Intelligence needs awareness to glow and grow. 
The degree of intelligence widely varies from person to person. However, it is present as a basic component, more or less, in the whole make-up of all persons, which can be activated and elevated to serve their interests and choices. Intelligence alone is not sufficient to win. Intelligence needs more inputs, to be a winner even under normal scenario.
Intelligence is directly helpful in smart work, but in the absence of hard work, a piece of stone cannot be converted into a great statue. We have to strike a hammer again and again to give the stone the shape we want. It is hard work. Where to strike the hammer is a matter of smart work. 
Relating all ongoing events around us to what we are facing in life makes us men of huge senses and understanding. 
Most of us are self-centered and keep away from the affairs of others under the illusion that they are immune to all those things. It amounts to more than our ignorance. 
We can be experts in two or three areas. But we have to be curious to know the background of many things, which is the originating source of ideas and marks the range of possibilities. It requires our attention to learn from all the scenes, voices, odours, touches, and tastes. 
Narrating something great just to impress others is a sign of intelligence, but it may not create an impressive and durable image when our deeds do not agree with our own narratives.
Deeds are mirrors of our actual lines of thinking. Feelings are intangible, but our functioning is tangible. Our intelligence helps us to prove great in the eyes of others, but it is highly temporary in effect simply because we are not matching our efforts to be true to our words. 
It is nice to be intelligent, but it requires layers of sincerity, integrity, individuality, and many more to excel in any endeavour.