Latina Community College Leaders and the Role Cultural Intelligence Plays in Their Leadership (El liderazgo inteligente de administradoras Latinas

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to discover and describe how Latina community college administrators utilize the four elements of Cultural Intelligence (CQ) to provide leadership in their organizations.;Methodology: The phenomenological qualitative approach was used to describe the utilization of cultural intelligence of 10 Latina community college administrators to provide effective leadership in their organizations. The researcher conducted in-depth interviews to gain insight into participants' leadership behaviors outlined in the study's purpose. An examination of the data collected revealed patterns and themes.;Findings: Examination of study participants' interviews resulted in 10 themes and 411 frequencies among the 4 elements of Cultural Intelligence. Twelve key findings were discovered based on the frequency of mentions made by the study participants.;Conclusions: The 12 key findings were summarized as four conclusions, one for each Cultural Intelligence element. Latina leaders in this study stressed the importance of knowing your purpose; remembering your personal story and being empathetic; honoring and respecting everyone; asking questions; learning from one another; becoming advocates of change; helping to pave the way for others; checking themselves regularly; knowing your audience and adapting accordingly; practicing self-awareness; and remaining student-centered.;Recommendations: Further research examining the role that cultural intelligence (CQ) plays in Latina leadership within community colleges could provide insight into the positive aspects of culture that possibly influence Latina leadership effectiveness.