Emotions and Educational Leadership: Narratives from the Inside.

Abstract

The future, whether we look from the perspective of school to work, school to learn, or from the tensions inherent in an ever-changing society, demands a rich complement of tools, skills, and strategies to support a high level of literacy. (Bocchino, 1999, p. 9) Introduction One reason that many educational leaders are leaving the field may be related to the price that they have had to pay to be successful in their work (Beatty, 2000). Some studies have pointed out that the stress levels of many professional educators have increased significantly in recent years and are a continuing focus of major concern (Goldstein, 1992; Romana & Wahlstrom, 2000; Seldin, 1991). Although theories and studies related to emotionality and emotional have been popularized in recent literature (Ashforth & Humphrey, 1995; Beatty, 2000; Loader, 1997; Gardner, 1993; Goleman, 1995), they have yet to make an adequate impact on the valued knowledge base and skills needed for successful school leadership. A few studies have looked at the relationship between emotionality and educational leadership. Beatty (2000), for example, examined the emotionality of educational leaders, looking deeply at the individual's philosophy of leadership and his/her experience of emotionality. Her findings bring strong support to the need for leaders to understand their selves and how these insights shape their leadership behaviors and actions and foster strong collaborations and effective teams in schools (pp. 352-354). Other studies have unleashed new understanding about intelligence in leadership and how it can contribute to the vitality and overall performance of an organization and how, by repressing emotions, good judgment can be negatively affected (Combs, Miser, & Whitaker, 1999; Fullan, 1997; Goleman, Boyatzis, & McKee, 2002). In spite of these ideas, the skills and competencies required are just beginning to be given the needed attention in educational research and in leadership preparation. In this article, we expand upon the recent studies related to intelligence, and offer insights into how to build emotionally intelligent leaders and organizations. Context for the Study Although Goleman's 1995 book, Emotional Intelligence, was perceived as groundbreaking upon its release, interest in and intelligence can be traced back to the work of E. L. Thorndike who suggested in 1920 that social ability was an important component of (Hedlund & Sternberg, 2000, p. 137). Since Thorndike's time, other researchers have pursued studies related to what has often been referred to as intelligence, looking at interpersonal development, motivational training, and effective functioning. This work has resulted in a proliferation of conceptual definitions about intelligence (Hedlund & Sternberg, 2000). Emotional intelligence and literacy are viewed in the literature and in practice as a set of abilities that involve the adaptive processing of emotions and the relevant information that one can apply toward solving personal and organizational problems (Cooper & Sawaf, 1996; Fullan, 1997; Gardner, 1993; Goleman, 1995; Goleman et al., 2002). These abilities suggest that individuals who are emotionally competent can accurately assess and express emotions in themselves and toward others, manage emotions well individually and in relationships, integrate emotions with other cognitive processes to solve problems, and develop accurate perceptions of human and organizational behavior and respond accordingly (Goleman et al., 2002). Recent works on intelligence and the concept of literacy offer a framework for inquiry into this aspect of leadership and provided the theoretical framework upon which this study was based. We were interested in understanding leadership emotionality as both an internal capacity and an external strategy-effectively applying both to the daily professional milieu in which one finds himself or herself as a leader. …