Investigating Leadership Emotions in School Leadership

This essay investigates the crucial connections between leadership emotions and the quality of school leadership. It begins by defining emotional intelligence and its significance for leaders, emphasizing self-awareness, motivation, social skills, and empathy. The essay then explores how emotional understanding and literacy are vital for effective leadership, enabling leaders to recognize and respond to the emotions of others. The discussion includes personal and social competencies, such as self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, and relationship management. The role of emotions, both positive and negative, in the workplace is analyzed, highlighting their impact on communication, productivity, and creativity. The essay also examines how leaders' emotions influence their followers and the overall success of an organization, stressing the importance of managing emotions to build trust, set a vision, and make effective decisions. The conclusion underscores the importance of emotional intelligence for school leaders to create a positive and productive environment.

Investigating connections between leadership
emotions and the quality of school leadership

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK ..............................................................................................................................................2
Leader's Emotion.........................................................................................................................3
Leader's Emotion and Gender.....................................................................................................7
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................16
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................19

INTRODUCTION
Emotional intelligence is also described as emotional quotient which states capacities of
individuals so they can easily recognise their own emotions and also emotions of other persons.
This factor is related with analysing feeling of persons so his behaviour can be easily recognised
and accordingly work can be assigned to him. Emotional intelligence is one of the most
important skills of a leader according to which they controlling are controlling all their
employees (Antonakis and Day, 2017). The major factor of emotional intelligence is linked with
developing self awareness in which person should have the ability to understand what they are
doing and how their activities are affecting other people at work place, motivating employees in
order to achieve all their assigned goals and targets, social skills is linked with communicating
informations to other employees effectively in order to develop strong relations and empathy is
related with understanding situations of other persons in order to earn respect from other
employees at work place. Emotional understanding is also related with analysing emotions of
other persons in order to assign them work so they can easily perform all the assigned work.
Leaders should have the capabilities to analyse emotions of other persons so they can
easily develop their skill and this process is termed as emotional awareness. This is an important
factor in order to analyse the current knowledge of persons thus developing strong and effective
relations which are important factor by which person can grow by resolving conflicting
situations in most effective and planned ways (Batool, 2013). Leaders are sometimes more in
touch with employees as they are having emotional relations. The factors which are linked with
emotional intelligence are important in developing skill and capabilities of people so they can
easily achieve growth and success in their overall business operations. This is the most important
factor by which people achieve growth and success in their overall business operations. Emotion
is the most important factor for leaders as it results in analysing the emotions of persons which
are attached with the work that is executed by them and this is an important and most beneficial
aspect which is helpful in order to achieve success in their business operations.
Emotional Literacy are the most important terms which are used in order to describe
skills and abilities of person by which they can effectively carry out their assigned work (Bolman
and Deal, 2017). The factor which are related with emotional literacy involves developing self
awareness so that feelings of other persons can be easily recognised and the doubt can be easily
cleared. Emotional Literacy are important factors in order to know the feelings of other persons
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and according they should be treated thus making them feel happy in their operations which are
being performed by them.
TASK
Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence are intangible aspects. Its affects behaviour, thinking and decision
of leaders. Emotional intelligence made up with two primary competencies one is personal
competence and second is social competence. In personal competence, the person traits like self
awareness, self regulation about values and accountability, motivation toward goals, empathy
with others and self management skills (Cakir, 2012). In social competence, social awareness
and relationship management are two main social elements. Leaders are using social skills
element of emotional intelligence for best communication. With communication leaders resolve
the problem of conflict and improve efforts. Social awareness create knowledge of company
surroundings so, that leaders know where the communication is breaking and improve their
social culture environment. Customers have different social culture environment in various cities
and countries so, that leaders know customers social environment for selling their product
effectively. Good relationship management are key of leadership success. Relationship
management create loyalty between team and leaders (Cameron, 2012). Emotional intelligence
are important factor for leaders for creating good relationship with employees as well as
customers and it will help in increasing profitability within a company. A good leaders have
great understanding of their emotions and action and it directly affect people around them.
Emotional Understanding
All people have feelings and emotions toward things that happen in environment. Human
behaviour build with perceptual experiences, thinking and emotions. Emotions give information
about goals and need (Collie, Shapka and Perry, 2012). Emotions have two types one is positive
and second is negative. Negative emotions create avoidance and positive emotions create
opportunities. Most of emotions are influenced by environment so that emotions come and go
throughout the day, through out week and so on. Emotion are not good or bad only action would
taken from emotion. Emotion depend on situation so, its changes with change in situations. Ones
when leaders understanding their own emotions then they will understand others feeling and
situations so that it help in resolving problems of workers. A leader with strong emotions are
capable to understand how to react in situations so that result should be positive. Every person
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are different so that their emotions are also different, in every organisation management want to
understand their employees emotions separately so they can full fill all emotional requirements
of employees and make organisation emotionally healthy. In an healthy environment
organisation receive positive outcomes.
