Getting from A to B: how EI ability can be translated into emotionally intelligent behavior

Zehavit Levitats and Zorana Ivcevic

Chapter 3 in Research Handbook on Emotional Intelligence at Work, 2026, pp 32-52 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: Emotional intelligence (EI) ability equips individuals to perceive, understand, and manage emotions, yet this potential does not always translate into emotionally intelligent behavior. This chapter explores why. Drawing on the ability-motivation-opportunity (AMO) model, we argue that emotionally intelligent behavior depends not only on ability but also on motivation and opportunity. We review evidence distinguishing ability EI from trait EI, positioning trait EI as a motivational force, and apply Vroom's Valence-Instrumentality-Expectancy (VIE) model to define three components of motivation for emotionally intelligent behavior: EI expectancy or self-efficacy, EI valence, and EI instrumentality. Extending this framework to dyads, teams, and organizations, we propose mechanisms through which EI-related attributes accumulate into collective outcomes. The chapter concludes with implications for scholarship and practice, highlighting how organizations can foster conditions that make emotionally intelligent behavior a standard feature of work life.

Keywords: Emotional Intelligence; Ability-Motivation-Opportunity (AMO) Model; Valence-Instrumentality-Expectancy (VIE) Model; Organization; Team; Leadership (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035332519
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