Emotional Intelligence: How Goleman Sold a Lie

Abstract

▶️ Nowadays, everything revolves around emotional intelligence: “Emotional intelligence to be successful and productive,” “to be a better boss (better leader),” “to grow professionally faster,” or simply “to get along better with others.” It doesn’t matter where, the context, or the purpose: it is crucially important.

▶️ These ideas, led by Goleman, have been widely spread across various media. Goleman, for instance, has written more than five books on emotional intelligence. He has delivered lectures at multinational corporations such as Google in the U.S. and Aprendemos Juntos in Spain. His proposals have also appeared in prestigious publications like the Harvard Business Review and The New York Times, and he has even been nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for his contributions. However, it’s not just Goleman who has promoted these ideas; other authors, like Stephen R. Covey, and even the magnate Warren Buffett, have also contributed to their popularization.

Unfortunately for Goleman and his proponents, no matter how loudly, frequently, or persistently these claims are shouted, endorsed, or repeated—nor how many people support them, the prestige of their advocates, or the grandeur of their speeches—science remains unchanged by all these effects. It’s not one, two, or three studies, but dozens, even hundreds, that contradict much of these assertions about the supposed importance of emotional intelligence.

Emotional Intelligence: How Goleman Sold a Lie is a journey into the true essence of Emotional Intelligence, beyond the flashy headlines and bestsellers. Through the most exhaustive review in its field—ranging from the most solid and scientific documents, such as the American Psychological Association (APA) handbook and the Cambridge University Intelligence Manual, to research studies and various popular books on emotional intelligence—we uncover what emotional intelligence truly is and what its real implications are.

To make this book more engaging and interactive, it is organized in a way that invites you to literally imagine that we are in a courtroom: with Goleman on the defendant’s stand for his bombastic and questionable claims; I, as the prosecutor, responsible for gathering and presenting the evidence; and you, the reader, as the jury—the supreme judge tasked with delivering the verdict.

Note: In the final chapter of the trial, you will have to render your own verdict.

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Copyright © 2024 Cristian F. Castillo
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form
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Dedicated to all those who, with an open mind and critical thinking, are
willing to question accepted truths without evidence. To those unafraid to
challenge the trends of the moment and seek to delve beyond shiny headlines,
into the true essence of knowledge.

Content
Introduction
PART 1 | IN THE COURTROOM: A TRIAL OF
GOLEMAN'S CLAIMS
DAY 1 HEARING: OPENING OF THE CASE
Chapter 1: Goleman and the Bold Claims of Emotional Intelligence
DAY 2 HEARING: PRESENTATION OF ARGUMENTS
Chapter 2: Three Streams: One Concept
Chapter 3: Seeking the Truth: Which EI Model Is Correct?
DAY 3 HEARING: PRESENTATION OF EVIDENCE
Chapter 4: Science: The Closest Method to Truth
Chapter 5: Presentation of Evidence I: EI and Job Performance
Chapter 6: Presentation of Evidence II: IQ vs. EI
Chapter 7: Presentation of Evidence III: EI and Leadership
DAY 4 HEARING: CONCLUSIONS AND VERDICT
Chapter 8: Closing Argument
PART 2 | EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND
PERSONNEL SELECTION
Chapter 9: ¿Should We Use EI in Personnel Selection?
References
Appendix: Emotional Intelligence Test
About the Author

Preface to the Series
Emotional Intelligence: How Goleman Sold a Lie is the first book in
Volume 2 of the series Advanced Personnel Selection: 100+ Years
of Knowledge, launched in mid-2024. This series consists of three
volumes, each focusing on different aspects of personnel selection.
In addition to this, only the two books from Volume 1 have been
published to date. The books in Volumes 2 and 3 will be
progressively released in the coming months.
Without a doubt, this is the most detailed, rigorous, and precise
series on personnel selection ever written in the literature. With an
estimated total of over 1,000 pages —based on more than 100
years of accumulated knowledge and backed by more than 700
references— it stands as the most comprehensive evidence-based
manual on personnel selection.
However, this series is not just a collection of grouped books;
it is a specialized written course, carefully designed to provide
professionals with everything they need to achieve successful
personnel selection. The goal is clear: to turn the reader into an
expert and an authority in the selection and hiring of personnel.

