Emotionally Intelligent Behavior in Organizations: When Ability, Motivation, and Opportunity Meet

Drawing on the ability, motivation, and opportunity framework (Boxall & Purcell, 2011), we describe individuals’ emotionally intelligent behavior (EIB) in organizations as emerging from the interaction of emotional intelligence (EI) ability, motivation for EIB, and the opportunity to engage in such behavior at work. EI ability encompasses the capacity to perceive, use, understand, and regulate emotions. Motivation for EIB or the impetus to use the abilities is based on expectancy of success (emotional self-efficacy), valence (intrinsic value of EIB), and instrumentality (belief that such behavior helps achieve desired outcomes). Opportunity refers to the contextual influences of organizational culture, team climate, and leadership processes on EIB. These factors and the mechanisms through which they interact are discussed through a multilevel perspective.