Emotional intelligence and Academic Staff performance in the College of Education and External Studies, Makerere University.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between Emotional Intelligence and Academic Staff Performance at the College of Education and External studies, Makerere University. The study objectives were: To examine the relationship between self-awareness and academic staff performance. To examine the relationship between relationship management and academic staff performance. A sample of seventy nine respondents was randomly chosen from the college to take part in the study. However, due to time constraints and collision with the University closure calendar with this study period, only 47 respondents were accessed. A 41- item structured questionnaire with open and closed –ended questions was used to collect data. The data gathered from the field was organized and presented quantitatively in form of frequency tables, counts and percentages for the purposes of analysis. Interview responses were reported qualitatively and were used to compare and enrich the responses in the structured items. The study assumed that the performance of academic staff members at the college was wanting.

The results of the study were analyzed using Pearson’s linear correlation method in SPSS. The analysis showed that there was a positive relationship between self-awareness and academic staff performance but the relationship was not statistically significant. . The analysis further showed that there was a positive relationship between relationship management and academic staff performance but the relationship was not statistically significant. The findings and conclusions were that emotional intelligence had a weak effect on academic staff performance. The researcher therefore recommended that studies be carried out to investigate into other factors that affect academic staff performance at the College of Education and External Studies, Makerere University.