ABSTRACT
Emotional intelligence is a concept that has risen to become extremely popular, especially among business leaders with whom it resonates. It is not without controversy; the concept and theoretical underpinnings remain contested. Many theorists that prefer to disaggregate and isolate factors find emotional intelligence particularly problematic, whereas others are prepared to adopt a more inclusive approach even if it induces some conceptual ‘messiness’ at times. There is no single body of agreed theory among proponents, yet overall, it embodies an approach to relationship management for groups, teams and senior management. It is nested more at the level of individual behaviour and behavioural programmes rather than strategic systems, and therefore emotional intelligence is complementary to relationship management from marketing that has been discussed.
