Leadership Crisis Research Articles

مشرق وسطیٰ میں امن و امان کے عصری مسائل: تنقیدی جائزہ

The Muslim Ummah has much more problems in the contemporary era. Although, Islam teaches the Muslims to be united, but they are divided due to some reasons. This article is about Ummah’s these interior issues. The narrative methodology is used in it. The Muslim rulers have become the political agents of Neocolonial System after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. They took part in this tragedy and thus the formation of the so-called Israel, a Zionist state, easily took place according to the Crusaders preparation. The establishment of Muslim Caliphate's hope is running out due to the militant trends in the Middle East. Freedom fighters are declaring as terrorists and Islamic political parties are not allowed in politics while the militant groups like Islamic State of ISIS and Yemeni Houthi rebel etc. are ruling in Iraq, Yemen and Syria which are destabilizing countries now. The mutually cold war of the Gulf States hollowing out each other and increased opportunities for Uni-Polar Power who wants to fix Bloody Borders. Lack of unity in the Ummah and inability of our rulers are the cause of crisis of leadership of Muslim countries. The Shiites and Sunnis sectarian conflicts replaced as Rafziyat and Nasbiyat. These both extremist groups want to control the two holy cities of Islam. Iranians should not miss the brilliant chance to regain Jerusalem, otherwise they should face the divine warning of Sufyani before Imam Mahdi.

Crisis Leadership and Moral Rhetoric After a Foreign Attack on the Homeland: Zelenskyy, Bush, and Churchill

What kind of moral rhetoric do national leaders use after their homelands are attacked by foreign forces? Informed by crisis leadership literature, this study uses Moral Foundations Theory (MFT) to examine the rhetoric of three leaders of nations before and after attacks by foreign forces: Ukrainian President Zelenskyy and the 2022 Russian invasion, U.S. President Bush and the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and British Prime Minister Churchill and the 1940–41 German bombing campaign. The word-based automated content analysis shows that following the attacks the leaders substantially shifted their moral rhetoric. They also employed similar moral rhetoric, mainly by using Harm rhetoric, presumably to condemn the destruction and loss of life suffered by their nations. All three also emphasized Loyalty rhetoric, presumably as a call to nationalism, and Authority rhetoric, presumably to rally followership. Otherwise, they gave little attention to Degradation rhetoric, which presumably would demonize the enemy. This study is one of very few to evaluate political elite rhetoric during crises. It is also one of a small number to assess political elite rhetoric through the lens of MFT. It demonstrates that MFT can be a useful tool for understanding political elite rhetoric and crisis management across heterogeneous contexts.

The Brass-Bells Drum: An African Literary Writer’s imaging of Neo-colonial woes in Nigeria

Literature reflects and refracts socio-political issues. Novels, a genre of literature, images of socio-political realities with a view to proffering solutions to some of the threats to human and social development. This essay examines the depiction of postcolonial disillusion and neo-colonial woes in Nigeria as represented in Akińwùmí Ìṣọ̀lá’s Saworoide translated, as The Brass-Bells Drum by Pamela Olubunmi J. Smith. The paper hinged on the Marxist Sociology of Literature and Postcolonial approaches, it critically evaluates inept political leadership and corrupt practices. The analysis reveals that corrupt leadership and followership undermine the development of Nigeria. Some of the major challenges undermining the development of Nigeria are the insincerity and insensitivity of political leaders to the plight of the masses, selection/electoral corruption, mismanagement of public funds, abuse of power, neglect of the masses, political assassination, bribery, and corruption. It is established in the novel that, the greatest obstacles to Nigeria’s development are inept leadership and corruption. The paper concludes that the uniqueness of Iṣọla’s discourse of postcolonial woes manifests in the adroit blend of motifs and narrative techniques of political instability, betrayal of trust, acute leadership crisis, and corruption. The novelist advocates harnessing some tangible and intangible cultural heritage as well as communal revolt to checkmate the continuing spread of this menace of (mis)governance in Nigeria.

Non-profit crisis leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic in India and the United States

ABSTRACT During extreme crises, governments’ capacity is compromised, and they need support from non-profits, especially to reach the vulnerable and marginalised. Our qualitative study examines leadership response to the COVID-19 pandemic at four US and Indian non-profits; they paused their mission-related activities to focus on crisis leadership tasks. Our key findings reveal the importance of obtaining reliable information, balancing service delivery and stakeholder safety, communication with stakeholders, accepting the new normal and adopting creative solutions. These findings can inform training non-profit leaders on a number of key issues.

