Interplay of personality traits, emotional intelligence and innovative behaviour among the leaders

The study analyses the relationship between the five factor personality traits, emotional intelligence, and innovative behaviour. Moreover, the mediation of emotional intelligence in the relationship between the big five personality traits and innovative behaviour is studied. In order to test the hypothesised relationships, data was collected from 331 leaders and project managers from the Pakistan's software companies. According to the findings of this study, extraversion, agreeableness, emotional stability, conscientiousness, and openness to experience significantly affect the innovative behaviour. Extraversion, emotional stability, conscientiousness, and openness to experience are also strongly related to the emotional intelligence. However, one of the personality traits, i.e., agreeableness has no significant effect on the emotional intelligence variable. Relationships between all personality traits and innovative behaviour are found to be significantly mediated by the emotional intelligence. Implications and constraints of the study are also highlighted in the research article.