Emotional Intelligent Leadership and Its Imperative for Governing Developmental Universities in the 21st Century

Introduction

Universities are social institutions that exist and operate in a complex and challenging environment as knowledge creators and actors (Stone, 2012). The reality that higher education institutions have to deal with a diverse array of stakeholders, students, funders, parents and respective communities, make them dynamic and difficult to govern. As such, institutions of higher learning are challenged to transform themselves to play a decisive role in an ever-changing environment. With globalization and global restructuring of economies as well as the demands imposed by knowledge-based economy, academic institutions are demanded to be the driver of knowledge production and skills development (NDP, 2011 and World Bank Group, 2-18) Globalization expects higher education systems to play an active role in social and economic development in the ‘knowledge society’ (Castle, 1998). The demand for intensive labour with high-level skills has placed high demand on the universities and other institutions of higher education to train and produce professional and a competent workforce. Higher education sector is charged with the responsibility of expanding the production of highly skilled professionals and further enhance the innovative capacity of the nation (NDP, 2011, p. 263).

The developed nations compared to developing ones have managed to invest in education, hence are able to benefit from the globalized economy and take advantage of their highly competitive higher education systems. Considering that society has great expectations on universities to provide sustainable solutions (Tshishonga, 2019), these institutions are compelled to empower themselves and employ appropriate governance-based leadership. Most South African Universities are led by senior administrators as Vice Chancellors, people with high qualifications obtained from prestigious universities, locally and abroad. Thus, leadership with emotionally intelligence is capable of building relationships based on attributes such as integrity, courage, optimism, resilience, self-reflectiveness, capacity to listen, decisiveness, discipline and compassion (Gourley, 2016). However, university leadership without adequate emotional intelligent skills and competencies are bound to fail in leading higher education institutions into competitive, dynamic and robust centres of learning and scholarship.

For universities to navigate the complex and volatile environment and manage various stakeholders, relational leadership grounded on building strong and visionary teams is imperative. This chapter therefore aims to examine the potential impact of adopting emotional intelligent leadership in growing capable, developmental, and people-centred universities. The chapter used both empirical and secondary data to argue for universities to play their developmental role effectively. Above the managerial and professionalism skills and competencies, emotional intelligent leadership is needed among its administrative and academic leaders to contribute meaningfully to the developmental role of universities. Universities are designed to drive the information/knowledge system, advance human development through educating and training the nation, (NDP, 2011). Thus, universities exist as instruments and engines for development (van Schalkwyk, 2013). Professional leadership based on emotional intelligent skill, knowledge and competency is imperative to execute these functions. Universities operate in a complex and dynamic environment which demand rapid changes and stability, hence the building and maintenance of academic and social relationship among their stakeholders.