Attentiveness at a glance
Attentiveness refers to a continuum of behaviour that results from your ability to focus even under stressful conditions (as opposed to attending to emergent events).
WHEN YOU EXCLUSIVELY PRIORITIZE EMERGENT EVENTS
- You can focus in short, intense bursts.
- You will have a flexible disposition.
- You will excel at creative problem solving.
- Daydreams will be frequent and detailed.
- You will prefer a “big picture” focus.
WHEN YOU EXCLUSIVELY PRIORITIZE SUSTAINED ATTENTION
- You can focus for long, sustained periods.
- You will rely on set patterns of thought.
- You will excel at convergent problem solving.
- Daydreams will be sporadic and vague.
- You will prefer a “down-in-the-weeds” focus.
Each MIPI dimension is measured on a continuum that ranges from 0 - 90.
| COMPETENCY IS ABSENT | 0 - 15 | 16 - 30 | 31 - 45 | 46 - 60 | 61 - 75 | 76 - 90 | COMPETENCY IS MAXED |
| MIDPOINT | |||||||
These continua can be subdivided into 6 “hextiles” that represent signposts of behaviour, radiating outwards from the midpoint. These hextiles appear below. Click their names for more details.
| INCREASINGLY TENDS TOWARDS DISTRACTION |
INCREASINGLY TENDS TOWARDS ATTENTION |
When a client's score is malleable, the competency in question is not in the client’s repertoire. The client will almost exclusively use alternative competencies.
In the case of malleable Attentiveness, the client will almost exclusively attend to emergent events and distractions and will seldom if ever sustain focus on important tasks, especially under stress.
| Hextile: | AT-A03 |
| Representation: |
left strong |
| Nearest adjective: | “Creative” |
| Adjacent adjectives: | “Flexible”, “Agile” |
| T-score range: | 0 - 15 |
As with all MIPI competencies, malleable Attentiveness can be understood through three different lenses:
- Appearance (what does this competency band look like in terms of behaviour?)
- Engagement (what is the best way to interact with a person in this competency band?)
- Development (what are some things someone in this competency band can do to improve their quality of life?)
The details of these lenses appear in the tables below (click table headings to toggle open/closed).
STRENGTHS
CHALLENGES
BEHAVIOURS
Someone in this band may demonstrate the following beneficial behaviours:
- Flexible disposition
- Excellent lateral thinking skills
- Multitasking ability
- Vivid imagination
- Sees solutions others might miss
Someone in this band may demonstrate the following unhelpful behaviours:
- Poor sustained attention
- Rapid loss of interest
- Fidgeting and outward impatience
- Appearing forgetful
- Appearing careless to others
SITUATIONS
Someone in this band may fare best
in the following situations:
- Controlling their own schedule
- Situations requiring spontaneity
- Situations requiring flexibility
Someone in this band may struggle
in the following situations:
- Following other people’s schedules
- Situations requiring meticulous planning
- Situations requiring detail work
DO
DO NOT
STRATEGIES
- Establish a realistic work plan. Take time to discover what this person can and cannot do alone.
- Offer them creative or lateral thinking problems. Someone in this band will be quite skilled at these.
- Draw their attention to details. Someone in this band likely prefers to overlook them.
- DO NOT let them build plans alone. Someone in this band will find these activities challenging.
- DO NOT expect them to solve problems right away. They will need to work problems on and off.
- DO NOT abandon the big picture. They will be more successful looking at problems from the top down.
SAMPLE STRATEGIES
SAMPLE ACTIVITY
MITIGATIONS
Mitigating strategies will help to ease some of the immediate concerns that someone in this competency band may face, but will not address underlying causes.
- Develop organizational strategies to manage forgetfulness. This can take the form of calendars, diaries, filing systems, etc.
- Select a time management framework to keep you on track. Choose from several well known ones, including timeboxing, rapid planning and more.
LONG-TERM
Long-term strategies will help to address deeper issues and can move the needle on this competency band. These take more time to practice and learn.
- Develop a mindful approach to internal distractions (e.g., “RAIN”). This involves recognizing and processing difficult feelings.
- Create “atomic habits” to manage the consequences of inattention. This involves managing cues, cravings, response and reward.
The following complimentary worksheet PDF may be useful for a client with malleable Attentiveness.
For more programming ideas, including workshops, coaching suggestions, workbooks and Powerpoint slides (for both individuals and groups), please contact us.
When a client's score is developing, the client has begun to use the competency but will still resort to using alternatives for most situations.
In the case of developing Attentiveness, the client will attend to emergent events and distractions but will also sustain focus on important tasks when it feels safe to do so.
| Hextile: | AT-A02 |
| Representation: |
left moderate |
| Nearest adjective: | “” |
| Adjacent adjectives: | “”, “” |
| T-score range: | 16 - 30 |
As with all MIPI competencies, developing Attentiveness can be understood through three different lenses:
- Appearance (what does this competency band look like in terms of behaviour?)
- Engagement (what is the best way to interact with a person in this competency band?)
