ABSTRACT
Coping responses are actions intended to diminish the harm or loss associated with a crisis situation. Leaders in our studies reported a variety of coping strategies to be effective, including seeking social support, staying engaged in non-crisis-related activities, respite, cognitive strategies, and self-care. Patterns of coping appear to be largely consistent with studies of non-leaders. We review the Conservations of Resources (COR) Theory, a theory of stress responses, for understanding both the impact of personal crisis on the leader and patterns of coping responses to crisis. Although existing evidence about the impact of stress on leader effectiveness is surprisingly limited, it indicates that stress-related leader depletion is associated with fewer effective and more ineffective leader behaviors. We then review the research literature on effective coping and extract general recommendations for leaders in crisis: be watchful for coping responses that avoid important situations and emotions, engage in problem-solving approaches while attending to emotion-focused self-care, and cultivate responses that are organized, flexible, and constructive.
