LEADERSHIP IN TIMES OF CRISIS: THE SHIFT FROM INDIVIDUAL LEADERS TO TEAM-BASED LEADERSHIP
Abstract
In the twenty-first century, organizations have faced an increasing frequency of crises ranging from pandemics and economic recessions to social upheavals and environmental disasters. These conditions have exposed the limitations of traditional, individual-centric leadership models and have accelerated the transition toward team-based, process-oriented forms of leadership. This paper explores the historical evolution of leadership theories, emphasizing how the modern era demands collaborative, adaptive, and distributed approaches to decision-making. Drawing on classical and contemporary leadership scholarship from the Great Man theory to Raelin’s “leaderful practice” this study critically analyses the philosophical and practical shift from individual to collective leadership. Using New Zealand’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic as a case study, the discussion highlights how shared accountability, trust, and participatory communication fostered national resilience. The analysis concludes that the future of leadership lies not in charismatic individuals but in self-directed, interdependent teams capable of navigating uncertainty with collective intelligence.
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