Think of three people who you consider to be very intelligent.
Why did you choose them?
Are they more or less intelligent than you?
The Oxford English Dictionary definition of intelligence is “ the ability to learn, understand and think in a logical way”.
It’s a rather narrow definition. Earlier in my career I came across the work of Harvard psychologist Howard Gardner and his Theory of Multiple Intelligences; (Frames of Mind ).
Gardner's theory, introduced in 1983, revolutionised the understanding of intelligence by proposing that it is not a single entity but rather a combination of distinct types, each important in different contexts.
Gardner identifies 8 types of intelligence:
1. Linguistic-verbal - The ability to use language effectively, whether in writing, speaking, or other forms of communication.
2. Logical-mathematical - The capacity to analyse problems logically, carry out mathematical operations, and investigate issues scientifically.
3. Visual-spatial - The ability to think in three dimensions and visualise spatial relationships.
4. Bodily-kinesthetic - The capacity to manipulate objects and use physical skills effectively.
5. Musical - The ability to produce, appreciate, and recognise musical patterns and rhythms.
6. Interpersonal - The ability to understand and interact effectively with others.
7. Intrapersonal - The capacity to understand oneself, including one's emotions, motivations, and inner desires.
8. Naturalistic - The ability to recognise, categorise, and draw upon certain features of the environment.
We live in a world which undoubtedly associates the concept of intelligence with focus on the top two.
I have wanted to write about this topic for some time. While it all makes sense, there is still much we could do to embrace this concept of multiple intelligences in our world of work, education and career.
Artificial intelligence
In doing some research for this piece, I was keen to play around a bit with AI.
I thought it would be interesting to see how these intelligences would show up in people.
So, using ChatGPT I asked for the following:
“Write me a piece about the different types of intelligences in a story telling format and less than 500 words”
This is what I got, in less than 30 seconds:
The Academy of Minds: A Journey Through Different Intelligences
In a land called Cognitia, there stood the Academy of Minds, where students trained to master different kinds of intelligence. Each student had unique abilities, and together, they formed a brilliant community.
Lily the Wordsmith was a master of Linguistic Intelligence. She could weave beautiful tales, move hearts with her speeches, and remember even the smallest detail from a book. Her words brought people together and helped them understand complex ideas with ease.
Next was Isaac the Logician, gifted in Logical-Mathematical Intelligence. Isaac loved puzzles and numbers. He could solve any problem with precise calculations and sharp reasoning. When the academy faced a technical challenge, Isaac always knew how to crack the code.
Sophie the Artist thrived with Spatial Intelligence. She had an eye for patterns and design, able to imagine things in three dimensions. Her creations were a marvel, and she often helped engineers by visualising their complex projects.
Melody the Maestro lived for music, her gift of Musical Intelligence shining through every note she played. She could hear melodies others missed and create harmonies that lifted the spirits of the academy’s residents. Music wasn’t just sound to her; it was a language of emotion.
Meanwhile, Ava the Athlete excelled with Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence. Whether dancing, building, or practicing martial arts, she used her body as a tool for expression and learning. She helped others engage physically with tasks, showing how movement could unlock new understanding.
In contrast, Maya the Empath was the heart of the academy, skilled in Interpersonal Intelligence. She had a deep understanding of people’s emotions and needs, making her the go-to person for resolving conflicts or guiding teams through difficult times.
Terra the Naturalist spent her days in nature, harnessing her Naturalistic Intelligence. She could identify plants, track animals, and understand the delicate balance of ecosystems. Terra’s knowledge was vital for sustaining the academy’s gardens and wildlife.
Together, these students created a vibrant community, each contributing their unique intelligence to solve challenges, create beauty, and support one another. They learned that intelligence isn’t a single trait but a spectrum of abilities, each valuable in its own way.
Are you impressed? I was.
Of course, we don’t have to visit the Academy of Minds in Cognitia to meet such diverse and talented people. They are all around us:
In a summer which has seen incredible achievement at the Olympics and Paralympics we bear witness to bodily-kinesthetic intelligence.
- On our travels we pay homage to the architectural wonders created by the brilliance of spatial intelligence.
- From Taylor swift to Ludovico Einaudi we marvel at the musical intelligence of others.
- During COVID poets wrote words that soothed our worries while naturalists showed us how to find solace in our outdoor space.
- In the world of work, the best leaders are those who know, grow and develop their interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligence.
Why does it matter?
An educational system still hung up on ‘being clever’.
August can often be a tough time in Ireland. Around about the third week of the month, the annual Leaving Cert results come out. For those of you who don’t know, the Leaving Cert is a secondary school examination which determines the next step in a young person’s education. It’s a big deal. Even if you don’t have children, if you live in Ireland, you will know about the LC. The stress, angst and results of which, make national headlines EVERY year.
