The purpose of this research was to study the relationship between emotional intelligence and administrative advancement in one urban school division; however, data acquired in the course of study may have revealed areas that could be further developed in future studies to increase the efficacy of principals and, perhaps, to inform the selection and training process for prospective administrators. This phenomenon, then, might increase aspirants’ opportunities for advancement and augment the pool of potential leadership candidates as well. The open-minded administrator realizes that extremely well honed interpersonal skills are critical in order to inspire and emotionally move others to work towards a shared vision. Without a high degree of emotional intelligence, such a collaborative climate may not be created easily. Attuned to the feelings of others, leaders rich in EQ can help their peers to achieve at high levels and work comfortably in a cooperative way.

The self-report version of the Emotional and Social Competence Inventory (ESCI) (Goleman, 1998) was administered electronically to principals and assistant principals in one urban school division. In turn, each principal or assistant principal was asked to provide an email address for four other individuals capable of assessing their interpersonal skills via the 360 degree version of the ESCI. Data were collected using the statistical package, SPSS, and analyzed using a variety of statistical analyses. Variables included level of emotional intelligence, age, gender, ethnicity, and level of school (elementary, middle or high); number of times an individual applied for an administrative position; the length of time it took to be appointed to such a position; and the number of administrative positions held. This was a nonexperimental, quantitative comparative/descriptive study.