In this episode of FuturePoint Conversations, David Ragland and Audrey explore why emotional intelligence (EI) is more than a “soft skill” — it’s a survival skill for leadership. Drawing on Daniel Goleman’s five domains—self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills—they show how EI forms the backbone of trust and high-performing teams.
We revisit Steve Jobs’ leadership journey as a vivid example: brilliance without empathy led to Apple’s decline, while his later growth in emotional intelligence fueled its revival. Audrey then shows how AI can act as an amplifier of EI, from real-time analytics that surface stress signals, to VR empathy training, personalized coaching platforms, and predictive tools that spot burnout before it spreads.
The episode also features the story of Clara, a rising leader who used an AI-powered “digital twin” to transform her feedback style and rebuild trust with her team.
Finally, through the three lenses—descriptive (psychology and neuroscience), normative (ethics and Aristotle’s phronesis), and interpretive (Shakespeare’s King Lear)—we see how emotional intelligence, supported by AI, remains central to effective, ethical leadership.
And for deeper explorations of this and other themes, please see The Multiplier Effect: AI and Organizational Dynamics, available on Amazon.
