The Bar-On model of emotional intelligence (Mixed Model of Emotional Intelligence)

the Mixed Model of Emotional Intelligence. Bar-On (2006) defined emotional intelligence as the ability to understand yourself and others, relating well to other people and children, adapting to and coping with the immediate surroundings and being more successful in dealing with environmental demands. The model outlines five components of emotional intelligence which are further divided into five different areas which interact with each other. These areas or meta-factors is outlined in figure 2.5 and include intrapersonal (emotional awareness, assertiveness, independence, self-regard and self-actualisation), interpersonal (empathy, social responsibility and interpersonal relationships), adaptability (reality testing, flexibility and problem-solving), stress management (stress tolerance and impulse control) and lastly general mood which includes happiness and optimism (Bar-On, 2006; Stys & Brown, 2004).

COMPONENTS SUB-COMPONENTS Intrapersonal o Self-regard o Emotional self-awareness o Assertiveness o Independence o Self-actualisation Interpersonal o Empathy o Social responsibility o Interpersonal relationship Adaptability o Reality testing o Flexibility o Problem-solving Stress Management o Stress tolerance o Impulse control General mood Components o Optimism o Happiness

Figure 2.5. Bar-On Mixed Model of Social Emotional Intelligence. Adapted from http:// www.cakitches.com

Intrapersonal – Self-awareness and Self-expression

This meta-factor governs a person’s or child’s ability to be aware of their own emotions and to understand their own strengths and weaknesses, and to express their feelings and

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emotions in a socially acceptable manner (Bar-On, 2006). The first competency/skill or sub- factor related to the intrapersonal meta-factor is self-regard.

• Self-regard – This sub-factor is defined as a person’s or child’s ability to accurately perceive, understand and accept who they are as a person. According to Bar-On (2006), it is important for people and children to accept themselves and view themselves as good people. If an individual is able to respect him or herself, he or she will most likely accept who they are as individuals. In turn, this will assist them in accepting their positive and negative qualities as well as their strengths and weaknesses. An individual with good self-regard will feel fulfilled and satisfied with who they are and with life (Bar-On, 2006; Stys & Brown, 2004).

• Emotional self-awareness – This sub-factor is defined as the ability of individual’s to be aware of and understand their emotions and emotional self-awareness refers to the ability of individuals to recognise their emotions (Bar-On, 2006).

• Assertiveness – This sub-factor is defined as the ability of individual’s to constructively express their feelings and themselves (Bar-On, 2006). According to Bar-On (2006), assertiveness is composed of three basic components namely, the ability to express one’s own feelings, the ability to express one’s own beliefs and opinions and the ability to stand up for what a person or child believes is right and not to allow other people or children to take advantage of them. The next sub-factor is independence.

• Independence – This sub-factor is defined as a person’s or child’s ability to be self- reliant and free of emotional dependency of other people or children (Bar-On, 2006). Being independent is described as a person’s or child’s ability to be self-directed in their thinking and actions and to be free of emotional dependency (Bar-On, 2006). The last sub-factor is self-actualisation.

• Self-actualisation – This sub-factor is defined as a person’s or child’s ability to set personal goals and to drive themselves to achieve these goals in order to actualise their potential (Bar-On, 2006). Self-actualisation refers to a person’s or child’s ability to realise their potential.

Interpersonal – Social awareness and Interaction

This meta-factor of emotional intelligence relates to a people’s social awareness, skills and interaction (Bar-On, 2006). It is concerned with a person’s or child’s ability to be aware of other people or children’s feelings, concerns and needs and to be able to establish and

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maintain co-operative, constructive and mutually satisfying relationships with others (Bar-On, 2006).

• Empathy – This sub-factor is defined as a person’s or child’s ability to be aware of and understand other people’s or children’s feelings. It describes the person’s or child’s ability to be sensitive to what, how and why people or children may feel the way they do. Being an empathic person or child means that you can emotionally read other people or children (Bar-On, 2006).

• Social responsibility – This sub-factor is defined as a person’s or child’s ability to identify with their own social group and to co-operate with other people and children. It is viewed as a person’s or child’s ability to demonstrate themselves as co-operative, contributing and constructive members of their social group (in their families, among friends, at work and at school) (Bar-On, 2006).

• Interpersonal relationship – This sub-factor is defined as a person’s or child’s ability to establish and maintain mutually satisfying relationships and to be able to relate well to other people and children. Mutual satisfaction describes meaningful social interactions that are potentially rewarding and enjoyable for all people and children involved (Bar- On, 2006).

