Contextual intelligence: overcoming hindrances to performing well in times of change

Abstract

Purpose

Intelligence is the adaptation to the environment. Therefore, intelligence rests on an individual's capacity to diagnose their context and not necessarily on IQ, test performance, or intellectual ability. This means that failure to diagnose the environment accurately can lead to the kind of mistakes that have a detrimental effect on an individual and an organization.

Design/methodology/approach

This article focuses on the complexity of contextual intelligence, focusing on the behaviors that can both hinder and encourage contextual intelligence to address how to generate top performers across multiple contexts.

Findings

Leadership is becoming so nuanced and idiosyncratic it is impossible or at best difficult to lead outside of a defined context. Therefore, a new set of skills is necessary that will enable its users to perform well in a variety of contexts. Intuition is quickly becoming a commodity that can have long‐term transferable value. However, developing a reliable sense of intuition takes time. In other words, intuition is of little value without experience.

Practical implications

Top performers must be able to recognize and diagnose when the context shifts or a new context emerges and quickly adapt. Failure to adapt, even to the smallest shift, increases the risk of becoming obsolete or irrelevant.

Originality/value

In times of contextual shift, intuition becomes a very valuable asset. Practicing contextually intelligent behavior is a way to accelerate experience and eases the burden of change, perhaps even allowing an individual to perform well during a shift in context.

Citation

Kutz, M. (2011), "Contextual intelligence: overcoming hindrances to performing well in times of change", Development and Learning in Organizations, Vol. 25 No. 3, pp. 8-11. https://doi.org/10.1108/14777281111125336