A New Generation of Educational Leaders

Mainstream education overemphasizes objectivism creating a culture favoring competition over emotional well-being. A balanced dialogue valuing cognitive and emotional intellect may benefit educator mental health. Emotional well-being is gaining importance within educator preparation, supporting how cognitive traits are vital but not adequate for optimal professional success. For this reason, it is imperative that the whole realm of human learning be reinforced by elements of holistic education often neglected. The purpose of this article is to: (1) describe the historical context of institutions of higher education (IHEs) in the United States; (2) illustrate how the sociocultural context influences higher education culture; (3) explain human intelligence theory; (4) present the nature of contemplative practice (CP); and (5) provide practical implications for a contemplative leadership approach that may best serve new generations of educational leaders and their personal and professional development.In Western education, the value of knowledge has been influenced by historic events and trends. Although no single event is responsible for the changing landscape of IHEs, the development and aftermath of the 1862 Morrill Land Grant Act greatly influenced the spirit of entrepreneurship and accountability in the United States (Nemec, 2006). Specifically, the land grants offered by Morrill’s legislation awarded funds for instruction in agriculture and technical education (Nemec, 2006). Thereafter, curriculum progressively extended beyond the liberal arts and proceeded to offer professional disciplines technical in nature.By the 20th century, drastic curriculum and instructional changes took place in U.S. higher education. In the 1950s, the Vietnam War induced fear of nuclear warfare and, later that decade, Sputnik provoked anxiety related to the failures of public education, particularly in the areas of science and mathematics (Pinar, 2012). In the 1960s, Kleinman et al. (2011) reported how federal support for IHEs was bountiful and discussions around standardizing practices began to gain popularity. At this time, cognitive intellect grounded in the scientific method became an influential trend, affecting the focus of U.S. education, and eventually launching the standardization movement in schools (Goleman, 2006).In the 1970s, IHEs began experiencing increasing financial pressure and initiated the promotion of businesslike strategies over collegial models of governance (Kleinman et al., 2011). The financial pressures promoted competition for external sources of funding in the 1980s (i.e., grants), and targeted areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. By the 1990s, boundaries between IHEs and industry were muddled. Mainstream discussions around scientific evidence and objectivism became the focal point, leaving the liberal arts behind. Objectivism represents a particular paradigm that suggests ideas are only perceived as valid if proven by observable outcomes (Palmer, 1983). With this lens in mind, knowledge can only be understood as true if successfully tested through modern science.The epistemological trend of the 20th century influenced a more pragmatic and functional nature of higher education providing less emphasis, if not discouraging, personal development. As a result, this continues to cultivate a number of value paradoxes within U.S. education, such as worth versus achievement (Purpel, 1989). For instance, the hidden rules of the academy condition adult learners to compete with one another for grades, honors, and recognitions. Becoming achievement- focused, paradoxically, reverts adult learner consciousness to one of scarcity and competition, thereby promoting individuality. Individuality instigates competition where “the acquisition of materials, feeling good, and a sense of achievement become the common standards for individual pursuits,” instilling the notion that achievement becomes the prerequisite for worth and acceptance in Western culture (Purpel, 1989, p. 32). This form of cognitive dissonance calls into question the intrinsic nature of self-worth, suggesting it is extrinsic, testable, and therefore disputable. Such achievement-focused customs return awareness to one of contest and inadequacy resulting in an ideological struggle that contextualizes personal development and calls attention to its relevance in today’s society.In Western rationality, the overemphasis on objective dogma may orient individuals to reason and presuppose the world in terms of binaries—right or wrong, success or failure, worthy or unworthy, et cetera (Ben-Shahar, 2009). For fear of being the latter (i.e., wrong, failure, unworthy), many become achievement-focused leaving no room for middle ground. As a result, current times have been referenced by many scholars as the culture of “never enough,” the “all-or-nothing” way of life, and society in pursuit of perfection (Ben-Shahar, 2009; Brown, 2010, 2015). These thought patterns have been recognized by cognitive behavioral theorists as cognitive distortions—inaccurate thoughts that convince individuals of a reality that simply is not true (Greenberger Liberman, 2017).The concept of EQ dates back to Ancient Greek philosophy and modes of Socratic inquiry to explore topics concerning social causes, political issues, and self-awareness. Noddings (2012) writes, “Socrates insisted that self-knowledge is basic to all knowledge. It accompanies and informs our critical examination of the larger society” (p. 7). It is important to note that Socrates made a case for emotional competencies between 469-399 B.c., and it has been a constant point of public discourse since. What Socrates understood as self-awareness is now viewed as an aspect of EQ theory today (Goleman, 2006), urging the significance of its benefits for the human capacity. To date, a number of scholars have theorized human intellect to extend beyond a unitary capacity to include social, emotional, and cultural knowledge.Many theorists argue against objective views of human intelligence considering them narrow and rigid. For instance, Howard Gardner’s (1983, 1993) multiple and personal intelligence theories are grounded in seven different ways of knowing, accounting for cultural influence, temporal differences, and changing contexts (as cited in Barrington, 2004). Moreover, Robert Sternberg’s (1985) triarchic human intelligence theory includes analytical aptitude thought to manage the ability to stabilize and focus the mind for increased creativity and problem-solving skills. Similarly, Peter Salovey and John Mayer’s (1990) understanding of EQ extends beyond memory to include the overall benefits of mental health. Lastly, Daniel Goleman (2006) defined EQ as having the capacity to be taught and learned. As a whole, these conceptual frameworks argue for emotional competencies and its potential benefit to personal and professional development as well as positive impact for an improved quality of life. Please see Table 1.EQ includes meta-abilities that determine how well individuals focus their attention to sought-after goals. Skeptics have called out the many conflicting notions of EQ, noting that, given its multifaceted nature, it cannot be rationalized as a valid concept (Waterhouse, 2006). Alternatively, Cherniss et al. (2006) reminds critics that there was no universal agreement on the meaning of other constructs, such as IQ. For that reason, expecting unanimous consensus for EQ is holding it to a different standard. Although researchers in the field have challenged these flaws with supporting evidence for the contrary belief, such gaps may carry over to the theoretical foundation related to CP.This section articulates the potential need for emotional competencies in IHEs through the use of CP. The relevant literature related to EQ provides a theoretical viewpoint that frames the construct of CP for a thorough understanding of the concept. CP and its potential benefits may best serve new generations of educational leaders by cultivating inner harmony, managing internal states, and adapting to ever-changing professional contexts among other advantages. Specifically, the following areas are covered: (1) historical context of CP, (2) working definition of CP, and (3) neuroscience of CP.The concept of CP emerges from earlier ideologies. Rendón (2009) describes an array of historical belief systems that include elements of CP: (1) Christian practices in the discernment of spirits, (2) Buddhist exercises in meditation, (3) Jewish Kabbalah strategies for deep pondering, (4) Hindu activities of yoga, and (5) Plato’s concept of radical questioning. The foundation of CP derives from historical spiritual and philosophical ideologies (Barbezat & Bush, 2014). Yet, it is important to note that no spiritual or philosophical foundation is required to engage in CP. When CP is understood as a stand-alone construct it serves a more diverse demographic, allowing for broader meaning-making abilities in the spirit of discovery (Congleton et al., 2017).The key principles that makeup CP are formulations that cut across many ideologies that inherently reflect morality— “a term that focuses on principles, rules, and ideas that are related to human relationships as well as how we deal with each other and with the world” (Purpel, 1989, p. 66). 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