What is Emotional Intelligence (EQ), how is it measured, and why does it matter?

Emotional Intelligence is measured with a process called the WE-I Assessment, by Learning in Action Technologies. It is based upon developmental and neurophysiology theory and research, combined with years of clinical, educational, consulting, and training experience. It was developed over a four-year period and released in early 2003. Highlights about the profile's purpose, use, applications and unique features are highlighted below.

 It's All About Relationship

Emotional Intelligence does not exist apart from relationship. We are created, developed and sustained in

relationships throughout our lives. Our brain and our emotional competencies develop in relationship. Daniel Siegel

elegantly describes this process in The Developing Mind: How the Brain and Relationships Interact to Shape Who We

Are. Complex neural pathways are developed early in life and get activated moment-to-moment as we interpret the

world around us. The EQ In Action Profile maps what neural pathways get activated in difficult relationships at work

and offers a guide for ongoing development of the self for high-performance, successful relationships, as well as an

overall sense of well being and vitality in living.

 It's Totally Behavioral Based - rather than self report

Rather than asking users to report what they would do or have done in their relationships with people, this tool

places individuals in a situation where they are asked to respond to several video segments of a person talking

directly to them. Respondents are asked to track their own experience as they watch the video and attempt to

understand what the other person might be experiencing. Respondents are given about fifty words and statements

for each video segment and are asked to rate the degree to which the word or statement fits their actual experience.

Each statement or word represents one of the constructs being measured. The statements are analyzed by

construct measured. The result is an EQ profile summary that reflects their reported experience. The profile provides a

"snapshot view" of how the user engages his/her emotional capacities in various stressful work interactions. Each

video segment presents common human themes that take place in most organizations.

 It’s About Learning - not a report card

Unlike most Emotional intelligence assessment tools, this profile does not provide a "score". Rather it reports how a

user compares with others who have taken this tool on the core capacities or "essential components" (Bagley &

Taylor) of emotional intelligence.

People are encouraged to reflect on their relational and emotional strengths and weaknesses in their current

relationships.

The EQ Fitness Handbook: 150 Practices for Daily Living provides focused practice options for each dimension.

These practices can be done anywhere at anytime so they can be incorporated into an emotional intelligence fitness

program.

EQ In Action Profile - Dimensions of the EQ Capacities Measured

Self-Reflection

Definition - The capacity to:

•  Notice and name one's own experience as separate from others
•  Observe one’s self, with the ability to separate the past and present. When intensity of experience seems excessive for the immediate situation, it typically reflects a strong overlay from one's past.

Key Dimensions measured:

•  Self-Other Focus
•  Positive-Negative orientation
•  Access to range of emotions
•  Balanced reliance on a) Feelings, b) Thoughts, c) Wants
•  Level of engagement and intensity

Self-Soothing - Self-Regulation

Definition: The capacity to:

•  Soothe one's own distress and reestablish one's equilibrium without requiring others or the world around

one’s self to change

•  Develop a broad range of soothing strategies to appropriately draw upon in different situations
•  Soothe one’s self in a way that is neutral to positive for self, the other, and the relationship

Key Dimensions:

•  Relationship strategies based upon High or Low trust of other and High or Low trust of self

Empathy

Definition:

•  Empathy Accuracy: The ability to "tune in to another" and accurately identify what the other person is

experiencing.

•  Empathy Understanding-Compassion: The ability to "identify and join” the other person in compassion

for what their experience might be like.

•  Empathic Interaction: The skill of interacting with another that actively demonstrates one hears, sees,

feels, and understands the other and makes the space for, or allows, the other to have a very different

experience from one’s own.

Key Dimensions measured:

•  Empathy accuracy
•  Empathy compassion