Purpose: This paper presents a review of empirical research on educational leadership during times of crises in K–12 schools. This review aimed to map the recent literature and identify key characteristics of educational leadership during crises to understand how this type of leadership is different from current understandings.Design/methodology/approach: A scoping review of empirical research from 2010 to 2020 on how school leaders have managed and responded to crises in K-12 was completed. The empirical research was analysed and synthesised by using the preview, question, read and summarise (PQRS) system.Findings: The findings draw attention to the fact that the notion of crisis leadership has been a neglected aspect of educational leadership research. Additionally, the review reveals six emerging characteristics which depict how school leadership has been enacted during different types of crisis across a range of contexts and crisis phases.Originality/value: The findings add to current practical understandings of educational leadership by illustrating the complexity and multi-layered nature of leading during times of crisis. Furthermore, these findings contribute to the field by identifying how leading during a crisis is different from current understandings. Lastly, they highlight the need to develop theories and models that account for how leadership is used to deal with the unpredictable nature of crises that schools across the globe face today and into the future.

This paper provides commentary on the visual method of concept mapping and how it was combined with semi-structured interviews to study participants’ perspectives on educational leadership. Utilizing methodological literature and the author’s research, the paper outlines key characteristics of concept mapping and provides an example of how these data collection methods were combined to gain a better understanding of participants’ perspectives. Additionally, the paper describes the benefits of combining the two methods and offers several considerations for researchers adopting such an approach in their research design. Given the rising interest in visual methods the paper provides insights on how the use of concept mapping with a more traditional method can offer an added dimension to research.

Purpose: This scoping review examines the literature on school leadership during the COVID-19 crisis to consolidate knowledge on how school leaders adapted to unprecedented challenges. It aims to highlight the multifaceted aspects of school leadership during the pandemic, emphasizing the need for distinct approaches in crisis situations.Design/methodology/approach: Using scoping review methodology, this study analysed empirical work published between January 2020 and May 2023. Using PRISMA-ScR guidelines, it focused on peer-reviewed articles that examined leadership practices and strategies during the health crisis. Key features were distilled through thematic analysis, incorporating both inductive and deductive reasoning from the selected literature.Findings: The study indicated that school leadership during the COVID-19 crisis involved care, collaboration, communication and quick decision-making. School leaders demonstrated resilience and innovation to ensure continuity of learning and support community well-being. Inclusive leadership, technology integration and personal characteristics like empathy emerged as pivotal aspects. The mapping revealed a prevalence of qualitative methodologies in one context, highlighting the need for diverse methodologies to comprehensively understand school leadership during crisis.Originality/value: This review contributes to educational leadership by offering a thorough overview of the research on school leadership during the COVID-19 crisis. It emphasises context-specific leadership and the need to frame educational leadership in ways that will equip leaders for future crisis, suggesting considerations for leadership models tailored to crisis circumstances.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused major disruption to education and highlighted the importance of effective leadership during times of crisis. This paper considers the impact of the pandemic on school leaders in Australia, Fiji, and New Zealand. A secondary analysis of data from five interpretivist, qualitative studies was conducted. The aim of the study was to investigate the similarities and differences between the leaders’ experiences across school settings, states/provinces, and countries. Our findings place renewed importance on understanding the role of schools within the community and the vital role school leaders play in helping schools respond to volatile and dynamic circumstances. The findings show how leaders’ roles and responsibilities adapted to respond quickly and effectively to the urgency of the crisis, regardless of the context. Furthermore, common practices such as attending to wellbeing and providing clear and timely communication were revealed. The analysis also revealed some interesting nuances in the leaders’ responses because of the duration of the crisis, the particular needs of the community, and government requirements. Papers like this provide insights into what leaders do and how schools and systems might prepare and support leaders to lead during times of crisis.

The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 significantly impacted Australia’s resources sector, particularly mining, oil, and gas industries, posing challenges for operational leaders. This study applied Adaptive Crisis Management Theory (ACMT) to understand how these leaders adapted during the crisis. Through interviews with 32 operational leaders, it was found that their roles evolved as crisis demands changed. Initially, they addressed immediate needs, then shifted focus to remote work facilitation and digital transformation, and finally emphasised recovery, trust, and resilience. These adaptations influenced leaders’ behaviours, highlighting the importance of flexibility in supporting employee wellbeing and organisational continuity during crises.