Enhancing Leaders’ Emotional Intelligence: Why Mindfulness?

Abstract

As an adult-learning practitioner, I am intrigued by the process of helping learners, especially leaders, develop through the affective domain. Although leaders in my experience often comprehend the lexicon of emotional intelligence (EI), incorporating EI for leadership development has proven elusive. While research suggests EI is difficult to develop in people, this paper argues that leaders can do so by tapping into a higher mental and emotional state, and that such mindfulness practices can enhance leaders' EI. Findings suggest that (a) EI positively impacts leadership effectiveness, (b) mindfulness can serve as a method for growing EI, and (c) mindfulness can enhance the practice of leadership. The paper offers recommendations for adultlearning practitioners who create EI-and mindfulness-based training and provides directions for future research.

School Leaders, Emotional Intelligence, and Equitable Outcomes in Urban Education

“…Research suggests that building leaders' capacities for EI can help them with accessing the skills necessary for advancing school transformation. Scholars argue that emotions strongly predict leaders' sense of accomplishment such that when leaders feel effective in their jobs, they have a greater sense of accomplishment and work engagement, and when they feel negative emotions like anxiety and stress, they are less satisfied with their jobs (Kaoun 2019;Patti et al 2018). Undoubtedly, school leaders face a persistent and hefty load of social-emotional stress in their jobs.…”

“…As a result of these gaps, the school leadership workforce is underprepared to face the ever-evolving and encompassing equity challenges present in urban schooling environments. To bridge the equity gaps present in principal preparation programs, researchers have advocated for leader training that moves beyond individual intelligence to foster future leaders' EI (Kaoun 2019). Given the structure of the ESSA law and how it brings whole child education to the center of many states' policy agendas, there is presently a unique opportunity for systems to more comprehensively address students' socioemotional wellnessand by extension adults' EIin the school improvement process.…”

“…Research has found, however, that leadership preparation programs do not adequately prepare school administrators to leverage their positions in ways that advance the social justice causes and equitable schooling outcomes most pertinent to non-White students (Miller 2013;Preis 2016;Rivera-McCutchen 2014). To bridge the equity gap present in leadership preparation programs, researchers advocate for school leader training that seeks to not only bolster aspiring principals' individual intelligence but also their EI (Kaoun 2019).…”

EXPLORING STOICISM IN LEADERSHIP: A Comparison with Emotional Intelligence in Undergraduate Leadership Students

“…Introduced in 2015 (Stedman & Andenoro), the field of emotionally engaged thinking (EET) recognized the unique balance between critical decision making and practicing emotional awareness. Leaders are educated and familiarized with the significance of EI, yet when faced with demonstrating their knowledge, they have mentioned feeling a lack of confidence (Kaoun, 2019).…”

Pedagogy for trauma sensitive children

“…Because teachers felt over-worked, experienced chronic stress, and developed compassion fatigue, buy-in for new interventions was often lacking (Bailey et al, 2019). Leaders needed to approach new ideas and non-negotiables in non-threatening ways (Kaoun, 2019).…”