IQ: Is it misleading?
In my day job I work with some highly intelligent people. They undoubtedly have high IQ. They have several degrees with precision focus of specialty. This post isn’t about putting these people on a pedestal; it’s about you.
Maybe you possess the same qualities of these people, maybe it seems you don’t. But the point is: it’s not about these qualities.
As stated, I have the pleasure of working with the above mentioned persons. I can tell you that some of these people seemingly don’t have common sense about the basis tasks of completing paperwork. Some of them when attempting to make a decision can’t do so. They continue to contact everyone they can think of and attempt to pass the burden of making the decision to someone else (if that person accepts it). Probably so they can then turn around later, if critized, and state: “that person told me to”; “I trusted that person’s judgment”, etc.
However because of their high IQ and education, even when they demonstrate deficiencies, they do not appear to present the same picture of incompetence.
I could go on about these people but, as I said, this post isn’t really about them.
The real point here is the contrast I’m going to make and its implications.
The people with high IQ and education do not usually expect themselves to be completely proficient in all areas. HOWEVER the people with seemingly low IQ, little education or some other perceived impairment do. They seem to have an underlying need to belittle themselves about the tasks in which they don’t appear to have the necessary competence to complete.
We all have deficiencies. Let me repeat: we all have deficiencies.
All of the above mentioned persons do. We’re human. It doesn’t mean we’re overall incompetent though.
Most importantly though: If the people who belittle themselves about possible deficiencies stopped doing so, were true to themselves, and did what they were good at, they’d move past this belittling process.
Now this is definitely easier said than done; however, those who do move past the belittling process move forward to be the great people of our world. I’m not saying they are necessarily receiving special recognition from others. BUT they know from within that they are not in fact incompetent or impaired and they are living the live they wish and doing the things they are good at.
We are all good at doing certain things; some things receive greater recognition from others; however, the people who really “get it” and follow their own guidance about how to live their life instead of belittling themselves about deficiencies have something much greater than any IQ, education, or any other external recognition will provide.
September 1st, 2008 at 7:19 am
i just wanted to say that i enjoyed reading your ezine article about the olympics. Very informative.
Thanks
September 2nd, 2008 at 8:51 am
Kristina:
Thanks very much for your kind words.
- Matthew