5 Ascending Intelligences Essential for Global Leadership

In today’s world where change is prevalent and history doesn’t necessarily predict the future, how can leaders in business and education prepare themselves or their students to succeed in a world where the old maps may be obsolete and new territories are just being charted?

For generations, academics and business professionals looked to the past to see what factors influenced historic trends. While there is value in analyzing lessons learned by our predecessors, decisions made today based this strategy are less likely to work than in before. After all, just look at today’s bright young students. Tell them to do something and they are more likely to ask why rather than acquiesce immediately. Or perhaps you’ve had the sense that time is moving faster resulting in less time for retrospective study and analysis. And certainly the global economy is driving home the need to think outside the box.

To meet these challenges and the opportunities that come with them, I developed a new system based on my training with four enlightened Sages. Mastering the use of the 5 Ascending Intelligences transforms leaders and business students to manage complex, international demands. In fact, these five intelligences an essential component in what I call GLQ or your Global Leadership Quotient.

The 5 Ascending Intelligences

1. Instinctive Intelligence (II)
2. Emotional Intelligence (EI)
3. Concrete Mental Intelligence (CMI)
4. Abstract Mental Intelligence (AMI)
5. Spiritual Intelligence (SI)

During my travels to more than 75 countries and study of many cultures around the world, I have found there is something missing in education and business. Every where I go, education today, even at the best universities, concentrates on only two forms of intelligence – concrete mental development and to a certain degree, philosophical thinking. From the time a child enters primary school right all the way through to college, much of their time is spent memorizing dates, events and various tables like multiplication factors and chemistry’s Periodic Table.

Currently, logical, concrete, so-called left-brain function is prized. Corporate leaders and MBA programs are just beginning expand their view of what a well rounded executive needs to succeed and some are beginning to include the importance of emotional intelligence or the ability to be liked by others. But, how about instincts to make a decision fast when there is no time for fact-finding? And, what about the process of masticating wisdom from life’s experiences, both good and bad? To me, all of these are essential before one can even begin to be considered an enlightened global leader.
So, let’s examine each of the five intelligences.

In today’s high-speed world where decisions are made in offices in one hemisphere of the world and executed in factories in the other hemisphere, business truly functions on a 24/7 basis. While executives from one side of the globe are starting their day fresh, their counterparts may be tired and have a harder time focusing because they already put in a full day of work. The global financial situation that unraveled in September is another scenario when there was little time to study the situation before action was needed.

How can executives come to conclusions quickly with little analysis? The answer: gut instincts. For many years, I competed as a martial arts champion and learned very early on that you can’t think about how defend yourself from your opponents’ incoming punch. You need to instinctively move out of the way! By the time you have thought about how to react, you are already knocked out.

The same is true for evading an oncoming car when crossing the street, or even the way you react when someone surprises you. These are examples of physical level fight or flight responses. In business, the key is to defend yourself against a competitor fast so you have a chance to come back and prosper again. Business people loose that opportunity to regain their footing in the marketplace if they are knocked down in the early rounds by over thinking their issues and problems.
Instinctive Intelligence is the ability to react without thinking. In martial arts, we practiced the same sequences of punches and kicks until it was ingrained in us. Business people can do the same.

How do you develop instinctive intelligence? Think-do, think-do. Don’t think and then ruminate some more on the best way to approach the topic. Think about it and take action. This is best practiced in areas where decisions are not complex or where the consequences are not too severe. But on smaller assignments where you don’t have to do tremendous research on the topic, think-do can train gut instincts for business.

This is a very simple but powerful technique to center yourself quickly, plus awaken your internal stamina. When the navel center is very active, your gut instincts improve greatly.

1. Sit in a chair, lotus or semi-lotus position. Be comfortable and just relax.
2. Put your left hand on top of right hand at the navel.
3. Inhale and exhale slowly and deeply for 5 minutes while mentally concentrating on the navel. Do not visualize. Just focus on the navel point. Do not concentrate too much. Just relax and enjoy.

While instinctive intelligence is essential, there are potential blind spots if the instincts are not balanced or guided by the heart, concrete and philosophical thinking as well as wisdom.

Emotional Intelligence is sometimes called EQ and it sets inspirational leaders apart. Did you ever notice that some people could develop a following quickly while others have a hard time communicating?

A classic example of emotional intelligence is mothers who naturally connect to the children’s sense of well-being. This is because mothers use the emotional instincts connected to their children so they can feel their child’s emotional state even before they talk to their child.

