Exploring Leadership Communication Competencies, Within Health Care, That May Have Been Exacerbated by the Pandemic

Abstract

Objective: The aim was to explore the existence of health care leadership gaps in communication, which occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, by utilizing a qualitative research approach. Materials and Methods: Participants were recruited from a single professional organization. The volunteer leadership group was the frame for recruiting study participation. This work was conducted with a flexible research design method. A demographic survey, interview guide, and data triangulation survey were used to collect data from 21 participants over a four-week period. The participant responses were then analyzed through a process of coding and thematic analysis. Results: Five themes were generated from this cohort’s data, which alluded to gaps in leadership communication. These gaps occurred in the leader/employee relationship, at their respective institutions. Triangulation of the data from surveys underscored the presence of these communication gaps. Conclusion: The findings of this study may suggest the importance of a set of communication competencies for those in health care leadership, regardless of the complexities of a pandemic.