What is Integrative Intelligence?
by Laurel Elders, MCC, CEC
Truth. The one thing that exists in the world of relativity without an opposite.
I wonder if humans can grasp the full truth of all reality. "What is" is a web of connections and interrelatedness often beyond human comprehension or computer computations. Humans seem to default to compartmentalization and linear thinking, missing life's fullness. It takes conscious effort to perceive the integration that exists around us and within us. It takes personal intelligence to become integratively aware and intelligent.
The majority of problems humanity currently faces are not one of pitting good against evil. The major problems that humanity faces stem from bias, evil being the most extreme form of bias that can exist. A bias is as strong as it is linear. The less linear, the less the bias has a grip. Had we developed and adopted Integrative Intelligence decades ago, we would not be facing the man-made catastrophic large-scale impact we see today.
We define Integrative Intelligence as:
I wonder if humans can grasp the full truth of all reality. "What is" is a web of connections and interrelatedness often beyond human comprehension or computer computations. Humans seem to default to compartmentalization and linear thinking, missing life's fullness. It takes conscious effort to perceive the integration that exists around us and within us. It takes personal intelligence to become integratively aware and intelligent.
The majority of problems humanity currently faces are not one of pitting good against evil. The major problems that humanity faces stem from bias, evil being the most extreme form of bias that can exist. A bias is as strong as it is linear. The less linear, the less the bias has a grip. Had we developed and adopted Integrative Intelligence decades ago, we would not be facing the man-made catastrophic large-scale impact we see today.
We define Integrative Intelligence as:
Developing the awareness of interconnectivity's capacity to transform the accuracy of human perspective is a powerful path to wisdom cultivation. Such wisdom leads to empowered lives, communities, and even economies potentially. Such wisdom is the birthplace of human greatness. Consider how human beings have the capacity to gain:
- Insight into the interconnected nature of our internal world
- Awareness of the interconnected reality of our external world
- Capacity to expand the wisdom that develops from seeing both, internal and external interconnectivity
"You think because you understand "one" you must also understand "two",
because one and one make two. But you must also understand "and".
- Rumi
because one and one make two. But you must also understand "and".
- Rumi
Hi, I'm Laurel Elders. I'm the founder and visionary behind our revolutionary coaching approach. I've been a professional coach since 2005 and jumped at the opportunity to bring the Institute to life in 2016. I am very proud of this high-impact profession and the positive footprint coaching is leaving across the globe!
At the Institute, we are on a mission to elevate human potential through the art and science of masterful coaching. We are here to help leaders and individuals engage the powerful and inspiring lens of Integrative Intelligence®. We are here to see professionals successfully lead through their life's calling.
Integrative Intelligence can be a skillset, a mindset and also the inception point of human potential. Integrative Intelligence harnesses the power of our wholeness and is the birthplace of new wisdom. I see Integrative Intelligence as a core missing link that humanity has been aching for. I have a deep passion for ensuring Integratively Intelligent insights expand globally!
Below, I share my experiences and contribute my thoughts on very instrumental shifts that have the potential to elevate humanity.
What does rock climbing have to do with human potential?
There are different types of climbing. In adventure climbing, we look at a mountain and determine, "let's go there." What sets adventure climbing apart from other forms of climbing? There is not yet an established route. You follow a calling.
In adventure climbing, there is something called a "false summit." A false summit happens when it looks as if the peak of a climb is right in front of you. You climb to the top. Then, upon arrival, you realize the true summit is still in the distance. You couldn't see it from the ground.
I realized, we, all of humanity, are at a false summit together. We are not at the top of our potential.
Why not? Our technology is growing faster than our EQ. We can fly to the moon, land on Mars, and I can text someone in Japan from Tucson, AZ. We have self-driven vacuum cleaners and cars that park themselves.
So, why have we not reached our potential yet? We haven’t reached our human potential yet because of our previous linear focus. We haven’t yet viewed success integratively.
Let’s explore this further...
Since the Industrial Age and on, we have been operating off of primarily linear approaches to success.
