Can Emotional Intelligence be developed?

Abstract

This paper explores approaches to the development of Emotional Intelligence (EI) and to the critical question ‘can EI be developed?’ Technical data on the instruments used to measure EI, the Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (EIQ) devised by Dulewicz and Higgs (2000c) and the EQ-i designed by Bar-On (1997), are reported. Findings from three studies involving managers, team leaders and the skippers and crews from a round-the-world yacht race are presented to explore whether Emotional Intelligence scores change after training and other experiences. A revised model to explain how the elements of Emotional Intelligence are related to each other is presented and tested, and possible explanations of why some elements are more amenable to development actions are proposed.