Working with whole intelligence in organisation development and change: making meaning, creating context, increasing impact

"Abstract: This article shares my perspective on Malcolm Parlett’s ‘five explorations’, described in his book Future Sense (2015). Parlett presents the concept of whole intelligence, or ‘whi’, as he has named it, as ‘an holistic and inclusive general concept, which attempts to gather together a number of valued human qualities and varieties of capability’ (p. 19). The five explorations help to reveal and nurture whole intelligence. As an organisational psycholo- gist using both theoretical and experiential lenses to reflect on Parlett’s ideas, I conclude that: 1. Whole intelligence has profound implications and potential for global impact within the context of organisational change – a thesis evidenced firstly by placing Parlett’s ideas alongside related theories and then placing the explorations within my practice. 2. For the five explorations to achieve impact within the world of work they need a supporting infrastructure, to be better codified and amplified in a hyper-competitive market for manage- ment concepts. Key words: Whole intelligence, five explorations, responding, interrelating, embodying, self- recognising, experimenting, organisation development, change."