There are few intelligences that will serve one more consistently in life than the ability to understand and account for the perceptions, feelings and needs of others. Interpersonal intelligence is a dimension that is often unmeasured in the context of education, however, I have personally found that this intelligence has been instrumental in the development of my negotiating skills, my ability to meet the expectations of others and my ability to navigate interactions with charm and charisma.
This intelligence interacts inextricably with intrapersonal intelligence. Knowing one's self is essential to doing well by others. Indeed, with a clear, humble and ever-probing understanding of myself and my own needs, I have found it far easier to interact with confidence and to present myself to others as I would like to be seen. In this regard, I have even come to view self-knowledge within the context of intelligence as analogous to identifying a...
Without this, it would be impossible to outline an argument, state one's supports or persuade readers of a certain intent. Lacking self-knowledge, one would prove to be equally without a compass in navigating the challenges of reading comprehension or comprehension of the needs of others.
These intelligences demonstrate not just the value of reflecting on individual attributes with nuance but also the degree to which many of these intelligences are interdependent with one another. From my personal experience, any of my successes either personally or in such critical educational areas as the development of literacy skills are owed in equal parts to all three intelligences. Certainly, a single and monolithic way of assessing intelligence leaves not room for the recognition of such dynamics.
Works Cited:
Gardner, H. (1993). Multiple Intelligences: The Theory in Practice. Basic Books.