Emotional Literacy
Emotional literacy is ability to understand and express feeling. Its involves self awareness
and recognition of own feeling and knowing how to manage them (Curtis, de Vries and Sheerin,
2011). Emotionally literate people are able to apply self discipline in order to harness their
emotions and reach their personal goals. Emotional literacy are very important for social and
emotional growth of leaders. Its help to understand and express to improve personal self esteem.
Recognition of needs for impressive team work can develop emotional literacy as important as
technical competence. Most of leaders are trained themselves for understanding emotional
behaviour of others so that they can handle accordingly. Emotions can express directly or
indirectly, directly through communication and indirectly through behaviour and action in
situations. So that leaders know both way of expressions. Emotional literacy create the
awareness of emotional stability, how emotional stability is important for any one, emotionally
unstable person are not able to manage situation in result of team conflicts are create. Emotional
literacy is a training part of the human resource department in any organisation, its help
management for understanding their employees emotions and help them to make their employee
emotionally stable (Day, 2011). In all organisation emotional literacy is very important for
management. The leaders are literate themselves with experience and support others.
Leader's Emotion
Leader's Emotions: Leadership is an art of motivating a group to work together for
achieving a common goal. It is the capacity to translate vision into reality, to influence others by
inspiring motivation with passion produced by a conviction and ignited by a purpose.
A leader is a person who leads the group of an organisation and knows the way to achieve the
required goals. Leaders have a deeper and more lasting influence on organisation and provide
more comprehensive environment where people can work together.
According to Fisher, emotions can be defined as the factors which are interlinked with
cognitive and physiological process, the feelings experienced, interpreted, controlled and
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expressed. Leadership is an emotional process where leaders display emotions and attempt to
raise emotions in their team members (DuFour and Marzano, 2011). Managers always supposed
to be unemotional and must have a rational attitude as emotions in any organisation are seems to
be political. An effective leader is able to express emotions in order to connect all the team
members of an organisation but his emotions are always under control, he knows what and how
much to express among their employees. Effective managers or leaders are always able to tune
into use their knowledge and experience to make effective decision. They are always aware of
their responsibilities towards staff, employees, clients and the organisation. Emotions are critical
to everything that a leader can do to build trust, set a vision, maintaining and strengthen
relationship, make tough decision and learn from failure.
Emotional intelligence (EI) is the cornerstone of every decision which is implemented at
work place. To solve problems and make judgement are part of a leader's systems of values and
beliefs. School leaders have always used this EI to make decisions that effects their organisation
(Fernandez, Salamonson and Griffiths, 2012). Emotionally intelligent leaders use self-generated
sense to understand their employees emotions and to appreciate them for their work that requires
mutual trust when an organisation faces challenges. Its relevance that school leadership is an
important factor. Good communication is a critical feature of any enterprise where people work
with a common purpose. The effective communication is either an implicit or explicit feature of
leadership. School leadership are hired and retained on the capacity to buffer teachers from
outside interference. There are five key elements to it: self-awareness, self-regulations,
motivation, empathy and social skills. Great leaders have the ability to read people's need,
desires and understand empathy. Leaders emotions play an important role, it shows his
effectiveness, attractiveness to his followers. Leaders who feel excited, enthusiastic and energetic
are likely to similarly energise their followers as a leader's sad expression make them feel less
enthusiasm and more fatigue. But as every reaction has positive or negative impact and this can
affect the overall success of the company, thus effective leaders are able to manage their
emotions, acutely self-aware, can manage their own moods and feelings, take proper decision
and look for proper solution if problems assist instead of looking to blame and dodge
responsibilities.
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Leader's emotions in the workplace
Emotional intelligence refers to the capability of a person to manage and control his and
others emotions at work place (Goleman, Boyatzis and McKee, 2013). Effective leader's are
acutely aware of their feelings and responsibilities towards their staff. They worked on
themselves to develop their abilities, keep their emotions in check when necessary and can show
them in need. They build ability in themselves to manage emotions and connect with others by
self-awareness, self-management, social awareness and relationship management at their
workplace.
Illustration 1: Components of Leadership
(Source: Components of Leadership, 2017)
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Self-awareness: By developing self aware, a leader can knows what's going on in any
organisation. He should collect specific feedback from all of his worker. Any leader who sought
out negative feedback were much more self-aware than those who can not sought out negative
feedback.
Self-management: It is an ability to control emotions, that must be a leader has, which
includes transparency, adaptability, achievement and optimism.
