High sensitivity in the light of the TMA

An article with tips on recognizing high sensitivity in relation to the TMA (Talent Motivation Analysis).Written by Larinda Bok - van der Voet. TMA Professional and Registered Career Professional, she helps gifted adults enrich their lives.

As a TMA Professional, we all experience it at times, sensing that certain behavior is 'different,' but we can't quite put our finger on it. When you realize that one in five people is highly sensitive, you can't ignore the fact that highly sensitive individuals are also present in your practice or environment.

In this article, I will discuss: a case example featuring Mary, what high sensitivity entails, how to deal with it, how to utilize the TMA Method, and I'll provide some additional advice.

Case Mary

In the first conversation, Mary came across to me as a 35-year-old, calm, and modest woman. She is married, enjoys sports, and has a six-month-old baby. Mary notices that despite taking two days of parental leave, she is struggling with her work. She wonders, "Am I doing the right things? What gives me energy and what drains my energy?" When asked about what a typical workday looks like for her, I noticed certain characteristics that could indicate high sensitivity.

Mary commutes to work using public transportation. She experiences the first sensory overload on the train. All the sounds and various smells overwhelm her intensely. She seems to absorb people's energy. Once at work, she engages in small talk with some colleagues and is very empathetic. Her senses are heightened, and she absorbs all emotions and impressions. And this, while her workday has yet to begin. Mary is a planner in a surgical department at the hospital. She constantly juggles staffing needs, changing OR schedules, and employee preferences. She wants to help everyone and adapts accordingly.

Mary gets stuck

Mary seems to be hitting a roadblock, and I want to raise her awareness by questioning her about the signals she exhibits in relation to high sensitivity. In this conversation, Mary becomes aware of several behaviors that indicate high sensitivity. Generally, recognition and acknowledgment of high sensitivity ultimately contribute to an appreciation of it. Before Mary appreciates high sensitivity as a special gift, she experiences many doubts, uncertainties, and questions. Her self-image is shaken by questions such as:

How can I shape my life and take my own standpoints without losing myself?
It feels like I am uprooted, as if I am in two worlds. How can I ever ground myself here?
I realize only now that I have always forced myself to behave and perform just like a non-highly sensitive colleague. Should I tell my colleagues at work that I am highly sensitive?

What is high sensitivity?

In the early 1990s, American psychologist Elaine Aron conducted extensive research on high sensitivity. She wrote a book titled "The Highly Sensitive Person" (1996), which brought high sensitivity to the forefront.

Highly sensitive individuals lack a filter for stimuli; stimuli are processed deeply, and various connections are made. According to Aron, high sensitivity can be identified when someone exhibits thorough information processing from a young age, experiences rapid overstimulation, possesses an above-average empathic ability, and demonstrates notably sensitive senses. Overstimulation and emotional intensity are consequences of deep processing in the brain.

Did you know*:

20% of the population is highly sensitive.
There are as many highly sensitive men as there are women.
2 to 3% of the population is gifted.
87% of gifted individuals are highly sensitive.
Not every highly sensitive person is gifted.

Approach to highly sensitive people

A purely psychological or cognitive approach is insufficient for highly sensitive individuals. For them, understanding and behavior change occur through intuition. They consider more information than others in their considerations. Psycho-education, psychomotor therapy, art therapy, body-oriented therapy, or Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) bring highly sensitive individuals closer to their emotions. This helps them to experience what truly matters.

The TMA Professional and high sensitivity

As a TMA Professional, it is essential to understand your perspective on (high) sensitivity and to be skilled in recognizing and advising on how to deal with high sensitivity.

You also need to develop a subtle perception to see where people are focusing their energy and attention. You must help them channel their high sensitivity to focus on what they want instead of being constantly distracted and influenced by their surroundings.

TMA and high sensitivity in Practice

High sensitivity is not explicitly measured in the TMA. However, there are scores that as a TMA Professional you can relate to high sensitivity. Generally, highly sensitive individuals are very transparent, so probing questions can quickly clarify matters. The STAR methodology is immensely helpful in this regard.

High sensitivity has more impact than you might initially think. If you lack expertise in guiding highly sensitive individuals, you serve them best by referring them to someone who understands their sensitivity and can provide expert guidance.

