Coaching to Develop Emotional Intelligence and Decrease Work-Family Conflict: An Application of the Work-Home Resources Model

Research on emotional intelligence has provided robust support for its importance for job performance and leadership success. More recently, research is turning to understand the impact emotional intelligence has on personal success and physical and mental well-being. Thus, the current study examines emotional intelligence from a Work-Home Resources perspective, exploring what components within the Emotional Quotient model of emotional intelligence can serve as a buffer for work-family conflict. Additionally, this study examines if the contextual resource of EI executive coaching can serve as a method of modifying the personal resource of emotional intelligence. As leaders and practitioners are increasingly focusing attention on employee development of emotional intelligence competencies, our study examines EI executive coaching as a method to increase emotional intelligence, not only for performance improvement, but also for personal well-being. Using a diverse sample of employees and leaders measured at two time points, the current study found that emotional intelligence is negatively related to work-family conflict. Further, an increase in specific dimensions of emotional intelligence through EI executive coaching is related to a decrease in work-family conflict. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.