AQ: A New Kind of Intelligence for a World That’s Always Changing

Leadership coach Tran (The Karma of Success) delivers a practical guide to navigating uncertainty. In a time of constant technological advancement, Tran argues, society needs a new kind of intelligence, one that measures a person’s ability to handle change. She calls this the Agility Quotient, or AQ. People respond to change differently, Tran explains, outlining four AQ archetypes: novelists (those who make plans), astronauts (those who inspire), firefighters (those who improvise), and neurosurgeons (those who never give up). Knowing one’s type can help them understand their strengths and become more confident in the face of change, Tran posits. To acquire a high AQ, she suggests the use of tools like anchors, or having “people, places, and routines that ground our lives,” and bets, or taking action even when the outcome is unknown. Turning to AQ in the workplace, Tran reveals how outsize rewards may await those who see disruptions as opportunities. For example, Nike, which began as a distributor for a Japanese shoe company, only started making its own shoes when its supplier cut it off. While Tran frequently resorts to clunky acronyms and other business book gimmicks (life’s ebbs and flows are referred to as CHURN, which stands for change, hiccups, uncertainty, rupture, and newness), she astutely pinpoints how resistance to change holds people back. This will inspire readers to become more comfortable with discomfort. (Feb.)