Learning to Lead from a Distance: Reflexive Learning during a Pandemic

Abstract

This paper investigates seven leaders learn to “do” leadership from a distance during 19 months of the COVID-19 pandemic. By following the leaders’ reflexive learning over time, the study sheds light on their assumptions, norms and values and how they questioned these in order to create the “new normal.” Drawing on social constructivism, leadership is viewed here as actions being reproduced in everyday situations in communities. Furthermore, the present study used reflexive learning as theoretical framework. The analysis reveals that the leaders faced many challenges, such as lack of face-to-face communication, and that their learning was a persistent process induced by both internal and external reflexive dialogues. These findings can serve as an inspiration to researchers and managers that seek to understand reflexive learning and leadership during disruptive circumstances and how the context challenges and creates leadership.

The work identity of leaders in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic

“…Leaders had to learn new ways of doing things, and also had to guide their teams in learning new ways of doing things, all while maintaining a fast pace. This supports the findings of Högberg (2022) . Participant 5 summed it up as follows: “We adjusted.” The pandemic forced the leaders to upskill themselves, which further enhanced their work identities as leaders, as learning opportunities are known to strengthen work identities ( Collin, 2009 ; De Braine and Roodt, 2011 ).…”

“…Leaders had to learn new ways of doing things, and also had to guide their teams in learning new ways of doing things, all while maintaining a fast pace. This supports the findings of Högberg (2022). Participant 5 summed it up as follows: "We adjusted."…”

Strategies for Successful Blended Learning—A Bibliometric Analysis and Reviews

“…The roof of this competence requests instructors needs to know and well control of what learners are learning in the digital space and build their skills and newly acquired knowledge with support pedagogy strategy [73][74][75]. The assessment in BL requires the trainer in professional skills of using multiple data resources, including personalisation and mastery-based learning data, system data, and helps teachers "adjust individual student instruction" [76,77].…”

Online Education During the Pandemic: A Systematic Literature Review

“…Efforts emerge from using technology to support online learning during the pandemic [21]- [22]. Some negativities, such as the literature, the weakness of the online education infrastructure, the teachers' inexperience in the application dimension, uncertainty, complex living environment at home, etc., are stated [23] - [24]- [26].…”