Twelve and a Half; Leveraging the Emotional Ingredients Necessary for Business Success

In his sixth business book, bestselling author, entrepreneur, and investor Gary Vaynerchuk dives into the twelve emotional skills that have been vital to his personal and business success, offering leaders today—and in the future—essential tools for developing these traits.

For years, leaders have focused on "hard" skills to make smart decisions, often overlooking the importance of emotional intelligence. Traits like self-awareness and curiosity aren't easily measurable, and they aren’t typically taught in business schools or highlighted in institutions. We’ve been conditioned to think of emotional intelligence as a "nice to have" in business, rather than a must-have. But Gary Vaynerchuk argues that these "soft" skills are crucial for accelerating business success. For those with analytical minds, it can be tough to understand how to improve skills like empathy or curiosity—or even see their importance.

In this insightful and practical guide, Gary shares the twelve human traits that have driven his success and happiness, providing exercises to help you cultivate them in yourself. He also reveals his own "half"—the emotional aspect of leadership he finds most challenging and works hardest to improve. Throughout the book, Gary encourages you to identify your own "halves" and offers strategies for strengthening them.

Gary’s key to success lies in blending these twelve traits in varying degrees, depending on the situation. But how do you know when to balance patience with ambition, or humility with conviction? Gary offers real-life business examples, showing how to use these traits together for the best outcomes.

This unconventional book is designed to help you refine your leadership qualities and sharpen your emotional skills. When applied in the right situations, these "ingredients" can empower leaders to achieve promotions, retain key employees, outpace competitors, win customer loyalty, and build lasting, successful organizations.