Manager’s Emotional Intelligence, Their Perceived Use of Directive and Supportive Leader Behaviors and Resultant Employee Satisfaction

Abstract

This study examined the possible relationships between a manager’s emotional intelligence, direct reports’ perceptions of the manager’s use of directive and supportive leader behaviors and the direct reports’ perceptions of satisfaction with their manager. A total of 109 managers, from a large public utility company located in the northeast, completed the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT), and 525 direct-report employees completed the Leader Action Profile (LAP) assessment. Hierarchical linear modeling analyses of the data revealed positive relationships between emotional intelligence and five specific supportive leadership behaviors, and between emotional intelligence and employee satisfaction with their manager. Suggestions for human resource practitioners, leadership development practitioners, and researchers are made based on the results.