Improving Managerial Talent

4General mental ability

Mental abilities can take many forms, but there is consensus regarding the existence of a broad general factor underpinning such specific abilities and that this general factor can influence performance in a wide range of everyday activities.¹ One distinguished psychologist demonstrated how greater ‘mental capacity’ was required at successive organisational levels; to handle the increasing complexity of demands.²

Mental ability tests were devised at the beginning of the 20th century to identify children who had special educational needs. Unsurprisingly, therefore, the questions (referred to as ‘items’) in the tests ...