The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Educational Leadership

Aisha Moore-Webb

There are times when I don’t have all the information. Times where the only thing I have is the energy that radiates between myself and a student. Yet, I find myself in a position of understanding this individual, not knowing all that they bring to the table. At this moment, I have to practice empathy. I have to look into their eyes and assess where they are and then proceed with determining the best course of action. The assessment that takes place within me, utilizes a form of intelligence that allows me to step outside of myself and into the shoes of another. It is called, emotional intelligence.  There are a lot of things I feel incredibly strongly about, however emotional intelligence in the field of education, especially in leadership, tops the list.

So many times during my career in education, I have witnessed adults in education practice very little emotional intelligence. I have seen decisions made (for both students and adults) based on stereotypes, bad days, personal preferences, and allegiances. I have cringed when I have witnessed an adult totally belittle a child, instead of reprimanding them. Then there are times when I have overhead adults saying things about children they would never say about their own. Now, please do not think that I proclaim to be a saint, but I do try extremely hard to use the golden rule of education, “treat children the way you would want someone to treat yours.” What this means is being cognizant of my actions, reflecting on past actions, assessing my intentions, listening and not hearing, stepping out of self, and doing all of the above authentically and with the sincere intentions.

There are those who question the validity of emotional intelligence on school effectiveness, however “the research is clear that leadership and school culture can have a direct and/or indirect effect on student achievement, plus there “is enough research that indicates leaders who are successful in dealing with their emotions and the emotions of others are successful in creating a positive culture” (Moore, 2009, p. 24). Consequently, although many programs, conferences, and mentorship programs focus on ethical leadership, which is a part of emotional intelligence, a lot do not provide the opportunities to really explore this phenomenon and how it relates to their profession.

Considering I aspire to serve as an educational administrator, I hope to continue to strengthen this area of intellect in myself and encourage those that I will lead to do the same. I am a firm believer that high levels of emotional intelligence can help in the building of relationships, which is one of the best practices in education. Positive relations can build trust, break down walls and create strong alliances, all of which should be taking place within the halls of learning. This is the case for adults dealing with adults, and adults and their interactions with students.

I cannot simply focus on the ways in which teachers and administrators relate to students and the concept of emotional intelligence without acknowledging the way adults relate to each other. I have witnessed adults’ abuse power because they dislike another, like jobs lost or intentionally giving a teacher bad evaluations. I have also seen how a person’s self-esteem is so low that simple forms of flattery can get an incredibly unqualified person a promotion. However, these examples don’t just extend to those in leadership. I have seen teachers create alliances in order to take down an administrator for no reason other than they dislike the other person.

Regardless of how a lack of emotional intelligence manifest itself, it does not belong in the school house. Our role as educators is to create competent and well-adjusted citizens who will contribute positively to the world. Therefore, it is important that we are knowledgeable and consistently practice emotional intelligence so that we can be role models for the future generations of adults.  

Moore, B. (2009). Emotional intelligence for school administrators: A priority for school reform.

Retrieved on July 21, 2017, from http://donnaelder.wiki.westga.edu/file/view/Emotional+intelligence+for+school+administrators+a+priority+for+school.pdf