Have you ever encountered a leader who just had the "it" factor? They always knew the right thing to do, and it almost felt like they could read the minds of others and anticipate their needs? What if I told you that these are also things that can be learned and strengthened within oneself based on the emotional intelligence framework? Research has shown for years the strong link that exists between emotional intelligence and impactful leadership. Though the research is strong in outlining organizational impacts in all settings, including education, there is still limited research on how this learned trait of emotional intelligence can be applied to aspiring female district level leaders in the K-12 educational realm. This is important because in the field of education where almost three quarters of teachers are female, there is almost a 50% down trend of females who enter and remain in district level leadership positions. This research is a phenomenological qualitative study. The purpose of this study is to investigate the emotional intelligence of female district level leaders in the K-12 education system and to determine the similarities and differences which exist in their emotional intelligence competencies. The resulting implications could be that this information be utilized in the recruitment and coaching of aspiring and existing female leaders in district level position. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]