How and When Does Emotional Intelligence Influence Salesperson Adaptive and Proactive Performance?

Abstract

Salesperson adaptivity and proactivity are two emergent forms of sales performance that are particularly important when work requirements cannot be clearly anticipated and employees need to address complex situations. This study attempts to contribute to the existing literature by exploring the underlying mechanism that links emotional intelligence (EI), an ability that is considered fundamental in customer interactions, to adaptive and proactive performance. A dyadic sample of industrial salespeople and their immediate supervisors reveals that EI has a positive influence on salesperson adaptivity and proactivity through its effect on their perceived self-efficacy and intrinsic motivation. Additionally, the indirect effect of self-efficacy on adaptive and proactive sales performance is found to depend on a salesperson's perceived organizational support and ability to bounce back. Certain implications of this study, as well as suggestions for future research, are also addressed.