Book Review: Leadership Intelligence

Title: Leadership Intelligence: the 5 Qs for a Thriving Leader

Authors: Andrew Kakabadse, Ali Qassim Jawad

Publisher: Bloomsbury Business

• Publication Date: May 7, 2019

Rating: 3 out of 5

The fundamental premise of this book is that there are five forms of leadership intelligence and they are needed in different measures in the four levels of leadership: operational, general management, executive management and board level. The 5 Qs, or quotients, are cognitive intelligence (IQ), emotional intelligence (EQ), political intelligence (PQ), resilience quotient (RQ), and moral intelligence (MQ). The authors devote a chapter to each of these Qs, before trying to apply them together in the final chapter.

I expected the book to be more practical and accessible but it is actually more theoretical. The definitions of each quotient are valuable, for example: "Emotional quotient, or EQ, is the ability to manage your own emotions and the emotions of others,” and "Politics is essentially the negotiation of the impossible to the possible. It is a process of discussion, either overt or covert, which takes place in order to reach some sort of agreement, harmony or way forward, particularly when agendas have become misaligned…. So politics is EQ, but with an agenda.” Indeed, I found the chapters on EQ and RQ especially helpful. However, the book seems aimed at executive leadership or board-level leadership. Many of the examples refer to C-level executives or chairmen of the board, and that is not typically relatable to most people.

The ends of each chapter offer action points, and I hoped for some specific applications. But even here, the questions were philosophical and not especially helpful. I would only recommend this book to readers in the upper echelons of leadership; it’s not really for junior or middle-management.

I received this book as a free pre-publication galley version in return for an honest review.