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Lessons from the Storm: Emotions, Meaning-Making & Leadership During Transition

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Abstract

Emotions influence the cognition, motivation, and behavior of an individual. However, the role of leaders’ emotions in navigating organizational change remains relatively underexplored. This study examines the role of emotions in educational leadership during a period of organizational crisis through a case study analysis of an assistant superintendent who successfully used emotional awareness to confront challenges and facilitate positive change. The findings, which reveal the effective use of emotional responses to promote positive organizational change, provide guidance for educational leadership preparatory programs which must cultivate future leaders’ emotional regulation skills. This study addresses a notable gap in the literature by examining a leader’s effective employment of self-awareness, emotional management, and emotional impact for meaning-making in order to navigate organizational change.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Colorado-Denver, Denver, USA

    Julia Mahfouz

  2. North Central College, Naperville, USA

    Kathleen King

  3. University of Texas at Austin, Austin, USA

    Lebon D. James III

Authors
  1. Julia Mahfouz
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  2. Kathleen King
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  3. Lebon D. James III
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Correspondence to Julia Mahfouz.

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Mahfouz, J., King, K. & James, L.D. Lessons from the Storm: Emotions, Meaning-Making & Leadership During Transition. Asia-Pacific Edu Res 30, 339–347 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40299-021-00574-w

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