The Power of Emotional Intelligence (EQ) in Educational Leadership

Everybody has had that boss in life — the one who scrolled through their phone as you spoke, never noticed when you were feeling overwhelmed, micromanaged you endlessly, and leaned on blame and judgement whenever concerns were raised. It likely negatively affected you and your coworkers, stifled your passion, and stressed you out. 

That boss might have been the smartest person in the room, yet somehow was incapable of reading it. What did they lack?

Emotional intelligence. 

What Is Emotional Intelligence?

Emotional intelligence, also known as emotional quotient, or EQ, seems simple enough on its face. It's the ability to process and manage your emotions, as well as those of the people around you. Easy right? Not so fast.

Think of that bad boss again, and imagine how they could have improved as a leader. Actively listening to you would have been a good start. You probably would've appreciated thoughtful feedback and praise, as well as a willingness to admit mistakes. And when you put in long hours and went the extra mile, you'd expect recognition for that. These are just a small sampling of things someone with a high EQ would do. 

Emotional intelligence combines a handful of key elements. They are:

·  Self-Awareness 

·  Self-Regulation 

·  Empathy 

·  Motivation

·  Social Skills  

Effective leaders who master these components are able to build resilience and sidestep the negative emotions that cause burnout. Instead, they introduce positive ones that keep them and others engaged in their jobs. From there, they can foster healthy interpersonal relationships, problem-solving, and conflict resolution. 

How EQ Connects to Education and Education Leadership

Working in education can feel like an uphill battle. Teachers and administrators wear many hats at once, acting as resource providers, mentors, curriculum experts, and even surrogate parents. The high expectations, accountability, and constant challenges can be emotionally exhausting for the best of them. 

This is where EQ comes in. Having emotional intelligence means you can recognize the emotions of yourself and others as having a cause and effect. When you pause and take stock of what you and the people around you are feeling, you give yourself room to manage these emotions. This is critical for leveraging them into something positive and creating a culture of communication and collaboration, which puts you on a fast track to achieving meaningful goals. 

Leaders who foster EQ in their school community can spot the triggers that cause stress and anxiety and subvert them. By strengthening your EQ, you'll acquire the skills to empower yourself and others and prioritize competing needs. You'll be able to provide support while taking on new ideas. When all is said and done, you'll be an effective education leader who inspires others and can handle a complex and psychologically demanding role. 

Staying Connected in a Virtual World

Having emotional intelligence is even more important as things go digital. The added stress of trying to connect with other educators and students virtually can create a sense of isolation, miscommunication, and self-consciousness. 

Maintaining a strong rapport with your students and peers, knowing how to put yourself in their shoes, and staying optimistic about your motivations will be infectious.  As you navigate a new reality that potentially incorporates half in-person, half-virtual schedules, your ability to check-in with yourself and others will be vital. Plus, everyone else will know they can lean on you, count on you, and rely on you. 

Feeling Inspired?

Then it might be time to consider taking your skills as an educator to the next level by becoming an Edupreneur.

An Edupreneur is an educator who is empowered to take control of their destiny and use their value to effect positive change in the educational world. 

The Educator to Edupreneur Master Class can guide you through actionable steps to embarking on that new adventure. You can even take a free trial run of the first micro-class to see if it's right for you. 

By investing in yourself, you invest in a brighter future for everyone around you.