Product reviews for Profiting from Multiple Intelligences in the Workplace

This book starts with a very informative introduction to the concept of multiple intelligences. The work by Howard Gardner has been widely quoted and used by a number of other writers and researchers, notably in the UK by Charles Handy in his book The Hungry Spirit. Others, like Daniel Goleman have made a whole industry around exploiting the idea of one of the multiples, Emotional Intelligence. So an accessible introduction and reminder that there is more to this thinking that the headlines is very welcome indeed.

Thinking outside of our normal understanding of intelligence as measured by our school and examination system is an essential pre-requisite to harnessing the potential of diversity and valuing the contribution and potential of everyone. It is therefore in the application of the theory of multiple intelligences to the workplace where this book really adds value. The organisational system will be all the better when it is structured around the contributions that individuals can make which add value, rather than force-fitting individuals into a job description that limits their potential contribution.

Martin provides a number of analysis tools and inventories to measure the different intelligences and apply the ideas to the workplace. The sheer number of inventories make the second part of the book more of a resource than a read, and could detract from its potential value to someone other than an HR Manager. There seemed to be a great deal of duplication between the inventories when applied to different situations, where some basic principles and examples would have sufficed, allowing the reader to draw up their own tools to meet their specific application.



Overall the book does challenge the traditional HR policies that are prevalent in most organisations. The wider understanding and use of multiple intelligence theory, which this book provides in a practical form, is necessary for us to deal with the changing nature of employment in the 21st Century and make work meaningful and fulfilling for all.