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Dissertation Abstract

The Relationships Between Emotional Intelligence, Visionary Leadership, and Organizational Citizenship Behavior in Continuing Higher Education

Ann M. Solan
April 2008

This study explored the nature of the relationship between emotional intelligence, visionary leadership, and organizational citizenship behavior in continuing higher education. Emotional intelligence was measured using the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT) (Mayer, Salovey, & Caruso, 2002). Visionary leadership was measured with The Leadership Profile (TLP) (Sashkin & Rosenbach, 1996). Organizational citizenship behavior was measured by Organizational Citizenship Behavior (Podsakoff, MacKenzie, Moorman, & Fetter, 1990). A nonexperimental, quantitative research design was used to answer eight research questions. Results of paired-samples t tests showed that leaders’ self-ratings of visionary leadership differed from observers’ ratings, with statistically significant differences on 3 of 10 TLP scales. Pearson r correlation and linear regression results surprisingly showed a negligible relationship between emotional intelligence and visionary leadership. Suggestions are offered as to why leaders’ emotional intelligence may not have been more predictive of leaders’ visionary leadership. Pearson r correlation and linear regression results demonstrated a moderate relationship between visionary leadership and organizational citizenship behavior as overall TLP accounted for 25% of the variance in overall organizational citizenship behavior (R2 = .25, p < .01). Discussion from the leadership literature is presented that supports the findings. Pearson r correlation and linear regression results also showed a small relationship between emotional intelligence and organizational citizenship behavior, with the MSCEIT managing emotions branch accounting for 19% of the variance in overall organizational citizenship behavior (R2 = .19, p < .01). Discussion from the emotional intelligence literature is presented that supports the findings. Limitations of the study and recommendations for future research are presented.