A Literature Review on Historical and Conceptual Evolution of Emotional Intelligence

Abstract

Emotional Intelligence (EI) refers to ―group of the capabilities that allow all individuals, particularly leaders, to utilize their emotions to guide thinking and action, to regulate impulse, one‘s moods, feelings and others‘, to think and to hope‖. With this in mind, research on EI has progressed significantly over the past decade. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to review the historical and conceptual evolution of emotional intelligence, and its distinction with other constructs, especially emotional competence. This paper attempts to review the definitions and models proposed by authors of emotional intelligence such as Salovey and Mayer, Bar-On and Daniel Goleman and finding a close definition which predicts high performance in the workplace. This paper also attempts to highlight on the importance of emotional intelligence. The conclusion, thus, reaffirms that although emotional intelligence is popularized and widely studied, it remains lively and timely useful concept and a key element for gauging the capability of individuals to understand, monitor and control one‘s own and other feelings. It is also found that Goleman‘s definition and model have connections with high performance. Therefore, this paper recommends more extensive investigations on emotional intelligence to be undertaken, particularly its relationships with organizational psychology – related most studied concepts in organizations once it serves as the antecedent to high performance.