Whether it’s the real world with real conversations, or the on-line world with virtual ones,the skills are just the same…

“Practical intelligence is knowing what to say to whom, knowing when to say it, and knowing how to say it for maximum effect.”– Malcolm, Gladwell

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When you’re trying to join the traffic on a busy day motorway, you don’t just put your foot down and hope for the best at the end of the slip froad – you get yourself up to speed, wait for an opening and slip in. It’s the same with conversations, pitches, and meetings – listen to what everyone else is saying, get up to speed in the conversation, and then start slipping your ideas and comments when you see the right opening. Or you can just try and force your way in, but we all know how that usually goes…

I think that Gladwell’s ideas about practical intelligence is very interesting. It provides a compelling argument as to why some people can be more successful than others, no matter what their IQ is. It is important to remember that not all knowledge has to come from books or having a high IQ. Lots of intelligence comes from social skills and knowing how to interact with people. You can be incredibly smart and have a high IQ, but if you create a product or business it will not be successful if you are not able to build the right social connections.

I believe practical intelligence is an underrated skill that everyone needs to possess to make it out into the world. Being intelligence is great, but being able to convey one’s intelligence to the right people, at the right time, in the right way is the most sure way to make it in the adult world.