Hello Monday with Jessi Hempel The New Intelligence That Matters More Than IQ
Mar 9, 2026
Liz Tran, leadership coach and author of AQ: A New Kind of Intelligence, explores agility quotient as the key skill for a changing world. She explains why IQ and EQ may matter less today. Short segments introduce four AQ archetypes and discuss aligning careers, building resilience, and investing in adaptable strengths.
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AI And Studies Undermine IQ's Predictive Power
- AI levels traditional IQ advantages by giving everyone access to memory, synthesis, and analysis tools via LLMs.
- Liz Tran cites longitudinal IQ studies showing high childhood IQ didn't predict Nobel-level outcomes, weakening IQ's predictive power.
Editor Rejection Became A Career Pivot
- Jessi recounts losing a story when an editor said she wasn't good enough, which later became pivotal for her career.
- Liz says that moment pushed Jessi to seek outside advice and carve a new, richer creative and economic path.
Turn Hard Times Into Exploration Actions
- Use hard moments to reflect inward on who you want to become and outward to expand your network and options.
- Liz calls this a 'cue in action'—evaluate identity then map external opportunities to create new plans.
