Exploring Leadership Through Shakespeare and Emotional Intelligence

Over the course of two days on campus, Ben Walden called on the members of the Belmont Hill community to cultivate their own sense of purpose and grasp the role emotional intelligence plays in effective leadership. 

Mr. Walden is an international speaker and workshop leader specializing in themes of leadership and inspiring communication, specifically in educational settings. In the 1990’s he played several leading roles in London’s West End theatre and was a member of the inaugural company at the new Shakespeare’s Globe. The oratory dynamism of his theatrical background was on full display during his visits to Belmont Hill.

As part of the School’s annual professional development day on February 10, Mr. Walden led a Faculty workshop exploring the qualities of impactful leadership through the lens of Shakespeare’s Henry V. With a close analysis of Henry’s journey through the play, and the works of authors such as Joseph Campbell and Carl Jung, the Faculty reflected on the psychological components of leadership and how to hone a sense of purpose that best serves their students and community. 

In a School Meeting on February 11, Mr. Walden examined the type of education students need for building leadership skills and emotional intelligence. He identified a traditional school curriculum of studying the outside world through history, language, math, or science as “external education.”  The study of one’s emotions and inner life is what Mr. Walden refers to as “internal education,” and is where he sees a widening gap.

Speaking to the boys, Mr. Walden discussed the primary emotions that make up one’s inner life–joy, fear, anger and sadness–and gave students the opportunity to reflect on how each emotion manifests in their own lives on a daily basis. 

Mr. Walden connected understanding these emotions in oneself and identifying them in others as key to developing the leadership skills needed in the world today. “We need to be a much more collaborative union of citizens where individual voices can be heard and different perspectives brought into the equation,” Mr. Walden said. “And we can’t do that if we can’t acknowledge these emotions.” 

This School Meeting was part of Belmont Hill's Speaker Program.

Title Photo by Daniel Duarte