Rwanda's Genocide and the Leadership Crisis in the Rwandan Anglican Church

The 1994 Rwandan genocide transformed the leadership of the Anglican Church in a way that mirrored the ethnic divides that had precipitated the genocide itself. This transition was effected through a church conflict that unfolded in the midst of a cataclysmic civil war. Understanding the nature of the conflict and leadership transition illuminates the way in which African church identity is constructed as a result of an interplay between local, regional and global actors. The post-genocide conflict in the diocese of Kigali is studied at particular length to indicate the ways in which these actors each sought position and influence.

School Leaders’ Crisis Leadership Competencies and their Pandemic Response Strategies

Based on the Meta-Leadership Model of Marcus et al. (2007), as cited by Saltz (2017), this research documented and assessed the crisis leadership competencies and pandemic response strategies of school leaders in the DepEd Division of Northern Samar. Utilizing a sequential exploratory approach, qualitative and quantitative designs were adopted. Thus, in the qualitative component, eight (8) school leaders participated in face-to-face interview sessions, wherein the emerging themes from their responses highlighted the concept that meta-leaders have a higher effect than their real authority because they exert a strong influence on their followers, aiding them in overcoming obstacles and seizing opportunities. They understood the nature and significance of the situation, and in order to keep a diverse group of people on track, they weaved together key themes that highlighted the organization's core purpose and ambitions. In the qualitative aspect, the broader population of 130 respondents answered a questionnaire about school leaders' crisis leadership competencies, which revealed the following results: "Very High" on Team Leadership (AWM =3.25); "High" on Situational Awareness and Integrative Thinking (AWM =3.18); and "High" on Decisiveness and Emotional Effectiveness (AWM =3.24). In addition, respondents completed a questionnaire regarding the extent of the school leader's pandemic response strategies, which revealed the following findings: Promoting Organizational Resilience, "Large Extent" (AWM =3.24); Acting with Integrity, "Very Large Extent" (AWM =3.29); and Exhibiting Learning Orientation, "Large Extent" (AWM =2.96). based on the results, the researcher contends that when establishing a crisis management plan for a successful pandemic response strategy, school leaders must prioritize the following elements: communication, high productivity, technology use, and accessibility. On the basis of these factors, the current researcher proposes the following three focus areas for the crisis management plan: (1) establishing guidelines or policies for remote work for faculty and staff; (2) embracing remote work for department heads, master teachers, and focal persons; and (3) developing inclusive and collaborative virtual meetings. The researcher also suggests that school administrators think about adopting the recommended crisis management plan to make sure that all important aspects of the school system are taken care of.

Business crisis management in wartime: Insights from Ukraine

AbstractOur research documents the experiences of business crisis management in wartime Ukraine. The goal of the paper is to contribute to our understanding of business crisis management in a conflict zone in wartime conditions, a significantly under‐researched area. Based on interviews with the owners and managers of 20 Ukrainian companies spanning sectors and geography of the country, the paper provides insights into the various elements that characterize and distinguish war as a crisis type, including having an unknown end point, and, furthermore, what we can learn from how Ukrainian managers have approached this crisis. Among the key findings are how war situations appear to be “cosmology episodes” for which it is not possible to adequately prepare and for which the end point is unknown, both of which call for emergent, adaptive crisis management capabilities and leadership skills characterized by improvisation and other forms of resilience. Notwithstanding this, company wartime crisis management experiences have stimulated intention to more structured anticipatory and preparedness practices, as well as narratives of future renewal in communications with staff and stakeholders, which serve both as a guidepost and coping mechanism during the current crisis.

