Examining the Impact of Relational and Behavioural Training Programs on Participants' Levels of Emotional Intelligence

Abstract

Since the early 1990's there has been ongoing debate between industrial and organisational psychologists and practitioners as to whether the skills and abilities associated emotional intelligence can be learned. Despite this division in opinion, organisations worldwide continue to invest in emotional intelligence training programs. In this paper we outline a research program that utilises an experimental methodology to examine the extent to which two different training programs in relational and behavioural skills can increase the emotional intelligence of training participants. The participants for these studies were employees of one large Australian public sector organization undertaking two different leadership training programs. Data was collected pre and post training and compared to the results obtained from a control group from the same organisation. The results of this study indicate that the skills and abilities learned during the each of the training programs led to significant increases in various aspects of emotional intelligence in participants. As such, this research provides empirical evidence to support that emotional intelligence skills and abilities can be learned through training. The full results of the study will be presented during the symposium. In addition, the implications for the construction, development and outcomes of emotional intelligence training interventions within organisations will be discussed.