Crisis Leadership: Political Leadership during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Ataus Samad (), Khalil Al Jerjawi and Ann Dadich
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Ataus Samad: School of Business, Western Sydney University, Penrith South, NSW 2751, Australia
Khalil Al Jerjawi: School of Business, Western Sydney University, Penrith South, NSW 2751, Australia
Ann Dadich: School of Business, Western Sydney University, Penrith South, NSW 2751, Australia

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-15

Abstract: This article identifies leadership attributes that enable effective leaders to manage crises. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews with 13 Australian political leaders, including senators, members of federal and state parliament, premiers, ministers, and mayors of local governments. The findings suggest that, to be an effective leader during a crisis, political leaders need to be: visionary; courageous; calm; inspirational; ethical; empathetic; authentic; and resilient. Single leadership theories do not capture all the attributes necessary to lead during a crisis, suggesting the importance of different, complementary theories. The findings clarify what it takes for politicians to lead during a global crisis, like COVID-19. Furthermore, they provide a foundation to enable constituents to gauge their political leaders’ leadership capacities. Despite extensive research on what it takes to lead, little is known about political leadership during a crisis. The study unveils the key attributes that are essential for political leaders to navigate a crisis, like the COVID-19 pandemic.

Keywords: leadership; leadership attributes; crisis leadership; political leadership; COVID-19 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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