Executive Functioning and Intelligence: Understanding the Connection
When we think about student success, intelligence often takes center stage. Parents, teachers, and students alike tend to focus on IQ scores, academic aptitude, and innate talent. However, research and real-world experience show that intelligence alone is not enough to guarantee success in school—or in life. Executive functioning skills play a critical, and often overlooked, role in how well students apply their intelligence to real-world tasks.
What Are Executive Functioning Skills?
Executive functioning refers to a set of cognitive processes that help individuals manage themselves and their resources to achieve a goal. These skills include:
Planning and Organization: Knowing what needs to be done and creating a roadmap to accomplish it.
Time Management: Estimating how long tasks will take and managing time effectively.
Working Memory: Holding information in mind while using it to complete a task.
Task Initiation and Follow-Through: Starting work without excessive procrastination and seeing it through to completion.
Self-Regulation: Managing emotions, impulses, and behavior to stay focused and productive.
These skills serve as the brain's command center, helping students navigate the daily demands of school, home, and social life.
Intelligence vs. Executive Functioning
While intelligence measures cognitive ability—how well someone can think, reason, and solve problems—executive functioning determines how effectively those abilities are put into practice. A student might have high intelligence but struggle to manage their time, organize assignments, or remember deadlines. In contrast, a student with average intelligence but strong executive functioning skills may excel academically because they have developed systems and habits that maximize their potential.
As Illuminos highlights, executive functioning isn’t just about intelligence—it’s about managing the mental processes that help students succeed. Strong executive functioning skills allow students to break down complex tasks into smaller, manageable steps, stay organized, and adapt when plans change.
The Research-Backed Link
Studies show that while intelligence and executive functioning are correlated, they are not the same thing. One longitudinal study found that executive functioning skills in early childhood were a better predictor of academic success than IQ alone (Best, Miller, & Naglieri, 2011). This finding underscores that success depends not only on what a student knows but also on how they manage their learning process.
Additionally, students with ADHD—a condition often linked to executive functioning challenges—frequently possess average or above-average intelligence. Yet, these students may struggle with task management, focus, and organization, demonstrating that executive functioning, not intelligence, is often the barrier to success.
Building Executive Functioning for Lifelong Success
The good news is that executive functioning skills can be taught, practiced, and improved at any age. Parents, educators, and coaches can help students strengthen these skills through strategies such as:
Using Planners Effectively: Teaching students to use planners to track assignments and deadlines
Breaking Down Large Tasks: Helping students break big projects into smaller, actionable steps
Establishing Routines: Creating consistent morning, homework, and bedtime routines that reinforce organization and time management
Conclusion
While intelligence is important, executive functioning skills are the bridge between potential and performance. Students who develop strong executive functioning abilities are better equipped to apply their intelligence, manage responsibilities, and adapt to challenges. By shifting the focus from purely academic intelligence to practical skills that support learning and life, we help students build a foundation for success in school and beyond.
Sources:
Best, J. R., Miller, P. H., & Naglieri, J. A. (2011). Relations between executive function and academic achievement from ages 5 to 17 in a large, representative national sample. Learning and Individual Differences, 21(4), 327-336.
Illuminos Blog - How Executive Functioning Helps Kids Succeed (https://www.illuminos.co/blog/2024/12/23/how-executive-functioning-helps-kids-succeed-and-why-its-not-just-about-intelligence)
Illuminos Blog - Helping Kids with ADHD Succeed (https://www.illuminos.co/blog/2024/8/27/ultimate-guide-to-helping-kids-with-adhd-succeed-in-school)
Illuminos Blog - Using a Planner Effectively (https://www.illuminos.co/blog/2021/11/17/using-a-planner-effectively)
Illuminos Blog - Breaking Down Tasks (https://www.illuminos.co/blog/2024/11/25/breaking-down-tasks-a-path-to-helping-students-accomplish-big-goals)
Illuminos Blog - Establishing Routines (https://www.illuminos.co/blog/2024/7/28/why-establishing-routines-is-important-to-success)
