No AI? Try Some Regular I (5 Tricks)

Maybe your job doesn’t directly intersect the paths of Artificial Intelligence. Maybe it does and you don’t really know how or exactly or really what it is. Truth is that while emerging technologies may surround us and surely help us, they are not without their downsides. By the end of my first lease with a back-up camera I became incapable of parallel parking if I have to turn my head. Smart phones made us phone number memory dumb ages ago. So where does intelligence fit into the happiness/success formula?

While in consultation or our Business Therapy trainers and coaches strive to make sure behaviors are identified, fully skilled, motivated and accountable. Sure, that’s an honest recipe to productivity. What it lacks is mental ingenuity.

That’s not to say it lacks mental rigor. Obviously, top performers do not act without thoughtfulness and strategy. However, that is more on efficiency and productivity. Again, great things to have. Where, one wonders, does intelligence fit into the mix? Can it be taught? Is it genetic? Is it creative or technical? Does experience translate to intelligence?

The answer to all those questions are multitude and depend on the professional environments and personal circumstances. What can be taken as a universal is that you’d generally rather have intelligent workers, or work intelligently yourself. We want to think that we get to use our brains to create value. Perhaps the greatest capital of any business is an idea. Really good ideas tend to do really well for those who have them–and make them work. Whether that’s a new way to stack the widgets or a new widget to invent.

Let’s agree it’s worthwhile to make ourselves and our teams more intelligent, or at least stimulate the opportunity. Let’s allow ideas to constantly be infused to our processes to create efficiency, productivity and opportunity. Here’s 5 tricks to make Regular Intelligence a regular part of your business, no artificial ingredients added:

1) DON’T THINK YOU NEED TO KNOW THE ANSWERS, KNOW YOU NEED TO KNOW THE QUESTIONS.

The smartest leaders understand and home in on the most important question. Then, they make sure there are smart people assigned to find the right answers.

2) “I DON’T KNOW” IS AN ANSWER TO BE PROUD OF FOR ANY SUBJECT…ONCE

One of the most memorable quotes of my 6th grade teacher, Mr. Hall, was: “Ignorance is no crime, failing to change it is.”

3) NEVER ALLOW OTHER’S IDEAS OR POSITIONS TO BE DISMISSED

Cultures often thrive by avoiding politics and religion in their discourse. Some thrive on the energy of diversity. Whether embraced or ignored intelligence does not dismiss alternatives. It may not embrace it but it respects it if the origin seems intelligent. If not, keep it out of sight so it hasn’t the chance to be dismissed!

4) FOLLOW THROUGH ON ALTERNATE PATHS FOR YOU MAY FIND A BETTER ONE

A lot of what we see now as great ideas had their incarnations in common doubt or dismissal. Legend are the many stories of persistence by idea heroes who commit. In stimulating creativity, as any brainstormer knows, you don’t dismiss. Additionally, even when a roadblock may seem obvious a respectable visit down the path may uncover new alternatives or sit in place until the paradigm shifts–or you shift it.

5) ENJOY THE INTELLIGENCE IN OTHERS RATHER THAN OTHERS’ ADULATION OF YOUR INTELLIGENCE.

If intellectual vanity is your thing then surround yourself with mirrors. If intellectual curiosity is your thing you won’t sit on success you will build to tomorrow’s paths. Along the way find as many people as you can who are smart like you or smarter than you to work with you, or for you. Always admire what they bring to a venture and admire yourself for your ability to listen not for your vanity chime ringing along.

©2019 MyEureka Solutions LLC. For more BUSINESS THERAPY insights follow Tom @TomFoxTrainer, on LinkedIn or at www.myeurekasolutions.com/thoughts. His recent book: Business Therapy: Ideas and Inspirations To Help Build Sales, Leadership, Management, and Personal Performance is available on Amazon.