The Strategy Skills Podcast: Strategy | Leadership | Critical Thinking | Problem-Solving · FirmsConsulting.com & StrategyTraining.com

624: From IQ to AQ: Agility as the New Leadership Advantage (with Liz Tran)

·56 min·3 clips

Liz Tran says confidence comes from failing at hard things, not from being naturally talented.

Kris Safarova opens the conversation with Liz Tran, the author of AQ and a leadership coach, on the idea that agility matters in a workplace that keeps changing. Tran explains AQ as something you build through practice, not something you simply claim. The first step is self-knowledge. She says people should start by asking how they like to learn, because the best path into new skills is usually the one that fits their personality and attention style. From there, the conversation turns to sources of input, including podcasts, newsletters, networking groups, and a WhatsApp group sharing the latest in AI in the New York community. The point is not that more content will solve the problem, but that the right content and the right format make it easier to keep up. Safarova keeps pushing toward the practical side, and Tran answers with a call to practice. She recommends setting aside time each week to try new tools, whether that means Adobe AI editing tools, photo editing tools, or trying to build an app using Replit or Lovable. She also reframes discomfort itself. Feeling awkward while learning, she says, is not evidence that something is wrong. It is evidence that learning is happening. That gives the episode its strongest edge, because it turns anxiety about change into a normal part of skill growth rather than a failure condition. The conversation stays interview led throughout, with Safarova asking plain questions and Tran responding with methods, habits, and ways to stay current. There are no dramatic pivots or oversized claims. Instead, the value comes from a steady move from definition to application, which makes the advice easier to carry back into work. The conversation lands on a simple discipline: know how you learn, keep exposing yourself to new tools, and treat adaptation as a repeatable practice. For listeners trying to stay effective as AI keeps changing professional work, that is a clear and workable frame. It is also a reminder that adaptability is built through repetition, not reassurance.

As heard by us

AQ is framed as a habit built through practice, not a slogan.

Liz Tran and Kris Safarova treat AQ as something people can build, not a fixed trait they either have or do not have. The strongest part is the practical advice: learn in the format that suits you, then keep a couple hours a week for trying new AI tools and learning by doing.

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Build a steadier edge when AI and your work keep changing.

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