Exploring the Role of Resilient Leadership in Organisational Crisis Management: A Systematic Literature Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51137/wrp.ijarbm.490Keywords:
Resilient Leadership, Organisational Resilience, Crisis Management, Adaptability, Leadership CompetenciesAbstract
Resilient leadership has become increasingly important in today’s volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) organisational environment, where leaders are expected to sustain continuity, adaptability and long-term success. Resilient leaders draw on capabilities such as flexibility, emotional intelligence, transparent communication and strategic foresight to guide their organisations through crises, including pandemics, economic downturns and geopolitical disruptions. While many studies have examined resilience at the level of individual leaders, there remains limited research on the specific leadership behaviours that foster resilience at the organisational level. This systematic literature review draws together evidence from 46 open-access, English-language studies published between 2015 and 2025. Five core themes emerged from the analysis: crisis communication and planning; adaptive leadership behaviours; employee well-being and resilience; business continuity and organisational learning; and decision-making processes and adaptive strategies. The review synthesises empirical findings and theoretical contributions to offer practical insights for leadership development programmes and to highlight key gaps that warrant further investigation in the field of resilient leadership and crisis management.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Misheck Musaigwa, Vivence Kalitanyi (Author)
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