Is it Really Good to be Emotionally Intelligent? A Review of Literature

Abstract

Emotional Intelligence, as a field of study, has both proponents as well as opponents. Some researchers strongly support it while others simply reject it. The researchers, who support Emotional Intelligence, argue that it is important to be emotionally intelligent because it has direct impact in both personal as well as professional life. However, researchers who do not support it have criticised it in terms of its role, scientific validity and validity of the measurement scales. The paper, based on review of literature, throws light on arguments, both for and against Emotional Intelligence, its importance in organizations like job performance, job satisfaction, interpersonal relationships, negotiation, organisational commitment, employee engagement, leadership, organisation citizenship behaviour etc., and its importance for managers.