SELF-LEADERSHIP PERCEPTION AND EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AS THE PREDICTORS OF COGNITIVE FLEXIBILITY

Abstract

Cognitive flexibility is one of the most important skills that school administrators should have in today's world of rapid change and transformation. This study aimed to explore whether emotional intelligence and self-leadership predicted cognitive flexibility. The study universe consisted of principals and deputy principals working in primary, secondary and upper-secondary schools affiliated with the Provincial Directorate of National Education in the center and districts of Amasya in the 2019-2020 academic year. The views of participating school administrators who voluntarily participated in the study (N=204) were analyzed in the framework of the study. Self-Leadership Questionnaire, Cognitive Flexibility Scale and Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire were used as data collection tools in addition to the Personal Information Form developed by the researcher. In the analysis the data was used for the multiple regression analysis conducted to determine whether self-leadership and emotional intelligence predicted cognitive flexibility. Based on the study results, it was concluded that self-leadership and emotional intelligence together -with all their dimensions- had a predictive effect on cognitive flexibility. Based on the results of the research, it can be said that training and practices that improve administrators’ emotional intelligence levels and provide them with self-leadership awareness will make an indirect contribution to cognitive flexibility skills. Based on the results of the research, it can be argued that offering training and practices that improve administrators’ emotional intelligence levels and provide self-leadership awareness will make an indirect contribution to the development of their cognitive flexibility skills. Keywords: Self-leadership; emotional intelligence; cognitive flexibility; school administrators