Factors Affecting Emotional Management in Highly Complex Schools: The Case of Two Spanish Schools

Abstract

Directing schools of high complexity in disadvantaged social contexts with high rates of emigration requires skills for emotional leadership. Directors with self-managing capacities are needed to manage their own emotions. They also need to mobilise people (teachers, students and families) by focussing on their feelings of satisfaction, identification with the group, belonging, joy, success, unity and cohesion.

The content of this chapter presents the study of the emotional management of directors who perform their work in two highly complex schools in Catalonia, Spain. The views of these directors as well as teachers and families examine: (1) the construction of their professional identity, (2) their social and ethical commitment to the community, (3) the orientation towards the values of social justice and (4) their emotional leadership practices focussed on personal attention towards all of the actors in the school community.

The chapter concludes with 10 suggestions that can be useful to improve the professional practice of school directors. These should also be taken into account when designing and implementing initial and ongoing training programmes for school leaders and to inspire ideas for future research.

Citation

Antúnez, S., Silva, P. and Slater, C.L. (2019), "Factors Affecting Emotional Management in Highly Complex Schools: The Case of Two Spanish Schools", Oplatka, I. and Arar, K. (Ed.) Emotion Management and Feelings in Teaching and Educational Leadership (Studies in Educational Administration), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 149-170. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-78756-010-920191019