Date of Conferral

2017

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Psychology

Advisor

Gwynne Dawdy

Abstract

Previous literature has focused on the traits of various leadership styles. Due to the lack of research on leadership styles, the focus of this study was to identify which emotional intelligence characteristics of a leader are significant to the success of virtual team projects. Supported by emotional intelligence and transformational leadership theories, the research questions addressed (a) whether, among virtual teams, a relationship exists between overall emotional intelligence scores and the success of virtual project teams, and (b) to what extent virtual team leaders' abilities to express and use their emotions predict the success of virtual team projects. The target population for this study included virtual team leaders who embodied a transformational leadership style. The correlation analysis showed that the overall emotional intelligence score correlated significantly and positively with project success of virtual teams in the areas of client satisfaction and perceived quality, as well as with the overall project success measure of virtual teams. The regression analysis did not reveal statistical significance for the relationship between the independent variables of aspects of emotional intelligence and the dependent variable of overall project success, as perceived by virtual team leaders. The underlying conclusion of the survey data included: among transformational virtual team leaders, there was a relationship between overall emotional intelligence scores and the success of virtual teams; however, the extent of that relationship remains uncertain. This study may aid organizations in the development of virtual teams by determining which leadership traits and attributes are essential for success.

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