We’ve all heard it spoken. He hasn’t got a lick o’ common sense. Or, she may be book smart, but without a tad of insight from common sense. We assumed common sense simply referred to “streetwise,” or practically clever with our workaround solutions to mundane problems. That was before we knew how brains work!
Turns out that common sense is not so common after all. No panic though, since human gene pools come hardwired with a unique mix of inner and ethical smarts. Common sense often comes filled with compassion, empathy, and intuitive understanding! Fortunately, we now know how it can be taught, and engaged with grace, and tracked as it grows.
Common sense, also known as intrapersonal IQ can also spark a mind-bending climate for most learners and leaders. No wonder so many of us crave intrapersonal smarts. Sadly, it’s also true that too few circles find its wonder and freedom.
Common sense is found in our more developed concept of intrapersonal intelligence, as it grows our inner lives, alongside Howard Gardner‘s 7 other distinctive intelligences. It fuels our brain with inner strength, fosters inner kindness, grit and resilience when activated, and opens space for grace, compassion and empathy when accessed. No wonder it stands as sentient within the MITA renewal model, for secondary and university learning as well as business leadership.
Daniel Goleman names common sense as part of one’s emotional intelligence. Others say it’s intuition, and Einstein claimed it won him the Nobel Prize. New research shows it includes hunches, where soldiers in battle make fast judgment calls, or introspection that’s found in people who grasp a clearer concept all at once. Have you seen it valued where you work?
My question is: What does intrapersonal intelligence common sense look like in compassionate and nurturing climates, and what wonder does it reap? We’ve all seen it reach higher levels in tone communicated by an intrapersonal genius, such as Steve Bartlett in Diary of a CEO, or award winning podcaster, Jay Shetty or Radhi Devlukia.
We’ve also seen common sense or intrapersonal IQ nosedive in self-centered opines of a bully or cynic. Sure, it packs a punch with faith at times, and builds a better world when ethics becomes its fuel. Sadly, however, its absence torments victims of regret, blame or cynicism, where brains default to ruts. Few would deny that it shows up far less in toxic workplaces, and fades in people easily overwhelmed.
We feel it most alive when we’re content to enjoy a dinner alone at times, or when we unleash talents to celebrate our call. We tend to crave its magic moments though, whenever we’re lonely or stuck in sad spots while people around us move forward with contentment. It can be taught to others, though not lectured well, and thanks to the regeneration of dendrite brain cells, it’s learned best by those who rewire their brains for more. How so?
- Think before you speak and snip your amygdala so that words can build better friendship and goodwill, and you’ve upped your own and other’s brainpower for common sense.
- Log your challenges for a day, and then list possible solutions you plan to try – and personal intuition begins to grow. Create and try the solution that rewires for ongoing change!
- Improve personal tone at work, so that others see you speak calmly and learn humbly from those who differ, and you’ve already expanded inner smarts along new neuron pathways.
- Create space in your day to play, do hobbies, laugh, care, question from within your spiritual self, and watch unique intelligences bloom into vibrant colors you most enjoy.
- Leapfrog over ruts in favor of taking risks for a finer place, and intrapersonal intelligence jumps to your aid with unexpected dividends, that those caught in ruts will merely crave.
It’s in the actual doing of intrapersonally related tasks, that brains reshape for more of the same, and you may think of better gigs than mine to grows its strength. Whether your own or mine listed here however, intrapersonal tasks launch finer proclivity for a deeper and wiser intuition.
Thanks to a younger crowd of intrapersonally intelligent leaders such as Steven Bartlett, Jay Shetty and Radhi Devlukia who inspire the charge for renewal and who engage deep common sense to stir renewal to replace tired and broken systems today. Where’s your common sense?
LINKS TO MY BOOKS AND MATERIALS TO GROW EMOTIONALLY AND MENTALLY HEALTHY
Grace Mindset Book – paperback
The Teen’s Growth Mindset Workbook – paperback
Growth Mindset Interactive Materials at TPT
Mita (Growth Mindset) Strategies in Class and Beyond
Student Assessment that Works – a Practical Approach
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i juss like how u all talk bout what u possibly learned in a book but i’ve been through stress imma intrapersonal learner and well im juss gonna say you guys like to talk and i like to listen or read LOL
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Thanks for your kind words, and for your own insights here – regarding intrapersonal intelligence. It’s very significant to me as I see that wonderful research can be far more thoughtfully laid out so that people can use the best ideas as tools to benefit their lives and communities:-) So glad you dropped by our little community and hope you’ll be back:-)
I love your perspective of common sense and how it is used in our world today.
The structure of your article is laid out very well for people to review and it is understandable for me to read.
You have put in some great detail for this article and i can see you are very passionate in what you say.