Stress management

This meta-factor comprises of Stress Tolerance and Impulse Control. This component relates to emotional management and control, and it governs a person’s or child’s ability to deal with emotions (Bar-On, 2006).

• Stress tolerance – This sub-factor is defined as a person’s or child’s ability to effectively and constructively manage their own and others’ emotions. It is viewed as a person’s or child’s ability to deal with adverse events and stressful situations without getting overwhelmed by them (Bar-On, 2006).

• Impulse control – This sub-factor is defined as a person’s or child’s ability to effectively and constructively control their emotions and those of other people and children. It is described as a person’s or child’s ability to resist or delay an impulse, drive or temptation to act. It is a person’s or child’s ability to control their aggressive behaviour, hostility and irresponsible behaviour (Bar-On, 2006).

Adaptability

Adaptability as a meta-factor comprises of Reality Testing, Flexibility and Problem Solving.

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This meta-factor relates to change management. It describes a person’s or child’s ability to adapt to personal and interpersonal change in their immediate environment (Bar-On, 2006). • Reality testing – This sub-factor governs a person’s or child’s ability to objectively

validate their own feelings and think with external reality. It involves experiencing things as they really are without excessive fantasising or daydreaming (Bar-On, 2006).

• Flexibility – This sub-factor describes a person’s or child’s ability to adapt and adjust to their own feelings, thinking and behaviour towards new situations. This involves adjusting their feelings, thoughts and behaviour to changing situations and conditions (Bar-On, 2006).

• Problem solving –This sub-factor governs a person’s or child’s ability to effectively solve problems of a personal and interpersonal nature. Problem solving entails a person’s or child’s ability to identify and define problems as well as to generate and implement potentially effective solutions (Bar-On, 2006).

General mood

General mood as a meta-factor comprises “optimism” and “happiness”. It is closely related to self-motivation. General mood determines the ability of individuals to enjoy their lives and enjoy socialising with others. It also influences a person’s or child’s outlook on life and overall feeling of contentment (Bar-On, 2006).

• Optimism – This sub-factor is defined as a person’s or child’s ability to maintain a positive and hopeful attitude towards life even in the face of adversity. It represents a positive approach to a person’s or child’s daily living, and it is viewed as a very important factor in what people or children decide to do (Bar-On, 2006).

• Happiness – This sub-factor is defined as a person’s or child’s ability to feel content with themselves, other people and children as well as life in general. It is described as a person’s or child’s ability to feel satisfied with their lives, enjoy being in the company of other people and children and having fun (Bar-On, 2006).

Bar-On (2000), stated that individuals with high EQ are more successful in meeting environmental demands and has better stress management. He noted that a deficiency in emotional intelligence can lead to an individual experiencing a lack of success and the development of emotional problems. Bar-On (2000) considered emotional intelligence and cognitive intelligence to contribute equally to an individual’s general intelligence which offers an indication of a person’s potential to be successful in life (Bar-On, 2000).

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Bar-On (2006) proposed that emotional intelligence primarily consists of being able to understand yourself and the people you interact with or those you do not interact with, to cope with daily environmental demands and to solve problems in a changing environment. He stated that emotional intelligence develops over time and it can be improved through therapy and training programmes (Bar-On, 2000).

2.5.3 Goleman’s mixed model of emotional intelligence

Goleman’s mixed model of emotional intelligence (Figure 2.6) outlines four main emotional intelligence constructs. These constructs include “self-awareness” which is considered a person’s ability to read his or her own emotions and to recognise their impact while using gut feelings to guide their decision-making process. Secondly it includes ‘self- management’ which involves the ability to control one’s emotions and impulses and adapting to changing circumstances. The third construct, “social awareness”, includes a person’s ability to sense, understand and react to other people’s emotions while comprehending social networks (Goleman, 1997; Mayer et al., 2008; Petrides et al., 2007; Stys & Brown, 2004). The fourth construct, “relationship management” entails a person’s ability to inspire, influence and develop others while managing conflict.

SELF Personal Competence OTHER Social Competence Recognition Self-Awareness - Emotional Self-Awareness - Accurate Self-Assessment - Self-Confidence Social Awareness - Empathy - Service Orientation - Organizational Awareness Regulation Self-Management -Self-Control -Trustworthiness -Conscientiousness -Adaptability -Achievement Drive - Initiative Relationship Management -Developing Others - Influence - Communication - Conflict Management - Leadership - Change Catalyst - Building Bonds

- Teamwork and Collaboration

Figure 2.6. Emotional Intelligence Competencies. Adapted from

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Goleman (1997) included a set of emotional competencies within each construct of emotional intelligence. He viewed these competencies as learned capabilities that must be worked on and developed to achieve outstanding performance. Goleman (1997) did not view these competencies as talents. Goleman (1997) suggested that an individual is born with a general emotional intelligence that determines their potential for learning emotional competencies.

