Guangdong University of Finance and Economics, China
The influence of CEO emotional intelligence (EI) on organizational outcomes, along with the distinctions between self-focused EI (SEI) and other-focused EI (OEI), remains an underexplored area in empirical research. Utilizing data collected at multiple time points from 253 Chinese firms and grounded in both Upper Echelon Theory and Due-Process Perspectives of EI, this study addresses this gap by investigating the process by which CEO SEI and OEI impacts firm performance metrics—financial goal attainment, customer satisfaction, and employee turnover. Our findings reveal that SEI enhances financial goal attainment and reduces employee turnover indirectly through its influence on CEOs' entrepreneurial orientation (EO). Meanwhile, OEI positively relates to customer satisfaction through its impact on the collaboration within the top management team. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of the multifaceted connections between CEO EI and key performance metrics, and sheds light on its underlying mechanisms. Research implications and future directions are discussed.
