Qualities Associated with Contextual Intelligence

I believe every leader has different starting points in life. The challenge is not where a leader starts but where a leader finishes. I have been certified in several assessment tools to help leaders understand where they are starting in order to help them take the next steps toward their goals. My perspective on the tools is that they can provide valuable information to help a leader have greater self awareness and to then act on that information. Some of the tools that I have used are the DISC profile, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, and the Birkman Method. Of these the Birkman Method provides a better framework for leaders who are passionate about accomplishing their mission in a business or organization. (For more information - here is a link to the Birkman website www.birkman.com) Using the Birkman in a systematic way for building leaders in an organization can shorten the time involved in decision-making, problem-solving and strategic planning, as well as improve the performance of working groups or teams.

When the idea of contextual intelligence was introduced to me, because of my experience and training, I instinctively asked the questions: How would I recognize a leader with contextual intelligence? What are some distinquishing characteristics of a leader with contextual intelligence? How would I measure those qualities? How could I help a leader develop his or her contextual intelligence? Has anyone done the research and created a tool to assess a leader's starting point? If I were selecting someone for a leadership position how would I know that the person would have a capacity for contextual intelligence? I am in the process of answering those questions. If anyone is interested in collaborating on this subject please feel free to e-mail me.

Here are some of my initial thoughts about the qualities associated with contextual intelligence. The first quality that comes to mind is the ability to take decisive action in the midst of apparent paradox. In times of rapid change there will be many trends that seem to be moving in two different directions and important decisions need to be made. A leader who can see the path and move forward without having "it all figured out" would demonstrate contextual intelligence. How many executive meetings seem to be a waste of time because someone can not see a clear option to take because of contradictions. Thomas Friedman in his book The World is Flat, writes,"The great challenge for our time will be to absorb these changes in ways that do not overwhelm people but also do not leave them behind." pg46 By the time everyone can "figure it out" the world will have left them behind.

Jesus often presented his followers with a paradox and asked them for decisive action. In Luke 9:23 Jesus says, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it." Can you imagine that some in the crowd who heard these words were thinking, "Now how does that work? How can I save my life by losing it? If I want to live I must first die?" They stayed where they were trying to resolve the tension, but those who understood their times who heard these words took decisive action, they followed Jesus. And they "turned their world upside down."