Multiple Intelligences

In Short

Identify dominant intelligences to leverage strengths
Best for: Gardner's multiple intelligences assessment
Multiple Intelligences is a structured tool for coaching and facilitation. Identify dominant intelligences to leverage strengths. It provides a repeatable framework that can be adapted to individual, team, and leadership development contexts.
Type of tool: Gardner's multiple intelligences assessment
Expected outcomes:
- Improved ability to identify dominant intelligences to leverage strengths
- Improved capacity to which intelligences are strongest and how do they show up at work? 4
- A concrete action or development plan to take forward from the Multiple Intelligences process

In Detail

Multiple Intelligences is a diagnostic instrument designed to help coaches, leaders, and facilitators identify dominant intelligences to leverage strengths. It sits within the category of Gardner's multiple intelligences assessment, making it particularly useful for practitioners working on capability development, team performance, and individual growth in organisational settings.

In practice, Multiple Intelligences is delivered as a 5-step process. The process begins by participants complete Howard Gardner's multiple intelligences questionnaire (Excel file in folder). The session closes by challenge the narrow 'smart' narrative. The structured approach ensures that participants move through a consistent experience while leaving room for the facilitator to adapt pacing and depth to the group's needs.

Multiple Intelligences is particularly valuable when objective data is needed to anchor a coaching conversation. Assessments reduce the risk of coaching being driven solely by the coachee's self-perception, introducing external reference points that open up new lines of inquiry and development.

How to Use

1. Participants complete Howard Gardner's multiple intelligences questionnaire (Excel file in folder). 2. Score reveals relative strengths: Linguistic, Logical-Mathematical, Spatial, Musical, Bodily-Kinesthetic, Interpersonal, Intrapersonal, Naturalist. 3. Debrief: which intelligences are strongest and how do they show up at work? 4. Explore how to design a team that balances intelligences. 5. Challenge the narrow 'smart' narrative.

Pros and Cons

Pros	Cons
Provides objective, data-driven insights that reduce reliance on self-perception alone Creates a concrete baseline for measuring development progress over time Gives the coachee language and evidence to discuss development needs with stakeholders	Requires validated instruments and trained practitioners to administer and interpret correctly Results can be threatening or demoralising if not framed carefully by the coach Data reflects a point-in-time snapshot and may become outdated as context changes

Created by Howard Gardner

When to Use

This tool is suited to the following coaching and facilitation contexts:

Context	Relevant
Individual Coaching	✓
Team Coaching	✓
Leadership Development
Facilitation / Workshop	✓
Online / Virtual

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