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

By: Liz Tran

Published by Random House, 2026-02-03

You’ve heard of IQ and EQ. But in today's world, they’re no longer enough. We need the Agility Quotient (AQ).

In a time defined by nonstop disruptions, when jobs vanish overnight, industries evolve in months, and yesterday’s rules no longer apply, AQ—the Agility Quotient—is the intelligence you need to handle change, uncertainty, and the unknown. The good news is that, with the right toolkit, you can grow your agility and learn to navigate a world of increasing instability.

Drawing on leadership coach and former venture capitalist Liz Tran’s work with over 200 successful founders, executives, and dozens of companies and organizations, AQ reveals a model for how high-performing teams and managers adapt to uncertainty. Tran will show you how to cultivate “durable skills,” essential human abilities that remain valuable no matter what the future holds. With the book’s Agility Archetype assessment, the book personalizes the AQ journey to every kind of individual. No matter their experience level or ambitions.

Written with conversational flair and practical advice, AQ offers readers a wealth of resources, including:

• Tools to rebuild confidence for when you’re bombarded by life's curveballs or feeling burned out Actionable steps for making a big shift, even when you feel stuck.

• Advice on finding clarity in moments of professional turbulence.

AQ also takes readers behind the scenes at companies, from NVIDIA and Microsoft to rising startups like Lex, to see AQ in action. You’ll also meet trailblazers like Maggie Lena Walker, the first female bank president in American history, and Emile-Maurice Hermès, who transformed Hermès into a global luxury powerhouse.

As the adage goes, “the only certain thing is change.” AQ is the critical intelligence for our unpredictable future.