Analyzing “Positive Intelligence” by Shirzad Chamine[1]
In the framework of Armenian Science and Technology Center project by TSD
Positive Intelligence. When I have first heard about this expression, I just asked me a simple question: “Do I need to know about this”? “How will it help me to achieve my goal”? So, I started to read the first lines of the book and couldn’t even catch the meaning. But, so as to spark my interest to continue the reading, I have found out that I could measure my so-called PQ[2]. Interesting. Then, I couldn’t even imagine that it will be so captivating and informative.
Before jumping into my PQ score, let’s first understand what is Positive Intelligence or PQ. My mind is my best friend, but it can also be my worst enemy when it's involved in self-sabotage. My Positive Intelligence is the relative strength of these two modes of my mind. To see more vividly, let’s observe this image[3]:
PQ stands for Positive Intelligence Quotient. It is my Positive Intelligence score expressed as a percentage, ranging from 0 to 100. In effect, my PQ is the percentage of the time my mind is serving me as opposed to sabotaging me. For example, a PQ of 75 means that my mind is serving me 75% of the time and sabotaging me about 25% of the time. I don’t count the periods of time when my mind is in neutral territory. The counterpart of Saboteurs is the Sage. My Sage has access to my wisdom, deeper insights, and often untapped mental powers. The Saboteurs and Sage are fueled by different regions of the brain and can each be weakened or strengthened depending on which region is activated[4].
According to the PQ test, my score equals 50. It means that outside the neutral times, my mind is in Sage as opposed to Saboteur mode 50% of the time. As was stated, possibly, there is a chance that this score is not a true measure of my Positive Intelligence level. If the PQ score is an accurate reflection, it indicates a relatively low level of Positive Intelligence. Namely, I’m experiencing far too much stress and difficulty than I need to experience in handling my work and life’s challenges. The bad news is that I’m clearly in the net-negative PQ vortex, meaning I’m wasting a good deal of my vital energy and resources just to fight my Saboteurs, rather than creating the life that I want. The good news is that I can begin to see a dramatic shift in how I feel about my life and work, and what I get accomplished focusing on raising my PQ.
And, indeed, the suggested next steps are to read the BOOK and to achieve my true potential I need to learn three strategies to increase my Positive Intelligence dramatically: a. Weaken my Saboteurs; b. Strengthen my Sage; c. Strengthen my "PQ Brain" muscles[5]. Additionally, I was advised to take the Saboteur Assessment, which will help me identify who my top Saboteurs are. (They have names like Judge, Controller, Stickler, Victim, and Avoider)[6]. This is a critical step in being able to intercept and weaken them in order to increase my Positive Intelligence. So, in addition, I took the Assessment test and discovered that my top Saboteurs are Hyper-Achiever, Hyper-Vigilant, Sticker, and Pleaser, which the bar chart vividly displays[7]:
As stated, my responses indicate a relative tie between several Saboteurs. I have rated the strength of all of them as relatively high. This indicates that I can clearly see when these Saboteurs show up. An enemy that is visible is far easier to fight than one that hides well. So, if I can focus on weakening each Saboteur in the setting that it is more likely to show up. Alternatively, I’m advised to spend today or this entire week focused on intercepting and weakening one Saboteur and switch to the other one later.
However, I would like to know where do these Saboteurs spring? Saboteurs are a universal phenomenon. The question is not whether I have them, but which ones I have, and how strong they are. They start off as my guardians to help me survive the real and imagined threats to my physical and emotional survival as a child. By the time I am an adult, these Saboteurs are no longer needed, but they have become invisible inhabitants of my mind. They form the lens through which I see and react to the world, without knowing I am wearing any lens.
So, my top Saboteur was Hyper-achiever[8]. Namely, dependent on constant performance and achievement for self-respect and self-validation, highly focused on external success, leading to unsustainable workaholic tendencies and loss of touch with deeper emotional and relationship needs. Question? “Why I always race, try to achieve a goal, to break barriers, etc”? Because, I want to be successful and sometimes this passion is more than the outcome. Sometimes, the process could be more productive than the minute of a standing ovation. But do I really understand the meaning of success? What is success? As Mandela used to say: “Do not judge me by my successes, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back again”. Or, as Jack Ma stated in one of his motivational speeches, when he was young he was reading many failure stories, so as to survive at the right moment. Success is the accomplishment of an aim or purpose. But, who said that those accomplishments could not be reached through failures. Because in case I need to pass from one mountain to the other, I need to go down to get up, but, no way to jump. Jumping and more accurately irrational jumping break legs and kills time. A step back is two steps forward. A step back is a minute to pause when I think to jump. A step back is the opportunity to value the step forward and work hard not to achieve the goal but to create my goal. As in Frank’s case[9], when he relaxed and understood that maybe this crisis is not just a failure or losing stuff but just a game-changing stair upwards, because if I continue my Hyper-achiever and Sticker stuff I will become the next Sisyphus.
