May 2, 2025

Emotional Intelligence: Why the FBI Trains for Empathy, and You Should Too w/ Steven Stein

Emotional Intelligence: Why the FBI Trains for Empathy, and You Should Too w/ Steven Stein

The practical side of emotional intelligence in real life - not just in theory

People avoid you for reasons that have nothing to do with your deodorant.
You can be smart, talented, even funny—but if people feel unseen or misunderstood around you, your life gets smaller.

Dr. Steven Stein has tested emotional intelligence in everyone from Air Force recruiters to reality TV contestants. And the results are weirdly human.

EQ isn’t about being soft. It’s about knowing when to shut up, when to speak up, and when to walk away.

This episode breaks down emotional intelligence like it’s a muscle group: you’ve got to work it, stress it, and recover from it. Steven explains the science, shares unexpected stories (like lighthouse keepers and narcissists), and makes EQ feel practical:

🔹 Spot the everyday signs you're low on EQ (and how to fix them) 🔹 Build empathy without becoming a pushover 🔹 Train your emotional intelligence like going to the gym


Come away with the practical side of emotional intelligence in real life - not just in theory




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Show: Growth Mindset, psychology of self-improvement


Episode: Emotional Intelligence: Why the FBI Trains for Empathy, and You Should Too w/ Steven Stein


Chapters:

00:00 Emotional Intelligence - Steven Stein Intro

02:18 Everyday signs of emotional intelligence

05:40 Improving Emotional Intelligence

08:02 Emotional Intelligence in Different Professions

11:30 Coaching for Emotional Intelligence at Work

14:20 The US Air Force Emotional Intelligence Study

17:00 Empathy Training Course

18:39 Emotional Intelligence and Neurodiversity

23:22 Trainable Aspects of Emotional Intelligence

24:40 Building Empathy by Using Drugs

27:11 Personal Growth in Emotional Intelligence

30:41 Reality TV and Emotional Intelligence

34:54 Cross-Cultural Differences in EQ

38:20 General Likability vs. Emotional Intelligence

40:42 Tips to Build Assertiveness

43:40 Relationship between IQ and EQ

49:59 Outro

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