Engage 1B People Practicing Emotional Intelligence

Dear Friend,

It has been a busy and productive spring at Six Seconds, and we have a lot to share. Research, a new program launch, and a global celebration are all converging — here is what has been happening.

Two peer-reviewed studies published this spring are helping to make the case for emotional intelligence in new contexts and with new audiences.

The first comes from our Climate of Emotions program. In partnership with the Yale Education Collaboratory, Six Seconds conducted a pilot study during NYC Climate Week 2024 with 37 participants ages 12 to 48. The research, now published in Discover Sustainability (Springer Nature), found that a single COE workshop produced significant reductions in climate distress alongside meaningful increases in climate enthusiasm and hope. Participants also reported building resilience across five areas: balancing self-care and emotional growth, cultivating inner strength, fostering hope, building personal agency, and connecting with community. This is the first peer-reviewed evidence base for the COE program, and it opens the door to wider partnerships and funding conversations. (Read the research here)

The second study shines a spotlight on emotional intelligence in the workplace. Published in Frontiers in Organizational Psychology, the research analyzed six years of data from 43,080 women across 114 countries to identify the specific EQ capacities that predict whether women thrive at work. The findings are striking: when women are strong in three key capacities — Commitment, Resilience, and Proactivity — they are 8.6 times more likely to be thriving, and the wellbeing gap between career levels essentially disappears. The study also found that women in middle management showed the steepest and most persistent wellbeing decline across the six years — not because they lack emotional intelligence, but because they carry the emotional load of supporting their teams without the resources and autonomy that senior leaders have. That makes them both the group most at risk and the group most likely to benefit from targeted EQ development. For organizations asking where to start, this research gives a concrete answer: these capacities are measurable and developable. You don't need a dozen programs — you need to focus on the right ones. (Read the research here)

On the program side, we are launching the first Climate of Emotions (COE) Leadership Accelerator cohort this month. This seven-month program brings together 30+ emerging climate leaders ages 16 to 30 for a blended experience of training, coaching, fieldwork, and community building. We received over 100 applications from 31 countries — a signal of real demand for this kind of emotionally grounded leadership development. Fourteen Six Seconds certified EQ coaches are volunteering their time to support the youth participants, putting their skills into action in service of our theory of change: build EQ in yourself, strengthen your relationships, and change the systems around you. The cohort begins June 27, with a Showcase Summit planned for January 2027.

In our next report we will share the full story of what the Six Seconds network created together for EQ Day on June 6.

Thank you for your continued support. Every one of these efforts — the research, the programs, the coaches volunteering their time — is part of the same work: growing a world where more people have the skills to navigate their lives, their relationships, and the challenges ahead with emotional intelligence.

With gratitude, Patty

Dear Friend,

Since our last update, we’ve continued to expand the reach of Six Seconds impact. through research, youth engagement, and community practice around the world. Across programs and regions, we are seeing what happens when emotional intelligence is not just discussed, but actively practiced.

One important milestone this quarter was the publication of our global Emotional Recession study in Frontiers in Organizational Psychology (see link below to download). This peer-reviewed research draws on six years of SEI data to examine measurable shifts in emotional skills worldwide. To date, the article has reached 12,549 and is in the top 5% of all research outputs tracked and in the 99th percentile compared to similar publications.

This publication strengthens the broader field by grounding conversations about wellbeing and leadership in evidence. At the same time, we surpassed one million SEI assessments completed worldwide, further expanding one of the most robust emotional intelligence datasets available. Research and practice continue to inform each other, sharpening the tools we use in classrooms, organizations, and communities.

Another standout example comes from NYC Climate Week, where we convened 150 youth leaders, artists, and facilitators for Climate of Emotions. The focus was practical: helping young people work constructively with climate-related distress and build the skills needed for sustained engagement. Through structured dialogue, arts-based facilitation, and guided reflection, participants strengthened emotional awareness, connection, and resilience. Early pilot results from this program show statistically significant reductions in climate anxiety, isolation, and powerlessness, along with increases in enthusiasm for action. 

In Dubuque, Iowa, a Kindness POP-UP Festival brought emotional intelligence to life for 1,000 second graders and college student volunteers. Through a partnership with the University of Dubuque and the City of Dubuque, students and community members worked side by side to host a city-wide learning experience. Children explored emotions through playful, hands-on activities designed to build emotional literacy and empathy, while older students modeled leadership and care in action. The event demonstrated how emotional intelligence can become a shared community practice when schools, higher education, and local government collaborate.

In Singapore, our Asia Pacific team hosted nine POP-UP Festivals across public spaces including Parkway Parade, OCBC Wisma, the National Stadium, Bettr Cafe, and Bedok Library, reaching more than 1,000 children and adults. In partnership with NUS, Omnicom Media Group, Singapore Lions Club and many other community organizations. These events brought emotional intelligence into malls, workplaces, and community centers. 

These examples reflect broader growth across the Six Seconds Network this year: more than 600 direct EQ learning events, over 20,000 people engaged through regional and global programs, and 400+ EQ Cafés facilitated by volunteer Network Leaders in communities around the world. Each of these efforts contributes to our shared mission of engaging one billion people practicing emotional intelligence.

Emotional intelligence spreads when people have opportunities to practice it together — in research-informed programs, in youth leadership spaces, and in everyday community settings. Your support makes this infrastructure possible: the tools, the training, the research, and the global network that sustain this work.

Looking ahead to 2026, we’re preparing for even greater impact. Our Network Leaders team — a global group of certified volunteers who bring EQ Cafés to their local communities — continues to grow. This year’s theme is Reconnecting with Emotional Intelligence, with three Cafés planned: Reconnecting with Self, Reconnecting with Community, and Reconnecting with Purpose. Each gathering offers practical tools and shared space for people who want to build positive change through emotional intelligence.

If you’re interested in bringing an EQ Café to your community, we invite you to learn more about becoming a Network Leader. (see link bleow to apply)

Thank you for helping expand access to emotional intelligence around the world.

With appreciation,
Patty

Links:

• Emotional Recession research in published in Frontiers
• Become a Six Seconds Network Leader