Microsoft Word 2007 ichrie conference Proceedings Final-Final 06-06-07. doc

BACKGROUND 
Emotional Intelligence 
Mayer and Salovey (1997), who coined the term emotional intelligence, define it as “the ability to perceive 
emotions, to access and generate emotions so as to assist thought, to understand emotions and emotion meanings, 
and to reflectively regulate emotions in ways that promote emotional and intellectual growth” (p.22). It is the 
relationship between individuals receiving information, assessing the data, internally reacting to it and then acting 
upon it based on those reactions. This process is influenced greatly by sources found both in their past experiences 
and their culture. 
To be successful, managers must know their strengths, weaknesses, and limitations, and must be adaptable, 
conscientious, persuasive, collaborative, high performing, and possess the ability to see things from others’ 
perspectives (Carmeli, 2003; R. K. Cooper, 1997; Goleman, 1998). These are the traits associated with high EI.
Based on these skills and traits, many researchers and authors divide EI into subsets or dimensions (Bar-On, 1997; 
Goleman, 1998; Mayer & Salovey, 1997). The instrument used in this study divides the construct of EI into three 
levels. The first level is the Overall EI, a cumulative score. Behavioral and Knowledge are a subset of Overall 
Emotional Intelligence, while Emotional Insight into Self, Goal Orientation and Motivation, Ability to Express 
Emotions, and Social Insight and Empathy are sub-sets of the Behavioral and Knowledge scores. Figure 1 illustrates 
the relationships of the sub-groups to each other and to Overall EI as well as further explains the individual

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