The role of the principal’s emotional intelligence in primary education leadership - Vasiliki Brinia, Lina Zimianiti, Konstantinos Panagiotopoulos, 2014. A principal’s emotional intelligence skills are vital to a collaborative effort to increase student achievement and to ensure the school’s well-being as a learning community (Gray, 2009). The research included assessments of emotional intelligence (the SEI) and a leadership self-report (the Leadership Vital Signs ), along with 4 interventions and 4 focus groups. The study followed a group of principals in an urban school district in California for one school year. The development of emotional intelligence skills offers sufficient leadership qualities for advancing the organization and for achieving its objectives. The Role of the Principal's Emotional Intelligence in Primary Education Leadership. If you aspire to be in a leadership role, there’s an emotional element you need to consider. The development of emotional intelligence skills offers sufficient leadership qualities for advancing the organization and for achieving its objectives. The technical skills that helped secure your first promotion might not guarantee your next. It’s called emotional intelligence, and accounts for nearly 90 percent of what sets high performers apart from … It’s what helps you successfully coach teams, manage stress, deliver feedback, and collaborate with others.