Crisis Management for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Sweden under COVID 19 Pandemic: Business Model Innovation, Crisis Leadership and Digital Technology Tools

As we all know, the global crisis of the Covid 19 pandemic has brought about a disaster to the whole economy; it hits the SMEs heavily due to their frangibility. However, they have their unique flexibility to adapt the strategies quickly in the three critical factors of business model innovation, crisis leadership and digital technology tools to cope with the crisis. This paper provides a mixed method of quantitative and qualitative analysis of the SMEs in Sweden. We collect data by questionnaire and interview five (5) local SMEs. The results show that SMEs were affected by Covid 19 significantly, while the strategies that they took were also efficient and useful to their survival and improvement. The SMEs' strategies or changes adopted can give some light to the other SMEs who are still struggling in the pandemic or similar crisis later on. Firstly, all participants adopted a new business model whatever in their customers or suppliers or distributions. Secondly, the leaders became used to the virtual work with their team members; they motivated their employees with efficient rewards and adjusted the labour cost. Thirdly, the companies also took advantage of efficient digital technology tools quickly to adapt their work to the virtual environment. Finally, this study also contributes to current literature, using the essential factors to analysis from a theoretical perspective.

Symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder in early career nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic: A longitudinal survey study.

To investigate the mental well-being of early career nurses working in the United Kingdom during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a particular emphasis on symptoms related to post-traumatic stress disorder. A longitudinal survey study. Data were acquired at three timepoints during the COVID-19 pandemic (between May 2020 and March 2021) to determine whether symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder persisted over time. Quantitative measures of well-being were supplemented with survey data on the nurses' experiences of working during the pandemic. Twenty-seven per cent of participants suffered from persistent symptoms of post-traumatic stress while working as nurses during the pandemic. The nurses' baseline resilience, as well as their perception of the quality of their work environment, were significant negative predictors of symptoms of post-traumatic stress. Participants identified a range of strategies that would have helped them during the crisis, including visible, consistent and empathetic leadership, adequate training and a supportive work environment. The context of the pandemic has highlighted the vulnerability of the psychological well-being of early career nurses in the workforce. Immediate implementation of some of the more simple interventions suggested in this paper would provide early career nurses with rapid support. More complex support mechanisms should be given immediate consideration, with a view to implementation in the longer term. This study contributes new knowledge about the psychological well-being of early career nurses working during the pandemic and suggests support mechanisms that will be crucial for the retention of these nurses in the profession. A measurement of resilience may be useful for determining the appropriate level of support to provide to early career nurses. Early career nurses are vulnerable to attrition from the profession. This could be exacerbated if the psychological well-being of these nurses is not being supported. Around 25% of early career nurses suffered from persistent symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder while working as nurses during the height of the pandemic, which is a novel finding compared to other longitudinal studies. Understanding the psychological well-being of early career nurses working during a crisis period (such as a pandemic) equips nurse managers with appropriate strategies to improve nurses' emotional health and to enhance their retention within the workforce. The current findings may be of interest to clinical practitioners who have responsibility for the retention of nursing staff. No patient or public contribution. One of the authors is a statistician.

An Anatomy of a Crisis in Ecclesiastical Leadership: Isidore and Eusebius in Pelusium

Abstract This paper investigates a crisis in leadership in the Christian church after changes in imperial policy made it more acceptable socially and more advantageous financially to occupy clerical positions. For several decades in the early 5th century, Isidore of Pelusium and his network of friends reproached and lamented the venal conduct of Eusebius, bishop of Pelusium, and several clerics he had appointed. But their efforts to alter the situation had little effect. To understand why this was so, the paper considers the types of people who wrote letters lamenting the situation in order to understand the nature of their response in relation to their social or political position, and it explores reasons why Eusebius and the other clerics were not dislodged by the censure and even derision of their critics. The conflict, it is argued, exposes the limitations of παρρησία as a means of altering the actions of the powerful and qualifies the role of ascetic authority in the de facto exercise of episcopal office in Late Antiquity.

Facing the Global Islamic Leadership Crisis: An Islamic Process and Modes Toward a Unified Governance of the Muslim Ummah

