Leading Change: From Emotional Intelligence to Organizational Design

Description

School principals are nowadays dealing with a rapidly changing educational landscape. They need to act not only as administrators, but as “leaders of change”.

That means that they are required to be able to design inclusive structures, manage cultural shifts, and guide their staff efficiently in the process.

This is definitely not an easy task, and most of the time, principals can identify and describe what to change, but they lack practical tools that can help them navigate complex change processes (with the result that complexity feels overwhelming rather than an opportunity for growth for them).

This course is designed to offer school principals a practical toolkit for leading improvement in their educational contexts.

They will be introduced to emotional intelligence principles, coaching techniques, positive psychology strategies, and advanced change management models in order to strengthen leadership capacity, manage conflicts constructively, and build collaborative, future-ready school cultures.

Drawing on established change management frameworks (such as Kotter’s 8-Step Model, systems thinking, and distributed leadership), this course will show how to turn apparently broad priorities into concrete routines, roles, and manageable timelines.

During the course, participants will also learn about the neuroscience behind leadership and emotional intelligence, practicing coaching and conflict management approaches through role plays and simulations (learning, for example, how to apply positive psychology models to empower their school staff).

Through peer learning, reflection circles, and case studies from European schools, participants will design practical action plans to implement change in their own contexts.

Also, the course program will include brief mindfulness and breathing exercises to be used as simple and effective tools to maintain emotional regulation.

By the end of the course, participants will leave having acquired an actionable “roadmap” that can be used immediately to manage conflict, change, and human relations efficiently and with confidence.

They will have learnt how to deal with their emotional intelligence, how to redesign organizational structures, and how to empower collaboration and inclusion among their staff.

More importantly, they will have gained the confidence to lead “change processes” that are steady, humane, and sustainable, building trust in their school communities as part of their everyday work.

Concept by Mariella Pugliesi

Learning outcomes

The course will help participants to:

• Strengthen their emotional intelligence to improve self-awareness, self-regulation, and interpersonal leadership;
• Apply coaching skills and positive psychology to motivate and empower staff;
• Master change management frameworks to successfully implement reforms;
• Use organizational design tools to create more collaborative and inclusive school cultures;
• Practice conflict management strategies and structured dialogue for difficult conversations;
• Develop a concrete action plan to lead change processes in their schools;
• Integrate mindfulness, breathing, and relaxation techniques to enhance focus, manage stress, and sustain personal well-being while leading;
• Build a European peer network for sharing innovation and best practices.

Tentative schedule

Day 1 – Introduction to the course

• Introduction to the course and the Academy;
• Introduction to the host city and the week’s cultural activities;
• Icebreaker activities;
• Presentations of the participants’ schools and institutions;

Emotional intelligence and neuroscience of leadership

• Understanding the neuroscience of leadership: emotion, cognition, and decision-making;
• Foundations of Emotional Intelligence (EI), self-awareness, and resilience;
• Self-assessment of EI and reflection: exploring triggers, strengths, and leadership styles;
• Relaxing Check out: guided mindfulness and grounding practice.

Day 2 – Coaching and positive psychology for leadership

• Introduction to coaching as a leadership tool: listening, questioning, and feedback;
• Coaching Frameworks Workshop: GROW, CLEAR, OSKAR; practical tips for motivating staff;
• Positive Psychology in Action: PERMA model and Appreciative Inquiry applied to school settings;
• Peer coaching triads: giving and receiving feedback;
• Relaxing, check out with empathy.

Day 3 – Organizational design and collaborative leadership

• Understanding organizational design in schools: structure, culture, and systems;
• Organizational design models (Mintzberg, Kotter, Systems Thinking);
• Mapping and analyzing participants’ school organizational structures;
• Distributed leadership, “Team of Teams approach,” building collaborative culture;
• Relaxing, check out relaxation techniques.

Day 4 – Change management and leading transformation

• Change management models (Kotter’s 8 Steps, Systems Thinking, Lewin’s Change Model);
• Leading staff through a change initiative; managing resistance;
• Case studies: successful change projects in European schools;
• Relaxing, check out with breathing techniques.

Day 5 – Conflict management, integration, and action planning

• Conflict management frameworks (TKI, Harvard Negotiation, NVC);
• Guided breathing and visualization exercises to enhance focus and emotional regulation before tackling complex scenarios;
• Handling parent-staff conflicts and difficult conversations;
• Action Plan Workshop: Finalize a concrete action plan integrating EI, coaching, change management, and organizational design;
• Relaxing, check out with kindness;
• Course evaluation: round-up of acquired competencies, feedback, and discussion;
• Awarding of the course Certificate of Attendance.

Day 6 – Structured cultural activities

• Structured cultural activity(ies) according to the hosting location;
• Learning journal: individual written reflection on the course experience;
• Course reflection: self-reflection and review of course materials and resources.

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