The Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence and Leadership Effectiveness Among Sponsored Research Administrators

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of emotional intelligence, as perceived by senior level university sponsored research administration professionals and their perceived leadership effectiveness, as measured by the Bar-On Emotional Quotient Inventory and the Kouzes and Posner Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI) for Self. Senior research administrators are now more than ever being faced with profusely, increasingly, difficult issues within the scope of their daily work processes. The relevant review of literature focused on four key areas: theoretical rationale for examining emotional intelligence, the link between emotional intelligence and leadership effectiveness, effective leadership practices within education, and implications for higher education leadership. The participants for the study were senior level research administrators from postsecondary colleges and universities located in the Southeastern U.S. Research hypotheses were tested using inferential statistical measures of independent t test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and correlation regression analysis. A total of 30 surveys were determined useable for each of the three survey instruments (demographic profile, Kouzes & Posner’s (2003) Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI), and Bar-On (1997) Emotional Quotient Inventor (EQ-i) and used in this data analysis. Results demonstrated a significant statistical correlation between emotional intelligence and leadership effectiveness (practices) among senior level university sponsored research administrators. Research administrators demonstrated “average – adequate emotional capacity.” Furthermore, the study found that senior level university sponsored research administrators’ total emotional intelligence and eight other components of emotional intelligence are highly correlated with the “Enabling Others to Act” component of the Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI). The results of this study support previous research findings that emotional intelligence and leadership effectiveness are correlated. Suggestions for the sponsored research administration profession and recommendations for future research are included