Let’s say you and I are best friends. We are talking one afternoon, and I tell you that I have a dream. My dream is to make ONE million dollars over the next year.
You supportively say to me, “Great Laurel!” Then I set off to make my millions.
What if a year later I come back to you and say, “Hey guess what?! My company made the million-dollar mark last year! I did it!”
You say, “WOW, congrats! You succeeded” We celebrate. Life goes on.
BUT! What I didn’t share with you was that my employees were miserable, I had high turn- over, and my company approach was harming the environment.
If you found out the full picture, would you say I was truly successful? If you view success as a linear thinker, then yes, by all means, you could classify me as a success.
What if the conversation was integratively tuned in? What if I was integratively intelligent and operated as an integrated leader? What would that conversation look like?
It could go something like this: I come to you and say, “Guess what?! My company made the million-dollar mark last year.” You say, “WOW, congrats! What a success!”
If I’m a leader developed in my Integrative Intelligence®, here is where the conversation could pivot. My response may look more like this: “Well, thank you. I do appreciate the sentiment. However, we haven’t quite succeeded. My employees are miserable. We have atrocious turn-over costing us a lot of what we are making. We also created a back log of pollution which I’m not comfortable with. So, I would say, yes, we succeeded but only in one area. We have impact in 3 areas! Two of which are failing.”
Most leaders don’t talk like this... Especially not to their stakeholders.
Yet, their hearts are dying to do better and would really love to reach success in all areas! They just don’t believe it is possible, and so they quite naturally settle for the false summit.
The other day I attended a Conscious Capitalism meeting. Their credo is “Elevating Humanity Through Business”. At this meeting, we discussed the impact Covid has had on businesses.
Listening to the rich discussions and variety of experiences, it dawned on me. Covid has taught us how amazingly agile we really are!
Our full capacity to pivot has, for the first time in centuries, been completely uncloaked. Leaders who previously believed, “We can’t”, woke up to the reality that “We can”.
We can pivot. We did pivot. It wasn’t easy, but it was accomplished.
This leaves a door open. The door of “why not?” If we are capable of pivoting, why not pivot to include better corporate practices that include success in all areas? Well, because it can feel and seem impossible and daunting.
However, a false summit is a limit of perspective only.
If my message resonates with you, I can imagine you also see how acting in integrally intelligent ways will positively elevate humanity. I invite you to download the white paper on the powerful approaches and high-impact frameworks that Integrative Intelligence offers.
At the Institute, we are on a mission to elevate human potential through the art and science of masterful coaching. We are here to help leaders and individuals engage the powerful and inspiring lens of Integrative Intelligence®. We are here to see professionals successfully lead through their life's calling.
Integrative Intelligence can be a skillset, a mindset and also the inception point of human potential. Integrative Intelligence harnesses the power of our wholeness and is the birthplace of new wisdom. I see Integrative Intelligence as a core missing link that humanity has been aching for. I have a deep passion for ensuring Integratively Intelligent insights expand globally!
Below, I share my experiences and contribute my thoughts on very instrumental shifts that have the potential to elevate humanity.
What does rock climbing have to do with human potential?
There are different types of climbing. In adventure climbing, we look at a mountain and determine, "let's go there." What sets adventure climbing apart from other forms of climbing? There is not yet an established route. You follow a calling.
In adventure climbing, there is something called a "false summit." A false summit happens when it looks as if the peak of a climb is right in front of you. You climb to the top. Then, upon arrival, you realize the true summit is still in the distance. You couldn't see it from the ground.
I realized, we, all of humanity, are at a false summit together. We are not at the top of our potential.
Why not? Our technology is growing faster than our EQ. We can fly to the moon, land on Mars, and I can text someone in Japan from Tucson, AZ. We have self-driven vacuum cleaners and cars that park themselves.
So, why have we not reached our potential yet? We haven’t reached our human potential yet because of our previous linear focus. We haven’t yet viewed success integratively.
Let’s explore this further...
Since the Industrial Age and on, we have been operating off of primarily linear approaches to success.
