Studies on emotional competence have traditionally focused on the emotional competence of students and business leaders. There has been little analysis on how emotional competence influences university academics in teaching and career growth. Generally, academia appears to be driven by intelligence, scientific theories, policy, and related measures of success. Positions in the academic workforce are commonly awarded to those who have demonstrated high levels of scholarly attainment, relying on strong cognitive abilities combined with dedication and hard work within a field of knowledge. The influence of emotional competence in academia has remained unclear. The two primary aims of this theoretical paper are: 1. To examine how emotions contribute to academic performance. 2. To ascertain what kind of coping strategies academics use to manage emotions including their impact on complex outcomes in professional academic settings. Limitations and implications of the proposed research are included in the paper.