The wisdom of letting go and performance: The moderating role of emotional intelligence and discrete emotions

• Published in: Journal of occupational and organizational psychology Vol. 87; no. 2; pp. 392 - 413
• Main Authors: Gooty, Janaki, Gavin, Mark B., Ashkanasy, Neal M., Thomas, Jane S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Biggleswade Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.06.2014; British Psychological Society
• Subjects: ability-based emotional intelligence; Aftermath; Biological and medical sciences; Cognition; Cognitive psychology; Coping; Data collection; Diaries; Emotional intelligence; Emotions; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Modelling; Occupational psychology; Organizational behavior; Psychology; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Self control; Studies; Task performance; Work condition. Job performance. Stress; Social environment; Facilitation; Human; Affect affectivity; Occupational environment; Employee; Emotional intelligence; Cognition; Personality; Emotion emotionality; Job performance; Coping
• ISSN: 0963-1798; 2044-8325
• DOI: 10.1111/joop.12053

Drawing upon cognitive appraisal theory and affective events theory, we develop and test a model of discrete emotions, coping, and performance that contains both within‐ and between‐person components. We argue that when employees feel angry, guilty, joyous, or proud at work, those with higher levels of ability‐based emotional intelligence will turn to emotion‐focused coping as a means to deal with the immediate aftermath of the emotion. This form of coping requires the least amount of cognitive resources and facilitates performance by helping individuals to meet their task demands. Random coefficient modelling findings from daily diary data collected in a law enforcement setting support our proposed ideas concerning the interactive effects of emotions and emotional intelligence on coping, as well as the effects of coping on task performance. Practitioner points The findings from this study conducted in a law enforcement setting suggest that coping strategies such as venting, denial, and disengagement might be adaptive for short‐term performance. Organizations could manage employee emotions via awareness of appropriate coping responses and selecting higher ABEI individuals for jobs that involve emotions on a routine basis.