This paper, titled "The Components of Emotional Intelligence and the Relationship to Sales Performance," presents two general approaches to studying emotional intelligence. The first is a broad model approach that considers abilities as well as a series of personality traits. The second is based on ability models. The possible correlation between emotional intelligence and success as an automotive salesperson will be examined in a dissertation study of the degree to which the individual components of emotional intelligence contribute to sales performance. According to the dissertation proposal, a stratified random sample of sales guides from 17 automotive retail stores in Denver, Colorado, will be tested. The sales guides will be asked to complete the Multifactor Emotional Intelligence Scale, which is an ability test designed to measure the following four branches of the emotional intelligence ability model of Mayer and Salovey: identifying emotions; using emotions; understanding emotions; and managing emotions. The test results will be correlated with the sales guides' individual sales performance. If a correlation is discovered between high levels of the components of emotional intelligence and high performance in sales, several actions could be taken. If sales guides are identified as having low emotional intelligence, training on respective topics may help raise their emotional intelligence and thereby improve their sales. (Contains 90 references.) (MN)