Emotional intelligence and affect based job outcomes: A multilevel study on school administrators and teachers

Abstract This study aims to determine the effect of teachers’ and their administrators’ emotional intelligence (EI) on teachers’ affect based job outcomes. Data obtained from a sample of 86 school managers, 129 vice managers and 821 teachers were analyzed by hierarchical multiple linear regression method. Results show that teachers’ job outcomes (job satisfaction, affective commitment and organizational citizenship behaviors) are positively influenced by both their own EI and their vice managers’ (that is their instant supervisors’) EI levels but not by their managers’ EI levels. Results highlight the importance of employees’ and their instant supervisors’ EI competencies on positive job outcomes that are consequential both for individual and organizational performance.