Around the globe, many of the most influential political and business leaders often claim a near-intuitive ability to understand and interpret human behavior—asserting that they can read people’s intentions, motivations, and emotional states with exceptional precision. This rare perceptiveness has long fascinated scholars, from psychologists who explore social cognition and empathy, to management theorists who study leadership effectiveness. Some observers regard this talent as a refined art form, rooted in experience and intuition, while others insist it can be broken down into a structured and replicable science grounded in measurable principles.
Jess Lee, a partner at Sequoia Capital and a well-established figure in Silicon Valley, has spent years refining her own approach to this human-centric understanding. Her career trajectory—spanning formative roles at tech giants Google and Yahoo, followed by her experience as the founding CEO of the fashion e-commerce startup Polyvore, which Yahoo later purchased for $200 million in 2015—has provided her with a deep understanding of organizational dynamics and people evaluation. In a recent episode of the podcast *The Library of Minds*, Lee offered a transparent look into her process for evaluating colleagues and potential hires—revealing that, beyond the conventional focus on numbers and performance metrics, she relies on a more holistic framework that captures a person’s fuller capabilities.
This nuanced approach, she explained, originated from insights shared by her Sequoia colleague Shawn Maguire, whose evaluative methodology organizes human potential into four distinct yet overlapping dimensions. Two of these, EQ (emotional quotient) and IQ (intellectual quotient), are familiar to most audiences. EQ, or emotional intelligence, measures how effectively an individual navigates one-on-one interactions, expresses empathy, and reads the cues of others in social settings. It gauges interpersonal skills, compassion, and the ability to build trust—qualities essential for collaborative cultures. IQ, by contrast, reflects the analytical side of cognition: a person’s capacity for logical reasoning, critical thinking, and complex problem-solving. These two dimensions—emotional and intellectual—form the backbone of most traditional assessments of human aptitude.
However, Maguire’s framework adds two additional, less commonly discussed measures. The first is PQ, or political quotient, which Lee describes as the ability to function effectively within networks, hierarchies, and broader systems of influence. PQ captures how adept an individual is at navigating organizational structures, understanding unwritten norms, and aligning personal goals with institutional realities. The final dimension, JQ, or judgment quotient, evaluates the subtle art of making sound decisions—how an individual synthesizes information, applies discernment, and balances risks against long-term outcomes. Together, these four measures offer a multidimensional model for understanding what truly drives performance and leadership potential.
Lee acknowledges that no person can excel equally across all four quotients. A leader might possess extraordinary emotional intelligence but lack the skill to maneuver effectively within the political landscape of a company. Conversely, someone may demonstrate sharp analytical or technical abilities while struggling to determine the contexts in which those abilities can yield the greatest long-term value. Recognizing this diversity in human skill sets, Lee emphasizes the importance of building teams composed of individuals with complementary “spikes” in their strengths—people whose unique talents offset one another’s weaknesses and combine to create balance, synergy, and collective excellence.
Her insights into people evaluation also draw from deeply personal influences. Lee recalls formative lessons from her father, who once worked for the renowned Hong Kong business magnate Li Ka-shing—a billionaire entrepreneur whose ventures have made him one of the wealthiest individuals in Asia. Growing up, she often heard her father recount workplace experiences that centered on the central role of human relationships. Through his stories, he imparted a simple but profound philosophy: that almost every problem in business, and indeed in life, ultimately stems from people, and that every lasting solution must therefore be a people-centered one as well.
Today, Lee continues to apply this perspective as a guiding principle in both investment decisions and organizational leadership. Whether evaluating startup teams, making hiring choices, or considering long-term strategic moves, she regards human potential as the most crucial variable. As she puts it, her “primary lens” for viewing the world—and for determining whom to back or how to construct effective teams—is people. This human-centric framework reminds her that success in any venture is not merely a function of ideas or data, but of the complex, dynamic, and deeply interdependent nature of human beings themselves.
Sourse: https://www.businessinsider.com/sequoia-jess-lee-how-to-evaluate-employees-partners-people-2025-10
