Our ability to regulate behavior and emotions is a complex set of bio-psycho-social systems. In order to make some sense of the complexity, psychologists, neuroscientists and sociologists have worked tirelessly to develop usable models for these abilities. We call the elements in these models Executive Functions Skills. Some models have 10 skills, some have as few as eight, but I prefer a model that defines 12 distinct but interrelated functions. You may find many different names for the executive function skills listed below, this is the nomenclature used at Kanengiser Coaching, but it is by no means the only way to define them.
Response Inhibition is merely a fancy way of describing what we commonly refer to as “self control.”
The Flexibility skill dictates how well we can shift gears, change our plans, or alter our perception of whether things are going in the “right direction.”
Working memory is the ability to hold facts, processes, and ideas in short term memory and the skill of accessing or utilizing that information.
Emotional Control is the ability to manage and regulate our responses and reactions to emotions, both good and bad.
Our ability to stay focused, regardless of our level of interest in a given task or situation is called Sustained Attention.
Task Initiation is the ability to get started on a task or goal, rather than find ourselves consumed with distractions or other tasks.
Planning / Prioritization enables us to mentally identify and articulate a process that we will need to follow in order to complete a given task or accomplish a goal. Implicit in this skill is being able to anticipate an order of tasks or activities that is likely to lead to success.
Our ability to keep track of tasks, items and all of things that surround us (both physically and digitally) is termed Organization.
The Time Management skill allows us to sense how long a given task or activity will take.
Goal Directed Persistence is the ability to navigate through barriers or challenges in order to achieve a goal or complete a task.
Our ability to manage stress and adversity is called Stress Tolerance.
The final skill is Metacognition, which I simply define as “seeing the big picture.”
Most Executive Functions start developing either in the womb or in infancy, and don’t complete development until our early-mid 20s. For some individuals, depending on biological sex and neurological patterns, they may not complete development of executive skills until they reach their late 20s or even early 30s. Everyone has a different balance of executive function strengths and weaknesses. It’s important to note that we (those of us who work in and around human behavioral improvement or science) believe that every person has some things that they are exceptionally naturally good at managing, and some that present a bit of a challenge. Some common neurodivergent conditions have typical profiles of strengths and weaknesses, but every person has a unique balance. When paired with an assessment of Executive Function, coaching utilizes techniques to use strengths to support challenges, and may use practical skills to find simple solutions to an individual’s weaknesses. To learn more about how coaching may be helpful to you, please feel free to reach out.
