The time before the school year starts with its necessary preparation, could well be spent relaxing and recovering from the previous year. There is nothing wrong with this because going into the new school year, refreshed and ready for action, is sensible. However, at some time self-reflection could well “kick” in. Such an activity is of value and will help to enhance your personal growth as a Principal.

I have Daniel Goleman’s book “Emotional Intelligence -Why It Can Matter More Than IQ” as an audiobook and was listening to it on a recent flight from somewhere to somewhere. I had experienced it before and was once again reminded of how valuable his thoughts were.

However, Daniel Goleman was the Science journalist who popularised the theory of EI with his extremely popular book. The term originated with two leading Psychologists, Peter Salovey and John Mayer who published, in 1990, the first scientific framework of the idea. The basis of it was the ability to perceive, use, understand and manage emotions. Salovey and Mayer were significant academics. Salovey became the President of Yale University in the US and Mayer became a professor at the University of New Hampshire.

Goleman notes that Mayer and Salovey invented the field of EI “when they were painting a house together.” Creative ideas can evolve in the most unexpected places, not just sitting at a desk! Incidental discussion can be so valuable, interesting and rewarding. The topic of their incidental discussion was their research on Cognition and Emotion. I sure wouldn’t want to be a politician, but the conversation of these two thinkers wandered into discussing a “polly” with the conclusion that the person in question was smart but also really dumb. They sure needed a good understanding of Emotional Intelligence.

A skill of a good academic is to draw on the ideas of others to clarify and enhance their theories. One such person whose ideas, though years old, helped the progress of the concept, was Howard Gardner who created the Theory of Multiple Intelligences in 1983. In this he included the capacity to understand others and understand the self. These two Intelligences directly influenced EI theory. I always found Gardner’s theory on Multiple Intelligences so important in my job as Principal, as it ensured that I looked at students and staff carefully to try and understand what was the nature of their diversity. “They are not so hot on “X” - don’t leave it there. The vital Question was always “what are they naturally good at?” You are lucky if someone is good at everything. Sometimes talents are hidden and require some EI to find where the “gold” is. And what about those things they aren’t so good at - can they be taught or supported to overcome or perhaps, in the case of a staff member, you may not be able to keep them.

In the early days, a senior person who worked for me taught me “Chris there is no such thing as a free lunch”. 

Good ideas can become useful if they can be simplified. It is therefore worth pointing out simply the five characteristics of EI.

Empathy, Social Skills, Self-awareness, Self-regulation and Motivation

As a Principal anticipating the year, it is worth reflecting how well you tackle these characteristics. If you are good at all of them, great. If you need to move forward in one or two, work out one change /assistance you might enlist to move forward in this area. Don’t  set a too ambitious goal, because it is likely you won’t do anything if you do.

Remember Emotional Intelligence is “the ability to understand, use and manage your own emotions in positive ways to:

• Relieve Stress
• Communicate Effectively
• Empathise with Others
• Overcome Challenges
• Defuse Conflict

In this age, as leadership becomes less authoritarian and more relational, EI is even more important. 

Written by Chris Tudor