Date of Award
Spring 4-22-2024
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education (EdD)
Department
Organizational Leadership
First Advisor
Dr. Timothy McCarty
Second Advisor
Dr. Laurie Goodman
Third Advisor
Dr. Jaime Hughes
Fourth Advisor
Dr. Stephanie Herrera
Abstract
The roles of school leaders have evolved from a more conventional focus, one encompassing independent leadership, to a relational leadership approach that is more open and personable (Hoyle et al., 2005). The purpose of this qualitative multicase study was to describe the emotional intelligence strategies that exemplary elementary principals in rural areas use as they respond to leadership challenges in their school organizations based on Goleman’s (2006) four domains of emotional intelligence (self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management). A secondary purpose of the study was for exemplary elementary principals in rural demographics to explain how their use of emotional intelligence strategies supported their success and tenure as they responded to leadership challenges in their school organizations. This study used a multicase research design to understand how exemplary elementary principals in rural California school districts use their emotional intelligence (EI) to respond to leadership challenges in their school organizations. Data were collected through semistructured interview questions and artifact collection. Responses from participants were coded and analyzed for themes to identify the relationship between data patterns, themes, and categories. The key findings from the study were that all four domains of emotional intelligence are essential strategies for responding to leadership challenges. Relationship management and social awareness were identified as more critical when responding to leadership challenges in their school organization. Self-awareness and self-management were identified as less important when responding to leadership challenges in their school organization. The significance of the study is that modeling emotional intelligence strategies is essential in responding to leadership challenges. Additionally, relationship management and social awareness are crucial to support success and tenure in principalship in a rural area.
Recommended Citation
Cook, William, "Exemplary Elementary School Principals’ Use of Emotional Intelligence as They Lead Their Organizations in Rural Areas" (2024). Dissertations. 580.
https://digitalcommons.umassglobal.edu/edd_dissertations/580