Emotional Intelligence 2.0

Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves bring a combination of business psychology expertise and applied workplace consulting experience to Emotional Intelligence 2.0. Bradberry, who holds a doctorate in industrial-organizational psychology, and Greaves, with a doctorate in industrial-organizational psychology and a background in executive coaching, are cofounders of TalentSmart, a consultancy that has positioned itself as a leading provider of emotional intelligence assessments and training programs for corporate clients. TalentSmart’s Emotional Intelligence Appraisal, which forms the diagnostic backbone of the book, has reportedly been used by a broad range of Fortune 500 companies and public sector organizations. Its work blends psychometric assessment, leadership development, and performance coaching, reflecting a practical, outcome-driven perspective on EQ that reflects years of advising managers, executives, and teams. This grounding in applied organizational settings aligns with the book’s emphasis on actionable strategies rather than abstract theory, making the authors’ approach accessible to professionals seeking immediate workplace relevance.

However, Bradberry and Greaves’s authority is rooted more in consultancy practice and proprietary assessment data than in peer-reviewed academic research. The proprietary TalentSmart database, based on over 500,000 assessments, offers a valuable and unusually large sample, but the absence of disclosed methodology, sampling procedures, and statistical analyses means the findings cannot be independently verified. This limits the ability to assess the robustness and generalizability of the results, particularly across cultures, industries, or socioeconomic groups not well-represented in the dataset. For practitioners and readers in contexts different from the authors’ core client base, this could mean that certain recommendations may not translate as effectively without adaptation or further validation.

Furthermore, Bradberry and Greaves write primarily from a North American corporate perspective, which may not fully account for cultural variations in emotional expression, leadership norms, or communication styles. Despite these limitations, their track record in executive coaching and corporate training gives them a strong applied lens, making Emotional Intelligence 2.0 particularly relevant for readers seeking to integrate EQ principles into leadership, teamwork, and day-to-day professional interactions.