It's no doubt better to be a leader with intelligence than one without. The problem with relying on intelligence, though, is that most of it is dependent on our genes, with some of the most recent research indicating there isn't a lot you can do to become more intelligent once you're an adult. But learning how to think like a leader is an entirely different story and quite easily achievable.
One of the world's most prolific research teams on the topic of leadership, from the University of Oklahoma, has published findings of an extensive analysis on the cognitive skills that have the greatest impact on leadership performance. There are nine in total.
The first is "problem definition", which means to think like a leader requires gathering information in such a way that imminent issues are identified. That information could include feedback, research, monitoring and data collection – anything that helps to enrich understanding.
Seeking that information, however, is not enough, which is why the second cognitive skill is essential. The researchers refer to it as "cause/goal analysis", which reflects leaders who are able to figure out the underlying source of the problem and to discerningly select from a range of potential objectives.
Pursuing those objectives is likely to be met with hostility and barricades. This is where the third element, "constraint analysis", is useful because it represents the ability to spot barriers that impede a successful outcome. These barriers might relate to limited resources, unskilled employees, system limitations – whatever.
Acknowledgement of those constraints provides a basis on which the fourth leadership skill takes place: "planning", or what the scholars pretentiously refer to as "the mental simulation of future actions". It involves being able to prepare for a positive end state and to prevent negative effects from occurring.
That leads into "forecasting" – the fifth capability for leadership thinking. Forecasting requires a special set of skills that enable a leader to predict the benefits and hurdles that could arise from a plan, to accurately estimate resources that might be needed, and to foresee changes on the horizon.
The sixth criterion is "creative thinking". The number of ideas a leader generates, and the quality and originality of those ideas, has a consequent impact on a leader's performance. This is made stronger by the seventh criterion – "idea evaluation" – which infers that not every idea can be implemented, and so an ability to select the right ones is a talent in itself.
"Wisdom" is the eighth source of leadership cognition. You know you've grown into a wise leader when you're able to convert subjective and ambiguous dilemmas into practical and rational solutions. The researchers believe wisdom comes with experience but that more important than age is an awareness of yourself, a willingness to assess your actions objectively, a heightened sense of perception, and a capacity to make decisions during periods of uncertainty.
Which leads us to the ninth and final step towards thinking like a leader: "sensemaking/visioning". This requires the setting of a vision linked to employees' values, framed in such a way it influences their desire to solve problems and makes sense of complex and conflicting situations.
As the scholars conclude, to develop intelligence is difficult; to become a natural leader is even tougher. But to think like a leader, and to subsequently act like one, is actually something within reach. All nine of these cognitive skills are learnable. They can be developed via self-reflection, short projects, training programs, peer feedback, and of course trial and error.
And if you combine these with the 11 characteristics of great leadership, which emphasise not how you should act but the kind of person you should be, you'll end up with a holistic and evidence-based foundation from which to evolve as a leader. Now that's intelligent.
You know you've grown into a wise leader when you're able to convert subjective and ambiguous dilemmas into practical and rational solutions.