SQ Assessment

The concept of IQ has been in use for over a century. IQ is a measure of our rational, logical, rule-bound, abstract problem-solving intelligence that was supposed to separate the “winners” from the “losers”. IQ also refers to a style of rational, goal-oriented thinking. In the mid-1990s, emotional intelligence (EQ) was increasingly seen as important: as Daniel Goleman defines it, EQ enables us to assess the situation we are in and then to behave appropriately within it, particularly to respond appropriately to the emotions of others.

What is common to both IQ and EQ is that both intelligences enable us to play within the boundaries—to play “finite games”. The work of Danah Zohar and Ian Marshall demonstrates the importance of spiritual intelligence (SQ), which enables us to think “outside of the box” and to play with the boundaries—to play an “infinite game”. SQ is a transformative intelligence that allows us to break old paradigms and to invent new ones, to reframe problems and situations, to dissolve old patterns and old ways of thinking. SQ also represents our access to and need for deep meaning, fundamental values and a sense of purpose, and the extent to which these influence our decisions and actions. It has the force to address lower motivations and to shift us towards higher motivations.

The SQ assessment gives an indication of an individual’s spiritual intelligence quotient, without reference to religious belief or practice. The assessment measures attitudes and performance related to the twelve primary criteria that define SQ, derived from the properties that define complex adaptive systems. Each of these is given an individual score in the following analysis. These twelve qualities are indicators of:

• Critical Thinking
• Reflective Thinking
• Intuition
• Creativity
• Moral Sense

This assessment can be used by individuals as a guide to personal awareness and self-development. It can also be used by consultants working in organizations, or by employers, who would like a profile of an individual’s or a group’s strengths and weaknesses in the twelve qualities measured. The ultimate goal is to use SQ leadership abilities to produce changes in organizational culture, laying the foundations for the sustainability of individuals, organizations, society and the planet itself.