"What does it mean to be the best coach or the best team enabler? What are the skill sets that you now have to grow in your teams in an era of AI where the expectation is judgment, decision-making, and creativity?"
What he learned in the process inspired him to develop an "immerse interviewing" strategy, complete with rating emotional quotient (EQ)and ranking 80 skills. "To reduce the chances that I'd fail at the critical task of hiring the right people, and increase the chances that I'd succeed at hiring great people, I had been refining my interviewing technique," Frankfort wrote for Harvard Business Review last month. "I wanted to be more interactive so I might have a complete view of a person."
We are living in turbulent times and there is no reason to expect that things will become less so in the future. During such moments our emotions become strained and pushed to their limits. Stress increases as emotions are stretched, making it increasingly important that we are able to recognize the effects of it in ourselves as well as others in our environment.
Colored rubber bracelets hung on our wrists to remind us of the cause du jour. Wide-legged jeans are back in again, and we must never forget the frosted tips of the early aughts (many of us still regret that one). All trends have one thing in common: they sure seemed like a good idea at the time and ostensibly serve some purpose, despite looking silly in hindsight. My junior high school yearbook picture drives that truth home.
Emotions evolved through natural selection as a way to get humans to avoid things that would threaten their survival and approach things that would serve them. Fear prompts us to defend ourselves. Love motivates us to connect, nurture, and cooperate. Anger arises when something threatens our values or boundaries. In essence, emotions condense our judgment about what's happening around us, driving us to make the "right" decision for survival and adaptation.
In a world that constantly demands more-more time, more energy, more output-the ability to say "no" has become a critical life skill. Yet for many people, uttering that two-letter word feels almost impossible. Fear of rejection, conflict, or disappointing others often keeps individuals trapped in a cycle of overcommitment and quiet resentment. Learning how to say no is not about being unkind or dismissive; it's about cultivating self-respect, protecting your energy, and aligning your actions with your values.
We've all felt the pressure to be "on." To be witty, magnetic, full of stories, and somehow the kind of person others orbit around. From job interviews to first dates to Instagram bios, we're taught to polish ourselves into a brand. Be bold. Be memorable. Be interesting. But here's a quiet truth that doesn't get enough airtime: Being interesting is overrated. What really opens doors, deepens bonds, and changes lives isn't being the most fascinating person in the room. It's being the most interested.
Practice humility. Let the hiring manager see your true personality. "Being open and humble in responses is something I value in most candidates," says Jenny Amalfi, president of the Americas at Airswift, a Houston-based full-service employment agency. "While being technically great is always important, the personal side of a candidate often outweighs their technical ability in the interview process." She notes that companies seek hires who are strong collaborators-keep that front in mind, even as you navigate late-stage interviews.
That familiar sound of escalating voices fills the house again. One second the siblings were playing peacefully, and the next moment, World War III has erupted in the living room. Sound familiar? Sibling rivalry is as old as time, yet dealing with the daily battles between brothers and sisters remains one of parenting's greatest challenges. This comprehensive how to deal with sibling rivalry guide explores practical strategies to reduce sibling conflict, foster meaningful bonds, and transform your home from a battleground to a playground.
Ask any couple what makes a relationship work, and you'll likely hear the usual suspects: good communication, shared values, physical intimacy, maybe even laughter. But there's one emotional skill that rarely makes it to the list, and yet, it quietly determines whether a relationship thrives or simply survives. That skill is "emotional sovereignty." It's not at all flashy. But once a couple begins to practice it, everything changes. From how they argue, to how they reconnect, to how safe they feel in each other's presence.
Emotionally mature partners take good care of their own emotions and remain sensitive to yours. You feel safe around them. You can speak your thoughts out loud without the fear of being judged or belittled, and express when you're hurt without questioning whether it will be used against you. During an argument, they don't lash out or stonewall. They listen with curiosity instead of being defensive.
Add to the mix that we're encouraging people to "have a voice," "speak up and be heard," "bring your whole self to work," and "be vulnerable." These are all incredible things and fantastic for growth in our workplaces. However, the more "voices" and "whole selves" we have present, the more differences in values, beliefs, and neural pathways, which leads to potential conflict.
"The first big mistake that people make is thinking that happiness is a feeling," Arthur Brooks, professor at Harvard Business School and author of the forthcoming book The Happiness Files: Insights on Work and Life, says.
The struggle to properly respond to feedback stems from balancing emotional reactions with professional expectations. Individuals managing feedback should strive for a measured response that still conveys sincerity.
Building great teams is not about hiring stars. Many leaders believe that building a high-performing team requires hiring star employees. However, intelligence, abilities, and personalities are poor predictors of how people behave in teams and what they can contribute to a team's success.
AI allows us to move away from one-size-fits-all content. With the right data, platforms can recommend learning modules based on role, proficiency, or even behavioral patterns.
