Leadership Coaching for Higher Education Administrators: Increasing Your Emotional Intelligence

By:

Any administrator’s leadership effectiveness depends not so much on technical know-how but much more on the constellation of personality and behavioral traits known as emotional intelligence. How does the latest research link emotional intelligence to leadership effectiveness? How can an administrator assess and systematically increase his or her emotional intelligence quotient? And, why (and how) do leadership coaches place so much emphasis on emotional intelligence in their one-on-one work with their high-powered clients?

This learning-by-doing hands-on leadership coaching workshop explores the specific components of emotional intelligence and relates them particularly to the higher education administrator’s leadership role. Participants conduct an emotional intelligence self-assessment exercise and harness what they learn to develop an individualized emotional intelligence development plan. They are then guided through a series of scenarios, case studies, and role-plays to build effective emotional intelligence skills. This workshop applies the techniques of leadership coaching to help chairpersons become a more dynamic, inspiring, and effective leaders. It focuses little on theory but mostly on the practical, affordable, and easy-to-implement techniques administrators need most. The emphasis is on down-to-earth, how-to, and roll-up-your-sleeves learning activities.

Stream: Educational Leadership and Management

Paper: A paper has not yet been submitted.

Laura Hills is the Executive Director of University Advancement at Virginia International University (VIU) in Fairfax, Virginia. She is also a member of the VIU faculty where she teaches both academic English and English as a Second Language. She is the author of three successful business books and hundreds of journal articles published over the past 25 years. Notably, she has been a bi-monthly columnist for more than nine years on the topic of human resources management for The Journal of Medical Practice Management. Ms Hills is a seasoned public speaker and has presented teleconferences, seminars, and workshops throughout the country. She holds a Master of Arts degree in English/Literature from George Mason University, where she is currently pursuing a Doctor of Arts in Higher Education. She is working on her dissertation, a study of the application of leadership coaching techniques in higher education. Ms. Hills is well-grounded in teaching and learning theory and practice and holds graduate certificates both in College Teaching and in the Teaching of English as a Second Language from George Mason University. Her Bachelor of Arts degree in English is from Rutgers College where she graduated cum laude and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.