Impact of Leader Style on Followers and Organizations During the Unplanned Change of COVID-19: A Case Study of Higher Education
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to describe the role of leaders in the Office of the Registrar in fostering a sense of effectiveness when dealing with unplanned change. A two-case study research approach was utilized to answer the following research questions: (1) What were the perceptions of followers, in the Office of the Registrar, of the role(s) their leaders played in fostering effectiveness during change (crisis)? (2) What were the self-perceptions of leaders, in the Office of the Registrar, of their role(s) in fostering employee effectiveness during change (crisis)? (3) How did COVID-19 impact the Office of the Registrar and the ability of the followers and leaders to cope with the crisis situation?
Qualitative methods were used in data collection which included open-ended semi-structured interviews. Two diametrically different higher education institutions were included in the case study with a total of fifteen participants being interviewed. Following the interviews, I conducted a deductive analysis using Blake et al. (1981), The Academic Administrator Grid, to determine the approach of the leader in relationship to two behavioral dimensions – concern for people and concern for institutional performance. In addition, I conducted an inductive analysis to determine themes based upon the lived-experiences and perceptions of participants in dealing with the impact of the pandemic.
The deductive findings suggest the leaders in the Offices of the Registrar were “comfortable and pleasant administration” and “team administration” on Blake et al. (1981). Follower inductive themes were leader and follower alignment, leaders taking on tasks, concern for staff, delegation, and personal support. Inductive themes regarding leader and follower ability to cope with the crisis situation were (1) the impact of communication, (2) fulfillment of basic technological needs, (3) workload and work/life balance, (4) employee performance during the pandemic, (5) process change, (6) perceptions regarding staying remote or returning to the office, (7) team strength and compassion, and (8) lack of social interaction.
Future research should examine necessary leadership attributes required to facilitate unplanned change in higher education institutions and the long-term impact of crisis on organizational risk mitigation.
Subject
LeadershipUnplanned Change
Crisis
COVID-19
Higher Education
Office of the Registrar
Leader
Follower
The Academic Administrator Grid
Blake, Mouton, and Williams
Citation
Schumann, Brenda Adelle (2022). Impact of Leader Style on Followers and Organizations During the Unplanned Change of COVID-19: A Case Study of Higher Education. Doctoral dissertation, Texas A&M University. Available electronically from https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /197235.