Are leaders and managers with high emotional intelligence superior performers?

Leaders and managers with high emotional intelligence are often argued to be high job performers.Evidence from the literature is used here to examine the veracity of this claim. Emotional intelligence was found to be a necessary but not sufficient precondition for improving individual leader and managers’ job performance and ultimately organisational productivity. EI is best most appropriately conceived of in terms of the abilities concerning the recognition and regulation of emotion in the self and others. Organisational culture needs to support the application of EI competencies and reward managers and leaders who exhibit socio-economic competencies for this proposition to be supported.