1. ¹Niagara University, E-mail: cseal@niagara.edu
2. ²Case Western Reserve University, E-mail: richard.boyatzis@case.edu
3. ³George Washington University, E-mail: jbailey@gwu.edu

^*Craig R. Seal is an Assistant Professor of Commerce in the College of Business Administration at Niagara University. He is also the Associate Editor for the International Encyclopedia of Organizational Studies and a member of the Editorial Board for the Academy of Management Learning and Education Journal. His scholarship focuses on the theoretical and empirical understanding of emotional intelligence. Craig is also a member of the Consortium for Research on Emotional Intelligence in Organizations. Email: cseal@niagara.edu

^†Richard E. Boyatzis is Professor of Organizational Behavior, Chair of the Department of Organizational Behavior in the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University. His main areas of research are adult development, leadership, and emotional intelligence. He is the author of numerous articles and books on motivation, self-directed behavior change, leadership, and managerial competencies. Richard has a BS in Engineering from MIT and an MA and Ph.D. in Social Psychology from Harvard University. Email: richard.boyatzis@case.edu

^‡James R. Bailey is the Tucker Professor of Leadership and Director of Executive Development at the George Washington University School of Business, and a Fellow in the Centre for Management Development, London Business School. He is the author of the award winning Handbook of Organizational and Managerial Wisdom and the forthcoming Riding the Change Curve: Leading Transition. He currently serves as Editor-in-Chief of the Academy of Management Learning and Education. Email: jbailey@gwu.edu

Abstract

This paper integrates diverse research to provide a theoretical model of the process whereby emotional and social intelligence (ESI) is fostered in organizations. The purpose of this paper is to provide: (1) an overview of the theory of ESI, including the historical contributions and current conceptualizations; (2) the impact of ESI on performance, including the research evidence and examples of organizations using ESI; (3) developing ESI competencies and a model for desirable, sustainable change; and (4) a call to action for education and management, including guidelines for fostering ESI in organizations. Unlike general intelligence or personality, the key assumption and rationale for the current paper is that ESI can be developed. Increasing ESI competences through the learning process can guide program design, implementation, and measurement for scholars and practitioners. Research has demonstrated that ESI competencies may be developed through a process of desirable, sustainable change called Intentional Change Theory (ICT).