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Building collaboration in teams through emotional intelligence: Mediation by SOAR (strengths, opportunities, aspirations, and results)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 November 2016

Matthew L Cole ,
John D Cox  and
Jacqueline M Stavros
Matthew L Cole*
Affiliation:
Department of Management and Marketing, College of Management, Lawrence Technological University, Southfield, MI, USA
John D Cox
Affiliation:
Office of Regulatory Affairs, Chrysler Group LLC, Clarkston, MI, USA
Jacqueline M Stavros
Affiliation:
Department of Management and Marketing, College of Management, Lawrence Technological University, Southfield, MI, USA
*
Corresponding author: mcole@ltu.edu
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Abstract

In today’s global business environment teams are fast becoming the norm. Collaboration is an essential factor in leveraging team effectiveness, and organizations are looking for strategies to increase collaboration among their teams. In this study, we administered an eSurvey to 308 professionals working in face-to-face and virtual teams to investigate emotional intelligence and strengths, opportunities, aspirations, and results as strategies to support the collaborative process. Results found the regression of collaboration on emotional intelligence (controlling for age, ethnicity, and education) was significant (p<.01). Results also found a significant indirect effect between emotional intelligence and collaboration as mediated by strengths, opportunities, aspirations, and results (β=0.110, Z=2.444). We focus on understanding the effect of emotional intelligence on team collaboration as mediated by strengths, opportunities, aspirations, and results. Recommendations are provided for increasing emotional intelligence and strengths, opportunities, aspirations, and results among team members. Our research has important implications for teams and their pervasive use in business.

Keywords

teamsteamworkemotional intelligencecollaborationSOAR (strengths, opportunities, aspirations, results)
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Management & Organization , Volume 25 , Issue 2 , March 2019 , pp. 263 - 283
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management 2016 

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Footnotes

1

This original article presents the results of research on mediation by SOAR of the impact that emotional intelligence has on team-based collaboration among professionals working in teams. The article presents a timely discussion on the role of emotions and SOAR-based approaches to strategy that will be of interest to management scholars and practitioners concerned with teams and their pervasive use in business.

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