Emotional Understanding at a glance
Emotional Understanding refers to a continuum of behaviour that results from the priority you give feelings as a valid source of information (as opposed to using reason).
WHEN YOU PRIORITIZE REASON EXCLUSIVELY
- You will have minimal connection to your and others' feelings.
- You will use facts as the primary basis for your decisions.
- People you like may find you insensitive.
- People you don't like will still be able to work with you.
- Stressful situations will be easier for you to manage.
WHEN YOU PRIORITIZE EMOTIONS EXCLUSIVELY
- You will have a deep connection to your and others' feelings.
- You will use emotions as the primary basis for your decisions.
- People you like will find you very supportive.
- People you don't like will find you difficult to work with.
- Stressful situations will be harder for you to manage.
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 COGNITIVE STRATEGIES |
INCREASINGLY TENDS TOWARDS EMOTIONAL STRATEGIES |
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 Emotional Understanding, the client will almost exclusively use facts and reason to define the world and make decisions, and will dismiss (or not even recognize) most feelings or emotional cues.
| Hextile: | EU-A03 |
| Representation: |
left strong |
| Nearest adjective: | “Composed” |
| Adjacent adjectives: | “Grounded”, “Sensible” |
| T-score range: | 0 - 15 |
As with all MIPI competencies, malleable Emotional Understanding 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:
- Composed under stress
- Naturally objective
- Forthright and direct
- Clear about boundaries
- Practical and no-nonsense
Someone in this band may demonstrate the following unhelpful behaviours:
- Quick to anger
- Poor recognition of own feelings
- Poor self-management abilities
- Limited ability to empathize with others
- Poor impulse control
SITUATIONS
Someone in this band may fare best
in the following situations:
- Upsetting situations that challenge others
- Situations that call for harsh objectivity
- Situations that call for the defense of another
Someone in this band may struggle
in the following situations:
- Situations requiring interpersonal sensitivity
- Situations where they perceive a personal attack
- Situations that involve emotional self-regulation
DO
DO NOT
STRATEGIES
- Get right to the point. Someone in this band will want to get directly to the business at hand.
- Be polite. Someone in this band will recognize the need for social structure and manners.
- Set early feedback expectations. Someone in this band will need extra time to decide how they feel.
- DO NOT set complex protocols. Keep routines simple, unambiguous and easy to follow.
- DO NOT talk about personal things. Someone in this band will not see the relevance.
- DO NOT define success in emotional terms. Someone in this band will not understand.
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.
- Create rules for behaviours that involve comfort (e.g., always take your coat off when entering a building, always keep spare snacks in your desk, etc.).
- Plan out your day according to expected blood sugar changes (e.g., do jobs that don’t require effort after lunch but hold important meetings in the morning).
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 “urge surfing” to control challenging impulses. This involves monitoring urges as they progress as well as looking for triggers when they end.
- Meditate to strengthen interoception (the awareness of physical sensations in the body). This will improve emotional awareness and the mind-body connection.
The following complimentary worksheet PDF may be useful for a client with malleable Emotional Understanding.
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 Emotional Understanding, the client will prioritize facts and reason to define the world and make decisions, but will also explore feelings and emotional cues when it feels safe to do so.
| Hextile: | EU-A02 |
| Representation: |
left moderate |
| Nearest adjective: | “” |
| Adjacent adjectives: | “”, “” |
| T-score range: | 16 - 30 |
As with all MIPI competencies, developing Emotional Understanding 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.
- Plan out your day according to expected blood sugar changes (e.g., do jobs that don’t require effort after lunch but hold important meetings in the morning).
The following complimentary worksheet PDF may be useful for a client with developing Emotional Understanding.
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) Emotional Understanding, the client is equally comfortable using both facts and feelings to define the world and make decisions, but will prioritize facts when threatened or presented with an ambiguous situation.
| Hextile: | EU-A01 |
| Representation: |
left slight |
| Nearest adjective: | “” |
| Adjacent adjectives: | “”, “” |
| T-score range: | 31 - 45 |
As with all MIPI competencies, balanced (left) Emotional Understanding 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 to match your mood to your surroundings. When we feel good, we tend to see the positive. When we feel down, the opposite is true. This means that the wrong mood can actually impair our performance.
