Much research, scholarship and advice are devoted to the topic of crisis leadership. Even before the pandemic, you could find copious articles, books and webinars intended to guide leaders through upheavals that ranged from acute and unanticipated emergencies—like Hurricane Katrina, Sept. 11 and social and political campus protests—to slow-burning crises, such as plunges in enrollment or the unfolding of a campus scandal.
One concept that emerges clearly in the advice regarding crisis leadership is the need to act with speed, setting aside collaborative leadership styles in favor of decisive approaches. But as academic leaders know, quick action is not a traditional hallmark of academic decision making.
