Interpersonal Intelligence

The ability to establish and maintain human relationships, involving the capacity to perceive and respond to the moods, characteristics, intentions, temperaments, motivations and feelings of others, learning from them and contributing to their personal development.

HOBBIES

Club member.

“Wining & dining.”

Amateur dramatics.

Voluntary work.

CHARACTERISTICS

Team-worker capable of bringing out the best in others whilst mediating between team members to reduce friction.

A “people person” who notices their moods and demonstrates concern.

Enjoys meeting new people.

May be a “party animal”.

May be indecisive (for fear of offending).

May support the “underdog”.

BRAIN STUFF

The frontal lobes are instrumental in shaping both personal intelligence. Damage to the frontal lobes has only a minor effect (if any) on problem-solving capacity but can wreak severe damage to personality.

Because so much of our human interaction is mediated by language, there is likely to be an apparent correlation between interpersonal intelligence and linguistic intelligence.

EXAMPLES

Michael Parkinson (TV interviewer)

Jeremy Spake (from TV’s “Airport”)

William Booth (founder of the Salvation Army)

STUDY TIPS

Set up a small study group so that you can discuss the subject with others.

Talk about what you have learned.

Teach what you have recently learned to someone else. (You are up to 10 times more likely to remember something that you have explained to another person)

Persuade someone to coach you 1-to-1

DEVELOPING INTERPERSONAL INTELLIGENCE

In meetings, analyse the roles and interactions of participants (e.g. who is playing “devil’s advocate”, or being the “mediator” or bringing “comic relief”?) and use this knowledge to make the meeting more effective.

Practice “people watching” (and check out your observations wherever possible).

Join a club – and share your interest with others.

When talking with others, find something you genuinely like about the person and find a way to bring it into the conversation. Notice how this affects both them and you.

When working in a team, set yourself the objective of “oiling the wheels” and notice the impact on the effectiveness of the meeting.

Practice your listening skills.

Smile!

CAREERS

Teacher.

Trainer.

Education.

HR.

Health.

Mental Health.

Social worker.

Care worker.

Counsellor.

Careers adviser.

Recruitment.

Police force.

Receptionist.

Hospitality.

Entertainment.

Theatre.

Minister of religion.