Data and facts show that strong political influence often influences the election of leaders in several Muslim countries. This can lead to a lack of democracy and transparency in the political system and increase the risk of corruption and authoritarianism. According to a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center in 2016, most Muslim communities in several countries, such as Egypt, Pakistan and Tunisia, were dissatisfied with the quality of leadership. Facing the global crisis and democracy’s future and its problems, challenges, and resolutions is broad enough to be presented and discussed thoroughly within the timeframe. It is essential to focus on a specific topic that might encompass this theme. There is an inquiry if there is a unified governance that the Muslim Ummah must observe and may be followed by the global community. How to solve the global crisis and problems of democracy in Islamic leadership? The research method used was qualitative analysis. In view of the above presentation and discussion, it is because of this conclusion that the Islamic process and modes, if properly observed, strongly influence to have unified governance of the Muslim Ummah. After the divine mode of having a leader as it was applied to the Prophets and Messengers of Allah, such is left to the Muslim community following the above-mentioned modes. Based on the above presentation and the need to realize the unified governance of the Muslim Ummah, it is hereby recommended the need to reexamine, reinvestigate, and to study in deep the educational system and curricular offerings of state colleges and universities to include the Islamic process and modes toward a unified governance of the Muslim Ummah seriously as a core subject following the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. and the four rightly guided Caliphs.
 Keywords: Islamic Leadership, Islamic Modes, The Muslim Ummah

The Effect of Human Resource Practices on Hotel Performance during Crisis: A Case Study of Star-Rated Hotels in Mombasa, Kenya

Purpose: Star-rated hotels play a pivotal role in the global economy, contributing significantly to international tourism, job creation, and fostering cross-cultural exchanges. These establishments are luxurious havens and symbols of excellence and diplomacy, promoting economic growth and development, attracting foreign investment, and serving as ambassadors of local culture. In Kenya, star-rated hotels are essential contributors to the national economy, promoting sustainability and wildlife conservation. While these hotels have traditionally thrived due to Kenya's vibrant tourism sector, the industry faces an ever-present threat of crises. Therefore, this study, anchored in the Resource-Based View (RBV) theory analyzed the effect of human resource practices on the performance of hotels in Mombasa County during crises.
 Methodology: This research employed a Covariance-Based Structural Equation Modeling (CB-SEM) approach, well-suited for assessing direct and indirect associations among observed and latent constructs. The study utilized an ex post facto research design to investigate the impact of specific Human Resource Management (HRM) practices on the performance of star-rated hotels in Mombasa County, Kenya, particularly during crises. Structured questionnaires were meticulously administered to 198 management staff members working within star-rated hotels in Mombasa County. This population was chosen due to its critical role in hotel operations, allowing the research to gain comprehensive insights into the relationships under examination. The response rate, approximately 90%, was considered practical and representative of questionnaire-based research. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential analysis techniques and presented in tabular format.
 Findings: The study indicated that Talent Retention and Training exhibited a statistically significant positive effect on hotel performance, with a substantial path coefficient of 0.619. Crisis Communication and Leadership also contributed significantly to hotel performance, showcasing a positive and statistically significant path coefficient of 0.355. On the other hand, Resource Management and Adaptability did not exhibit a statistically significant direct relationship with hotel performance, as indicated by a non-significant path coefficient (p = 0.607). The robust positive relationships discovered between Talent Retention and Training, Crisis Communication and Leadership, and hotel performance align harmoniously with previous research findings. These results underscore the critical roles these factors play within the hospitality industry. Investments in talent management and effective crisis management strategies are vital for a hotel's success. The non-significant relationship between Resource Management and Adaptability and hotel performance challenges conventional wisdom but emphasizes the importance of considering the specific contextual nuances.
 Recommendations: In conclusion, the study demonstrates that Talent Retention and Training, as well as Crisis Communication and Leadership, significantly contribute to the performance of star-rated hotels in Mombasa County, Kenya. These findings underline the need for hoteliers to prioritize investments in talent management, crisis management, and leadership skills. While the relationship between resource management, adaptability, and hotel performance appears more complex, further research is required to unearth any potential indirect effects or contextual nuances.

COVID-19 Pandemic Planning and Management: The Case of New Zealand General Practice Medical Centres

