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Your objective mindset in Agile EQ

Objective people consider all angles and construct logical arguments.
3 min read

Do you have the objective mindset in Everything DiSC® Agile EQ™? Objective is one of the eight Agile EQ mindsets, and tends to align with C styles. This article will help you better understand what drives this tendency and how to be on the lookout for times you may be overusing it.

If you are not a naturally objective person, and want to learn how to stretch into objectivity with more ease, see How to be more objective.

“I let facts guide my thinking.”

People disposed to the objective mindset consider all angles and construct logical arguments. It’s not about being a robot; it’s about being aware of how emotions and biases impact their viewpoint. Being honest with themselves about that is different from disconnecting from their emotions. Objective people understand when feelings and egos need to be set aside. They’re great at compartmentalizing and distilling problems to their essence. They often have the ability to step back and analyze a situation to determine what they can control and what they can’t.

Benefits of the objective mindset

Objective mindset: Separating facts from emotions and keeping the discussion focused on logic

Someone with the ability to separate facts from emotions is an incredible asset to any team. Even if objectivity is not a mindset that comes naturally to you, employing it when needed can bring clarity to complex decisions. Other benefits of the objective mindset include the ability to

  • strip away the noise and see more clearly
  • zero in on essential facts
  • use logic to create common ground and a common language accessible to all sides of a debate
  • recognize when emotions are impacting your judgment or the judgment of others
  • see how personal relationships are keeping people from acting logically
  • produce consistent results your team can rely on
  • make choices based on the big picture
  • explain to colleagues the rationale behind decisions that impact them
  • be confident in your judgment
  • sniff out bias

Which needs drive the objective mindset?

The social and emotional needs driving the objective mindset differ for people of different DiSC styles, but some key motivators are

  • maintaining stability, desiring predictable outcomes
  • avoiding the chaos of strong emotions
  • earning the respect and trust of others
  • achieving competence, maintaining high standards
  • avoiding mistakes
  • protecting dignity

Limitations of the objective mindset

If you’re a strong C style and firmly rooted in the objective mindset, there may be a tiny voice in your head saying, “Why would you ever choose not to be objective?” But part of developing your agile emotional intelligence is being able to identify times when stretching to another mindset is the best choice (maybe even objectively the best choice!). If you get stuck in the objective mindset, you might

  • discount the relevance of emotions in team situations
  • overwhelm people with logic and facts, especially when they disagree with you
  • fail to recognize when someone’s emotional needs should take first priority
  • miss out on opportunities that benefit from an intuitive approach
  • become lost when the facts don’t present one clear choice
  • fail to rally your colleagues around an idea when facts are not enough to get them excited
  • forget to consider the emotional impact of a decision on a coworker
  • be unable to throw yourself into an experience or let yourself go

Growing your emotional agility

It can be helpful to have someone work with you as you clarify your EQ goals and lay out the steps needed to reach them. Because it’s so individualized and provides practical guidance for skill development, Agile EQ is a great tool to use in your discussions with a leadership or life coach or any accountability partners you have.

The mindsets that you reach for instinctively are unlikely to change over time, but what can change is your comfort level with stretching into other attitudes. On each individual’s Agile EQ report (see sample), this is measured with an effort meter for each mindset. As you grow your agile emotional intelligence, you’ll be better able to read a situation and pivot to a more effective mindset, even if it’s not one in your comfort zone. It can also improve how you prepare for situations you know may be challenging for you, or may require an approach different from your usual plan of attack.

See also: How to be more Objective

Author

Avery Harris-Gray

SC style, NY based. Writing about Everything DiSC and The Five Behaviors since 2020. Leadership style: humble. EQ mindset: composed. I always have snacks to share.

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