Daniel Goleman responds to critics of emotional intelligence, conceding some past claims were overstated but maintaining that recent research shows it contributes significantly to life success. While emotional intelligence may not predict all outcomes promised and its definition remains debated, Goleman argues decades of research demonstrate how emotional skills matter and how measures of emotional intelligence have been developed and validated. He clarifies a past statement that was misinterpreted, noting his research showed emotional factors explained 80% of success when IQ was controlled above a certain level.