In the next paragraph, the four main emotional intelligence domains and the competencies are discussed in detail:

Domain 1 – Self-Awareness

According to Goleman (1998) it is important for a person to have self-awareness in order to understand other people or children. Self-awareness is also important in the development of empathy for another person. The competencies in the self-awareness domain include emotional self-awareness, accurate self-assessment and self-confidence (Goleman, 1995, 1997, 1998; Mayer et al., 2000; Petrides et al., 2007; Stys & Brown, 2004).

• Competency 1 – Emotional Self-Awareness: Emotional self-awareness is a person’s or child’s ability to understand their own feelings and why they are feeling the way they do. It is described by Goleman (1997), as a person’s or child’s ability to recognise their emotions and their effects on themselves and other people and children.

• Competency 2 – Accurate Self-Assessment: Self-awareness is described by Goleman (2002), as the key to a person’s or child’s ability to realise their own strengths and weaknesses. Goleman (1998) found that individuals who score high in accurate self- assessment seek feedback and can learn from their mistakes.

• Competency 3 – Self-Confidence: Self-confidence is described as a person’s or child’s ability to believe in their own capability to accomplish any task and effectively approach a task or a problem they are being faced with (Goleman, 1998).

Domain 2 – Self-Management

This second domain of emotional intelligence refers to a person’s or child’s ability to regulate distressing affects like anger and anxiety and to inhibit emotional impulsivity (Goleman, 1998).

• Competency 4 – Emotional Self-Control: According to Goleman (1998), emotional self-control is a person’s or child’s ability to keep their impulsive emotions and feelings under control and to retain from negative actions when they are being

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provoked, when faced with opposition or hostility from other people or children or when working under pressure.

• Competency 5 – Transparency: Transparency is referred to as a person’s or child’s ability to keep their actions consistent with what they say. It includes a person or child communicating intentions, ideas, and welcoming openness and honesty even in difficult situations (Goleman, 1998).

• Competency 6 – Adaptability: Adaptability refers to a person’s or child’s ability to be flexible within a variety of changing situations and with various people, children or groups.

• Competency 7 – Achievement Orientation: According to Goleman (1998), achievement refers to a person’s or child’s ability to accomplish things through their efforts.

• Competency 8 – Initiative: Initiative refers to a person’s or child’s ability to identify a problem, obstacle or opportunity and to act. It is the ability to address current and future problems.

• Competency 9 – Optimism: Optimism is defined as a person’s or child’s ability to pursue goals despite obstacles and setbacks. Goleman (1998) viewed optimism as the key ingredient for achievement as it can determine a person’s or child’s reaction to unreasonable events or circumstance.

Domain 3 – Social Awareness

This domain of emotional intelligence includes two competencies namely, empathy and organisational awareness. These competencies determine how a person or child deals with relationships (Goleman, 1998).

• Competency 10 – Empathy: If a person or child has empathy for others, it means that they are aware of other people’s or children’s emotions, concerns and needs. An empathic person or child can read emotional currents and pick up non-verbal cues such as tone or voice and facial expressions (Goleman, 1998).

• Competency 11 – Organisational Awareness: According to Goleman (1998), organisational awareness is a person’s or child’s ability to understand and learn the internal and external power relationships within an organisation. It includes a person’s or child’s ability to identify real decision-makers and individuals with influence.

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This domain of emotional intelligence contains competencies that have the most direct effect on interactions with other people (Goleman, 1998).

• Competency 12 – Developing Others: According to Goleman (1998), developing others means that people and children can understand other’s developmental needs and assist in building their abilities.

• Competency 13 – Inspirational Leadership: This competency implies a person’s or child’s desire to lead others.

• Competency 14 – Influence: Influence refers to a person’s or child’s ability to persuade, convince or impact on others in order to gain support.

• Competency 15 – Conflict Management: Conflict management refers to a person’s or child’s ability to handle difficult individuals, groups of people or children or tense situations with diplomacy and tact. This competency entails a person or child finding the best solution for a problem they face (Goleman, 1998).

• Competency 16 – Teamwork and Collaboration: Teamwork and collaboration represent the ability of a person or child to work co-operatively with other people and children and be part of a team (Goleman, 1995, 1997, 1998; Mayer et al., 2008; Stys & Brown, 2004).