The objective of this study was to explore the potential enhancement of response within GP medical centres in New Zealand when facing heightened healthcare demand during a pandemic. This investigation sheds light on effective crisis management and leadership. By elucidating the contributions of this research, we gain a deeper appreciation of its importance in advancing our understanding of pandemic management. This study has yielded fresh insights and knowledge, beneficial to both academic and real-world applications, particularly concerning the adoption and effects of leadership and management within the healthcare domain amidst crisis situations. Using a multiple case study design, we conducted 86 in-depth interviews with staff from 16 General Practice centres in New Zealand. The critical activities delivered during the first six months of the COVID pandemic to keep New Zealand communities safe during the initial COVID-19 outbreak were (a) leadership in health service planning, including workforce planning, new operational processes, and expansion in the use of Information Communication Technology systems by the GP medical centres; (b) environment disinfection using national guidelines, education and establishment of respiratory clinics and expanding testing sites in GP medical centres; and (c) education and outreach to the patients including the protection of Māori, Pasifika, and remote communities. The decision to adopt a localised response to the pandemic, centralise testing, and better understand local-level needs prompted GP medical centres to communicate and engage early and effectively with patients. This enabled centres to lead and manage the COVID-19 pandemic with greater efficiency in the first six months of the outbreak. The New Zealand government’s “team of 5 million” COVID-compliance campaign program provided clear and persistent communication by the Ministry of Health. This campaign assisted in a better national understanding and compliance with the regulation of the COVID-19 pandemic. The dedication of medical centre managers to forward planning using contingency and accrued funding and setting up Community-Based Assessment Centres and respiratory clinics, including walk-in and outreach services, proved to be highly effective. GP centres led the way in COVID-19 pandemic planning, response, and management.

Women’s Leadership and COVID-19 Pandemic: Navigating Crises through the Application of Connective Leadership

International and national crises often highlight behavioral patterns in the labor market that illustrate women’s courage and adaptability in challenging times. The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting changes in the workplace due to social distancing, remote work, and tele-communications protocols showcased women’s power of authenticity and accessibility (interpersonal and personalized experiences) to engage with their constituents effectively. The catalyzed this research was our desire to underscore the importance of studying the impact of COVID-19 on women leaders. The COVID-19 pandemic brought to light specific challenges and disparities women faced in the workplace. It has been asserted that women leaders substantially benefit businesses and organizations and we wanted to test this out through the practices of our research participants. Decades of research reveal that women leaders enhance productivity, foster collaboration, inspire dedication, and promote fairness in the workplace. This article introduces the feminist Connective Leadership Model (CL) an integrative leadership model and one informed by early feminist theory for understanding women’s leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic. A mixed-method study of select US women leaders before and during the COVID-19 pandemic revealed the CL model and its efficacy for adaptive, inclusive leadership in various contexts. First, this article highlights the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on women’s leadership and behavioral response to the crisis through the lens of the CL model. Second, this article delves into challenges the women leaders faced, including adaptive challenges, isolation, team management, increased caregiving responsibilities, and gender-related disparities. Third, this article reframes women’s voices articulated through a crisis management leadership framework coupled with an understanding and application of the behaviors defined through complexity theory which are aligned with the CL model. Finally, the article discusses the four ‘As’ of crisis leadership: authenticity, alignment, awareness, and adaptability. The application of the CL model provides an effective framework for determining the most appropriate leadership behaviors within the complex challenges of a crisis; it enables the leader to focus on personal, employee, and organizational well-being.

When push comes to shove: Managing strong personalities in a cyber incident

In a cyber crisis, who makes the decisions? The senior person? The technical expert? The self-appointed hero? In crisis leadership, removing the emotion is crucial. Human biases, office politics and perceived personal fears often influence or delay sound decision making. The difference between a controlled event and a business-disrupting incident is your ability to harness these human factors to share expertise and ensure personal benefit does not trump organisational objections. In this paper, a select list of common cyber crisis characters is considered, human biases are explored and leadership and learning models are considered to help navigate the pitfalls of the human element in cyber incidents.

Effective Crisis Leadership in Healthcare

If the past three years have taught us anything, it is that an unanticipated crisis may present itself at any moment. How do we prepare for the unexpected? In this conversation from a recent episode of SoundPractice, host Mike Sacopulos and guest Aimee Greeter discuss the elements of planning for and managing a crisis for any healthcare organization through the lens of the recent pandemic. Greeter shares key lessons learned and provides actionable information for physician leaders to develop their skills in preparation for future crises.

