The moderating effects of narcissism on the relationship between emotional intelligence and leadership effectiveness, moral reasoning and managerial trust

In recent years research examining discordant amoral styles of leadership has gained popularity amongst leadership theorists. This research sought to gain a clearer understanding of the role that a narcissistic personality, combined with elevated levels of emotional intelligence (EI), plays in producing leaders who are low in moral reasoning ability and generally less effective as leaders. The participants in this study were 114 employees of a medium-sized law enforcement agency on the West Coast. Of the 114 total participants, 53 were supervisors and 61 were subordinate raters. Supervisors completed self-report measures of narcissism, as well as assessments of their emotional intelligence and moral reasoning. Subordinate raters completed measures evaluating their supervisors on leadership style, as well as the amount of trust the subordinate placed in the supervisor.; Results from this research indicated that narcissistic leaders with a strong ability in terms of the Using emotions branch of EI were less effective as leaders, and had a less developed sense of moral reasoning than their supervisorial peers who were less narcissistic. Also, the combination of high narcissism and elevated skill on the Using emotions branch of EI produced supervisors who were less trusted by their subordinates.; Finally, results indicated that narcissistic leaders with a high level of ability in terms of the Managing Emotions branch of EI scored higher on ratings of subordinate trust. This result indicates that emotionally intelligent narcissistic supervisors can manage emotions in both themselves and their subordinates to the point of being highly trusted. This result seems to be at the heart of amoral leadership. Supervisors who manipulate subordinates for their own personal benefit thorough the management of emotions are likely amoral leaders. This project adds to the relatively new body of research examining the emotional intelligence construct. Emotional intelligence has been promulgated as a highly valued individual difference. These research findings support the notion that emotional intelligence is generally a valuable trait. However, when combined with pervasive patterns of personality that have manipulative characteristics, EI may just be another tool in the toolbox of already manipulative individuals.