The 5Qs Pulse 

Your Fast Track to Self-Awareness, Strategy, and Success

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Consider an elephant and its rider working together, each playing a unique role. The elephant embodies emotional, moral, and political intelligence (EQ, MQ, and PQ), moving with steady resilience (RQ), and guided by instinct and relationships with the world around it. The rider complements this by steering with cognitive intelligence (IQ), making strategic decisions and setting the direction.

This interplay of strengths reflects the 5Qs framework, where each intelligence supports the others in facing complex challenges. Leaders who understand both the steady resilience of the “elephant” and the strategic focus of the “rider” can more effectively guide their teams and reach well-rounded decisions. 

Do you have a clear understanding of the interplay between your 5Qs?
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The 5Qs Pulse is:

  • A powerful leadership assessment tool giving individuals a well-rounded understanding of their personal leadership intelligence profile
  • Based on five key types of intelligence – Cognitive (IQ), Emotional (EQ), Political (PQ), Resilience (RQ) and Moral (MQ)
  • The result of over 10 years of meticulous research
  • A data-driven – yet deeply personal – insight that aligns with executives and leaders’ values and organisational goals
  • A leadership development plan empowering leaders to assess, reflect and refine their approach to complex business-related challenges

The 5Qs of Leadership Intelligence: Shaping Future-Ready Leaders!

What are the benefits of the 5Qs Pulse?

Self-awareness is the beating heart of effective leadership. The 5Qs Pulse equips leaders with valuable insights into how they naturally approach challenges – and pinpoints areas that might need development.

For example, David, a senior leader in a manufacturing company, was known for his resilience intelligence (RQ). The seasoned executive was consistently pushing through industry shifts and economic challenges, applying his ‘never back down’ approach to keep his team steady and focused, even during downturns. However, his personal ability to power through issues was, at times, causing burnout within his team, who didn’t always feel they were given enough breathing room.


The 5Qs Pulse showed David that balancing his resilience with cognitive intelligence (IQ) could allow for more strategic planning. He began to foster a culture that valued preparation as much as persistence and reducing stress on his team. The result? A more sustainable work environment.

Here are some more examples of leaders improving their overall skill set through the 5Qs Pulse

Use Case

Alex (CEO), with high IQ

  • Strengths: Data-driven strategies, market analysis and process optimisation
  • Challenge: Focus on cognitive intelligence led to a lack of attention to team morale
  • Insight from 5Qs Pulse: Realised he needed to develop for emotional intelligence (EQ) to created  a supportive and adaptive workplace
  • Development Focus: Regular check-ins, open communication to strengthen team morale
Use Case

Tina (Project Manager), with high EQ

  • Strengths: Strong team cohesion, supportive and collaborative culture
  • Challenge: Avoids tough decisions to maintain harmony
  • Insight from 5Qs Pulse: Recognised that resilience intelligence (RQ) would help her better handle high-pressure situations
  • Development Focus: Develops resilience by managing employee expectations during challenges
Use Case

Maria (Director), with high PQ

  • Strengths: Skillful networking and impressive ability to manage complex policy and stakeholder environments
  • Challenge: Focus on political intelligence sometimes overlooks ethical considerations, impacting trust
  • Insight from 5Qs Pulse: Realised the relevance of moral intelligence (MQ) to anchor decisions in shared values
  • Development Focus: Ethical considerations in decision-making

5Qs Pulse for Different Sectors

Versatile and powerful, 5Qs Pulse is applicable across a range of sectors and leadership contexts, assisting leaders in creating cultures that are resilient, ethically grounded and adaptable.

5Qs for Companies   

Organisations that incorporate the 5Qs Pulse benefit from close-knit teams and reduced conflict. When the 5Qs Pulse becomes part of a leadership development plan, companies experience greater buy-in at all levels, with teams that are more effectively aligned with the company’s strategic goals and values.

5Qs for Governments   

Government leaders at the local and national level need to make informed, ethically driven decisions in order to fairly serve their wards and countries. Through the 5Qs framework, sector leaders can develop resilience and political intelligence, setting them up to manage high-stakes environments and delivering a sustainable, people-centred governance.

5Qs for Coaches   

For coaching firms, the 5Q Pulse forms part of a toolkit to support leaders’ personal and professional growth. If you’re a coach, guide clients through their personal intelligence profile and help them align personal values with professional demands. After your guidance, they’ll approach emotional complexities with fresher, more insightful eyes.
The Pulse

Learn to lead with intellect, resilience, compassion, and purpose.

One-Day Workshops

Designed for immediate, actionable insights, these workshops are filled with tools and strategies to apply each intelligence in real-world scenarios.

5Qs Courses

For deeper exploration, leaders can take courses focused on one or more of the five intelligences, allowing for ongoing skill refinement and development.

5Qs Blog: Further Readings

Leaders can explore ongoing perspectives on each intelligence that expand their understanding and support practical applications for real-world challenges.