Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this study was to replicate a study conducted in 1997 by Dr. Lorie Jane Geery in order to see if the results gathered 20 years later are consistent with and/or different from the findings in the original study. Methodology. This study was a descriptive qualitative study. The subjects in this study were 7 superintendents. These 7 superintendents were interviewed using a set of 6 questions. Findings. Both studies show that (a) interviewees showed a similarity in that they frequently reported self-knowledge as important in understanding their emotions and guiding their behavior; (b) interviewees reported on the importance of having insight about others' feeling, motives, concerns, and nonverbal behavior; (c) interviewees reported a focus on the development and management of relationships during times of conflict; (d) interviewees reported that emotional intelligence positively impacts their perception of their ability to handle conflict in their organizations. The current study showed that respondents (e) emphasized the importance of self-control, insight, holding back negative emotions; and (f) recognizing their own strengths and weaknesses. Conclusions. Superintendents in this study found that the use of emotional intelligence strategies improved their ability to handle conflict in their organizations and as a result do use a variety of emotional intelligence strategies in the workplace. This finding is consistent with that of the study by Geery. Recommendations. It is recommended that researchers explore the differences in data collected using the same research questions when the populations are divided by gender or age group. Additionally, it is recommended that researchers explore the results of emotional intelligence measurement tools and overall job satisfaction and retention rates within organizations.