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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AQ Is A New Form Of Intelligence
- AQ is a standalone intelligence for handling change, disappointment, and uncertainty, as relevant today as IQ was in the 1880s.
- Liz Tran argues AQ matters more now because industrial-era IQ sorting no longer predicts success in a fast-changing, AI-augmented world.
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.
