Crisis Leadership: A Working Review of Servant, Authentic, and Transformational Leadership
Crisis Leadership: A Working Review of Servant, Authentic, and Transformational Leadership
Marsha Evans | 2021
Abstract
Each crisis, whether human-made or natural, is unique and devastating in its own magnitude. Furthermore, each is unified in its consequences on leaders, managers, and followers as society tries to react ethically, effectively, and responsibly. This manuscript will demonstrate how crisis management and crisis leadership are differentiated from one another and how each is needed to work through the human and operational elements present within a crisis. Reviewing the principles of servant, authentic, and transformational leadership, we will reiterate the need for leaders to have the capacity to lead with confidence, honor, empathy, and courage while also being unselfish, loyal, and willing to learn and grow through adversity. The principles of servant leadership provide a platform for leaders to be human in the face of crisis. Leaders who choose to utilize servant-leadership principles during a crisis understand that each follower is unique and requires an individualized approach to keep the follower engaged. In doing so, leaders exhibit behaviors that reiterate the necessity of prioritizing the needs of followers. Without doing so, followers are less likely to reciprocate the belief that they need to take care of the organization. Of the leadership failures of the twentieth century, much of the attention has been devoted to leaders who were deceitful, calculated, destructive, and an overall mockery of their true selves. Through self-development, authentic leaders acquire a deeper awareness and understanding of their true selves. Subsequently, authentic leaders develop the capacity to identify and cope with unique stressors found in chaotic environments. Authentic leadership reiterates the belief that authenticity is key to ensuring followers know they are cared for and empowered to respond during a crisis. Without authenticity, followers are unlikely to follow the leader, thus tempting the leader to use coercion and manipulation to motivate followers during a crisis. The very nature of a crisis indicates that leaders will not have time to make friends or gain followers’ trust. By using transformational leadership principles, leaders can create a culture that focuses on respect, trust, care, and empowering followers while also ensuring a strong vision, purpose, and direction are established for the organization. In doing so, leaders solicit follower engagement, commitment, and create meaning for the follower role. The end goal for leaders, followers, managers, and stakeholders is to use the elements presented to identify the strategies, knowledge, and skills necessary to prepare for a crisis, survive the chaos, and emerge stronger than when the crisis began.