Communications styles in families can illustrate emotional intelligence. Have you ever known of a very scientifically oriented father whose loving-type child has a hard time connecting to him? It’s as if what the father says simply goes over the child’s head. It’s not that the child is trying to be difficult; they just haven’t developed the mental faculties yet to relate to a complicated or dry presentation of the facts.

On the other hand, very emotional mothers may think their child is being disrespectful when the child questions why they should do as the mother tells them. Instead of being able to calmly answer the whys, the mother may be offensive that that child is hurting her feelings. She may accuse the child of being belligerent, even if that was not the child’s intention. If Emotional Intelligence is not balanced with the development of gut instincts plus concrete, abstract and wisdom, it may be difficult to assess potentials for failure.

Leaders with good emotional intelligence are able to harness the powers of passion and possess the ability to lead with courage, determination and commitment. To nurture emotional intelligence, it is important to reduce or eliminate stress.

This simple technique can serve as a powerful antidote to stress, fatigue and emotional over sensitivity.

1. Imagine you are in front of the most beautiful ocean you have ever seen. Expel all negative feelings and emotions by breathing them out. Have the intention that the ocean is absorbing them.
2. Do deep and slow breathing for about 5 minutes, relax and let go while you breathe out the following:
   1. Stress and emotional tension to improve performance
   2. Fears, worries and phobias that reduce vitality
   3. Irritability, anger and hatred that inhibit emotional and mental powers
   4. Jealousy, envy or lack of confidence that slow performance
   5. Compulsive behaviors and obsessive thoughts that result in vices
   6. Selfishness and greed that block
   7. Now, concentrate on the heart and the top of the head simultaneously while breathing slowly for 2 to 3 minutes
   8. Breathe slowly while visualizing positive emotional attitudes and situations: loving relationships, kindness, compassion, generosity, loving understanding, harmony and peace. Recite the following affirmation 3 times:

I am a peaceful loving and harmonious person.
I am a being of love. Love, I am.

When people talk about the mind, what is that? The mind is the mechanism or energy software to think. It is an energy field called the mental body that functions like a radio system with different frequency bands from a lower vibrational signal to a very high signal. The mental energy body both produces and receives thoughts.

Is the mind the same as the brain? No, the brain is the hardware and the mind is the software. Even during sleep, the mind remains active while the brain and body sleep. When the body and brain are asleep, the mind is operating on its own plane with its own functions in the mental world. We may experience this as dreams. The brain and the physical body are in bed, but in the out-of-body experience called sleep, the emotional and mental bodies travel.

The teachings of Eastern Wisdom indicate there are seven frequencies comprising the mental body. The lower four vibrational frequencies form the concrete or lower mind, which belongs to the personality in ordinary people. The higher three mental vibrational frequencies form the abstract mind; this is part of the Soul and is dormant in ordinary people.

To become a mental powerhouse, you need to harness the powers of two aspects of the mind: the concrete and the abstract. The concrete mind deals with sequential, logical and normal reasoning as well as concrete thinking faculties. The abstract mind is responsible for the more subjective, creative, philosophical and principle-based thinking faculties and processes.

The concrete mind deals with sequential, logical and normal reasoning and concretizing thinking faculties. This is the logical thinking that is taught by most school. Concrete Intelligence involves memorizing facts and understanding science and history from a sequential perspective. It is A + B = C thinking.

Scientists, especially physicians, along with lawyers, engineers and accountants are experts in concrete thinking power.

Commonsense is one of the strengths of the concrete mind. People with highly developed concrete minds sometimes lack the development of emotional intelligence and may be called geeks or nerds because they find it hard to relate to other people.

The limitation of Concrete Mental Intelligence is where the problems lie for many business executives, political leaders and academics. The past no longer predicts the future in every instance. What we memorized in school may not hold the right solutions in the culturally and nationally diverse global economy. What one culture believes is simple commonsense may not apply in another culture so applying our local standards to a multinational organization may create friction and even chaos, leading to delays or failure.

Slow abdominal breathing with breath retention is commonly used in yoga and martial arts sharpen the ability to concentrate and focus. This is not recommended for pregnant women and people with hypertension or heart ailments because it boosts your internal energy too quickly, which can produce negative side effects.

