Does IQ Guarantee Success In Life?

There are many factors that help shape the mind of an individual and there are just as many ways an individual’s perception in life are shaped.  No one is in a position to define exactly what constitutes intelligence.  Although scientists do not agree on the definition of intelligence, a number of tests have been designed which attempt to quantify this unique human ability.  These tests involve such exercises as continuing numerical series, completing pictures, comparing forms and drawing logical conclusions.  Using a mathematical formula and a comparative table, the test results are used to calculate a quotient, the intelligence quotient (IQ).  But is it possible to measure something we cannot explain?  More importantly, is IQ a standard measure?  In other words, does the IQ apply equally to everyone?  For many, it is not important to complete a series of formal symbols.  Can we deduce something as complex as an individual’s intelligence from an IQ test?

For instance, IQ tests do not  measure a person’s capacity for learning nor does it tell you how good is an individual’s memory or whether the individual can leverage on his memory on a human level  This is critical, for it means that the IQ measurements doesn’t give any indication as to a person’s potential for development.  It is a mistake to think that a high IQ is a guarantee  for success in school or in the real world.  It is not.

Because IQ on its own does not tell us much about a person, many large corporations now test prospective employees in a so-called quality or assessment center, where they make use of a combination of various  behavioral and practical tests in order to assess and evaluate a candidate’s suitability for a job  The testing can takes two full days and can be a tiring affair.  

As part of the tests, applicants must engage in role play, where they take on the role of a superior, a colleague or a customer and are required to bargain and negotiate about business trips, company allowance, fringe benefits or settle disputes between teams or carry out a project with other team members.  Role plays can also take the form of a difficult customer for a product or service.  Observers evaluate how well a candidate can remember details about the customer’s name, his needs  or a fictitious company product line.  Different observers then judge their behavior according to criteria such as the ability to empathize with others, leadership style, self-discipline and self-assertiveness and problem solving skills.

Although a high IQ can be of help to an individual in life or work, there are other talents, like soft skills,  that can be an asset to a person in career or in life.  For instance, just as a good memory can be of help in life, it is just as important to use that memory on a human level to drive further success   For instance helping your boss to remember an event that will  make him look good like his upcoming wedding anniversary,  remembering and getting  your colleague   a specific data for a project he or she is trying to accomplish, or remembering your own spouse’s birthday or your children’s school play or soccer game.  If we can remember, and perform  the small things that matter big  to other people, we can certainly bring ourselves to a higher level of success that intelligence cannot.