A quantitative study on students’ perception of online versus face-to-face education

There are different opinions existing about the leadership crisis relating to the quality of education (Muenjohn, Pimpa, Montague, & Qin, 2016). Several authors believe that the role of contemporary business in HE plays a significant role in resolving the leadership crisis (Muenjohn, Pimpa, Montague, & Qin, 2016; Bettinger & Loeb, 2017; Grincewicz, 2017). The focus of HE in this field also presents significant challenges to those who are responsible for developing the leadership curriculum in the HE context (Muenjohn, Pimpa, Montague, & Qin, 2016). Literature shows that business schools have long struggled with the problem of teaching leadership and developing suitable curricula to help graduates become skilled leaders, primarily through online programs (Muenjohn, Pimpa, Montague, & Qin, 2016). Moreover, with the coronavirus disease pandemic of 2019 (COVID-19) crisis, the online platform has proven to be an effective education delivery tool, but COVID-19 has challenged education for learners of all ages (Hoofman & Secord, 2021). Relatively little research has explored the way students’ performance in non-profit institutions is influenced by participating in an online course versus face-to-face course. As a result of research completed on this topic, it is evident more in-depth information is needed regarding evidence to understand the impact of online learning versus face-to-face learning today and their effect on students’ performance. The purpose of this quantitative study was to compare the way students’ performance in non-profit institutions is influenced by participating in an online course versus face-to-face course. The Online and Face-to-face Education Evaluation Tool (OFFEET), developed by this researcher, was chosen as the measurement instrument for this study. Participants of this study were university students at non-profit universities/colleges, for this study, there were 314 participants. One-way multivariate ANOVAs were computed with scores on the researcher-developed instrument, OFFEET and the independent variables (i.e., two covariates (gender and age), household income, type of device used, and region within the United States. The results of this research determined that there is a statistically significant difference in the relationship between online versus face-to-face student performance in nonprofit universities.

Managing through COVID‐19: Reflections from city managers and lessons learned

AbstractOur research centers on the role of city managers in responding to the COVID‐19 pandemic in the United States. We begin by asking: What was the experience of city managers during the COVID‐19 pandemic? Drawing on interview data from 87 US city managers we identify four emergent themes: crisis management, organizational and leadership contexts, unintended outcomes, and administrative impacts. We then apply Comfort's (2007) four Cs—cognition, communication, coordination, and control—to the interview data. We find that cognition, communication, and coordination are critical to city managers experiences in crisis management and response. Control is largely related to organizational and leadership contexts and a key aspect in determining their reported success. We also find that city managers view unintended and administrative outcomes as a result of their crisis management process that reinforce their strategies. From our inductive analysis, we propose a Complex Disaster Response Framework of City Managers.

Barriers and facilitators for leading nursing homes through the COVID-19 pandemic: A focus group study in Norway.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, nursing home leaders implemented infection control to protect residents and staff. To understand the barriers and facilitators for leading nursing homes through the COVID-19 pandemic. We invited 34 nursing homes to participate, and 20 leaders (59%) attended focus group interviews. The COM-B model and the theoretical domains framework were used in design and analysis of the study. The barriers for infection control were organisational unpreparedness, high volumes of information, lack of clinical skills, protective equipment, and testing capacity, the nursing home's architectural design, health authorities' low priority of nursing homes, staff's fear, and mental pressure on the leaders over time. The facilitators were having a customised corona plan, change of routines, certification of new skills, access to the municipal quality system, the ability for crisis leadership, loyalty to the nursing home, and support from the environment. The number of part-time positions and the opportunity to outsource parts of the services were also important determinants for infection control. The results identify several barriers and facilitators for nursing home leaders' behaviour for infection control. The results confirm the importance of supporting the leaders' resilience and crisis leadership while working in the pressurised environment of a pandemic. The study provides important insights into barriers and facilitators for leading nursing homes through the COVID-19 pandemic, which could help to inform future strategies for infection control. No patient or public contribution.

How did COVID-19 shape the leadership practices of Norwegian school principals? A qualitative follow-up study

ABSTRACT This study explores how the protracted exposure to the COVID-19 pandemic influenced role expectations and leadership practices among Norwegian school principals. Following up Lien et al. (2022). School principals’ experiences and learning from the COVID-19 pandemic in Norway. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 1–16, nine Norwegian school principals were re-interviewed 18 months into the pandemic. Four main themes emerged: (a) increased demands and expectations describes how the pandemic still poses a significant additional workload, (b) dilemmas and uncertainty outlines how the school principals have become more aware of their responsibilities and liabilities, (c) social support and relationships details an increased sense of community and peer support from fellow teachers, colleagues and the community at large, and (d) self-efficacy describes how the pandemic has instilled confidence in the principals as school leaders. The findings are discussed in the context of leadership practices in education and research on crisis leadership.