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 WORKSHOP - Building certainty in an uncertain world 😱 The world is spinning faster and increasingly feels unhinged ✊ Use Psychology to build strong core foundations and make long-term decisions 🗓️ This week only - 30% off code - EARLYBIRD 🎟️ Join us - ⁠⁠https://workshop.growthmindsetpodcast.com⁠⁠ UPGRADE to ⁠⁠Premium⁠⁠: 🏖️ Ad-free listening 🤘 Support the show 🔓 Exclusive AMAs and bonus content 💬 Community Discord ⁠⁠GrowthMindset.Supercast.com⁠⁠ 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 👋 Free Call - ⁠⁠Schedule Link⁠⁠ - https://cal.com/samwebster/mindset 📧 Email - GrowthMindsetPodcast (@) gmail,com Growth Mindset Psychology: Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement. 📺 Watch - ⁠⁠YouTube (Growth Mindset)⁠⁠ 🛜 Website - ⁠⁠Growth Mindset⁠⁠ 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