- Development (what are some things someone in this competency band can do to improve their quality of life?)
The details of these lenses appear in the tables below (click table headings to toggle open/closed).
STRENGTHS
CHALLENGES
BEHAVIOURS
Someone in this band may demonstrate the following beneficial behaviours:
Someone in this band may demonstrate the following unhelpful behaviours:
SITUATIONS
Someone in this band may fare best
in the following situations:
Someone in this band may struggle
in the following situations:
DO
DO NOT
STRATEGIES
- DO NOT
- DO NOT
- DO NOT
SAMPLE STRATEGIES
SAMPLE ACTIVITY
MITIGATIONS
Mitigating strategies will help to ease some of the immediate concerns that someone in this competency band may face, but will not address underlying causes.
LONG-TERM
Long-term strategies will help to address deeper issues and can move the needle on this competency band. These take more time to practice and learn.
- Maintain a “distraction list”. This involves processing distractions in the moment by writing them down, then returning to the work at hand.
The following complimentary worksheet PDF may be useful for a client with developing Attentiveness.
For more programming ideas, including workshops, coaching suggestions, workbooks and Powerpoint slides (for both individuals and groups), please contact us.
When a client's score is balanced (left), the client has a good balance between the competency in question and its alteratives, but will gravitate towards alternatives under pressure.
In the case of balanced (left) Attentiveness, the client is equally comfortable both attending to emergent events and sustaining focus on important tasks but will prioritize emergent events when threatened or presented with an ambiguous situation.
| Hextile: | AT-A01 |
| Representation: |
left slight |
| Nearest adjective: | “” |
| Adjacent adjectives: | “”, “” |
| T-score range: | 31 - 45 |
As with all MIPI competencies, balanced (left) Attentiveness can be understood through three different lenses:
- Appearance (what does this competency band look like in terms of behaviour?)
- Engagement (what is the best way to interact with a person in this competency band?)
- Development (what are some things someone in this competency band can do to improve their quality of life?)
The details of these lenses appear in the tables below (click table headings to toggle open/closed).
STRENGTHS
CHALLENGES
BEHAVIOURS
Someone in this band may demonstrate the following beneficial behaviours:
Someone in this band may demonstrate the following unhelpful behaviours:
SITUATIONS
Someone in this band may fare best
in the following situations:
Someone in this band may struggle
in the following situations:
DO
DO NOT
STRATEGIES
- DO NOT
- DO NOT
- DO NOT
SAMPLE STRATEGIES
SAMPLE ACTIVITY
MITIGATIONS
Mitigating strategies will help to ease some of the immediate concerns that someone in this competency band may face, but will not address underlying causes.
LONG-TERM
Long-term strategies will help to address deeper issues and can move the needle on this competency band. These take more time to practice and learn.
- Select and adopt one of numerous time management strategies (e.g., “Pareto analysis” or “the Eisenhower matrix”. This will help keep your projects on track.
The following complimentary worksheet PDF may be useful for a client with balanced (left) Attentiveness.
For more programming ideas, including workshops, coaching suggestions, workbooks and Powerpoint slides (for both individuals and groups), please contact us.
When a client's score is balanced (right), the client has a good balance between the competency in question and its alternatives, but will gravitate towards the competency under pressure.
In the case of balanced (right) Attentiveness, the client is equally comfortable both attending to emergent events and sustaining focus on important tasks but will prioritize sustained focus when threatened or presented with an ambiguous situation.
| Hextile: | AT-B01 |
| Representation: |
right slight |
| Nearest adjective: | “” |
| Adjacent adjectives: | “”, “” |
| T-score range: | 46 - 60 |
As with all MIPI competencies, balanced (right) Attentiveness can be understood through three different lenses:
- Appearance (what does this competency band look like in terms of behaviour?)
- Engagement (what is the best way to interact with a person in this competency band?)
- Development (what are some things someone in this competency band can do to improve their quality of life?)
The details of these lenses appear in the tables below (click table headings to toggle open/closed).
STRENGTHS
CHALLENGES
BEHAVIOURS
Someone in this band may demonstrate the following beneficial behaviours:
Someone in this band may demonstrate the following unhelpful behaviours:
SITUATIONS
Someone in this band may fare best
in the following situations:
Someone in this band may struggle
in the following situations:
DO
DO NOT
STRATEGIES
- DO NOT
- DO NOT
- DO NOT
SAMPLE STRATEGIES
SAMPLE ACTIVITY
MITIGATIONS
Mitigating strategies will help to ease some of the immediate concerns that someone in this competency band may face, but will not address underlying causes.
LONG-TERM
Long-term strategies will help to address deeper issues and can move the needle on this competency band. These take more time to practice and learn.
- Practice “incubation“ as a part of routine problem solving. This involves task switching away from the problem to give your brain time to work on it.
The following complimentary worksheet PDF may be useful for a client with balanced (right) Attentiveness.
