Effective leadership tenets during times of disruptive change

ABSTRACT

Leaders play an important role in guiding organizations through periods of disruptive change. With accelerating changes in technology, globalization, and the environment, leaders face significant challenges. Disruptive change places stress on employees and organizational cultures. Change situations have historically occurred due to diversity, increases or decreases in profitability, changes in management or leadership, or strategy changes. Change also takes place during growth or boundary expansion. Firms fail to survive following disruptive change due to their reactions at the point of disruptive change. This study was focused on determining leadership tenets that are effective based on the lived experiences of individuals who have led an organization through disruptive change. A qualitative case study using convenience sampling methods was used to explore the lived experiences of 9 individuals who led a hospital through a period of disruptive change due to Covid-19. Dealing with Covid-19 created negative emotions among staff members and the collective reaction to the human grieving process. Empathy, listening, foresight, and communication skills were required for leaders to assist staff members to overcome and eliminate these emotional challenges so they could operate effectively within the environment. Learning what these individuals found effective and ineffective can suggest developmental opportunities needed to improve practice. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)