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
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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
👋 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)
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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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Growth Mindset Psychology: The Science of Self-Improvement
There are a lot of opinions on how to master your mind, but then there’s PSYCHOLOGY.
We’re all stuck with the brain we’re born with, but we aren’t stuck with how we use it.
Learn science-backed answers to make the most of your mind and your life.
CURIOUS?
Growth Mindset Psychology is the "self-help sceptic" podcast for the curious.
Whether you want to improve performance, navigate setbacks, or know who you are.
We find answers to the true science of self-improvement.
So put down the astrology chart and start working with your mind, instead of against it.
With over 8 million downloads and 60,000 monthly listeners, you’re invited to join.
PROCESS
Instead of telling you what to think, we discuss how thinking works.
Armed with a stack of science journals, textbooks and a boatload of curiosity, we uncover the mechanics of the mind.
Why? >>> Success is personal!
You might want to make the most of your neurodiverse strengths, start a business, or simply find more reasons to smile.
Hone your ability for independent thinking and growth with mental models to pursue your definition of success.
HOST
I’m Sam Webster Harris, a lifelong learner with ADHD, a raging curiosity, and an obsession with finding answers to hard questions.
After launching several businesses, travelling the world and nearly dying a few times I concluded that science and Psychology are where it’s at.
What actually makes people happy? What’s the best way to treat a brain? How can I get more done?
Studying the answers we find that changing behaviours requires building mindsets, mental models, and a healthy relationship with failure.
I run the show to help listeners enjoy nutritious content that feeds their minds (and I needed a legitimate excuse to cover for my reading addiction).
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Previous guests include Olympians, Scientists, Billionaires, and Sam's Mum.
Past series:
— Psychology vs Stoicism
— Time Management for busy mortals
— Independence and knowing yourself
— Cognitive biases and rational thinking
— Psychology of connection
— Carol Dweck and the Multiverse of Mindsets
- No. of episodes: 423
- Latest episode: 2025-05-09
- Education Self-Improvement Science Social Sciences
Where can you listen?
