These 10 intelligences that transform the way you lead – Christophe Bourgois-Costantini

Beyond IQ: mapping the 10 intelligences

Christophe reminded us that we all carry abilities that go far beyond the logical-mathematical intelligence valued at school. Drawing on the work of Howard Gardner and more than 800 interviews with leaders ( François Pinault, Thierry Marx, Alain Passard, Bertrand Piccard…), he formalized ten forms of intelligence: among them, time intelligence, spatial, kinesthetic, nature, spiritual, as well as rhythm and listening intelligence.

“It’s precisely because we are multiple that we become unique”, he emphasized. Champions and leaders who perform sustainably share one thing in common: they have developed several of these intelligences that school doesn’t teach.

The pivot intelligence and the art of not measuring everything

Unlike the “all-quantitative” reflex, Christophe encourages you to identify your pivot intelligence—the one that is your distinctive strength—and to cultivate a few complementary intelligences, without aiming for excellence everywhere.

“It’s not about being the best saxophonist in the world; it’s about being happy playing the sax”, he illustrates. In this, he echoes Claude Lelouche: what matters is being in a good average across several dimensions, not at the maximum in just one. For managers, this means moving away from the cult of measurement and daring to awaken buried abilities (nature, listening, intuition, body).

Intuition, letting go, and aligning the three brains

Intuition plays a central role in his method. It draws on the subconscious; to let it emerge, he recommends alternating divergence / convergence—the “upside-down Christmas tree”—and letting go rather than action at all costs.

“The best deals I’ve signed were when I least expected them”, he says. He also encourages aligning the three brains (reptilian, limbic, neocortex) before any major decision, and not confusing aiming for a goal with wanting to achieve it at all costs: the second mindset creates stress and rigidity.

Awakening intelligences: from the body to passing it on

To reconnect with neglected intelligences, Christophe suggests walking coaching sessions, reactivating felt sense (emotions in the body, not just in the head), and returning to what made you happy as a child.

He stresses reprogramming habits: you don’t delete a hard drive—you compress it and replace it with another through new routines. In business, he advocates for Motivation 3.0—putting people in a position to be happy and high-performing—rather than control or one-off team-building with no follow-up.

In a nutshell…

• Ten intelligences live within us; leaders who last cultivate several of them, beyond the mind alone.
• Identifying your pivot intelligence and a few supporting intelligences helps you lead with more stability and joy.
• Intuition and letting go: trust the subconscious and distinguish “aiming” from “wanting to achieve” to avoid burnout.
• Reawakening the body and childhood: walk, feel, and ask what used to make you happy to rebalance your abilities.

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