Using the MSCEIT 2 and EQ-i 2.0
Emotional intelligence focuses on using emotions in an intelligent and meaningful way and is an important contributor towards workplace success, transformational leadership, improved wellbeing and effective teamwork.
You can use an emotional intelligence assessment to identify and develop emotionally intelligent individuals and organisations, creating the ideal environment for a workforce to thrive.
But with so many assessments claiming to measure emotional intelligence, which one should you choose?
It is helpful to first consider the two primary ways used to assess emotional intelligence:
Behaviour-Based Assessments – These measure how often individuals display certain emotionally intelligent behaviours. For example, the EQ-i 2.0 provides an insight into how people typically behave and interact at work. This is valuable because, in any role involving human interaction, consistent, emotionally intelligent behaviour is often predictive of success.
Ability-Based Assessments – These measure the mental abilities needed to interpret and leverage emotional information effectively. The MSCEIT 2 is an example of an ability-based assessment, measuring how well individuals can perceive, understand, and manage emotions in real-time. In workplaces where unexpected interpersonal situations arise, the ability to read emotions and adapt accordingly is just as crucial as having a consistent behavioural style.
In simple terms:
Behaviour-based assessments measure what individuals typically do.
Ability-based assessments measure what individuals can do.
So depending on what you are looking to measure, you may decide that either a behaviour-based or ability-based emotional intelligence assessment is more suitable.
For example, if you are working with someone who often finds themselves in novel, emotionally charged situations, it may be more important to assess how effectively they recognise their own, and others’ emotions, as they emerge and measure their skill in leveraging that information. Therefore, you may prefer to use an ability-based assessment, such as the MSCEIT 2.
You may also choose to use the MSCEIT 2 in situations where people may be motivated to portray themselves in a more positive light, such as a recruitment or selection context. This is because, unlike behaviour-based assessments that rely on self-report, people cannot fake or distort responses when they complete an ability-based measure.
Alternatively, the EQ-i 2.0 may be more suitable for those interested in measuring a wider combination of traits and skills alongside emotional intelligence. For example, wellbeing is also measured with the Wellbeing Indicator in the EQ-i 2.0 reports.
However, using both behaviour and ability based assessments together can provide complementary insights and deepen your understanding of an individual’s emotional intelligence.
Here are just 3 ways the EQ-i 2.0 and MSCEIT 2 can work together:
1) Understand an individual’s ability and typical behaviour
Understanding both an individual’s typical behaviour and their emotional intelligence ability helps organisations intervene more effectively in their development. For example, if a manager struggles to build relationships with their team, is it because they lack the ability to connect with other people’s emotions? Or do they have the skill but fail to apply it consistently? This can only be answered by using both an ability and behaviour based assessment.
2) Assess an individual’s capacity for developing emotional intelligence
The EQ-i 2.0 is an incredibly effective development tool and can help people identify the areas of emotional intelligence that would be most beneficial to develop. However, achieving these development goals may be easier for some than others. The MSCEIT 2 can provide an additional insight into how difficult it may be for an individual to develop their emotional intelligence, based on their current level of skill. For example, it would be harder for someone to develop their emotional self-awareness, a subscale on the EQ-i 2.0, if they struggle to perceive emotions in themselves and others, a skill measured by the MSCEIT 2. Having this knowledge would help organisations and coaches to provide further support to those who need it most.
3) Address an individual’s lack of self-awareness
Combining the EQ-i 2.0 with the MSCEIT 2 would allow you to compare a person’s actual and perceived levels of emotional intelligence. This would be particularly useful in situations where you suspect someone lacks self-awareness, because the MSCEIT 2 provides objective information about an individual's emotional intelligence skills that does not rely on their own perceptions. Any discrepancies can be used to constructively challenge an individual to reflect on their behaviours and how effective they really are in the workplace.
Whether you choose to use them separately or together, the MSCEIT 2 and EQ-i 2.0 are both reliable, valid and powerful tools for assessing and developing emotional intelligence in the workplace.
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