NEW YORK (CNNfn) - What if skills such as social interaction, creativity and common sense could be taught? Would that mean that some people could be better equipped with such basic life ammunition than others? Soon you may be able to take a test to find out.
Joseph White, dean of the University of Michigan Business School, who appeared on CNNfn's new morning show, Market Call, with Rhonda Schaffler, recognizes the importance of what is known as common sense and thinks that such skills can indeed be taught. The University of Michigan has created a test that may one day make standardized admissions tests a thing of the past.
"In addition to testing for analytical abilities, which current tests do, we also want to test for practical abilities such as common sense, problem solving, ability to work with people and creative abilities, because we know, especially in business, creativity is crucial to new products and service development," said White. (295K WAV) or (295K AIF)
 White said that what have long been considered "soft skills" are really "hard skills," which as a whole become extremely important in determining a person's overall success in life.
What's more, White said, such skills can be learned. "I think those are the skills that most of our parents try to encourage us to learn. How do you solve a problem when you confront it? How can you be more creative and not just get in the same old rut? I definitely think that all through our lives those skills can be developed," said White.
The first set of "successful intelligence" tests were taken by about 425 new MBA students, who cooperated with the business school last year. White said that the students and the recruiters visiting the campus were extremely enthusiastic about the potential benefits of adding this to traditional standardized tests.
"The recruiters, I think, are even more enthusiastic about it because what companies want is people who can add value, people who can contribute. And therefore they value smartness, they value good grades and a good education, but they really like that practical intelligence and that creative ability," said White.
White added that creativity, practical intelligence, and intellectual intelligence can all simultaneously be improved and that the best people are going to be strong in all these dimensions, although there will be some variation among people regarding the areas where they are the strongest. 
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