Eureka! Institutional Repository

Emotional Intelligence (E.I.) consists a parameter that has drawn the research community’s attention during the last 4 decades. The term E.I. usually refers to the leaders’ ability to recognize and manage the emotions of their employees or colleagues. Education consists a profession where E.I. definitely plays an important role, while also seems to be largely linked to decision making. In particular, writers and researchers has emphasized the fact that decision making consists a characteristic which distinguishes an effective leader by those ineffective, and inevitably, no one can avoid decision making processes while on a responsibility position. Education is also a sector where decisions definitely take part in an everyday basis. However, decision making seems to be influenced and also influence. On the one hand, it is the result of E.I. levels a leader (School Principal in this thesis) has, while on the other hand it seems to affect situations inside institutions, such as work climate. Thus, this thesis firstly examines teachers’ of the Ionian Islands Educational Region views about the characteristics they consider being more important for someone on a School Principal’s position. Then, through the use of a structured and validated questionnaire, thesis examines their perception about features’ existence concerning high levels of E.I. Finally, their view about the possible School Principal’s E.I. effect on decision making, is also examined. Thesis’ main goal was to create a basis concerning all the above views, assisting future subsequent researches, on an issue that seems to attract an increasing interest. Research’s results showed that the more important features for a School Principal include the attitude self-regulation, the E.I. itself and the ability to motivate, while social and communication skills follow. In addition, School Principals look like the show sufficient E.I. levels, according to their subordinates, not that high though. Finally, School Principals seem to be interested to create and maintain a healthy work climate in the institution and their decisions are affected by their E.I. levels.