Investigating the relationships among team emotional intelligence, trust, conflict and team performance

Purpose - The purpose of the study is to enhance understanding of the relationships among team emotional intelligence (EI), trust in team, conflict in team and team performance. Design/methodology/approach - A sample of 389 team members from 84 project teams in large-scale construction projects was surveyed. Findings - Findings showed that team EI is positively associated with team performance. In addition, trust and conflict in the team mediate the association between team EI and team performance. Practical implications - The ability to perceive one's own and others' emotions significantly increases the likelihood of team performance by increasing trust in a team and reducing conflict. Therefore, managers can use these findings to boost team performance and reduce conflict in their teams. Originality/value - This research contributes to the better understanding of the relationship between team EI and team performance in large-scale construction projects. In addition, this research is an empirical investigation into the mediation variables linking EI to team performance.