Sara Gilbert is an award-winning Business Strategist & Mindset Coach for service-based entrepreneurs.
For decades (if not centuries), we focused on IQ—intellectual quotient—even if it wasn’t always called that. IQ is defined by how “smart” a person is, their knowledge and their capacity to learn and to hold information. We now know that these tests are greatly influenced by environmental factors—where we live and what we have been exposed to—and motivational factors—if we are interested and motivated by certain topics.
Then, we saw the rise of EQ—emotional intelligence. EQ is defined as “the ability to understand and manage your emotions, as well as recognize and influence the emotions of those around you.” Daniel Goleman, who popularized the term in his book Emotional Intelligence, stated in an article for Harvard Business Review, “The most effective leaders are all alike in one crucial way: They all have a high degree of what has come to be known as emotional intelligence. It’s not that IQ and technical skills are irrelevant. They do matter… but they are the entry-level requirements for executive positions.”
Today, I’d like to introduce you to LQ and I.
LQ stands for linguistic intelligence. If you Google the term “linguistic intelligence,” you’ll find results relating to Howard Gardner’s multiple intelligences theory, which describes linguistic intelligence as a deep understanding of words, their rules and functions.
I’d like to push our understanding and interpretation further. Linguistic intelligence is the foundation of our awareness of the words we use—when we speak to ourselves and to others and when we listen to others.
What about the “I” in LQ and I? The “I” stands for influence—linguistic influence—understanding how words influence our behaviors.
Words aren’t just letters.
Words are the crystallization of emotions.
Words turn emotions into stories.
Stories turn into beliefs.
Beliefs guide our behaviors.
Behaviors create our reality.
Linguistic intelligence is about bringing awareness to our words, and from a deeper awareness we can speak with greater intentionality.
Linguistic intelligence and linguistic influence are about understanding which words create which emotions and then deciding to change our words in order to change behaviors.
Two key words: understanding and deciding.
We want to understand how words trigger emotions and which words trigger which emotions and then, when needed, how to choose differently.
Let me give you a few concrete examples to make this tangible.
Example 1: ‘I should do this’ or ‘I shouldn’t have done that.’
“Should” is not just a verb, it’s a judgment of self (or others when we say it about another person)—which, in return, brings us into the land of not-enoughness.
Try saying “I could do this” or “I could have done that” and see how this opens up a world of possibilities for your brain to see different alternatives, different options and different opportunities.
Example 2: ‘I hate this’ or ‘I hate when this happens.’
This type of linguistic construct elevates the level of negative energy within us, which triggers the brain to go into survival mode, seeking what else could potentially go wrong and what it should look for (and we know that if we’re looking for what’s wrong, we’ll always find something).
To reduce the energetic charge of negative emotions, play around with less intense words, such as “I don’t really like this” or “It irritates me when this happens”—you’ll notice how much faster you bounce back into your positive and empowered self again.
Example 3: ‘I can’t.’
The brain is one massive creative machine and will support whatever thoughts we feed it. When we say, to ourselves or out loud, “I can’t,” we put ourselves in a passive posture—where life controls us instead of us being in the driver’s seat.
Switch your “I can’t” for “I won’t” and feel how this feels in your body. It’s one of the most inner-challenging things to experience. You’ll see that your brain will try to convince you that you really can’t—and the more intellectual you are, the more rational the excuses your brain will come up with. But you know, there’s nothing you can’t do, but there are things you won’t do, actions you won’t take and decisions you won’t make.
These examples demonstrate the value and the power of linguistic intelligence—being aware of the impact of the words we use—and linguistic influence—deciding to choose different words that will translate into different emotions and behaviors.
LQ and I are about raising awareness. At the end of the day, words are the exteriorization of our emotions, our fears, our beliefs—our entire inner world.
When we elevate our LQ and I, we become self-aware of them. We can then decide to anchor or challenge beliefs and behavioral patterns and lead ourselves toward different, more empowering emotions, beliefs and behaviors.
Here’s my invitation for you today.
Start paying attention to the words you use and the expressions you say regularly; what emotion, fear or belief do they hold? What story do you tell yourself about those words or expressions? You’ll be amazed at what comes out of this simple yet powerful reflection.
Welcome to the world of LQ and I!
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