Spiritual Intelligence 559 Years Ago!

One of the appreciative business practices Janet and I discuss in our presentations is the aspiration toward Spiritual Intelligence. In short, the "Intelligence Spectrum" begins with what is called Multiple Intelligence, a type of intelligence that recognizes that one's knowledge and experience creates skills and leads to competence. Further up the spectrum, we discover the much talked about Emotional Intelligence, a form of intelligence that recognizes and manages the emotions in a situation and leads to success. At the most evolved end of the spectrum is Spiritual Intelligence, the intelligence which drives a person to focus more outside oneself than within and leads to fulfillment.

This morning, I read Marc Cenedella's blog that provides an image of Leonardo Da Vinci's resume. I was surprised to learn that, before he became an artist and inventor, Da Vinci was what was called an "artificer", someone who made bombs. And to get a job, he submitted his resume to the Duke of Milan in a letter. 

What is notable about the letter is that it reflects a high degree of Spiritual Intelligence on the part of the young Da Vinci.  Instead of touting his accomplishments, of which there were many, he assessed the needs of the Duke and presented his skills in terms of what he could do for the Duke. In other words, he focused more on the Duke and his needs and interest than on himself and his accomplishments -- Spiritual Intelligence!

Questions to ponder: In what ways can I practice Spiritual Intelligence today? When do I catch myself focusing more on myself than on others? What  might happen if I deliberately shifted my focus from myself to others?