An Exploratory Study of Crisis Leadership Qualities: the Creative, Adaptive, Resilient, Emotional Intelligence (CARE) Survey

Abstract

Crises are low-probability but high-impact situations and events that may have adverse ramifications on individuals, organizations, society, nations, and the world. Studies have suggested that crisis leadership is an essential competency, but it has rarely been researched. This study aimed to identify important crisis leadership qualities as this is a critical knowledge gap that needs to be addressed by both researchers and educators. Understanding key crisis leadership qualities can serve as a basis for developing a psychometric tool to raise the awareness of leaders and individuals, which is essential for effective leadership education and development. This study adopted a four-stage exploratory study approach: 1) initial proposal based on the literature review and the personal experience of the researcher; 2) refinement through a pilot study with SMEs; 3) experiment with undergraduate students, and 4) experiment with military officers. This exploratory study suggests that the CARE survey is valid and reliable for measuring crisis leadership qualities. The findings have practical implications for leadership selection, education, and development. The proposed CARE model offers a building block for researchers and practitioners including leaders to think out of the box, be able to adapt and have resilience and emotional intelligence to lead effectively and successfully during a crisis.