Let’s say you and I are best friends. We are talking one afternoon, and I tell you that I have a dream. My dream is to make ONE million dollars over the next year.
You supportively say to me, “Great Laurel!” Then I set off to make my millions.
What if a year later I come back to you and say, “Hey guess what?! My company made the million-dollar mark last year! I did it!”
You say, “WOW, congrats! You succeeded” We celebrate. Life goes on.
BUT! What I didn’t share with you was that my employees were miserable, I had high turn- over, and my company approach was harming the environment.
If you found out the full picture, would you say I was truly successful? If you view success as a linear thinker, then yes, by all means, you could classify me as a success.
What if the conversation was integratively tuned in? What if I was integratively intelligent and operated as an integrated leader? What would that conversation look like?
It could go something like this: I come to you and say, “Guess what?! My company made the million-dollar mark last year.” You say, “WOW, congrats! What a success!”
If I’m a leader developed in my Integrative Intelligence®, here is where the conversation could pivot. My response may look more like this: “Well, thank you. I do appreciate the sentiment. However, we haven’t quite succeeded. My employees are miserable. We have atrocious turn-over costing us a lot of what we are making. We also created a back log of pollution which I’m not comfortable with. So, I would say, yes, we succeeded but only in one area. We have impact in 3 areas! Two of which are failing.”
Most leaders don’t talk like this... Especially not to their stakeholders.
Yet, their hearts are dying to do better and would really love to reach success in all areas! They just don’t believe it is possible, and so they quite naturally settle for the false summit.
The other day I attended a Conscious Capitalism meeting. Their credo is “Elevating Humanity Through Business”. At this meeting, we discussed the impact Covid has had on businesses.
Listening to the rich discussions and variety of experiences, it dawned on me. Covid has taught us how amazingly agile we really are!
Our full capacity to pivot has, for the first time in centuries, been completely uncloaked. Leaders who previously believed, “We can’t”, woke up to the reality that “We can”.
We can pivot. We did pivot. It wasn’t easy, but it was accomplished.
This leaves a door open. The door of “why not?” If we are capable of pivoting, why not pivot to include better corporate practices that include success in all areas? Well, because it can feel and seem impossible and daunting.
However, a false summit is a limit of perspective only.
If my message resonates with you, I can imagine you also see how acting in integrally intelligent ways will positively elevate humanity. I invite you to download the white paper on the powerful approaches and high-impact frameworks that Integrative Intelligence offers.
Integrative Intelligence® in Coaching
We train you in the frameworks that elevate your coaching so that your clients reach their goals, develop their fullest capacities, engage gifts they didn't even know they had and walk away with a lifetime of benefit from hiring you as their coach of choice.
As a coach you learn:
1) The Eight Domains of Integration.
2) How to masterfully combine multiple intelligence centers.
3) The art of discerning timing and honoring client capacity.
4) Masterful coaching approaches and integrative skillsets.
5) How to help your client grow in their self-identity.
6) Much more (Click Here for a complete overview)
So that your clients can:
1) Develop their Personal Intelligence.
2) Access latent potentials hidden within them.
3) Engage virtues within them that have been missing.
4) Step into their personal power and grow in their confidence.
5) Expand their relational agility and emotional intelligence.
6) Leave a coaching engagement grateful they found you.
We train you in the frameworks that elevate your coaching so that your clients reach their goals, develop their fullest capacities, engage gifts they didn't even know they had and walk away with a lifetime of benefit from hiring you as their coach of choice.
As a coach you learn:
1) The Eight Domains of Integration.
2) How to masterfully combine multiple intelligence centers.
3) The art of discerning timing and honoring client capacity.
4) Masterful coaching approaches and integrative skillsets.
5) How to help your client grow in their self-identity.
6) Much more (Click Here for a complete overview)
So that your clients can:
1) Develop their Personal Intelligence.
2) Access latent potentials hidden within them.
3) Engage virtues within them that have been missing.
4) Step into their personal power and grow in their confidence.
5) Expand their relational agility and emotional intelligence.
6) Leave a coaching engagement grateful they found you.