In this Walk and Talk, I reconnect with my friend and colleague David Caruso - someone I first met more than 20 years ago, right at the start of the emotional intelligence journey. Together, we reflect on the origins of EI, its distinction from EQ, and how the science has grown and strengthened over the decades. David shares candidly about his career, his role in developing the MSCEIT assessment, and what he has learned about the real-world application of emotions in leadership, relationships, and even everyday life.

We also explore the “dark side” of emotional intelligence, the role of culture, and why managing emotions may be the most important ability of all. It is a conversation that is both practical and deeply human - with insights you can apply whether you are a leader, practitioner, or simply curious about how emotions shape our world.

Episode links:

EI and “EQ”: https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2026-05658-001.html

MSCEIT 2 5-Study Article: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1539785/full