‘Keep it up’
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I would treat common sense and native intelligence as synonyms. I would allow a great deal of freedom to use such strengths in employees that arise out of their inherent value systems and beliefs. I would use such experiences to build on modern behavioral theory as a harmonious extension. This should draw out the inherent pride and self confidence in the person. For instance giving less emphasis on English speaking skills as long as the individual was able to communicate effectively in the local language and his written communication was effective though not quite grammatical or spelling perfect brought out some brilliant performers despite coming from non English speaking/urban milieus.
You must however understand that my experience went back to the days when India was coming out of the colonial past and I was from a spillover generation in a British multinational corporation where I could experiment with such development programs. I doubt that in modern situations, some one as fossilized as I am will be allowed to. I have little respect for what goes on now a days under the heading of Human Resources Development, any where in the world.
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Oh Angela, you are so kind and yet it’s just as lively (dendrite firing) the other way too! Your ideas and applications inspire us all!
Great question. Self awareness is an aspect of intrapersonal intelligence also, and is increased by doing related tasks that very self aware people do especially well.
No one intelligence is pre-eminent, and all are distinctive. So a highly intelligence mathematician may be or not be highly intelligence intrapersonally. Self aware people often expand in multiple ways however, since their awareness adds a great tool for the quest for knowledge – the kind you model so well over at http://www.angelamaiers.com/!
Ellen-I love what your post do to my brain! Neurons are firing on this way! I loved the way you look at common sense.
Where does self awareness fit in? In order to develop this intrapersonal intelligence-is self awareness a prerequisite or consequence of the behaviors and actions you take?
As always-you keep me thinking!
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How interesting and how true Wally! You said it! Nature it is tethered to, and also tethered to nurture. Each comes with a unique mix of intelligences, of which this is one. Good news is that we can also develop more as we do the tasks that stretches the brain’s plasticity for any intelligence. You always get us thinking in a new direction, Wally! Thanks!
Two thoughts on common sense, Ellen. First, I’ve never known anyone who thought they were the one lacking common sense. It was always other people.
Second, it seems like “common sense” varies by place and profession. I wonder if it might not have a heavy nurture component.
What a wonderful definition, and how true it is! Can you think of the best way to inspire “common sense” in others, Ramana? I’d be curious at your approach.
When I was an active Manager, I used to get quite frustrated with the absence of common sense and used the saw ‘common sense is the most uncommon commodity’ quite often.
A quote that I have used in many training programs is “Science is nothing but trained and organized common sense, differing from the latter only as a veteran may differ from a raw recruit: and its methods differ from those of common sense only as far as the guardsman’s cut and thrust differ from the manner in which a savage wields his club.”
Thomas H. Huxley (1825 – 1895)
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Thanks for the thoughtful insights Lissa. You’d love multiple intelligences – and intraperson is one of the 8! You use so many of them, and to be deliberate about that use is so good for the brain:-)
You build a good case for the jargon we use — which can often shut out the brightest minds — who simply do not speak the same lingo.
Your brain is so alive – on so many topics — and that is the fastest way to grow young and wise daily. Thanks for the similar passions we share. So glad we met while we’re around — we’re headed out of country again in early new year:-)
Look forward to more chat on a cool topic you do so well!
Boy, this one got the synapses firing! And you know, http://Britannica.com and http://VisualThesaurus.com have definitions of interpersonal, but neither has one for intrapersonal – perhaps underscoring the disproportionate focus (and valuation?) on the interpersonal?
Something which is, in my humble opinion, why so many adults find themselves challenged if not downright stumped when the inner imperative to answer a call more consciously comes: they’ve not been shown how to developed the intrapersonal intelligence that makes the process possible.
And you know, ’til reading this I wouldn’t have linked common sense with intrapersonal intelligence. But given the context you’re using here, I can see how it could be.
BIn my work, too often ‘common sense’ is a ‘Shoo! Back in line, you!’phrase, an internalized admonition against following your gut, intuition or native intrapersonal intellligence.
In fact, the lines and distinctions between the two are often so blurred and confused, that’s often the place work needs to start first. Sure did for me!
Which is why I’m thrilled that brilliant minds like yours are challenging the thinking on this one so we’re all more clear.
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Wow – you build a great case for the intrapersonal intelligence that does resonate with research and does often take the cake. Therein lies the notion of going with one’s gut!!!
In other words we go with care, we check our facts — but in the end the smarter person goes with gusto! That’s you, Robyn, which is why you did so well in PhD and are still rolling like the best charged batteries out there:-)
I like that analogy! Thanks!
What a fascinating array of thoughtful approaches to common sense. When I started my first research course, prof said to be wary of common sense since research might not prove it out. Seems like common sense is rooted in assumptions of the person claiming to “have it.”
Thoughts?
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