Finding your smarts
Do you think you are smart? Identify your smarts and enhance your intelligence
So what?
Do you know your smarts? Smarts are your intelligences, what you are good at. Knowing and developing your smarts will allow you to:
- Identify how you best learn and execute tasks;
- Compliment your smarts with others around you to get more done; and
- Know learning techniques that do and do not suit you.
Types of smarts
There are 9 types of smarts which are as follows:
- Music smart (Musical)
- Self smart (Intrapersonal)
- Life smart (Existential)
- Body smart (Bodily-kinesthetic)
- Word smart (Verbal-linguistic)
- People smart (Interpersonal)
- Number smart (Logical-mathematical)
- Nature smart (Naturalistic)
- Picture smart (Visual-spatial)
Which of these tick the box for you?
Your workplace
I think the best way to use your smarts is at your workspace. This is where you can shine and leverage your smarts in the most effective way. Two ways that you can use your smarts is as follows:
- Leveraging your smarts to find methods of learning and development. Many workplaces offer learning and development opportunities to its employees. They even offer different methods of learning. Whether it be in groups, one-on-one or virtual, you may find yourself absorbing new information better through certain methods compared to others. Knowing smarts will direct you to the delivery method that is suitable to you and your smarts.
- Complementing your smarts with your colleagues’ smarts. This involves knowing your colleagues’ smarts. The simplest approach is for you to ask your colleague “how do you like to work”, “what are your strengths” and/or “how can I best support (or work with) you?” Once you know their smarts, you can use one or more of your smarts to support and work with your colleagues.
My experience
Prior to finding out my smarts, I attempted to read books to learn. This was my approach as long as I can remember. I graduated university reading to learn and absorb new information. It wasn’t until I came across the specific types of smarts that I noted above that I realised that reading wasn’t the best approach for me. I always felt that I was not comprehending as much as I wanted to and that I was self smart (intrapersonal). There was always something missing. Once I realised that I’m body smart along with self smart, I started using the “Books” app on my phone and listening to audiobooks and podcasts while exercising.
What now?
- Identify your smart.
- Remember, you can have multiple smarts.
- Think of ways that you can leverage your smarts to enhance your learning and development efforts.
- Compliment your smarts with the smarts of those around you.