research study. It is therefore suggested that this study makes a landmark theoretical
contribution in this regard.
- Importance of attending to culture as a phenomenon impacting EI and
leadership development. An extensively researched topic, culture was not an envisioned
construct within this study’s conceptual framework. That stated, the inductive nature of a
qualitative, phenomenological study allows for emergent findings. Accordingly, culture
vis-à-vis EI and leadership development left an indelible impression on this study.
Conflicts between organizational subcultures, leaders learning about cultural
environments, and acclimating to new cultures as part of a developmental assignment
were all featured outcomes of participants’ learning about EI and how to integrate EI into
their leadership success formulae. Whether an organizational culture promotes a
psychological safety net for leaders to develop critical behaviors can impact how
developmental programs are shaped (Yukl, 2012). More about this topic will be
discussed in the forthcoming recommendations for research section. - The importance of the evolving relationship between EI, adult learning, and
leadership. Many studies, to include those chronicled in Chapter 2, have addressed EI,
adult learning, and leadership independently. Some studies (Hall, 2004; James & Arroba,
2005; Shuck & Herd, 2012) associated EI with leadership. Other studies (Bierema, 2008;
Dirkx, 2008; Hogan & Warrenfeltz, 2003; Nesbit, 2012) discussed the linkage between
emotions, EI and adult learning. This study intentionally used experiential and situated
adult learning theories to explore developing EI within individual leaders. As such, it is
suggested that this research has contributed to synthesizing EI, adult learning, and
leadership. In so doing, it has placed EI in the context of learning and development for