Intuitive Intelligence
Monday, 7 April 2008
Intuitive intelligence and recession: for a competitive advantage
This article has been commissioned for HEC MBA Visions of Leadership Week in Paris, France.
The ripple effect of the looming US economic recession is spreading fast. Most people resent this turn of events. They see it as a threat. While others view a recession as an opportunity like any crisis in life. They choose to deal with it creatively rather than reactively as it calls for deeper thoughts and more radical innovative business solutions.
It takes some courage and an astute type of thinking to arrive at these radical business solutions; intuitive intelligence™ is instrumental in this process.
Intuitive intelligence™ is defined as the combination of 4 abilities:
- The ability to think holistically
- The ability to leverage paradox
- The ability to listen and connect to oneself and others
- The ability to lead by influence rather than design
To think holistically
Intuitive intelligence™ helps us move from a conservative fragmented business approach that focuses on financial results as the ultimate goal, to a wholesome business view where people are of essence and money is only a means to an end, where all aspects of business are inseparably taken into account as whole for maximum efficiency and sustainability.
Business is about people not about money. Money is one very necessary component of business and it keeps the human engine going but it is not the engine… Business is achieved through human organization and as such it depends for its success on people who are essentially complex beings. No human experience can be fully represented by a mathematical equation (ask artificial intelligence experts!), yet we realized only recently that besides the financial bottom line there should be other criteria to measure the results of human organizations.
To think paradoxically
As much as business can be theorized and taught it is still a rather unpredictable process similar in this to the creative process of life. Many leaders focus on economic results believing that it is the shortest way to achieve their goals. The paradox is that empowering people and relationships are the key to better financial results. In 2004 neuroscience was finally able to establish a fact known for millennia by ancient civilizations: the human mind is more unconscious than it is conscious. For that matter engaging the unconscious in people is more effective than focusing on the conscious part of their mind. This is the paradoxical thought process. As psychologist David G. Myer puts it, “under the surface lies a lot of intelligence above a lot of delusion.”
To listen and to connect to oneself and others
In order to be in touch with the unconscious aspect of our lives we need to pay attention to subtle details and to our emotions, which are indicative of our perceptions. Our emotions fashion our thoughts, which lead to our actions; our actions turn into habits that finally shape our character. And as we know, character is essential to leadership. A charismatic leader will attract people around himself or herself without necessarily taking in the other person’s emotions and perceptions; a leader who demonstrates self-awareness and manifests empathy will empower and attract people with character who are more likely to take risk and think autonomously. This kind of sensitivity operates at a fundamental level of equality between individuals and induces trust and respect, two necessary factors to foster creativity and lead innovation.
To lead by influence
Innovation is one of the most important factors for success. It relies on systems and processes, yet it depends even more on the creativity of people and corporate cultures. Creativity finds its inspiration beyond the motivation of financial gain or economic achievement. It stems from dreams and ideals and pertains more to utopia than pragmatism. Organizations seeking innovation cannot rely on a pragmatic leadership rooted solely in an economic approach (a leadership by design). Such a leadership sets goals and objectives, covers budgets and schedules and relies on the alignment of teams to execute the corporate vision.
Leadership by influence, however, is on the opposite side of the compass. It perceives any human organization as a living entity. And for that matter it focuses on facilitating and guiding the natural emergence of creativity to reach innovative business solutions. It puts the emphasis on engaging and influencing teams rather than motivating and controlling them. It conveys a strong sense of meaning within visions and goals to reach that place in each one of us where creativity thrives and can be inspired.
In practice, a leader guided by intuitive intelligence™ ensures that all systems and processes are in the service of the human factor rather than an isolated attempt to rationalize teamwork. He or she inspires uniquely magnetic organizations fired up with enthusiasm and a strong sense of possibility. In this way, leading with intuitive intelligence™ creates a virtuous circle and enables everyone to believe, manifest autonomy, and succeed, especially in times of adaptation such as a recession.
This is why intuitive intelligence™ is such a powerful leadership attribute, not a tool to devise the future, but an instrument that points our attention towards the invisible and brings us closer to understand the transformative nature of our organizations. It is a means to take in unexpected information or paradoxical data and to feed our analytical and rational thinking with subtle creative perceptions. In this way intuitive intelligence™ bridges the rational and the irrational realms, the conscious and unconscious dimensions, of any human business and allows for truly evolutionary leadership and sustainable innovative organizations.
To comment on this article or for more information on intuitive intelligence and the author’s work in this field, please visit his Web site, www.thehumancompany.com.
