EI Thought Leadership Community

Welcome to CivilTalk’s Emotional Intelligence Thought Leadership Hub—where you will find the industry leaders shaping the conversation on emotional intelligence, civility, leadership, and personal growth, offering insights into the skills included in the CivilTalk Emotional Intelligence Model.

CivilTalk’s Four Domains of Emotional Intelligence

  • Self-Awareness – Understanding emotions and their impact

  • Self-Management – Regulating emotions and adapting to challenges

  • Social Awareness – Recognizing emotions in others and fostering empathy

  • Relationship Management – Navigating interactions and building strong connections

Well-Being: The Inner Work of EI

Well-being starts with self-understanding and emotional regulation. It’s about building resilience, self-discipline, and mental clarity—key elements of personal growth and fulfillment. At CivilTalk, Well-Being is a core pillar of our EI Model, encompassing Self-Awareness and Self-Management. Below are some of the leading voices in these areas.

Self-Awareness

Self-Management

  • Walter Mischel - Psychologist (marshmallow experiment)

    Roy Baumeister - Willpower researcher

    Angela Duckworth - Grit researcher

    Kelly McGonigal - Psychology lecturer, willpower expert

    Charles Duhigg - Habits researcher

    Jon Kabat-Zinn - Creator of MBSR (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction)

  • Robert Solomon - Business ethics philosopher

    Julian Rotter - Trust and social learning researcher

    David DeSteno - Trust and emotion researcher

    Francis Fukuyama - Social trust theorist

    Barbara Misztal - Sociology professor, trust expert

  • Carol Dweck - Growth mindset researcher

    Dean Mobbs - Neuroscientist studying fear and adaptation

    Robert Kegan - Adult development theorist

    Gary Hamel - Management innovation expert

    Linda Hill - Change management expert

  • Dr. BJ Fogg - The Fogg Behavior Model (B=MAP)

    Edward Deci - Self-determination theory co-founder

    Richard Ryan - Self-determination theory co-founder

    Teresa Amabile - Creativity and motivation researcher

    Dan Pink - Motivation author and researcher

    Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi - Flow state researcher

  • Stephen Covey - Leadership and personal effectiveness expert

    Chris Argyris - Organizational learning theorist

    Peter Senge - Systems thinking expert

    Robert Cialdini - Influence and commitment researcher

    Linda Hill - Leadership development expert

Civility: The Social Impact of EI

Civility extends Emotional Intelligence beyond the self, shaping how we connect, collaborate, and lead. It’s the foundation of strong relationships, effective communication, and social harmony. At CivilTalk, Civility is the second core pillar of our EI Model, encompassing Social -Awareness and Relationship -Management. Below are some of the leading voices in these areas.

Social-Awareness

  • Carl Rogers - Active listening pioneer

    Julian Treasure - Sound and communication expert

    Stephen Covey - Empathic listening advocate

    Marshall Rosenberg - Nonviolent communication founder

    Edgar Schein - Organizational culture expert

  • Simon Baron-Cohen - Empathy researcher

    Helen Riess - Empathy training expert

    Daniel Batson - Empathy-altruism researcher

    Frans de Waal - Primatologist studying empathy

    Roman Krznaric - Cultural thinker, empathy expert

  • Matthieu Ricard - Buddhist monk, compassion researcher

    Paul Gilbert - Compassion-focused therapy founder

    Kristin Neff - Self-compassion researcher

    Richard Davidson - Neuroscientist studying meditation

    Tania Singer - Social neuroscientist

  • Richard Hua - Worldwide Head of EPIC Leadership at Amazon Web Service

    Edgar Schein - Organizational culture expert

    Karl Weick - Organizational sensemaking theorist

    Amy Edmondson - Psychological safety researcher

    Robert Kegan - Adult development in organizations

    William Torbert - Action inquiry expert

  • Robert Greenleaf - Servant leadership pioneer

    Ken Blanchard - Management and service expert

    Frances Hesselbein - Leadership and service expert

    Leonard Berry - Service quality researcher

    James Heskett - Service profit chain researcher

Relationship-Management

  • Robert Cialdini - Influence research pioneer

    Chris Voss - Negotiating, The Black Swan Method

    Gary Yukl - Leadership influence expert

    Howard Gardner - Multiple intelligences theorist

    Jay Conger - Persuasion researcher

    Deborah Tannen - Linguistics and communication expert

  • Amy Edmondson - Team learning researcher

    Richard Hackman - Team effectiveness expert

    Patrick Lencioni - Team dynamics expert

    Eduardo Salas - Team training researcher

    Ruth Wageman - Team design expert

  • Peter Senge - Learning organization expert

    David Rock - Neuroleadership founder

    Marshall Goldsmith - Executive coaching pioneer

    Beverly Kaye - Career development expert

    Center for Creative Leadership researchers


  • William Ury - Negotiation expert

    Morton Deutsch - Conflict resolution pioneer

    Kenneth Thomas - Conflict styles researcher

    Michelle LeBaron - Cultural conflict expert

    Bernard Mayer - Conflict engagement specialist

    Bernard Bass - Transformational leadership researcher

    Warren Bennis - Leadership studies pioneer

    Ronald Heifetz - Adaptive leadership expert

    Jim Collins - Leadership researcher

    Barbara Kellerman - Leadership expert


  • Bernard Bass - Transformational leadership researcher

    Warren Bennis - Leadership studies pioneer

    Ronald Heifetz - Adaptive leadership expert

    Jim Collins - Leadership researcher

    Barbara Kellerman - Leadership expert