For more programming ideas, including workshops, coaching suggestions, workbooks and Powerpoint slides (for both individuals and groups), please contact us.
When a client's score is solidifying, the client has begun to explore alternatives but will still resort to using the competency in question for most situations.
In the case of solidifying Attentiveness, the client will sustain focus on important tasks but will also attend to emergent events and distractions when it feels safe to do so.
| Hextile: | AT-B02 |
| Representation: |
right moderate |
| Nearest adjective: | “” |
| Adjacent adjectives: | “”, “” |
| T-score range: | 61 - 75 |
As with all MIPI competencies, solidifying Attentiveness can be understood through three different lenses:
- Appearance (what does this competency band look like in terms of behaviour?)
- Engagement (what is the best way to interact with a person in this competency band?)
- Development (what are some things someone in this competency band can do to improve their quality of life?)
The details of these lenses appear in the tables below (click table headings to toggle open/closed).
STRENGTHS
CHALLENGES
BEHAVIOURS
Someone in this band may demonstrate the following beneficial behaviours:
Someone in this band may demonstrate the following unhelpful behaviours:
SITUATIONS
Someone in this band may fare best
in the following situations:
Someone in this band may struggle
in the following situations:
DO
DO NOT
STRATEGIES
- DO NOT
- DO NOT
- DO NOT
SAMPLE STRATEGIES
SAMPLE ACTIVITY
MITIGATIONS
Mitigating strategies will help to ease some of the immediate concerns that someone in this competency band may face, but will not address underlying causes.
LONG-TERM
Long-term strategies will help to address deeper issues and can move the needle on this competency band. These take more time to practice and learn.
- Learn systematic brainstorming approaches (e.g., “the Lotus Blossom technique”). This will encourage ideas from outside the usual set patterns.
The following complimentary worksheet PDF may be useful for a client with solidifying Attentiveness.
For more programming ideas, including workshops, coaching suggestions, workbooks and Powerpoint slides (for both individuals and groups), please contact us.
When a client's score is reinforced, alternatives to the competency are not in the client’s repertoire. The client will almost exclusively use the competency in question.
In the case of reinforced Attentiveness, the client will almost exclusively sustain focus on important tasks (especially under stress) and will only reluctantly break focus to attend to emergent events.
| Hextile: | AT-B03 |
| Representation: |
right strong |
| Nearest adjective: | “detailed” |
| Adjacent adjectives: | “focused”, “thorough” |
| T-score range: | 76 - 90 |
As with all MIPI competencies, reinforced Attentiveness can be understood through three different lenses:
- Appearance (what does this competency band look like in terms of behaviour?)
- Engagement (what is the best way to interact with a person in this competency band?)
- Development (what are some things someone in this competency band can do to improve their quality of life?)
The details of these lenses appear in the tables below (click table headings to toggle open/closed).
STRENGTHS
CHALLENGES
BEHAVIOURS
Someone in this band may demonstrate the following beneficial behaviours:
- Excellent sustained attention
- Highly achievement-oriented
- Tolerance for boredom
- Organized and disciplined
- Accomplishments recognized by others
Someone in this band may demonstrate the following unhelpful behaviours:
- Limited flexibility
- Weak lateral thinking skills
- Weak multitasking ability
- Restricted imagination
- High risk of burnout
SITUATIONS
Someone in this band may fare best
in the following situations:
- Situations requiring meticulous planning
- Situations requiring detail work
- Situations requiring tenacity
Someone in this band may struggle
in the following situations:
- Situations requiring spontaneity
- Situations requiring flexibility
- Situations requiring delegation
DO
DO NOT
STRATEGIES
- Encourage independence. Someone in this band can be trusted to get work done.
- Encourage and help them to connect ideas together. This will improve their lateral thinking.
- Keep the big picture in view. Someone in this band will easily get “lost in the weeds”.
- DO NOT become too hands-off. Someone in this band still needs support and guidance.
- DO NOT Make them guess. Someone in this band will need breadcrumbs to reach conclusions.
- DO NOT deny them chances to go deeper. They will perform their best doing detail work.
SAMPLE STRATEGIES
SAMPLE ACTIVITY
MITIGATIONS
Mitigating strategies will help to ease some of the immediate concerns that someone in this competency band may face, but will not address underlying causes.
- Play “lateral thinking” games and puzzles to encourage “out-of-the-box” problem solving strategies when you need them.
- Practice self-compassion to avoid over-identifying with your accomplishments. This will protect you if your hard work does not bear fruit.
LONG-TERM
Long-term strategies will help to address deeper issues and can move the needle on this competency band. These take more time to practice and learn.
- Identify “consequences and sequels”. This involves thinking through the consequences of each decision and mapping the ripple effects.
- Consider lifestyle changes. Sustained focus can lead to ill health effects including burnout. Be sure to take adequate breaks.
The following complimentary worksheet PDF may be useful for a client with reinforced Attentiveness.
For more programming ideas, including workshops, coaching suggestions, workbooks and Powerpoint slides (for both individuals and groups), please contact us.