Letter to editor - New Scientist - re mistaking what "intelligence" measures

 In the 16 January 2021 issue Robert Sternberg proposes some ways for
"Rethinking intelligence" ( p26),  but mixes individual intelligence
with collective social intelligence,  which matters because it is surely
social collective intelligence which will be needed to address problems
such as water, energy, climate change, etc.

He is not alone in this, as an unstated implicit social assumption is
that by maximizing the former we will maximize the latter.  However as
any sports coach will tell you,  a team of stars does not generate a
star of a team.   Interactions and relationships matter.   Similarly
airlines have crashed and patients died because professionals when
measured solo failed to form great teams.  Virtues such as  empathy, 
compassion, humility, honesty, and trustworthiness all come into play,
especially over repeated encounters.  A diversity of backgrounds
improves decisions, as does being sure the team includes women.

Socially we operant-condition people, from Kindergarten to Tenure,  to
focus on individual skills -- then act surprised when teams of them act
like committees and fail us.  In aviation and the military teams are now
trained as teams; the entity being taught is "the team".  This
demonstrably works.   Modifying STEM education metrics can take decades
to have an impact;  modifying group decision-making can be done in an
afternoon of professional coaching.  But long-term we should educate
youth in what matters not what counts.