

Here is a six minute "sound byte" of an interview I had with Joseph Liberti of EQ at Work. 

There are many emotional intelligence (EQ) assessments available today. How do you choose which is best for you? Joseph Liberti has written a five page article "Choosing An Emotional Intelligence Assessment" that can be downloaded from his blog: EQatWork