Emotional Intelligence Training: A Case of Caveat Emptor

Training programmes available purporting to develop emotional intelligence are widely available yet to date few empirical studies have appeared in the literature providing support that training results in demonstrable changes to EI, and more significantly whether these changes can then be traced to more positive individual or organisational outcomes. This paper questions the usefulness of personality/mixed model conceptualisations of EI that underpin many training programmes as offering nothing new beyond our existing understanding of the importance of soft skills training in the workplace. Instead the paper argues that research should be directed at better understanding how emotional abilities associated with the ability model of EI might be targeted by human resource development practitioners in organisations. In this respect a rationale is posited as to why workplace learning methods may potentially offer some success in this area.