When I was passing my final Bachelor year, we used to have many discussions on various topics and at one of the regular English classes, our lecturer asked, what our greatest fear is. I answered: “Me”. She frowned and got surprised by my answer, and somewhat it sounded rather crazy to her. But, then I clarified that the greatest enemy is me myself, and the friend as well. However, at that time I didn’t understand what I was talking about as it was just philosophy stuff to look smarter. Then I realized that by asserting that statement I have born and fed a real enemy in me and, year by year I felt how I was fighting terribly with me, quarreling, harassing for the mistakes have taken, etc. a horrible case. Then, finally, when I completely soaked me with annoying questions and there was nowhere out, the opposite thing happened I started to meet compromises and negotiate with me, say flattery stuff about me so as to please myself and gain my trust and love and continue living. And out of blue, I deciphered the riddle: I do not need to fight each big and small shortcoming, I need to understand why I am so, where this comes from and how I can transform that negation into positive action. To find answers I just need to look around, as everything is explained in nature, in the environment surrounding us. If a knife can kill a man, it can also slice bread. But, I guess I couldn’t completely master my Saboteurs, if so my test results would have had a different image.
To master my Saboteurs I need to wake my Sage up, in other words, to raise the percentage of my Sage’s five great powers: that is (1) to Explore with great curiosity and an open mind; (2) to Empathize with myself and others and bring compassion and understanding to any situation; (3) to Innovate and create new perspectives and outside-the-box solutions; (4) to Navigate and choose a path that best aligns with my deeper underlying values and mission; and (5) to Activate and take decisive action without the distress, interference, or distractions of the Saboteurs[10]. Fantastic. This is what I needed.
While continuing the reading, I came across a case, which more described my own. The Judge case. David also was a Judge, and he didn’t also accept his Judge-character[11]. As Shirzad stated: “Most feelings of stress, anxiety, frustration, disappointment, regret, and guilt are the direct results of judging yourself, others, situations, or outcomes.” Now, David said that Judge pretended to be his friend. Every time the Judge showed up, David would use it as a reminder to activate his PQ Brain muscles and make them stronger. By doing so, David controlled his emotions and these annoying reminders turned into useful energy. Eureka. I have found my clue. Each time I cannot control my emotions I will use them to observe the situation better, transform them into motivational energy, and by making the package of message address it properly.
Every morning we wake up, we plan our day, we speak, we quarrel, we are happy/sad … we dream about our dreams, but without any action or step and finally, the day ends. What we have? A month ago I was running from my fears because I didn’t have a ground and platform where I could fly, where I could express myself, where I could just fell silent. That time I couldn’t confront my Saboteurs and stop them. Now, I can face them, I can speak and standstill because I’m not afraid anymore to say that I failed or lost, that I am wrong or don’t know (I guess so). Self-assessment and self-analysis changed my attitude towards life.
Now, I see that I’m wasting a good deal of my vital energy and resources just to fight my Saboteurs, rather than creating the life that I want. That is why I cannot use my true potential, so the energy in me that is not getting out starts eating me inside. Meanwhile, it creates an atmosphere of a Pleaser. That’s why I always play roles, so as to protect me from outer space. But, I need not show, but to feel instead, that would be more efficient. And what is the reason that I show off because I am afraid to be who I am? And why? Because I am afraid to be disappointed, pierced, feel pain, fell down, etc. It means that I am striving to create a life that is not real and never existed, an illusion that I strongly believe. But one day that illusion will kill my Great Expectations because by not waking up and feeling the life with its ups and downs will sip up my enthusiasm and demolish the whole work I have done. Well, well, well… I understood why I can’t control my emotions, because I don’t live inside but between inside and outside. That is the worst place, as it is the place of all emotions – my, your, his, her, their… That is the place where the society sees me and criticizes or flatters, gives feedbacks. And instead of analyzing this stuff inside, I struggle in that platform and of course, fail. Because I try to control not me myself, but others which are not real and productive.
This book gave me an opportunity to analyses myself, decipher my inner potential, and know me better. I have known the tools, now I need to use them. And, after a while, I will retake the test so as to know whether I could develop Positive Intelligence.
Sources
[1] Shirzad Chamine is a preeminent C-Suite advisor who has coached hundreds of CEOs and their executive teams and has himself been CEO of two companies. He lectures on Positive Intelligence at Stanford University.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PositiveIntelligence/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shirzad-chamine-60526010/
[2] I measured my PQ via www.PositiveIntelligence.com
PQ Assessment Report, taken 10/19/2017 8:24:55 AM.
[3] Imbd. PQ Report.
[4] Shirzad Chamine. “Positive Intelligence: Why Only 20% of Teams and Individuals Achieve Their True Potential AND HOW YOU CAN ACHIEVE YOURS”. Greenleaf Book Group Press, April 3rd 2012, pp. 13-14.
[5] Imbd., pp. 24-26, 84-98.
[6] Imbd., pp. 37-51
[7] PQ Assessment Report, taken 10/19/2017 8:24:55 AM, www.PositiveIntelligence.com.
[8] Shirzad Chamine. “Positive Intelligence: Why Only 20% of Teams and Individuals Achieve Their True Potential AND HOW YOU CAN ACHIEVE YOURS”. Greenleaf Book Group Press, April 3rd 2012, pp. 22-24.
[9] Imbd., pp. 13-14.
[10] Imbd., pp. 24, 71-83.
[11] Imbd., pp. 26-30.