Effective School Management

parties to rise above their differences about methods to look to future
achievement rather than past frictions.
  It is in managing conflict that ‘emotional intelligence’ really comes into its
own – although it is also relevant in many other management situations. The
concept was popularized in Daniel Goleman’s best-seller (Goleman, 1996; see
also Goleman, 1998) and it is particularly useful in countering the
paramountcy of the intellect, which often typifies educational institutions.
Emotional intelligence is claimed to be twice as important as IQ plus
technical skills for outstanding performance.
  Emotional intelligence is defined as ‘the capacity for recognizing our own
feelings and those of others for motivating ourselves and managing

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MANAGING CONFLICT
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emotions well in ourselves and our relationships’. Thus it includes self-
control, anger management, zeal, persistence and, above all, empathy. Such
skills can be learnt, and this can help to prevent unnecessary conflict, e.g.
when giving criticism, dealing with aggressive children or influencing
moods. Almost any sort of relationship (including marriage) can be
improved by the application of emotional intelligence. You can assess your
own by visiting the following website: www.EISGlobal.com.
PERSONAL APPLICATION
A useful exercise is to think about some conflict in which you are involved and to
try very deliberately to understand the position of your adversary or adversaries.
Why are they behaving as they are? What are the pressures on them? What do they
wish to achieve? What common goal is there? What possibilities are there for accord?
Often it can be helpful to discuss your perceptions with a colleague. Much learning
and many solutions have been achieved in this way.
DISCUSSION TOPIC
What does the group find to be the major causes of conflict? What are the
implications for working and social relationships?
FURTHER READING
Fisher, R. and Brown, S. (1989) Getting Together, Random House Business Books, London.
Fisher, R. and Ury, W. (1997) Getting to Yes, Arrow, London.
Katz, N.H. and Lawyer, J.W. (1994) Preventing and Managing Conflict in Schools, Corwin
Press, Thousand Oaks, Calif.
McBride, P. and Maitland, S. (2002) The EI Advantage, McGraw-Hill, Maidenhead.
Sloan, A.P. (1986) My Years with General Motors, Sidgwick & Jackson, London.