I. Spiritual Intelligence, (written in 1996!)

One of the key points in my learning came up in a lecture on the state of the world more than twenty years ago, in which the speaker asked the question: "Are you part of the solution or part of the problem?" This made me think deeply if I was contributing with some practical action to improve the world with which I had contact. Instead of spending my time searching for, analyzing and criticizing flaws in things and people, I tried to see what was happening inside me. Later I could see that these three fundamental aspects of life were completely intertwined as in the following diagram:

There are people who are excellent in organizing things, programs and events with regard to planning, order, times and numbers. When they try to put other human beings within their intelligently prepared schemes they can’t do it with the same ease as what is on paper or in their heads. The simple reason is that they cannot see that other individuals have their own free will, attributes, perspectives and ways of being and doing. They lack the sensitivity to understand this simple truth or to detect the time and space which are sacred to the other. When delegating they don’t have the patience to prepare their people for the tasks but do not hesitate in pointing out (sometimes screaming) their lack of preparation.

There are many who are excellent in relating to others while respecting the inalienable right of everyone to be what they are. They are capable of inspiring love and understanding by their sweetness and the awareness of the state of those with whom they interact. However, organizing an activity that requires an understanding of details, logistics, timelines and amounts is beyond them. They lose it, forget everything and just create confusion.

There are those who know how to manage things and people well but their inner life is a roller coaster of ups and downs, which by tremendous effort they hide. Their thoughts, emotions, desires and images pop up on the screen of their minds in a such a disordered manner that the external world becomes a welcome place to escape to so as not to stay inside their heads with their inner turmoil. This results in some becoming workaholics and others addicted to dependent and emotionally charged relationships. They become dedicated to things and other people to escape the lack of peace in the house of the self.

Firmness, determination, insight, courage and other assets ​​important for decisive and active people have to be matched with more passive values like patience, tolerance, affection and sensitivity when it comes to living with other human beings. These two types of values ​​are born out of and are nourished by spirituality.

The true balance between organizing things and people requires real self-management and a good dose of the most important other quotient – what can be called Spiritual Intelligence. (cont.)

This article is from my book "Endoquality: The Emotional and Spiritual Dimensions of the Human Being in Organizations", published by Editora Casa da Qualidade (1997). It was in this book in which I introduced SQ, the first time that this concept appeared in a book, at least in Brazil. In the same year, the book "Rewiring the Corporate Brain" by Danah Zohar, in which she also introduced the concept of Spiritual Intelligence. I only got to see that book years later. Definitely synchronicity was happening.