Reframing crisis and crisis management: examining three urban superintendents’ COVID-19 experiences

Purpose This paper explored the intersection of leadership, crisis and context to understand the social and political dimensions of crisis as a phenomenon. Design/methodology/approach This multiple case study of three urban superintendents used crisis and complexity theory literature to inform analysis of superintendent interviews, board observations and social/media content. Findings COVID-19 exhibited attributes—crisis origin, breadth and severity, clarity of action and time horizon—that shaped how leaders led and managed. And stakeholder composition, values and motivations shaped how superintendents engaged with actors in their efforts to balance the competing values of safety and choice. Originality/value Paracrisis and complexity theory literature offer important insights into crises and crisis leadership. These conceptual perspectives illuminate how stakeholders shape macro- and local-level crisis contexts. Further, they underscore the importance of accurate and timely feedback that informs the social and political dimensions of crisis management.