Higher Education Managers/Executives/Administrators
OBJECTIVE This study examined the relationship between emotional competence and leadership effectiveness among academic deans in higher education.
METHODOLOGY Chief academic officers (CAO) at 200 randomly selected Carnegie I (research) institutions were invited to participate, along with one undergraduate dean and academic department chairs. The sample included 12 institutions (three private), geographically disbursed, involving 36 participants. Respondents completed the Emotional Competence Inventory (ECI) (Hay/MCber, Goleman & Boyatzis, 1999) and the Leadership Practices Inventory (self only).
KEY FINDINGS Deans' scores were higher on all five leadership practices when compared to chairs' scores, and higher than CAO scores, except for Modeling. However, comparison of the CAO scores and those of their observers (deans and chairs) were not statistically significant; nor were the deans' scores different from those of CAOs and chairs combined. Deans' scores were higher on all but one of the 18 ECI competencies when compared to chairs' scores, and higher in all but six competencies compared to CAO ratings. Only the emotional competency of transparency was statistically different between deans and others (CAO and chairs).
Significant positive relationships were found between Emotional Self Awareness and the five leadership practices. Significant positive relationships were found between Achievement Orientation and four of the leadership practices (Challenging, Inspiring, Enabling and Encouraging). The emotional competency, Developing Others, was significantly (positive) correlated with Challenging, Inspiring, Modeling and Encouraging. Influence was significantly correlated with Challenging and Inspiring.