Ann C. Schødt
Why and how I work with IQ
” I suppose I’m slightly above average,” I replied when the IQ test instructor was about to give me feedback. And it turned out that I was. Or, to be more precise, somewhat above average.
When later on I practised how to test others, their scores were just as high or higher than mine, so I thought this must be an easy test.
It was not until a few months later, at an expert meeting about using this test, that a recruitment consultant asked whether anyone else had found that the candidates scored below 100. I fell silent. Because that would mean there was something wrong – not with the test, but with the people I tested. And that included me as well.
The reason was that we were among the 10% most intelligent. And then the pieces clicked into place:
when I was at school, out of around 20 pupils in my class, I was one of two who always took turns at being the best.
As I continued my studies, I was also at the top end of the scale in almost any subject. But then again, I made sure I did my homework. Most of the time, anyway. It didn’t cross my mind at the time that others did the same – but without getting such good results.
Receiving an actual score for my IQ made me change my self-perception as well as my empathy for others.
Back in February 2012, when I had to find the right niche to start my own business, I initially believed I would be providing HR services to small and medium-sized enterprises. However, the financial crisis was still very real, and there were a lot of former human resource managers like myself who thought this would be our way forward, while smaller companies had no idea what to do with HR.
Eventually I discovered my niche: the 10% most gifted.
Those were the people I was going to help, because those were the people I could understand. Compared to the majority, they have to deal with very different challenges. And they never really fit in anywhere.
Those people were also the topic of my blog posts, published from May 2012 to January 2015 in my role as professional blog writer for Jyllands-Posten (the second-largest newspaper in Denmark), and since 2013 on my own websites – Belastendebegavet.dk and Potentialefabrikken.dk.
What I’m passionate about
I have always been very keen on two things: writing and doing something good for others.
But what should I write, and who should I do something good for?
Ever since 3rd grade I’ve known that I wanted to be a writer. Like so many others I thought I would end up writing poetry and literary fiction, but instead I’ve written non-fiction and more than 500 blog posts.
By doing this, I’ve also done something good for my readers:
- Behovsbestemt HR-ledelse (Need-based HR Leadership) has provided HR professionals with a specific handbook covering the entire field of HR
- Impostor-komplekset – Slip dit faglige mindreværd (Stop feeling professionally inadequate) has helped many of those affected by imposterism to understand the Impostor Phenomenon, giving them exercises and tools for dealing with this on their own
- The 500+ blog posts act like a mirror for the 10% most gifted and make them feel seen, met and understood
My third passion is tests: personality and intelligence tests.
This has been the central theme of my CV since I gained my first certification in 1999 – when I started working in recruitment – and since 2012 as part of initiating the personal development plans that I facilitate.
What I do
In The Potential Factory, I can guide and support you by offering:
- Self-awareness and testing – to help you learn more about yourself
- Coaching, feedback and tools – relating to your specific challenges in your professional and personal life
- Personal development – to support you during this process and maximise your progress.
Professional profile on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annschoedt
