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Light in the midst of chaos: COVID-19, inclusive leadership and crisis management styles



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Light in the midst of chaos: COVID-19, inclusive leadership and female educational leadership crisis management styles.

Dr Eleni Meletiadou

Abstract:
Research in the inclusive leadership, female leadership and crisis management literatures has explored these concepts in depth but there is little integration of findings. To integrate findings from these literatures and develop theory on inclusive leadership, female leadership and crisis management, this study explores the concepts and enactment of leadership and crisis management from the female leader’s perspective since very few studies, if any, have explored whether inclusive leadership can help educational institutions when they have to face unprecedented challenges in terms of crises such as the Covid-19 pandemic. Through assisted thematic analyses of 40 female educational leadersship oral responses to questions regarding how they have led during the Covid-19 crisis, the current study investigates whether they relied on inclusive leadership to help their universities exit this unprecedented crisis. Consistent with the findings of prior research, themes emerged related to employee empowerment, shared leadership, and collaboration. The outcomes of this study also emphasize the significance of relational leadership which is based on mutual trust. In terms of the demonstration of inclusive leadership amidst the Covid-19 crisis findings stress the free exchange of ideas, active listening, and genuine interest in employees. Drawing on social information processing theory, inclusive leaders promote the significance of diversity and inclusion into the organization through inclusive leader role modelling. The study revealed that women seem to be exercising inclusive leadership and to have provided considerable support to their followers during the Covid-19 crisis leading them through the crisis as well as managing the response. Finally, it argues that cultivating and harnessing the advancements of women leadership globally and implementing a gender inclusive lens in pandemic preparedness and responses by including the experiences and voices of women in conflict settings is paramount.

This pre-recorded presentation is a part of Student and Staff Research Conference 2022: Lifting Barriers at London Metropolitan University, taking place from 12th to 13th July 2022.

Register for the conference: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/studen...
Full timetable: https://www.londonmet.ac.uk/research/...

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Category
Management
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