Emotional intelligence is becoming the key human advantage in an AI-driven world.

Gen Z is redefining success through purpose, belonging, and values-driven leadership.

AI expands intelligence, but it cannot replace empathy or connection.

Recently, I was speaking with a group of youth leaders at Riley’s Way’s Call for Kindness leadership summit. These were high school and college students from across the country who are already leading real change in their local and global communities.

They told me that what they are craving right now is community and meaningful connections. They want to learn how to speak across differences, build trust, create spaces where people feel seen and valued, and spark real impact and innovation.

And they are not waiting. They are already doing it.

These are some of the strongest leaders I know. Leaders that people want to follow and companies want to hire. These people innovate, advance ideas, and shape the future.

At a time when artificial intelligence is rapidly expanding what we can do, young people are reminding us what actually matters.

AI can now write, diagnose, create, and respond with remarkable fluency. Tasks that once took hours now take seconds. By many measures, AI is redefining intelligence. But it’s also raising a quieter question: If machines are getting better at thinking, what happens to the parts of being human that aren’t about thinking at all?

Intelligence is more than cognition. Emotional intelligence (EQ) is our ability to perceive, navigate, understand, and manage emotions in both ourselves and others. It shapes how we build relationships, make decisions, and lead others. EQ skills such as empathy and active listening are strong predictors of long-term well-being and career success. Leaders with high EQ are more successful and lead more successful organizations.

Research shows that compassionate leadership is linked to higher engagement, trust, and performance. And........

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