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

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

We explore:

🔹 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

🔹 The biggest traits of success in the FBI, air force, army and navy

🔹 The psychology of reality TV

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

How to Change the World

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Steven Stein

Bestselling author and psychologist who has worked with leading corporates, defense agencies and some of the biggest reality TV shows.

⁠Steven J. Stein⁠

Books:

⁠EQ Edge: Emotional Intelligence and your success⁠

⁠Emotional Intelligence for Dummies⁠

⁠Hardiness: Making stress work for you to achieve your goals

Get in Touch

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📧 Email - GrowthMindsetPodcast (@) gmail,com

Growth Mindset Psychology:

Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement.

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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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices