The relationship of emotional intelligence with task and contextual performance: More than it meets the linear eye

Abstract

The relationship of emotional intelligence (EI) with job performance was investigated in 188 individuals working as expatriates. Job performance was considered in terms of task and contextual performance - helping (OCB-H) and voice (OCB-V) organizational citizenship behaviours - and was assessed by line managers. In line with expectations, most identified relationships were of quadratic U-shaped form. Specifically, all three relationships of the global EI construct, and eight out of the 11 identified relationships of its four facets, were of U-shape. That included the relationships of all four EI facets with task performance, and the relationships of two dimensions, self-emotional appraisal (SEA) and regulation of emotion (ROE) with OCB-H and with OCB-V. The findings illustrate the link of global EI and its facets with contextual performance apart from task performance that has been the primary focus of research thus far. The findings also suggest that although those with the highest scores on EI receive the strongest job performance ratings those who are most disadvantaged in terms of job performance are not the lowest EI scorers but rather those who find themselves near the middle of the EI scores continuum.