It's a points-based system and focuses, with the odd exception, on the first two types of intelligence – logical-mathematical and linguistic. There are no points, or prizes for excelling in many of the other types of intelligence as outlined by Gardner.
The educational system is beginning to recognise the diversity in types of intelligence by offering alternative ways to move through the educational system. But we are still a long way off perceived parity between value of these different types.
More creative career conversations.
Having career conversations around multiple intelligences allows for more choice. Here the emphasis is on ‘multiple’. No one has only one type of intelligence. We probably all have some degree of most, but there will be dominant types. Recognising our ‘intelligences bundle’ helps us provide choice for our careers. Think of it as a basket of ingredients where once we know what’s in the basket, there are plenty of things that we can bake.
Different combinations suggest different possibilities.
An individual with high logical-mathematical intelligence combined with high spatial intelligence but lower interpersonal intelligence will most likely be happier working on the design side of a project. Another individual with high spatial intelligence, lower logical- mathematical intelligence but high interpersonal intelligence will most likely be happier on the client-facing communication side of the project.
We need to dig deeper than simply categorising people into ‘creative’ or ‘logical’ or ‘people person’.
A more inclusive culture.
I am watching a TV series at the moment called The Good Doctor. It’s about a resident surgeon with autism. A highly talented individual in terms of logical-mathematical and visual-spatial intelligence. But he is low on intrapersonal and interpersonal intelligence. The drama unfolds as the team divides between those against the young doctor, as he will ‘never make a surgeon’ due to his lack of communication skills, and those who are with him, determined that they can support him and help him learn. It’s a feel-good drama so I am expecting the latter to win. The point being that we do better to see differences as benefits rather than barriers.
There has been many a conversation that I have overhead, that goes along the lines of…
‘A brilliant kid at sports, but not one for the books’.
‘Very clever, but a bit cold’.
‘One of those creative types – a bit off the wall’.
‘Too nice to everyone to get anything meaningful done’.
I have been guilty of similar comments myself.
We might do better to reflect on the concept of intelligence as a varied bundle of intelligences rather than a single entity. In this way, the kind person is not labelled dumb, the autistic genius as socially inept, or the creative as whacky or off the wall.
How might this be useful?
Moving away from our traditional binary view of intelligence allows for more choice in how we might develop as individuals. There are two phases of our lives when this might prove particularly beneficial.
(i) Secondary level education when we start to make choices that impact upon our career path.
(ii) Mid-career when we should take stock of where we are in our career and what the next steps might be.
In my roles as career coach, colleague and parent, I have observed how difficult it can be to work out what we are good at, or the make-up of our ‘intelligences bundle’.
It would be useful, as well as fun, to try out these intelligences much earlier in our lives, as well as investigating methods that might measure them.
Within the categories themselves we can find a spectrum. For example, bodily -kinesthetic is everything from dance to sport to excelling at manual dexterity such as sewing a dress or making a chair.
The difference between intelligence and skill.
Gardner distinguishes between intelligences as capacities or potentials, and skills as learned competencies. For example, someone might have high musical intelligence (the potential to understand and appreciate music), but without practice, they might not develop the skill to play an instrument well.
I have a good friend who is fabulous at wrapping presents. They look so beautiful on the outside, that it rarely matters what’s on the inside! She hasn’t been on a course to do this, nor has she practised hours on end to perfect the skill. She just seems to be naturally good at it. She is also good at DIY and sewing.
I am not particularly good at wrapping presents. Of course, I would get better if I watched a few You Tube videos and did a lot of practising.
While not entirely innate, intelligence is often seen as a combination of genetic factors and environmental influences that shape a person’s ability to process and apply knowledge.
Skills are acquired through deliberate practice, education, and repetition. You may be born with potential, but skills develop with effort and experience.
Clearly, we excel, and are happier, when we develop skills based on our innate intelligences.
On a lighter note.
Those of you who know me will remember that I got my first commercial writing gig at the age of 10 when I got 25p for every poem that I wrote. So I couldn’t resist the temptation to ask my new friend at ChatGPT to write a poem about the different type of intelligences, in less than 100 words.
And this is what I got…..
In minds both vast and bright,
Different sparks of thought ignite.
Linguistic threads weave stories grand,
Logical patterns guide the hand.Spatial visions map the stars,
Musical notes heal wounds and scars.
Bodily skills in dance and play,
Interpersonal hearts light the way.
Intrapersonal depths, profound and clear,
Naturalistic eyes hold nature dear.
In this rich mosaic, minds unite,
Each intelligence a guiding light.
Celebrate the brilliance in each hue,
A tapestry of insight, ever new.
I could have made a fortune with AI when I was 10!
Thanks for reading.
Susan
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