Daniel Goleman

Daniel Goleman is a psychologist, science journalist and author, best known for his 1995 book Emotional Intelligence. The book spent a year and a half on The New York Times bestseller list and is available in 40 languages.

He was born in Stockton, California, and studied at Amherst College and the University of California at Berkeley. He went on to Harvard in clinical psychology, where his mentor was David C. McClelland. A Harvard fellowship took him to India to study the ancient psychologies and meditation practices of Asian religions. A postdoctoral grant then took him to India and Sri Lanka. He has meditated since his junior year at Berkeley. His doctoral research looked at meditation as an intervention in stress arousal, and his first book, now called The Meditative Mind, summarized that research.

After teaching a course on the psychology of consciousness at Harvard, he joined Psychology Today and then spent twelve years at The New York Times, beginning in 1984. There he reported on the brain and behavioral sciences. Emotional Intelligence grew out of his coverage of emotions and the brain, and he left the paper to devote himself to its message. One of its central ideas is that schools should teach emotional literacy alongside regular academic subjects.

Today his work centers on emotional intelligence in education, leadership and the workplace, through his books, speaking, and training in the emotional intelligence-based competencies that set star performers apart. His latest book is Optimal, on entering a state of high performance and satisfaction while avoiding burnout. He also writes a monthly newsletter.