Feel, Act, Think Communication Process

feeling into what is the right action, then considering what worked

Feel, Think, Act individuals trust their inner gestalt sensitivity to guide their choices initially. Each time a new option arises, and they have time to experiment with their way of doing things, they try out some action to determine if it seems effective. In this way, they build a set of likely actions that will work in varying circumstances. This means they are the quickest to respond to any situation with a pre-defined answer. It also means that to some degree, their responses are slightly off target. Fortunately, this sequence is always in pursuit of better solutions. Only when something works, do they allow themselves to intellectually explore what worked, which relaxes them.

Feel First or “emotionally-centered” individuals will pursue harmony and full, uncompromised expression of interpersonal connections before anything else. They can be identified by their propensity to switch directions or context in the middle of a sentence and their lack of attention to pronunciation. They use feelings to determine the appropriateness of any action or event. Typically, this individual learns synergistically — hearing, visualizing, and doing simultaneously. They use their basic feelings as a barometer to determine the truth or appropriateness of a response. They can be highly sensitive and easily hurt. Their perceptivity is both their strength and weakness, as it can be extremely penetrating and yet easily overwhelmed. They are context-oriented, attempting to connect everything to everything else. They seek connection first on an emotional level so they can easily put everything in perspective. Sometimes they ramble from topic to topic to determine what others are most interested in discovering.

Act Second individuals need real life demonstrations to shown to them options. The more others try to tell them what they think needs to be known, the more impatient they will get, because they do not necessarily trust what people say is the truth. They also want their friends, business associates and romantic relationships to be willing to be patient when they make mistakes or find out what does not work. The more nonjudgmental others can be about their process, the more they can trust them and more likely listen to them. It helps if they perceive themselves as somebody who wants to know how things work from the inside out. In this situation, they can talk about their experience in a way that is understood. The more individuals talk in abstract terms, the less they are into listening or trusting what is said. Act Second individuals will act to precipitate attack if feeling defensive (they do not want any negative feelings or thoughts blind-siding them) or will act to amplify the initiating thought or feeling, believing they will not be understood. They are incredible observers of the way objects and mechanical processes work.

Many individuals tend to judge the way Think Last individuals engage others as impulsive and non-thinking because this communication process is not understood in the United States. This is primarily because there are so few Think Last individuals in this area. Others do not understand how they learn from each situation process so that the next situation provides them with more options or choices. When they regenerate and relax, it allows them to think deeply about what has just occurred. At that point they make decisions about what they are willing to choose next. Conscious individuals will recognize that when they initiate the thinking process, this means that they have made up their minds about what they want. Unconscious individuals keep repeating themselves with the hope that their perspective will prevail. This usually sabotages a Think Last person’s communication process because they do not need someone (to tell them what they think) no matter how it might appear to them.