1. Sit with your spine vertical and your feet flat on the floor. You may also sit in a lotus or semi-lotus position
2. Inhale slowly and deeply using abdominal inflation while mentally counting to 10
3. Hold your breath for a count of 5
4. Exhale slowly, deflating your abdomen completely while mentally counting to 10
5. Hold your breath for a count of 5
6. Repeat the whole breathing pattern for a maximum of 5 minutes
7. Do this procedure 3 times weekly or daily as required

Development of Abstract Mental Intelligence is one of the keys to overcoming the limitations of the concrete mind. The abstract mind is responsible for the more subjective, creative, philosophical and principle-based thinking faculties and processes. And, the Soul’s frequency and energy body start from the abstract mental levels or frequency.

When people have developed and used much of their concrete mind, such as world thinkers and scientists, the next step is to develop and stimulate the abstract mind. The abstract mental level is where people can connect to higher creative ideas, noble principles and universal philosophies resulting in a more abstract understanding and creative expression of life. Therefore, when people start using the abstract mental faculties, they start utilizing the power of the Soul.

While this type of thinking may have been uncommon in the past, the new incoming generations of children are more equipped with the power of the abstract mind. You can observe how many advanced children learn new things. They ask questions starting with, “What?” and “How?” and soon graduate to “Why?”

One of way to train the mind’s abstract thinking is to render it still and at the same time aware so you can perceive higher meanings of ideas or principles. While the concrete mind is sequential and logical, the abstract mind is more creative and philosophical. If we concentrate on an idea or concept that is principle-based or philosophical, for example, the concrete mind will reach a dead end, it lets go of control and the abstract mind takes over.

1. Investigate the why’s or purpose of things, events, uncommon knowledge, existence and life
2. Study new discoveries and advanced technologies to discover the new principles and concepts
3. Study the works of artists, poets and philosophers like Rumi or decipher the meaning of these lines from a poem by William Blake:

To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour.

4. Employ mental introspection rather than emotional feelings
5. Focus on breakthroughs and problems that need innovative solutions
6. Go beyond normal truth by asking Who am I? What can I be?

The last question above, Who I am? And What can I be? opens the door to the development of wisdom. Spiritual Intelligence is essential to become a visionary leader whose decisions are guided by universal principles that are applicable in any culture and nation. Wisdom empowers leaders with an understanding of universal principles that are keys to success in any environment.

With Spiritual Intelligence, it is easier to make the right decision that will be effective and appropriate in Saudi Arabia, India, China and the US because the virtue of altruism, for example, can be applied across national and cultural boundaries.

The path to wisdom involves masticating life events, both so-called negative and positive events, to determine the lessons to be learned. And, once those lessons are understood, it is easier and necessary to change ones behavior. It involves looking at the lessons that cause suffering – is there a violation of harmlessness for example. This is known as the Law of Cause and Effect. In science, it is Newton’s Third Law which states for every action; there is an equal reaction.

This is type of thinking can be taught to executives, students and even young children at a certain level. To me, the question is not only what happened, but what might have caused the event. In Eastern Wisdom, we look for the boomerang effect, both negative and positive.

Let’s look at the teaching of history as an opportunity for greater abstract mental and wisdom development. Students around the world are busy memorizing the dates, battles and heroes of historical events. But, few are encouraged to explore the whys of history – why did the event happen. And even more important, what could the hero have done differently to save more lives, what were the lessons to be learned by the people and the hero, etc.

When people understand the lessons of the past, they will be less likely to be doomed to repeat them. Even religions in the future will be faced with questions from the incoming new generations who already have Abstract Intelligence and will want to understand the principles behind the stories and the wisdom that can be gleaned from them.

To further develop wisdom, Synchronized Breathing is a fast simple method. It opens the heart for Emotional Intelligence, builds mental faculties and stamina and fosters development of greater Wisdom Intelligence.

1. Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor or you can sit in a yoga posture. Be sure you are comfortable with your spine erect.
2. Inhale rapidly through your nose as you tilt your head back while simultaneously inflating your abdomen.
3. Immediately exhale quickly through your mouth as you bow your head down while compressing your abdomen.
4. Repeat steps two and three 10 to 15 times
5. Now just relax with your had vertical and breathe slowly. Concentrate on the top you your head, mid-brow area and the center of your chest simultaneously while breathing slowly. Do this step for 30 seconds.
6. Use this technique 3 times weekly, or daily as required.

With the acquisition of all 5 Ascending Levels of Intelligence, leaders in business, politics and academia will be equipped with crucial tools to react to any situation with speed and accurate perception to be able to make effective decisions with win-win results. By integrating these 5 Intelligences we will be able to create new maps to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow.

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