Daniel Goleman, an internationally renowned psychologist, science journalist, and best-selling author, is known for his original work on the topics of emotional and social intelligence and their roles in addressing fundamental flaws in society.

In 1984, Goleman began work as a regular contributor to The New York Times, where he worked on science journalism for 12 years. In the 2000s, when Social Intelligence was published, Goleman was already a passionate advocate for education reform, specifically seeking to help schools foster emotional intelligence in students. He argued that teaching students to understand and manage their own emotions would have drastic positive impacts on society. Additionally, he advocated for greater emphasis on emotional intelligence in corporate leadership as a way to ensure success. In Social Intelligence, published in 2006, he further explored how greater emotional and social intelligence would benefit human society and culture. He specifically posited that a person with emotional intelligence and mastery over their own emotions would still find themselves failing without the crucial social skills needed to work effectively with others.

Goleman went on to write several more books on psychology and sociology, mindfulness, environmentalism, creativity, and effective leadership. Goleman has established himself as an authority on the topics of human behavior, emotional intelligence, and personal and community well-being.