Principals' levels of emotional intelligence as an influence on school culture

Abstract

It is not fully known what assumptions can be made, if any, regarding the emotional intelligence (EI) of a school principal and the influence that has on a schoolαs culture. This study measured the EI of 15 principals willing to participate from randomly selected school districts in Wyoming, using the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso EI Test (MSCEIT), which measures four categories of EI: (1) Managing Emotions, assessed using the Emotional Management task and the Social Management task, (2) Understanding Emotions, assessed using the Blends task and the Changes task, (3) Using Emotions, assessed using the Sensations task and the Facilitation task, and (4) Perceiving Emotions, assessed using the Faces task and the Pictures task. All teachers from the participating schools were questioned using the David C. Anchin School Culture Quality Survey. This survey measures teachersα perceptions of (1) Having a shared vision, (2) Facilitative leadership, (3) Teamwork and cooperation of staff, and (4) Nurturing a learning community. This instrument is designed specifically to measure the work culture of teachers, which enables them to do their job well. Data analysis included a hierarchical linear model of the current status of teachersα perceptions of the school cultureαs four categories (shared vision, facilitative leadership, teamwork and cooperation, and nurturing a learning community) and the current status of the four categories of emotional intelligence of the principal (managing emotions, using emotions, understanding emotions, and perceiving emotions).