Social-awareness: A key to manage response to change is social-awareness, which is an
essential part of emotional intelligence. It gives the ability to understand and respond to the
needs of others at work places.
Relationship-management: It is a strategy by which a level of engagement can be
maintained between an organisation and its employees to build a strong working relationship.
Emotions in the workplace play an important role in how an entire organisation communicates
within itself and to outside work. It either be positive or negative depending upon situation
(Grossman and et. al., 2013). The persons whose feelings are easily aroused is going to have far
more difficulty dealing in stressful situation.
Positive emotions at work place can be formed by high achievement and excitement that
effects mutual relationship of all employees, including greater task activity. It also provoke more
exploration and enjoyment of new ideas and enhancing creativity. A leader who express positive
emotions in the workplace are better equipped for influencing their co-workers favourably. So,
positive emotions have beneficial effects on the workplace as it is responsible for increase in
productiveness and creativeness.
Negative emotions at work place are formed by most stressful work related factors, that
could be appeared by “work pressure or work load and by not getting reward of their work”. It
also caused by the conflicts of mutual understanding. Conflicts is a dynamic process that can be
positive or negative, healthy or unhealthy within a working environment. So mostly it creates
negativity at organisation, those who exhibit it negatively affect those around them and can
change entire environment. Negative feelings at workplace effect- employee moral, turnover rate
and commitment to the organisation. These feelings are also created by drama and gossip which
can interrupt functions of organisation. Drama and gossips means to spread unusual information,
discussing on personal matters in an organisation (Hackman and Johnson, 2013). So to reduce
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these conflicts, company can implement a policy for its employees where they can easily share
their problems this results in resolving conflicts at work place.
Hence all these illustrations shows that role of emotions at workplace effects the whole
environment in every companies. The success of any project in an organisation is totally depends
on its managers or team leaders, that how they handle their project with its team leaders in a
positive manner. The ability for effectively dealing with emotions in a workplace assists
employees in managing their occupational stress. There are enormous range of emotions
experienced at work, that a leader should pay attention are: frustration, insecurity, anger, feeling
down and dislike the job.
Increasing emotional intelligence is able to provide a better work environment for
principals and performance for increasing growth. Similarly leadership at school level is also
important (Hargreaves and Fink 2012). It is considerable that school leaders are under pressure
to demonstrate their contribution in work improvement in school, through inspection, school
workforce development and curriculum designs. School leaders have a key role to play in setting
direction and creating a positive school culture. The challenges that faces by any school leaders
are managing good behaviour and attendance, ensuring good teaching and learning, building the
school as a professional learning community, developing partnership beyond school to encourage
parental support for learning opportunities. For a successful leadership at a school level, they
must have defining vision, values and direction, for improving condition of teaching and
learning, building relationship inside and outside school community.
So a leader's emotional state and his subsequent actions affects how other team members
feel and perform. If leaders are not emotionally self-aware and able to regulate his moods, then it
will affect the whole success of any organisation (Hassan and et. al., 2013). A leader can identify
his strength and limitation by his strong emotional intelligence skills, as it is a core requirement
for inspiring teams and individuals. So at any workplace, emotions are biggest motivator or de-
motivator of an employee to improve his performance and to get success in any organisation.
Leader's Emotion and Gender
Gender
Gender term is used to differentiate between masculinity and femininity. Gender
differences can be seen in workplace and it is typically based on our social factors, which
influence the behaviour (Holt and Marques, 2012). It includes both physical and emotional
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factors. Gender's schemata have existed in two fundamental dimensions which are based on
biological assumption that women are considered as nurture and men are provider. The most
basic outcome is that women have a broad range of work to do whereas men just have to do
work and earn money for livelihood.
Leader's emotion and gender is a part of any work place. There is a belief that women are more
emotional than men and they are not so strong male. This hamper the ability of women to obtain
leadership roles (Houghton and et. al., 2012). Despite increase of women in workforce we can
see gender gap in power within a company. Leader's emotion should not constrain the
relationship between any of the employ. Women are still not respected in position of leaders.
Emotions toward a critical factor shows the behaviour of leader towards any individual. Men and
women they both differ in experience and emotions and their expressions depends on their
situation. Women's expressions are generally more intense and frequent as compared to men.
Men on the other hand likely to express their emotions in terms of anger, power and
pride. However all these emotions are influenced by social context. Power is another one of the
most powerful approach in workforce. Power can be defined as one's ability to influence others
in emotions it plays an important role it affects the perceptions of power, dominance and status.
They shape of people's emotional experience (Mavroveli and Sánchez‐Ruiz, 2011). Those who
have power have more freedom in expressing their thoughts. If the person is not so expressive
than he is associated with diminished power in society. Displaying of positive emotions and
happiness can help them in completing their targets. An empirical study has examined that
gender differences have found that women's performance is generally underrated.
