What is the ability to synthesize? We will now deal with another of the intrapersonal emotional intelligence competencies, the ability to synthesize. It consists of combining diverse information, ideas and knowledge to generate a new solution, create meaningful connections and produce innovative results, integrate different perspectives and disciplines to form a holistic and coherent vision.
People with a high capacity for synthesis are able to evaluate and discern among the multiple sources of information, identifying the most relevant and reliable and to integrate information from various disciplines, finding common points and divergences. They are also able to use information to generate new ideas or solutions and to understand and relate the parts to the whole, seeing how the elements are interconnected within a larger system.
It is an intrapersonal intelligence competence related, therefore, to other competences such as the capacity for critical analysis, creativity and systemic thinking.
HOW CAN I DEVELOP MY ABILITY TO SYNTHESIZE?
I invite you to exercise the following aspects to develop your ability to synthesize:
Practice critical and selective reading
It encourages the reading of multiple sources on the same topic, from academic articles to blogs and news. The better you understand a topic, the more you’ll be able to synthesize it. Underline, review, make an outline and don’t forget to synthesize. Find the headline.
Write thoughtfully
Encourage the writing of summaries where you must integrate information from various sources, arguing and justifying your point of view. This will help you structure your thinking and synthesize ideas coherently. To improve your ability to synthesize, start your communication with the conclusion, and then explain it or develop the reasoning by which you arrived at it.
Participate in discussions
It promotes group discussions, where participants can share and contrast different points of view. This will help you identify the connections between various ideas and build a deeper understanding.
Use the concept mapping technique
Drawing “mind maps” will allow you to visualize how different concepts relate to each other. This graphical tool facilitates the organization and integration of information.
Solve problems
Implement activities and projects that require complex problem solving, where you must apply information from multiple sources to find innovative solutions.
Are you going to develop your ability to synthesize?
“Remember to continue developing your talent to reach your best version”
