Improved Emotional Competence and Leadership among Harvard Student Leaders

Improved Emotional Competence and Leadership among Harvard Student Leaders
Hoffman Institute Leadership Path, 2008 The Emotional Competence & Leadership Study at Harvard
Anne Gill, Ph.D. Research Associate, Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh

The Hoffman Institute Leadership Path was offered to students at Harvard in March 2008. Thirty-five students participated in the Process and completed an assessment comprised of items aimed at measuring improvement in domains specifically targeted by the Hoffman Process as well as domains previously identified to relate to emotional competence and effective leadership (Boyatzis, Goleman, Rhee, 2000). Items from the Emotional Competence Questionnaire (ECI; Boyatzis, Goleman, Rhee) were used to assess gains in domains of emotional functioning deemed relevant for leadership.

The Hoffman Institute Leadership Path participants were asked to complete this assessment prior to their participation in the Process, and at one month and three months after their completion of the Process. Participants were assessed in the domains of emotional competence.

At the one month follow-up, participants demonstrated improvement on 51 of 52 items, in all 13 emotional competence domains as well as the specific areas targeted by the Process (spirituality, communication, authenticity, etc.) At three-months post-Process, participants demonstrated improvement on all 52 items, and continued improvement for 17 of 52 the items.