Editorial Review:
The final word on what traits make for highly successful managers—and a detailed explanation of how to identify potential standout performers. Executive Intelligence is about the substance behind great leadership. Inspired by the work of Peter Drucker and Jim Collins, Justin Menkes set out to isolate the qualities that make for the 'right' people. Drawing on his background in psychology and bolstered by interviews with accomplished CEOs, Menkes paints the portrait of the ideal executive. In a sense, Menkes's work reveals an executive IQ—the cognitive skills necessary in order to excel in senior management positions. Star leaders readily differentiate primary priorities from secondary concerns; they identify flawed assumptions; they anticipate the different needs of various stakeholders and how they might conflict with one another; and they recognise the underlying agendas of individuals in complex exchanges. Weaving together research, interviews and the results of his own proprietary testing, Menkes exposes one of the great fallacies of corporate life, that hiring and promotion are conducted on a systematic or scientific basis that allows the most accomplished to rise to their levels of optimal responsibility. Finally, Menkes is a passionate advocate for finding and employing the most talented people, especially those who may have been held back by external assumptions.
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A rigorous and eloquent examination of "the single biggest driver of executive performance"  2007-10-16
There are significant differences between information and knowledge. The former consists of raw data; the latter is what results from an evaluation of the data to increase one's knowledge and understanding of the given subject. Hence the importance of judgment when making decisions based on that understanding. Also, there are differences between what can be learned from formal training (e.g. reading, reasoning, and writing skills) and what cannot (e.g. character). Finally, as Howard Gardner and countless others have asserted, there are many different forms of intelligence that are frequently viewed as aptitudes.
For example, in his latest book, Five Minds for the Future, Gardner identifies and then explains five separate but related combinations of cognitive abilities that are needed to "thrive in the world during eras to come...[cognitive abilities] which we should develop in the future." Gardner refers to them as "minds" but they are really mindsets. Mastery of each enables a person:
1. to know how to work steadily over time to improve skill and understanding;
2. to take information from disparate sources and make sense of it by understanding and evaluating that information objectively;
3. by building on discipline and synthesis, to break new ground;
4. by "recognizing that nowadays one can no longer remain within one's shell or one's home territory," to note and welcome differences between human individuals and between human groups so as to understand them and work effectively with them;
5. and finally, "proceeding on a level more abstract than the respectful mind," to reflect on the nature of one's work and the needs and desires of the society in which one lives.
Gardner notes that the five "minds" he examines in this book are different from the eight or nine human intelligences that he examines in his earlier works. "Rather than being distinct computational capabilities, they are better thought of as broad uses of the mind that we can cultivate at school, in professions, or at the workplace."
In this volume, Justin Mendes explains that Executive Intelligence(tm) (or ExI) "is the single biggest driver of executive performance" and claims that it is overlooked by current assessment practices. Through his work with some of the most effective executives in the world, Menkes, co-founder of Executive Intelligence Group, sought to understand the qualities of star performers. He found that success could be attributed to intelligence but not to, for example, the academic IQ required for admission into top universities. Instead, Menkes has identified specific patterns of "intelligent executive behavior." He distilled this behavioral pattern of success and, over three years, designed an assessment methodology to measure it. This is the Executive Intelligence Evaluation.
What does this evaluation involve? I visited executiveintelligence.com and located this explanation: "Structured as a one-on-one interview, the Executive Intelligence Evaluation quantifies and benchmarks an executive on the unique cognitive skills that are essential for leadership excellence. Instead of simply asking an executive about their capabilities, the methodology requires a candidate to demonstrate their skills. To accomplish this, the ExI Evaluation utilizes job relevant scenarios that necessitate: decision making and information gathering, managing the activities of others, and evaluating/adapting one's own thinking and behavior - in other words, the central responsibilities of any executive. What's more, a candidate's capabilities are evaluated in the real-time verbal format in which they must be demonstrated on the job. The interview takes about one-and-a-half hours and is conducted by a highly trained expert. Scores have been shown to have no adverse impact in terms of race, gender, language, or country of origin."
This brilliant book can be of immense value to C-level executives in any organization (regardless of its size or nature) who have or share primary responsibility in one or more of these areas:
1. Identifying their organization's leadership and management needs
2. Locating, interviewing, and selecting those to fill those needs
2. Supervising assignment and development of executive talent
3. Measuring executives' performance
4. Determining their compensation
5. Deciding on promotions, probations, and terminations
Those who share my high regard for this book are urged to check out any of Howard Gardner's (notably Five Minds for the Future), Daniel Goleman's Social Intelligence: The New Science of Human Relationships, Noel Tichy and Warren Bennis' Judgment: How Winning leaders Make Great Calls, Steven Feinberg's The Advantage-Makers: How Exceptional Leaders Win by Creating Opportunities Others Don't, and Launching a Leadership Revolution: Mastering the Five Levels of Influence co-authored by Chris Brady and Orrin Woodward.
Good information for building a team  2007-08-29
While I'm not certain I completely buy off on the premise that IQ is the single best predictor of success, this book does a nice job of laying out the qualities needed to succeed as a leader. Dealing with others, anticipating unforseen consequences, humility, etc. - all things to look for. Definitely worth a read if you're responsible for hiring and building a team.
Executive Intelligence 2007-07-03
Menkes offers an excellent model for executive intelligence modeled after Binet's work in general intelligence that can be applied to the business world. He also offers quality real-life applications for using this model in companies.
He also cites why companies are not as effective as they should be, while offering hope that such intelligence can be developed in leaders. I highly recommend this excellent book as it has both personal and organizational applications.
Great book for assessing yourself and your bosses 2007-05-27
I simply loved this book! The author states clearly and succinctly what makes up Executive Intelligence and that is task, people, and self. Through these three cognitive skills a person can gauge oneself or his boss. This is very powerful because you can discover blind spots and hidden strengths both in yourself and those you work for.
I would use these techniques in sizing up my competition.
Executive Intelligence 2007-03-12
I love this book. Having been an executive recruiter for the last five years, I have been frustrated with the dysfunctional process of hiring executives. There have been times that I have felt I was "licking my fingers" whether candidates I presented to my clients were A-Players or not.
After reading this book, I realize that I have only been screening candidate's knowledge, but not their intelligence.
In addition to helping me better screen the candidates I work with, this book has inspired me to become a much better critical thinker in my business and personal life.
My only complaint is that Justin Menkes has an exclusive relationship with Spencer Stuart. As a recruiter, I would love to be trained in these valuable and revolutionary concepts and techniques.
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