The following complimentary worksheet PDF may be useful for a client with balanced (left) Emotional Understanding.
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) Emotional Understanding, the client is equally comfortable using both facts and feelings to define the world and make decisions, but will prioritize feelings when threatened or presented with an ambiguous situation.
| Hextile: | EU-B01 |
| Representation: |
right slight |
| Nearest adjective: | “” |
| Adjacent adjectives: | “”, “” |
| T-score range: | 46 - 60 |
As with all MIPI competencies, balanced (right) Emotional Understanding 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.
- Our feelings are never wrong. Our thoughts often are. Since thoughts lead to emotions, it’s important to check the accuracy of our interpretations. An automatic thought record can help.
The following complimentary worksheet PDF may be useful for a client with balanced (right) Emotional Understanding.
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 Emotional Understanding, the client will prioritize feelings and emotions to define the world and make decisions, but will also consider available facts when it feels safe to do so.
| Hextile: | EU-B02 |
| Representation: |
right moderate |
| Nearest adjective: | “” |
| Adjacent adjectives: | “”, “” |
| T-score range: | 61 - 75 |
As with all MIPI competencies, solidifying Emotional Understanding 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.
- Anger, anxiety and upset often stem from an interpretation you’ve made about something that happened. Practise “cognitive reframing”, so you can learn how to change these interpretations.
The following complimentary worksheet PDF may be useful for a client with solidifying Emotional Understanding.
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 Emotional Understanding, the client will almost exclusively use feelings and emotions to define the world and make decisions, and will dismiss (or not even recognize) many available facts.
| Hextile: | EU-B03 |
| Representation: |
right strong |
| Nearest adjective: | “empathetic” |
| Adjacent adjectives: | “self-aware”, “sensitive” |
| T-score range: | 76 - 90 |
As with all MIPI competencies, reinforced Emotional Understanding 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:
- Highly self-aware
- Quick to empathize with others
- Effortlessly able to switch perspectives
- Able to make effective “gut” decisions
- Thoughtful and considerate
Someone in this band may demonstrate the following unhelpful behaviours:
- Able to hold long-standing grudges
- Worry about what others think
- Difficulty accepting criticism
- Slow to create healthy boundaries
- Can overreact under pressure
SITUATIONS
Someone in this band may fare best
in the following situations:
- Situations requiring interpersonal sensitivity
- Ambiguous situations that require intuition
- Situations that require another point of view
Someone in this band may struggle
in the following situations:
- Situations involving large amounts of stress
- Situations that require objectivity
- Situations that require vulnerability
DO
DO NOT
STRATEGIES
- Share personal anecdotes. Someone in this band will appreciate the opportunity to connect with you.
- Politely ask about their feelings. Someone in this band will appreciate your interest.
- Encourage feedback. Someone in this band will be skilled at identifying what works for them.
- DO NOT discuss your feelings. They will distract someone in this band from your work together.
- DO NOT dwell on your client’s feelings. The time you have to work together is limited.
- DO NOT allow them to take over. Someone in this band can easily hijack a conversation.
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.
- Use relaxation techniques (e.g., “box breathing”) to help calm yourself when emotions run high. This will help to prevent impulsive fight-or-flight responses.
- Practice “cognitive reframing” before meeting someone you do not like. This will help to set aside your animosity and allow the two of you to work together.
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 “cognitive defusion” to manage difficult feelings. This involves using cognitive techniques to step back from your emotions in order to reduce their impact.
- Get a diary and develop a journaling practice. Journaling helps to put your experiences and difficult feelings in perspective so they don’t overwhelm you.
The following complimentary worksheet PDF may be useful for a client with reinforced Emotional Understanding.
For more programming ideas, including workshops, coaching suggestions, workbooks and Powerpoint slides (for both individuals and groups), please contact us.