Spiritual intelligence and professional excellence

Dr. K. Kuhathasan

CEO: Cenlead

In the early part of the 20th century, IQ became an important factor. IQ tests became very popular. Those who qualified in IQ tests were considered very intelligent. IQ was the only criteria for selecting and promoting people.

In the mid-1990s, Daniel Goleman took the research of neuroscientists and psychologists and popularised the notion of another quotient - EQ, emotional intelligence. Since then, IQ and EQ dominated the managerial spectrum.

Now, a third wave of scientific research suggests that we may be 'hard wired', neurologically, for spirituality, has prompted the creation of SQ, the spirituality quotient. What we are examining here is an integrated framework linking IQ, EQ and SQ for professional excellence.

Emotional quotient

The pharse 'emotional' intelligence' was coined by Yale psychologist Peter Salovey and the University of New Hamjpshire's John Mayer in the early 1990s to describe qualities like understanding one's own feelings, empathy for the feelings of others and "the regulation of emotion in a way that enhances living".

This basic idea was popularised as EQ by Daniel Goleman, a Harvard psychologist and a New York Times science correspondent, through a book of the same title.

His thesis: when it comes to predicting people's success, brainpower as measured by IQ and standardised achievement tests may actually mater less than the qualities of mind, which gives us emotional intelligence.

Spiritual quotient

Traditionally spirituality had no place in business as the modern management concepts advocate that the "business of business is business".

Of late, there is an awakening of spirituality in the corporate corridors, which is evident from best sellers such as "The seven spiritual laws of Success!" The seven habits of highly effective people. "and" "Chicken soup for the soul".

Most of the leading bookshop managers in Colombo say that there is a higher demand for these publications.

This is a clear indication that managers are deeply interested in applying spiritual intelligence for professional excellence.

In an empirical study of spirituality in the workplace, Mitroff and Elizabeth in a Sloan Management Review article report that those associated with organisations they perceived as "more spiritual" also saw their organisations as "more profitable".

They reported that they were able to bring more of their "complete selves" to work.

They could deploy more of their full creativity, emotions, and intelligence.

Interconnectedness

Mitroff defines spirituality as "the basic feeling of being connected with one's complete self, others, and the entire universe. "If a single word best captures the meaning of spirituality and the vital role that it plays in people's lives, that word is "interconnectedness". Executives are expected to be conscious of their long-neglected spiritual realities of peers, partners, employees, customers and communities.

The fruit of that very positive momentum is an awareness by many business leaders that economic mission statements need to express a new balance of co-operation and competition and that corporate charters need a mainstream shift from the stockholder to the stakeholder model.

What it means is that business executives who find ways to touch the spiritual side of their - people letting to off the ego-driven, 'command and-control' workforce paradigm - ultimately are going to end up employing the most loyal, intelligent and morally awake individuals available in today's IQ, EQ, SQ labour market.

Uniquely Human

Unlike IQ, which computers have, and EQ, which exists in higher mammals, SQ is uniquely human and, the authors argue, the most fundamental of the three.

It is linked to humanity's need for meaning, an issue very much at the forefront of people's minds.

SQ is what we use to develop out longing and capacity for value. It allows us to dream and to strive. It underlines the things we believe in and the actions that we take. It is, in essence, what makes us human.

According to globally known management thinker, Peter F, Drucker: "Society needs a return to spiritual values - not to offset the material but to make it fully productive."

"The individual needs the return to spiritual values, for he can survive in the present human situation only by reaffirming that man is not just a biological and physiological being but also a spiritual being".

Stephen Covey

Stephen Covey, the author of "The 8th Habit" defines spiritual intelligence as:

"Spiritual Intelligence is the central and most fundamental of all the intelligences because it becomes the source of guidance of the other three.

Spiritual intelligence represents our drive for meaning and connection with the infinite."

"Spiritual intelligence also helps us discern true principles that are part of our conscience, which are symbolised by the compass. The compass is an excellent physical metaphor for principles, because it always points north, The key to maintaining high moral authority is to continually follow "true north" principles."

Modern psychologists are defining spiritual intelligence as "maximising the full potential of humans for personal productivity". They are recommending the following steps'.

** Full awareness of the impact of other people on their inner dialogues.

** Regularly engaging in the use of imagery, and an ability to experience actual feelings and see detail when fantasising or using imagery.

** Frequently using 'internal coaching' to improve performance.

** A tendency to encourage themselves or potentially difficult situations.

** Recognition of the potential impact of negative thoughts and how damaging they could be if such thoughts were not managed.

** The regular use of repetitive imagery of success to create or visualise how things might be in the future.

** What is your contribution to this world, in return for your creation? What is the contribution you are going to make in return for your employment?

** How are you going to be remembered in your organisation. How are you going to be remembered in this world.

A holistic approach

We have seen so far that each one of the quotients is essential for success.

In order to be successful on a sustained basis, an individual will probably need to develop in all three dimensions.

A person may need to work out an appropriate quotient mix in different stage of his or her career.

At the entry stages what one needs is the ability to perform the assigned task in an efficient manner which will require a higher level of IQ.

As the person moves up the ladder, emotional skills become critical as success at the middle levels calls for cross-functional coordination and getting the cooperation and support of people who are not under direct control. Thus middle level managers need both IQ and EQ.

Senior management positions will require more of SQ in addition to having high levels of IQ and EQ as the job requires creative insights (vision) and concern for ethical, environmental and larger issues.

It has been established that senior managers who possess high levels of SQ are very creative and innovative in their work.

They are able to solve problems well and are good in taking better decisions.

It may be concluded that today people at work must possess all the three dimensions of intelligence - IQ, EQ and SQ.

Those who are good at IQ will be able to act swiftly, understand and appreciate the issue, in hand well and act with care, caution and skills.

They can tap their brainpower well.

Those with better EQ will be able to understand other people well, identify people well, read the body language of people well and will be very positive and constructive in their work.

In short, they are very good in working with their heart and the mind.

Creative and innovative

On the other hand, those who have developed SQ, will be very creative and innovative in their work.

They will possess a strong charismatic leadership and will be able to win the trust and confidence of the people.

They will be able to tap the mindpower well. They will utilise their super conscious mind well and will be able to tap their intuitive power.

They will be very good in predicting business fortunes.

Management thinkers of today are stressing on the importance of developing the "total intelligence - TQ" They define TQ as: "IQ+EQ+SQ=TQ"/

TQ will bring health, wealth and happiness in your institution, Health for all the people in your organisation, wealth of the industry and happiness for the customers - both internal and external.

May you be endowed with the wealth of IQ, EQ, SQ and TQ for a productive professional future.