The purpose of this study is to explain the relationship between the COVID-19 crisis and leadership and to demonstrate the leadership skills necessary in the post-COVID-19 era. This study is based on literature research. In the study, firstly, the effects of COVID-19 on human life are explained. Then, the relationship between crisis management and leadership is discussed. Later, the features of the new era after COVID-19 and the concept of the digital age are explained. The role of leaders in this new era is emphasized. In the last part of this study, three leadership types that attract attention during the pandemic process are briefly explained. These are ethical, digital, and pandemic leadership. In the last section, the skills and abilities required for leaders who are to succeed after COVID-19 also add value to the research.
TopIntroduction
The COVID-19 pandemic, which emerged in the Wuhan region of China in late 2019 and then spread to the whole world and turned into a COVID-19 global health crisis, plunged the world into unprecedented chaos. This pandemic has plunged health systems into a crisis of unprecedented magnitude (Ahlsson, 2020, p. 1). According to the World Health Organization, on October 6, 2020, the number of COVID-19 confirmed cases worldwide was 36,237,403, while 1,054,868 of them resulted in death (WHO, 2020). This disease, which causes great damage to human health and kills many people, has also destroyed global markets (Altamirano & Collazo, 2020, p. 65).
This global public crisis has also brought many difficulties for leaders who have made intensive efforts to manage the effects of the enormous threats it poses and has led to unprecedented decisions to be made (Nicola, et. al., 2020, p. 123). Many governments have started a huge struggle over how to prepare for the pandemic, how to respond, and how to mitigate its effects (Moon, 2020, p. 1). Countries all over the world have tried to manage this process by imposing various bans and restrictions. For example, schools were closed, face-to-face education was suspended (Husbands, 2020, p. 6). People's work lives, social lives, and travel patterns have been changed (Horná, 2020, p. 2). People have put an end to their social lives by putting physical distances between them and have started not to travel on a regional or global scale. In this process, all businesses, large and small, whose commercial losses gradually increased, began to follow policies that would lead to increased unemployment (Altamirano & Collazo, 2020, p. 72).
All these changes in a micro and macro sense have created an impetus towards a new human age by moving countries, sectors, individuals, in other words, all humanity, away from known social and economic structures. How this age will take shape relates to the decisions of leaders (Dirani, et. al., 2020, p. 380). Crises such as COVID-19 pose multiple challenges for leaders. Leaders must identify problems coming in a rapidly changing situation and understand a dynamic threat with limited information, make critical decisions in response, and coordinate the process. In times of crisis, people turn to their leaders, and leaders turn to the people they influence (Roberts, 2020, p. 232). At such times, communities or employees follow their leaders and are influenced by their decisions. In other words, leaders are put under the spotlight in difficult times such as the COVID-19 crisis due to their positions (Lagowska, et. al., 2020, p. 1). This is because people expect guidance, hope, and accurate information from leaders. In summary, at such times, the spotlights are turned to the leaders. In such cases, it becomes very important to manage the process successfully. For example, in the process of the coronavirus pandemic, the key role played by the leadership during crises is emerging, with some global leaders rising in popularity and others declining rapidly (Lagowska, et. al., 2020, p. 4). During this period, although the virus was a problem found all over the world, world leaders showed significant differences in their reactions. This has significantly different consequences in terms of virus reduction, public health, and economic stability. This is because leaders adopt different approaches (charismatic, ideological, pragmatic (CIP) model) to understand the crisis, and the difference in decision-making and communication methods (Crayne & Medeiros, 2020, p. 1)
In summary, the destruction brought by COVID-19 and the new order it will bring will lead to the reshaping of systems, the emergence of new structures, economic successes, or failures. All of these relate to the decisions taken by the leaders. How leaders respond to the crisis will permanently change the economic, social, and health fundamentals of their communities (Dirani, et. al., 2020, p. 381). These changes point to the new era after COVID-19.