Introduction
It is part of human nature to be attracted to what is impactful,
flashy, and comforting. We prefer hearing our partner say their
love for us is greater than all the stars in the universe combined,
rather than simply saying “I love you.” We prefer hearing our
parents or mentors tell us they are extremely proud of us and
believe that if we keep going, we will achieve great things, instead
of a plain “keep going.”
Similarly, when our children tell us we are the best parents in
the world and that they couldn’t have wished for a better family,
instead of just saying “thank you.” Words, language, and rhetoric
are a kind of magic; they can demonstrate affection and stir
emotions, as well as persuade, inspire, motivate, and influence
people. It is simply part of our human nature.
Unfortunately —or fortunately, depending on the point of
view— marketers know this. They know we are more likely to buy
a product if they use words like “exclusive,” “special offer,” or
“limited edition.” They know that positive and optimistic language
in book writing, such as “you will improve your life” or “you will
achieve your dreams,” can evoke emotional responses that
influence our purchasing decisions. And they know that claiming
“emotional intelligence is more important than IQ” —a well-
established construct in psychology— is far more compelling,
persuasive, and impactful than simply saying it is “important.”

Statements like these are the bread and butter of non-fiction
writers, including many who, interestingly, call themselves experts.
The intent behind these statements is the desire to sell. That is the
goal. The message, the content, the truth, and the transformation
they promise are secondary. This is practically the script for all
bestselling books.
However, despite their book sales, fame, and how grandiose
their statements may sound, they are, in many cases, false. They
know it. After all —according to their writings— they have spoken
to numerous experts in every field, have read every book on the
subject, and have done research so exhaustive that, if printed, it
could fill an entire room with files.
I know it, they know it, we all know it. But they sell.
Showmanship, boasting, and sensationalism sell, unfortunately,
more than the truth itself.
THE MARKETING OF FALSE PROMISES
Today, popular literature is filled with promises, expectations, and
extremely positive but unrealistic statements. “Become a
millionaire in 30 days.” “Become an effective leader with these two
principles.” “Increase your intelligence by practicing this foolproof
method” “Ensure effective recruitment with this 100% effective
method.”
But how true, real, and possible is this?
When you stop for a moment and really think about it, all this
exaggeratedly positive talk starts to seem truly unsustainable. They
tell us what we want to hear, and we are happy with it. Everything
easy, everything fast: you just have to buy the book. We buy it, read
it with enthusiasm, but in the end, that’s all we get. An illusion, if
we haven’t already lost it. Most of us, sooner or later, face reality
and realize the fraud and charlatanism. But some time later, we fall
into the same trap with another book. They sell us illusions, we
believe them, only to then confront the tangible reality that,
although appealing, it is not possible. But we like that.

Everything is marketing: a mixture of empty rhetoric, hollow
words, and content without substance.
It’s no coincidence that nowadays everything is adorned with
the word “intelligence.” We have books on financial intelligence,
spiritual intelligence, and executive intelligence. At this rate, who
knows? Maybe in the near future we will see bestselling books on
“intelligence for not losing your keys,” “for opening difficult jars,”
“for sleeping better,” or even “for detecting the best slice of pizza.”
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that doing business and
making money by selling books is bad or unethical. As you can
imagine, this book is not available for free and was not created just
to take up space on my shelf. But in my opinion, when this is done
without offering quality content backed by data and evidence, it is
taking advantage of people’s illusions, who, with hope, invest
resources in buying books expecting to solve or satisfy a need.
WHAT IS THIS BOOK ABOUT?
This book is not about ethics, marketing, book sales, or persuasion
techniques. So, why am I telling you all this?
The answer is simple: to illuminate with truth the darkness of
ignorance, to unveil the truth and certainty that are often hidden
to make information more appealing to the reader. To look at
reality as it is, without disguises, to soak in authenticity, and to
uncover, expose, and reveal the grandiose and daring claims that,
while impactful, are false.
This book is a critical examination of one of the most grandiose
constructs in psychology and social sciences: emotional
intelligence. A psychological construct of just over 30 years, whose
popularity is largely due to marketing and the persuasive
techniques used to sell books.
Yes, I’m talking about Goleman. Daniel Goleman. Though it
could easily be generalized to his proponents, defenders, and
contributors, who sadly, instead of analyzing, merely propagate.
This book is a judgment on all of them.