Leader's emotion and gender are generalized and can be evaluated differently. For example
female manger may be viewed as having less status than males as a result it gives less power in
workplace, and influence their experience, this create a series of powerless work. Leader's
emotion can influence employees in workplace if leader is biased towards any employee than
there may be chance of conflict between the workers.
Emotional intelligence and Leadership
Interpersonal skills have became an important skill since last few decades. Earlier leaders
were seen in controlling, inspecting and planning to run organisation effectively but in today's
scenario they also work as motivators, guider and inspire new employs to work effectively.
Leader's mood depend upon how his/her employ will react to any work. Hence, we can evaluate
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that leader's mood depends upon behaviour of employee. Effective leadership is associated with
Emotional Intelligence According to McCleskey Marques (2012) if leader have a high degree of
emotional intelligence than he is the most effective leader. In recent years there are mainly two
types of leadership i.e. transformational and transactional. Transformational is a process where
leaders and followers help each other to gain a high level of motivation and morale (Houghton
and et. al., 2012). Where as transactional leadership leaders focusses on rewards and punishment
which influence employee performance. Transactional leaders are relatively more passionate and
they have different vision and perspective. Transformational leaders have high interest in group
or organisation, for achieving growth and strength. Hence we can conclude that transformational
leaders are proactive and transactional are passive in nature. Transformational leaders are able to
gain high level of success as compared to transactional leaders. Now day's company's are
accepting female leaders with different leadership styles than males.
Women in Leadership
Women are putting a step forward and they are taking initiative for leadership Earlier
women have denied senior management roles because this post is mainly a male dominant post
therefore their their successors are also males. But now lot many laws were enacted which
oppose gender discrimination in work place. Large number of organisation are now realizing the
befits of gender in workplace. Women are now better represented in leader's position in
handling mutual understanding between two organisations and are gaining much importance.
Women's characteristics and traits are mostly characterized under transformational leadership
(Mavroveli and Sánchez‐Ruiz, 2011). Their style involves being empathetic, polite and gentle
during any cooperative approach. Women are gradually making their presence in society mostly
in the field of entrepreneurship, education, engineer, health, administration etc., they are
breaking traditional glass of gender stereotype. They function as a role model for their
subordinates and are more transformational than men. Women are spending time in encouraging
and motivating their other subordinates and their main focus is on developing leadership skills.
They have a ability to interact and collaborate with others (McCleskey, 2014). Thus, most of the
result shows that companies which are led by females have better financial results.
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Leader's emotions and age
Emotions involves action, decision and judgement of the people. According to Mayor and
Saveloy, Emotional Intelligence (EI) can be defined as 'it is an ability to understand emotions
and emotional knowledge, to regulate emotions for promoting emotional and intellectual growth
and to access or generate feelings' (Mendes and Stander, 2011). Emotional intelligence can be
viewed as a form of intelligence that is based on emotional power. Generally EI includes four
type of abilities: Perceiving, using, understanding and managing emotions. It is positively
correlated that, with- better social relations for children and adults improved academic
achievements.
Emotional intelligence can be used as a tool for developing effective leadership skills, which
helps a leader to judge people more clearly and closely and build a connection between his team
members or employees of an organisation. Leadership is about how to influence people by
providing proper guidance and directions which required in their team members. So a leader
should educate himself firstly before educating others. For being an effective leader,
effectiveness is not only about intelligence but emotions also play a strong role in managing and
control of people emotion. (Nixon, Harrington and Parker, 2012). They must know how to
resolve conflicts between their team members, customers or vendors. Leaders are having high
emotional intelligence and they see changes as opportunities for betterment. They not only
cherish their stability but they concern about development of all workers. The qualities that
makes a leader effective are: be approachable and trustworthy, acknowledge his mistakes,
delegate effectively and serve selflessly.
Leader's behaviour has been found to be an important determinant for effectiveness of a
leadership but his age is also considered to be another determinant (Northouse, 2015). A leader's
age is one of the most demographic factors in relation to his effectiveness. So leaders and their
style of leadership may vary based upon age and age group of leaders and their followers also.
Age and leadership are very much correlated, as age gives experienced to a leader for how to
manage his leadership well with his followers. Age influences on leadership styles and behaviour
of a leader. Some leaders either become more or less effective as they get older. So ageing
affects leadership in different ways (Paustian-Underdahl, Walker and Woehr, 2014). The older
leaders becomes more wiser by getting his experienced in that field. They tend to be more calm,
conservative, cooperative to his authority, whereas younger leader tends to be more energetic,
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