As a school administrator, I believe that Interpersonal intelligence plays a key role in my position. It is my job to understand people and what motivates them. I work with students, staff, parents, and other community members to ensure that the school is a safe and welcoming environment for all. The research done by Ekaette Emenike Iroegbu in the article Administrators’ Interpersonal Intelligence and Quality Management of Education in Akwa Ibom State Public Secondary Schools (2018) examines how the school administration’s interpersonal intelligence correlates with the quality of management inside the school. In the findings,school administration that had higher levels of interpersonal intelligence had a higher quality of management skills for the building. This indicates that administrators that understand the importance of the situation are more likely to have higher quality of management in the schools. Iroegbu (2018) states, “Intelligence goes beyond just being book smart but entails how well one can put the intelligence into good and positive use in order to enhance quality management of education as in the case of school administrators, (p.1).

When looking at the role as an administrator in a professional learning community, it is important to recognize the importance of interpersonal intelligence. The goal is to support the students and staff.

As an administrator, it is important to understand the people in the building. Communication has to be at the forefront when determining the best course of action in a school. Teachers need to know not only what is being implemented, but why. When new guidelines or curriculum is going into effect there has to be communication as to why they are going into effect. There has to be buy-in from everyone to properly implement something of importance. It is valuable for all to understand instead of just being told.

Interpersonal intelligence works to see different points of view. When facing a situation, people with high levels of interpersonal intelligence work to understand where people are coming from. Administrators deal with many situations that involve multiple perspectives. They have to understand that there is always more than one way to look at a situation. When dealing with a student conflict, they have to hear it from all parties involved. They cannot just take a side without hearing everyone out. In some cases, when listening to all parties involved it can be seen that there is a misunderstanding or miscommunication that led to the conflict. It is their role to help mediate the situation to get to the best outcome for everyone.

Administrators work to create positive relationships inside and outside of the school. The goal is to create an environment that is safe and welcoming for all. I know I work to establish relationships with students and staff to ensure that they know that I am listening to them and not just hearing them. This creates a positive environment that allows people to be honest and seek the help and guidance that they need.

Reference:
Emenike Iroegbu, E. (2019). Administrators’ Interpersonal Intelligence and Quality Management of Education in Akwa Ibom State Public Secondary Schools. Afribary. Retrieved from https://afribary.com/works/administrators-interpersonal-intelligence-and-quality-management-of-education-in-akwa-ibom-state-public-secondary-schools