Undoubtedly, as Goleman did, claiming that emotional
intelligence is more important than cognitive abilities and technical
skills will catch the attention of some. Adding that it’s twice as
important will pique the interest of others. And concluding that it
is the sine qua non of leadership will enchant us all. It is highly
attractive. Just enough to have Goleman’s book Emotional
Intelligence (1995) translated into around 40 languages and sold
millions of copies worldwide.
While these statements have served to sell millions of books,
that’s all they have served. Certainly, they have also flooded the
fields of psychology, education, management, and, generally, social
sciences with confusion and controversy (Murphy, 2006). And, of
course, they have filled a few pockets. But we shouldn’t be
surprised; after all, that’s what marketing does.
IMPACT OF MISLEADING CLAIMS
The problem is that, no matter how embellished, persuasive, or
forceful one’s words may be —like Goleman’s claims— that
doesn’t make them true. It’s like waking up from a dream and
telling yourself that what happened was real. Even if you spend
your whole life wanting it to be true, it will still be a dream. Even
if you believe it with all your might, even if you pray, even if you
repeat it a thousand times and dress it up in a thousand colors,
things are as they are, not as we would like them to be.
The problem is that many of Goleman’s statements are not
entirely true. The problem is that millions of people read that book
and others. The problem is that hundreds of thousands believe it.
The problem is that thousands invest in it, whether for their
professional development or to change their organizational
processes (such as recruitment, training, performance evaluation,
and promotion). The problem is that it wouldn’t be a problem if it
were true. The problem is that the foundation of their efforts is
exaggeration, falsehood, and deceit. The problem is that someone,
comfortably seated at their desk in front of their computer, simply

said: “I’m going to say this, and it doesn’t matter if it’s true. It
sounds appealing.”
THIS BOOK AS A TRIAL
This book is an examination of that person. This book is an
examination of Goleman. To be more precise, of his grandiose
claims about emotional intelligence in the workplace. This book is
about Goleman and emotional intelligence, though we are not
limited to Goleman alone; Goleman is our means, the end is for
you to learn about true emotional intelligence and the truth about
it. However, I will limit myself to the workplace and professional
context.
In this book, I will address the true power of emotional
intelligence at work. However, to do so, I will adopt an uncommon
approach in psychology and non-fiction books. This approach,
previously used by Griffith & Converse (2012), involves the adoption
and incorporation of underlying characteristics of the judicial
system, common in most Western societies, and more specifically
in typical cases presented in a court of law.
Therefore, I ask the reader to imagine that we are in a
courtroom, where Goleman is the defendant (particularly for his
strong claims). I am the prosecutor, responsible for gathering and
presenting a series of evidence and proof regarding the defendant's
involvement in the crime (falsehood in his statements). And you
will be the jury, who will ultimately decide whether the evidence
presented by the prosecution is solid enough to determine the
defendant's guilt.
Consider that, from a scientific point of view, whoever asserts
something —anything— such as that emotional intelligence is
more important than IQ, is the one who must first present
evidence to support such a claim. As Antonakis points out in
Antonakis et al. (2009), “claims must follow data, not the other way
around” (p. 249). However, from a legal point of view, this would
not be necessary, as the saying goes, “we are all innocent until

proven guilty.” This book, however, proves the contrary.
In summary, this book presents itself as a trial —the Great
Trial— of Goleman's forceful and controversial claims about
emotional intelligence, which have had a profound influence on
the perception and application of this concept in the workplace.
Are his claims really true?
This trial will determine it.
Finally, it is important to clarify that this book is divided into two
main parts. In the first (main part), Goleman and his statements
are put on trial, as explained earlier. In the second (complementary
part—after the trial), other issues related to emotional intelligence
that are relevant but were not discussed due to the specificity of
the trial are addressed. These topics are crucial for a deep and
specialized understanding of emotional intelligence, ideal for
managers, industrial psychologists, and HR professionals.
Let’s begin.

PART 1
IN THE COURTROOM: A TRIAL OF
GOLEMAN'S CLAIMS

DAY 1
HEARING
OPENING OF THE CASE