"Is 'talented', 'gifted' or 'HIP' the same thing? Does high intellectual potential equal high intelligence quotient (IQ)? "A number of myths are commonly associated with the concept of HIP and several labels , which are very similar, are not scientifically defined," explains the professional coach Mathilde Kalkas during the webinar entitled "Understanding High Intellectual Potential in 7 questions". A topic that attracted nearly thirty members of the Cala Learning Hub network in September 2022.

HIPs have an IQ over 130

Although there are several models for defining intelligence (Cattel, Gardner, etc.), there is at least one criterion that determines what an HIP profile is: their intelligence quotient (IQ) is systematically higher than 130, "which corresponds to only 2.3% of the population," says Mathilde Kalkas. Often mentioned on social networks, the term HIP cannot therefore be applied to everyone who has an atypical profile.

There are several tools available to reliably detect an HIP. The most common is the Wechsler test which has different versions depending on the age group : the WPPSI (Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence) is for children aged 2 to 6 years old, the WISC (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children) is for children aged 6 to 16 years old and the WAIS (Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale) is for people above the age of 16 years.

Misconceptions about HIP profiles

Yes, a person with HIP gets bored easily, understands everything faster than everyone else and feels out of step with others. But no, they are not necessarily suffering or failing at school.

Another commonly-heard belief is that an HIP person is a hypersensitive person or HSP (Highly Sensitive Person). "According to the American psychologist Elaine Aron, hypersensitive people represent 15 to 20% of the population," explains Mathilde Kalkas. "An HIP may or may not be an HSP!" Moreover, specific learning disorders (dyspraxia, dyslexia, etc.) are present in about 10% of high potential children. (source : Le haut potentiel en questions, Edition Mardaga, 2017), which is the same percentage as in the general population.

What difficulties do HIPs face in the workplace?

"Generally speaking, HIP professionals are an asset for the company, but they can sometimes encounter difficulties," warns Mathilde Kalkas. Which ones exactly? Among other things, a difficulty in keeping up with the speed of the system, difficulty in tolerating mediocrity or in respecting a structured framework. "HIP employees are also  prime candidates for burn-out," she continues. "They often work on multiple subjects, invest a lot of time and are in denial of signs of mental overload".

There are several concrete actions that companies can undertake to support HIP employees more effectively. For example: giving them stimulating tasks to motivate them more or offering them a specialised coaching programmes to help them work better with others. "The idea is to introduce a two-way approach whereby organisations assist them in finding their place within the company but also within the team," concludes Mathilde.

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photo Mathilde Jo1

Blog article written by par Laure Blancard : https://www.linkedin.com/in/laure-blancard/