Emotional Intelligence in School

In preparing for my new role, I have been thinking and researching into Emotional Intelligence as I truly believe it is the key to a successful and productive team creating impact. This is the essential premise: to be successful requires the effective awareness, control and management of one’s own emotions, and those of other people. EI embraces two aspects of intelligence:

* Understanding yourself, your goals, intentions, responses, behaviour…
* Understanding others, and their feelings.

Clearly this will be difficult to achieve straight away, but I do feel raising more awareness at an early stage will enhance the capacity of the team further.

In order to do this effectively, Goleman identified five key ‘domains’ as:
1. Knowing your emotions;
2. Managing your own emotions;
3. Motivating yourself;
4. Recognising and understanding other people’s emotions;
5. Managing relationships, ie., managing the emotions of others.

Emotional Intelligence embraces and draws from numerous other branches of behavioural, emotional and communications theories. By developing our Emotional Intelligence we can become more productive and successful at what we do, and help others to be more productive and successful too. This will be especially relevant in my new whole school role in achieving the best for everyone through effective use of CPD and strategic organisation. A truly excellent result for all is that the process and outcomes of Emotional Intelligence development also contain many elements known to reduce stress for colleagues by decreasing conflict, improving relationships and understanding, and increasing stability, continuity and general happiness. All round fabulous results for students and staff!