Being smart enough, aware enough, open-minded enough to know that spirituality may well be the most powerful tool we have available to us, both personally and in business.
Real generosity towards the future lies in giving all to the present. - Albert Camus
The knowledge of the Spirit is the true secret of creativity, leadership and happiness. It is spiritual intelligence that makes an ordinary person a genius. When a genius loses their spiritual intelligence, they become quite ordinary. - Awdesh Singh
Many of our clients are in roles of responsibility, influence and visibility. The impact of fear, pressure and stress can undermine their ability to reach their full potential and make the impact they want to in the world. What start’s incrementally, can be left unattended, slowly building into uncertainty, a lack of focus or overwhelm. Our mental capacity, or rational intellect, and creative problem solving, that many leaders, strategists and innovators rely on to make progress doesn’t provide the solutions we need. Ultimately real impact in the world needs something beyond the mental and emotional frameworks available to us, Spiritual Intelligence may just offer that framework.
Separate from religious or spiritual practices such as meditation, spiritual intelligence is the ability to understand and appreciate the desire within people for meaning and purpose. The desire within ourselves, our clients, our loved ones; for growth through meaningful contribution. When fulfilled, a sense of purpose and meaning has the power to combat pressure and transform fear in ourselves, building deeper levels of resolve and confidence. When fulfilled for others it has the ability to transform.
From a Systems perspective, taking complexities of business and life into account, Spiritual Intelligence (SQ) underpins Rational Intelligence (IQ) and Emotional Intelligence (EQ). Spiritual Intelligence is linked to impact, to who we are ‘being’, our presence and impact or contribution, rather than just what we are ‘thinking’ or ‘feeling’.
Developing Spiritual Intelligence
Open-mindedness. Powerful minds and powerful heart-centred people of influence may reject or mis-interpret spiritual intellect, favouring strategy or emotional connection.
Be-Do-Have. Am I focusing on what I want to have and what I need to do to get it or am I willing to focus on who I am being and what I do which brings about what I have?
In Service. What connection can I make between what I do with being in service to others? Can I make the connection between the powerful combination of Autonomy (urge to direct our own lives), Mastery (desire to get better at something that matters) and Purpose (a yearning to do something more, to be in service to others.
Over-intellectualising spirituality or placing rules on it, creating firm views about what it is and isn’t (woo woo or enlightenment) can be counter-intuitive to developing spiritual intelligence. Intelligence infers ability. An ability to understand and appreciate and then utilise knowledge, tools and strategies effectively. Spiritual Intelligence however calls on our capacity as well. Our capacity and willingness to let-go, to step-back, to reflect, to move away from doing and having and notice who we are truly being. It is the difference between knowing something intellectually but truly understanding. It is the difference between feeling something emotionally but being truly present.
How might you develop and utilise spiritual intellect to reach greater potential and expand impact. How might you move towards embracing spiritual intelligence as a tool to mitigate stress, overwhelm or fear?
Spiritual Intelligence - Qualities and Capabilities of the Authentic Self (Soul)
The Spiritual Intelligence Framework
Wisdom - the ability to step back, reflect and connect with self, others and humanity
Compassion - the ability to understand and appreciate another’s suffering
Integrity - the ability to stand in one’s own power, to know what we stand for and act on that, consistently
Joy - the ability to stop, notice and experience joyous emotions, in ourselves and others. To seek out opportunities to bring moments of joy
Love - self-love, love for others, loving nature. The ability to understand and appreciate that the power love has to heal and that the most strategic, powerful business moves can be made successfully through a lens of love
Creativity - to abandon, momentarily, our minds and emotions and notice what else there is. What comes forth in others
Peace -
Books aligned with this topic
Tao Te Ching - Lao Tzu - A fresh approach to an ancient text
A New Earth - Eckhart Tolle - Awakening to a Life’s Purpose