The following scores provide an indication where high sensitivity may be considered:

A low score on self-esteem and courage indicates insecurity and difficulty making decisions. These aspects are significant obstacles for highly sensitive individuals. Implicitly, when combined with a high score on helping others, responsibility, and involvement, this indicates a need to be alert to high sensitivity.
My practical experience shows that in 75% of cases, highly sensitive individuals are quite empathetic and score high on social empathy. However, social empathy cannot be directly equated with high sensitivity.
It's worth investigating when you encounter someone with low energy and a need for recognition, who is giving space and has a low score on decisiveness, to explore their sensitivity to stimuli.

Incentive management

Returning to Mary's story, several factors contributed to her struggles at work and in her family. Since work-related aspects often play a significant role in professional talent development, I'll focus on the work context in this article. To prevent Mary from experiencing chronic overstimulation, I advise her to keep a personal stimulus plan. This will help her track her internal and external stimuli.

I don't recommend immediately taking a step back and seeking rest. This isn't the right intervention for everyone. Every highly sensitive person also needs active destimulation. This involves actively recharging through proactive coping and engaging in enjoyable activities. The extent of active destimulation varies from person to person.

Other advice

It goes beyond the scope to delve into all conversation topics in detail here. However, I'd like to share three insights and pieces of advice. These recommendations were developed in consultation with Mary. She chooses what works best for her, and I guide her through being-oriented, intuitive coaching by asking concrete, profound questions that prompt reflection.

Travel

The stimuli in the train, such as smells, sounds, and the energy of people, drain Mary's energy. She takes care of her baby before leaving home and doesn't allow herself time for breaks in between. Starting work later and commuting with an electric bike reduces the stimuli at the beginning of the day, giving her more energy to focus on her tasks. Mary relaxes in nature, and by spending her lunch break alone taking a walk in the nearby park instead of with colleagues, she actively recharges for her afternoon activities.

Adapt

Adapting to colleagues, setting priorities, and making continuous decisions drain Mary's energy. Stopping to help and saying no feels unnatural to her. When she starts practicing setting boundaries, not everyone accepts it. It's behavior that people are not used to seeing from Mary, and not everyone respects the boundaries she sets. However, she persists with this new behavior because she has become aware that she is the one who can break her persistent ineffective behavioral patterns. Mary's goal is to connect with her authentic core. It helps her to not always want to be strong, not to downplay her feelings, and not to say yes to everything.

Make decisions

Continuously making decisions like "Do I help my colleague and say no to the surgeon who disrupts the schedule with an emergency surgery, or do I say no to the colleague who wants to leave early?" drains a lot of energy from Mary.

Due to her rich inner mind, Mary's head is filled with numerous thoughts, triggering various emotions. Sadness, frustration, fear, guilt, but also joy and pleasure. These emotions consume energy, and making choices is also highly stimulating for Mary. Many options are filtered from the information available. They are carefully weighed, and a detailed decision follows. A job where she has to make fewer decisions may be helpful in preventing overstimulation.

Added value of highly sensitive people for organizations

Highly sensitive individuals are adept at sensing what is happening beneath the surface. They are invaluable in influencing decision-making processes, process improvements, policy developments, and they provide positive group-oriented leadership. Their sensitivity is a significant asset to organizations. They have an eye for detail, are meticulous, have creative ideas, and are good networkers.

More information or questions? Submit them via larinda@uniquepb.nl or in the comments!

Company: Unique Personal Branding

Knowledge platform: Platform Gifted 3.

Used sources:

Elaine Aron, 1997, Sensory-Processing Sensitivity and Its Relation to Introversion and Emotionality

Rianne van de Ven, 2016, Research into the relationship between giftedness and high sensitivity
Tom Falkenstein, 2018, Highly sensitive men

Not right or wrong

The funeral directors recently underwent the TMA Talent Analysis because their roles have also changed, requiring them to reapply. Van der Endt, as a manager, was closely involved in this process. "Some find it challenging when a mirror is held up to them, while others find it enjoyable. I see the TMA as a framework for who you are and what you do, especially something that you can use in your future career. It provides a foundation, and there's no right or wrong."

"It can either confirm things or bring surprises," Van der Endt continues. "Two employees decided to leave their positions partly because of the analysis. They mentioned that the new role didn't suit them, which was also evident from their reports, so it's only positive to see that confirmed."

Also start with TMA

Consultants

As a consultant, you guide your clients by implementing TMA Talent Management. You rely on positive psychology.

Organisations

As an organization you want to implement the TMA positive psychology instruments and TMA Talent Management Method in your own organization.

Coaches

As a coach you believe in positive psychology, talent and possibilities that make the difference for the candidates you coach.

The week of High Sensitivity: High Sensitivity in the light of the TMA