By Tricia Pothour, Ed.D., Assistant Dean of Enrollment Management, Graduate and Professional Programs, University of Iowa, Tippie College of Business, AACRAO SEM-EP Graduate, Live from #AACRAO2026
Dr. Cassandra Heath, University Registrar at Biola University, delivered a compelling and deeply reflective session, “Leadership at the Edge: How Admissions Leaders Manage Emotional Labor in a Landscape of Crisis and Change,” examining emotional labor and leadership, grounded in both lived experience and her doctoral research. While leaders face many visible challenges, the emotional labor required to navigate them successfully often goes unseen. Enrollment leaders, in particular, experience pressure to remain positive and steady, even when circumstances feel overwhelming.
What is emotional labor?
Emotional labor involves managing what we feel and how we express those feelings at work. At times, what leaders project outwardly must differ from what they are experiencing internally due to professional expectations or display rules, the unspoken norms governing emotional expression in certain settings. Emotional labor can take the form of surface acting (masking or changing outward expressions), deep acting (attempting to change internal feelings), or genuine expression (when felt and expressed emotions align).
Leaders often carry a disproportionate emotional load, especially during periods of crisis. Emotional labor is frequently used to regulate teams, steady morale, and sustain momentum. Over time, however, constant surface acting can lead to burnout. Emotional endurance is strengthened through support, autonomy, and alignment between personal values and institutional mission.
Through Dr. Heath’s doctoral research, three central themes emerged:
1. Persevering Through Institutional Expectations: Choosing Integrity
Leaders are often required to carry multiple, overlapping expectations, times when everything feels like a priority and true prioritization is impossible. In these moments, emotional labor can help regulate strain, steady others, and sustain leadership under pressure. When grounded in integrity, leaders can use emotional labor as a tool to support team health.
2. Boundaries, Presence, and the Cost of Authenticity
Emotional leadership can be stabilizing for teams during crises, but it comes with a cost. Leaders must continually decide which emotions to share and which to withhold, often sacrificing full authenticity for the sake of their teams. It is important to acknowledge this cost and intentionally create space for self-care and reflection so leaders can continue showing up with presence and purpose.
3. Anchored in Personal Mission, Sustained by Hope
Leaders draw strength from their personal mission, particularly when it aligns with the institution’s values and goals. When misalignment occurs, surface acting and emotional strain often increases. In times of uncertainty, hope can serve as a powerful stabilizing force, supporting leaders’ resilience and sustaining their commitment to the work.
Key Takeaways
- Hidden but important: Emotional labor is not always visible, but it plays a critical role in leadership effectiveness and well-being.
- Build emotional endurance: Emotional endurance is shaped by optimism, integrity, and authenticity.
- Know your limits: Reflection, recovery, and boundary setting are essential to reducing emotional labor burnout.
- Foster trust: Create space for honest dialogue, including conversations about emotional expectations.
- Model healthy behavior: Avoid modeling practices that set unrealistic emotional or professional expectations.
Dr. Heath’s session offered a timely and affirming reminder that leadership is not only strategic and operational, but deeply emotional work. By naming emotional labor and examining its impact, leaders can better understand their own experiences, make more intentional choices, and create healthier environments for themselves and their teams. Recognizing emotional labor as a meaningful and manageable part of leadership is an important step toward sustaining both effectiveness and well-being in enrollment leadership.
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