WICS: A model of giftedness in leadership

Abstract

When we identify people, especially children, for giftedness, we often neglect what arguably is the most important kind of giftedness of all—giftedness for leadership. Ultimately, the individuals we identify should not just be potentially “good” in one or more domains, but also potential leaders in that domain. There is a big difference between merely knowing a lot about a field and taking a leadership role in that field. Gifted adults— certainly those who are remembered—‐are those who take a leadership role. This article argues that effective leaders demonstrate in their leadership a synthesis of three elements: creativity, intelligence, and wisdom. Creativity is used to generate novel ideas; intelligence is used to analyze the quality of these ideas, as well as to implement the ideas and persuade others of their worth; and wisdom is used to balance the effects of these ideas on all possible stakeholders. This article reviews the proposed “WICS” (Wisdom‐Intelligence‐Creativity‐Synthesized) theory of giftedness in leadership, and compares it to some other theories.

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