Authentic leadership in a pandemic world: an exploratory study in the Indian context

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the strategies that helps leaders be authentic in order to be able to respond proactively and become effective in helping their organisations they lead in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Design/methodology/approach Using a qualitative approach, 25 business leaders from diverse sectors were interviewed to understand what sustained them in an adverse context. Findings Results reveal various dimensions of authentic leadership in a disruptive environment. Authentic leaders have to exhibit distinct behaviours that stems from re-examining oneself to reaffirming organisational purpose. Reimagining the work is emerged as the newer dimension to the authentic leadership considering the context of COVID-19. Practical implications The results of the study provides insights for anyone leading organisations in today's disruptive business environment. The findings of this study can be used further to undertake quantitative studies to test professional relationships and understand the leadership strategies at different time frames. Originality/value This paper addresses the strategies that leaders successfully follow to withstand the COVID crisis and highlights the different roles and behaviours that helped leaders to address the crisis confidently.

Analysis of Challenges Experienced by Students with Online Classes During the COVID-19 Pandemic

In the current context of the COVID-19 pandemic, due to restrictions in mobility and the closure of schools, people had to shift to work from home. India has the world’s second-largest pool of internet users, yet half its population lacks internet access or knowledge to use digital services. The shift to online mediums for education has exposed the stark digital divide in the education system. The digitization of education proved to be a significant challenge for students who lacked the devices, internet facility, and infrastructure to support the online mode of education or lacked the training to use these devices. These challenges raise concerns about the effectiveness of the future of education, as teachers and students find it challenging to communicate, connect, and assess meaningful learning. This study was conducted at one of the universities in India using a purposive sampling method to understand the challenges faced by the students during the online study and their satisfaction level. This paper aims to draw insight from the survey into the concerns raised by students from different backgrounds while learning from their homes and the decline in the effectiveness of education. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.